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GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
/
GOLD:
HOW AND WHERE TO FIND IT I
ins
EXPLORER'S GUIDE AND MANUAL OF PRACTICAL AND
INSTRUCTIVE DIRECTIONS
FOB
EXPLORERS AND MINERS
15 THB
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA^..
WITH
LUCID INSTRUCTIONS AND EXPLANATIONS AS TO THE ROCKY STRATA.
PECULIAR SHALE ROCKS. VEINSTONE, ETC, IN WHICH
GOLD, AND MANY OTHER VALUABLE MINERALS,
ARE TO BE POUND IN THAT REGION t
WITH
. EASY MODES OP DETERMINATION AND ANALYSIS,
ACCOMPANIED BY TWO
COLORED GEOLOGICAL MAPS.
BY HENRY W,^ITE. P.L.S.,
Author i.)fthe " Geology, Oil FicMs, and Minerals oj Canada West"
etc., etc., etc.
TORONTO :
PUBLISHED BY MACLEAR & CO.,
17 KING STREET WEST.^
1867.
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PREFACE.
The object of the following pages is, to supply the
gold mining emigrant coming into Canada, as well as
those already in this country, with the information ne-
cessary to enable them to conduct, with facility and cer-
tainty, the researches and operations which are essentially
necessary to a successful issue in gold minings as well as
that of other operations of a similar nature. There can
be no doubt but Canada affords greater accommodation,
in consequence of its commercial facilities, for thfe suc-
cessfi ' prosecution of gold mining, than any othe/ large
gold producing country in the world, and there is less
doubt, that a larger share of its mineral riches will ulti-
mately fall to the lot of the intelligent and industrious
mining student. The man who comes into this country,
and makes himself acquainted (by the study of the fol-
lowing, or any other comprehensive intelligible work)
with the conditions under which gold, or any other valu-
able metallic ore occurs, and is to be found, and the
operations by which they may be most readily extracted
from their native beds, will evidently find himself in ad-
vance and more successful than the less intelligent ad-
venturer who trusts in chance alone for success. ,^.vrr *iA ♦
This work is therefore expressly prepared, with its
accompanying geological maps, as a manual for explorers,
and is designed to supply a want now very generally felt,
respecting the Madoc Gold discoveries, and the occur-
rence of other valuable minerals in that (comparatively)
o
* .'
PREFACE.
unexplored and extensive region of Laurentian rocks.
The work opens with a short description of the nature
and character of the older rock composing the earth.
•Then follow in succession a further short description of
the more recent rocky strata, their character, and dis-
tinguishing features, and metallic bearing veins, and
shales, in the gold-bearing formation of this country, so
that the explorer may readily distinguish the one from
the other when he sees them, and search only in those
places, stratas, and veinstones, which are pointed out in
the body of the work, for his guidance, instead of making
an indiscriminate and hopeless random search in all
rocky stratas he may meet with.
There is also given such a description of the appear-
ance, nature and characteristics of the Laurentian or
gold-bearing rocks, as will enable the explorer at once to
distinguiah them from the rocks of the Silurian forma-
tion lying on its south side. Besides which he is also
refered to the accompanying geological maps, on which
he will see the line of contact between the two formations,
distinctly marked, so that he need not in any case mis*
take his geological or geographical position in relation to
the gold-bearing formation . > i ; . . * < >
"^ A description of all the most valuable minerals that
•are known to exist in, and belonging to that formation,
is also given in detail, with easy modes of determination
and analysis, and much valuable information, respecting
the proper places and veinstones in which to search for
jgold, &c., &c., with plain and practical methods of as-
certaining its existence in Talcoso or chloritic shale,
quartz rock, iron pyrites, alluvial deposits, red ochre, or
Diftck sand •
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PREFACE. f
The author has endeavoured to keep as clear as pos«
sible from technical terms and incomprehensible phraseo- '
logy, thereby rendering the work as plain, practical and
intelligible as possible, so thai it may be easily under-
stood by every person who n xy read it.
The want of a plain, cheap, and comprehensive work
of this kind is severely felt in Canada just now, and the
great tide of explorers and gold seeking emigrants that
will, on the opening of navigation, visit the Gold Regions
of Western Canada, will vrrke it doubly so.
The few works we hare in Canada are either tpo elabo-
rate, too scientific, and too expensive, or are the produc-
tion of foreign countries, and adapted only to their geo-
logical conditions and mineral characters, and wholly
inadequate to the wants of the Canadian explorer.
To supply this want in the requirements of our young,
but great and undeveloped mineral country, and to place
in the hands of the venturous explorer, such information
and gvidance as he must necessarily require to be suc-
cessful, and, without which his labour will be in vain, is
the cbjeci of this book, and the author reasonably be-
lieving that his long professional practise as a P.L.S. and
mineral explorer, through the rocky wilds of Canada,
render him not unfit for the compilation and accomplish-
ment of the following exposition of the undeveloped
mineral resources of the Lauren tian formation of Canada,
of which the following pages principally treat,
Toronto, April, 1867.
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GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
STRUCTURE OF ROCKS.
The rocks of the globe consist either of a single miaeral in a
msBsive state or of intimate combinations nf different minerals.
For instance, limestone, when pure, is a sin^^le mineral-^it is the
species calcite or carbonate of time : Common Oranite is a com*
pound aggregate of three minerals, quartz, feldspar and mica. It is
an umtratijied rock. Sandstones may consist of grains of quartz
alone, like the sands of the sea shore which, if compressed or ag-
glutinated together, will form compact sand rock. It is common
to find along with the quartz sand, grains of feldspar and some*
times mica. When this aggregate is compressed or agglutinated
together, they produce gneis8, which is a stratified rock. Clay
slates consist of quartz and feldspar or clay, with sometimes mica,
all so finely oomminuted, that often the grains cannot be observed.
Conglomeratet are aggregates of pebbles of any kind. They may
be a mixture of granite pebbles, quartz pebbles, limestone pebbles,
or mixtures of different kinds cemented together in a matrix of
some cementing material, such as silica, oxyd of iron, or carbonate
of lime.
Rocks differ also in texture. In some, as granite, or syenite, the
texture is crystalline : that is, the grains are more or less angular,
and shew faces of cleavage; the aggregation was the result of a
cotemporaueous orystalization of the several component parts.
White marble, crystalline limestone, &a., consists of angular grains,
and are crystalline. But a conglomerate is not a result of crystal-
lization ; it consists only of adhering small pebbles in a matrix of
cementing material, which is sometimes not apparent. Sandstones,
in like manner, are also an agglutination of grains of sand, and
ean be formed by compressing sand under a heavy pressure. Clay
or roofing slates are nothing more than what would result frosi
the compressing and solidifying a bed of clay, containing filica,^
alumina, and a little iron. There are, therefore, ^ratified and wn-
ilruti^ed, crystalline and unorystalline rocks. But it must be
borne in mind, th:it, in each kind of rock, the grains themselves are
crystalline, as all solid matter becomes solid by crystallization.
But the former is a crystallized aggregation of grains, while the
latter is only mechanical. In crystalline rocks it is not always
possible to distinguish the graine, as they may be so minute, or
^m
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
the rook kg compact, that tliey are not visible. Much of the crya*
talline rock called basalt is thus coiDpact.
Much o( the rocky structure of the earth's surface constitut*
extensive beds or layers, lyiug one above the other, and varying
in thicknesn, from the fraction of an inch, to many feet. There are
compact limestones, beds of sandstones, and shales or clay slates,
in many and various alterations. lu some regions certain of these
rocks, or certain parts of the series, may extend over certain large
areas, or underlie a ^hole country, while others are wholly want-
ing, or present (^nly in their beds. The irregularities m their
original deposition, their geographical arrangement, and in the
orc^r of superposition, are very numerous, and it is one object of
geology to aiscover order and harmony amid such apparent want
of system. Many of these rocks contain its own peculiar organic
remains, and this is one source of the confident decision of the
geologist as to the relation, age and position in which they ought to
be ploced, in the scale of the eaith's structure. The stratified
rocks bear evidence in every part — in their regular layers, their
worn sand or pebbles, and their fossils — that they are the result of
gradual accumulations of sedentary matter beneath the ancient
oceans, marine or fresh, or on the thores of eeas, lakes, or rivers.
Besides the{>e stratified looke, there me others, which, like the
ejections from a volcano, or an igneous vent, form beds or break
through other strata, and fill fissures, often mnny miles in length.
The rock filling such fissures is called a dyke. Porphyry,
and many of the veins in rocks, are of the same kind, and have the
Ffime origin. Similar rocks sometimes occur as extensive layers;
for the lavas of a single volcanic eruption have been known to be
continuous for over forty miles, and may appear underlying a wide
region of country, like granite. The stratified rocks, or such as
consist of material in regular layers, are of two kinds. The worn
grains of which they are composed are sometimes distinct, and
the remains of shells further indicate that they are the result of
gradual accumulations. But others, or even certain parts of beds,
that elsewhere contain thege indications, have a crystalline texture.
A limestone bed may be compact in one part, and granular or
crystalline, like statuary marble, in another, evidently showing
the effect of htat on one position of the bed, eince the rock was
deposited. There are other rocks, such as mica slate, gneiss, and
probably some granites, that have thus been crystallized. They
^re called metamorphie rocks.
Following this brief description of the arrangement and general
nature of rooks, which is deemed necessary to the proper under-
standing of what follows, we will proceed with a description of the
more prominent varieties that occur in the formation of which we
are about to treat, with a description of the probable extent and
characteristic features of that formation, so that it may be readily
distinguished from all others.
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GNEISS OF LAURENTIAN FORMATION.
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Granite confaipts of thre« minerals, qunrtz, feldspar, and mica.
It has a somewhat ottarse crystalline grauulai* structure, uuii usual-
ly a grnyish-wliite. gray or fleshred color, the shade varying with
the color of the fti* vailing mineral of which it is composed. When
it contains nn tx<e:'^ of quar tz it is whiter, when au excess of
feldspar, it assumes a letMer color, nud when mica prevails it is
generally darker. Wlien ir. contains hornblende in place of mica
it is called Syenite ; honil>li iide resembles mica in these rocks,
but the lamina] is brittle, aicl more didicult to separate. Granite
is said to be micactons, JeUsftnth-. or quartgone, according as the
mica, feldspar, or quartz predcuiiinales It is called /)or;>/ryri^tc
granite when the feldspar is in Iuijl;*' eiy^'alH, and n{>poari) over a
worn surface like thickly scattered wliite blotches, often rectan-
gular in shape. Graphic granite has tl)£ appearance of hierogly-
phics, or oriental characters, over the surface, owing to the angular
arrangement ol the quartz in the feldspar or the feldspar in the
quartz. When the mica of the granite is wanting it is then a
granular mixture of feldspar and quarfz, called granulite or lep-
tynite. When the feldspar is replaued by albite it is Ciilled n'bite
granite. The albite Is usually white, but otherwise resemblos
feldspar, when replaced by talc, it is called protogene.
Granite is the usual rock in which tin ore is found. It contains
also commercial quantities of pyritous, vitreous, and grey copper
ore, galena or lead ore, zinc, blende, specular, and magnetic iron.
Antimony, cobalt, nickel, uranium, arsenic, titanium, bismuth,
tungsten, and silver, with rarely a trace of mercury. The rare
minerals, cerium and yttria. are found in granite, and most fre-
auently in albite granite. It also contains emerald, topaz, coron-
um, zircon, fluor-spar, garnet, tourmaline, pyroxene, hornblende,
epidote, and many other species. But as granite is of rare occur-
rence among our Laurentian rocks, let explorers be cautioned that
gnHse rock is not ^rant/0, though commonly pocalled by the inex-
perienced. The gneise rock is ttratified, that is, full of linet and
seams, while the granite is not. Diorite is a rock of the granite
series, consisting of h ' rneblende and feldspar. Its color is dark
green or greenish black, and crystalline in texture.
Granite is a very hard and durable rock, and is one of the most
valuable materials for building. It was much used by the ancients,
especially the Egyptians, where are yet obelisks that have stood
the weather for over 30C0 years.
GNEISS OR LAURENTIAN FORMATION.
Gneiss baa the same composition as granite, but is stratified Id
appearance. It is iu fact composed of the disintegrated atoms ot
m
10
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
tbe primitive granite which has been washed down and deposited
in the bottom of an ancient sea, where it has become a solid strati-
fied rock, but which has subsequently been uplifted and nubjeoted
to much violent action by heat in its early stages of coiisolidHUoo,
as evidenced by the disturbance and contortions of its once hori«
zontal strata. It jsrenerally breaks into slates a few inches to a
foot or more in thickness, and withers from a flesh red to an almost
white color according as feldspar, mica, or quartz predominates.
Where feldspar predominates it is generally of a flesh red color,
and is called/e/a«;)oV/c gndat. Where mica prevails it generally
assumes a darker grey color, and is called micaeeoui gneist. Where
quartz prevails it assumes a white color, and is called quartzoge
gneiis. It is much tilted up, contorted, twisted, and overlapped,
and is interspersed in many places by dykes of intrusive rock,
horneblende, and other allied rocks. Extensive deposits of ci^s*
talline limestone, and Inrge vein^ of quartz, feldspar, ualcspar,
baryta, or heavy spar, chloritio schistose, tulcosc shale, ^o.
This formation is the oldest as well as the largest c. the conti-
nent of America. It enters the Province on the Const of Labrador,
and, following along the south Bide of the Oulf of St. Lawrence, in
an irregular line, and at irregular distances therefrom, skirts round
the Citjr of Quebec, thence up to and around the City of Ottawa,
where it strikes southerly to the Thousand Islands, below Kings-
ton ; thence in nearly a straight line to the head of the Georgian
Bay, near the mouth of the Severn River, and thence along the
Oeorgian Bav, to the west side of the French River. From thence it
can be traoecl, in broken succession, along the north shore and round
the head of Lake Superior, taking in Vermillion Lake in tlie United
States; thence to the North- East side of Lake Winnipeg; from
whence it strikes towards the head waters of McEenzie River, and
down the McKenzie River to the Arctic Ocean, at the extreme
north end of the Rocky MountaiHs ; a distance, from one extreme
point to the other, of about 6,000 miles. The above will rudely
represent the southern boundary and extreme length of this for-
mation. But what are, or may ultimately prove to be, its northern
limits, it is impossible at the present day to tell. We have how-
ever sufficient information, from peraonal observation and other-
wise to warrant us in saying that it will range from 200 to 500
miles wide. Taking the mean of these at 850 miles, and the
extreme length at 5,000, it will give an area of no less . than
1,750,000 square miles, of what is now proved beyond a question of
doubt to be a gold bearing.rock in British America alone. This is
probably greater than all the gofd bearing fields in the world put
together, — and this great field remains as yet a comparative incog-
nito. It is only the southern borders of a very limited portion of
it in Upper and Lower Canada, that has at all been brought under
the cognizance of the Geological Suryev.or private enterprise ; bht
now, and for the future, it is destined to receive an impetus, by
,.
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GNEISS OF LAURENTIAN FORMATION.
11
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private enterprise that few regions have ever known, but certainly
none beyond what its great and known mineral wealth will amply
justify.
ThiM h the formation in which gold in tueh large guantitiei u
nov bting found. It is et our very doors, borders on a fine and
well settled agricultural section of country, and is itself, in many
parts of its southern limits, tolerably well settled ; there are roads,
villages, stores, post offices, (be, &c. Rail roadtt and steamboata
convey you to within a few hours drive of the gold fields, wher«
the stages take you. Ton have not got to face the wild nation of
Australia, or the savage Indian of California or British Columbia,
nor have you the hardships of long inland mountainous journeys
to perform, with $5 for a nieas of beans or a piece of hard tack.
All these difficuliies will be obviated in the gold fields of Canada,
where cheap supplies, and every convenience that a gold hunter
oould desire, may be obtained at the current market prices of the
Province. But I am digressing.
It Is very probable that it will be between Kingston and tha
head of the Georgian Bay, that the greater extei;i of ezplorationa
and works will be carried on during the incoming season. The
distance across there is about 160 miles, and it is likely that Modoc
will be the centre from whence the explorations will radiate. They
will then extend to the east und west keeping on the Oneint rock,
along tho b<irdera of which, and for some miles to the northward,
they will find plenty of farmers, and farm houses, but it is not
probable that these farmers, or farm houses, will be able to afibrd
either sufficient supplies or accommodation to the immense influx
of explorers and luineitt that will vibittbat sectiouof country in the
spring. It will be iherefore advisable that they furnish them-
selves with partial eupdies, at least, from central points. This
there will be no difficulty la doing, as tlie towns aud villages in
close proximity will be sure to keep all necessary supplies ea
kand.
The Qneiss mck, as before fitated, being composed of sedimen-
tary nintters, are overluid to a certain extent by another series of
rock, which are called the Huronian formation, and is confined to
the locality of that name, but it is the former, or Laurentiau for*
mation, which is under discussion, and the one with which we are
more immediately concerned. The Laurentian strata consists prin-
cipally of highly crystalline beds of micaceous and hornblendic
gneiss; homeblende rock; crystalline limestone, and dolomite;
magnesian limestone; oxidized iron ores; qm^rtzite, and anortho-
sites, or rock composed chiefly of lime and soda feldspar ; aud to-
which may now be added native gold in quartz, and decomposed
pyrites, and earthy oxyde of iron, in auriferous alluvial deposits. In
an economic point of view the Laurentian formation has hitherto
been more particularly cbaractenzed by the vast beds of magnetic
and specular iron ore contained within it full details of whiek
HI
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
' ^ •
would be out of place 1)61*0. Itn tliickness is unknovra, but as wbiit
it pupposed to be its equivnient in Uootland, is eslimnted by Sir
Koderick Murchison to be 96,OUO feet, there is no reason, as y«t
known, why the Caosdiau Luurentide rocks should be placed at a
lower ustimate.
A belt of (his formation croiaes the St. Lawrence at the thou-
sand Islands, below Kingston, and expsnds over a large section of
country south of that Uivor, in the state of New York, comprising
the Andriondack Mountain region, in the State of New York.
From Kingston, ns before vemprked, this formation strikes in an
irregular line through JUadoc, MHrmora, <&o., (o the head of the
Georgian Bay. On the south of this line it is overlnid and flanked
by the Lower Silurian strata, which, from its appearance, and bor-
izontnl attitude, is easily distinguished from the more corrugated
and disturbed Laurentiun formation lying to, and flanking it on, the
north. The line of contact between these two formations is very
irregular. lu many instances there are outlying patches of either
formation, far removed froni the main line of contact, and com-
pletely cut off from its own rock bed. These outliers will be
easily recognizeil by the explorer. The contrast is so great that
there can he no mistaking them ; for, while the one is horicontal,
smooth, clean, limestone flags, the other is coarse, corrugated, twist-
ed, and tilted up gneiss, full of quartz veins and mica shales. It
i$ to the north of this line that the explorer mutt confine hie fe-
plorationt for the precioui and many ot^er valuable mineral <t;6'
stancet to be hereafter mentioned ; for to i> ^ south there lies a more
recent and wholly different formation, in ' <oh little or any
valuable metallic substances have as yet ever bt.. found.
Far inlaud, and extending from Labrador througu \o the North
Wefet, there arises a roouutain chain, through the oeatral part of
this formation. Its most elevated parts range from 100 miles
in ths East to about 200 miles at Madoc, from the southern margin
of the formation This range of hills is ahonl 2000 feet high.
It constitutes the water shed between the grt a ; north and south
basins of Eastern British America. This mountain chain, stretch-
1 ig from the coast of Labrador, and cro^eis^ia; 'he continent, to the
northern part of the Hocky Mountains, is a perfeot terra incognito,
and may, like its southern sister rocks, be auriferous and contain
metals of very great importance, or not— 17 t« unknoum — time
and exploration alone will determine the fact, and their hidden
treasures, like manj of the past, may, in the inscrutable wisdom
of Providence, remain dormant and undeveloped for the benefit of
generations yet to people the earth.
In coineclion with the above it may be necessary to say a word
respecting a more recent formation, covering a large broken area
between the western outlet of the French River on Lake Huron,
and the head of Lake Superior. This is very appropriately called
the Huroniitii Formation. It more or less overlies tiie Laureutian
-
MICA SHALE.
II
llockf), between the |>l.iC«8 nu^ntioned, ro*1 cxtenv'* to (bo Noith
East, fur aointf cousideiuble diritHiice, tiuin tlie Fiench Kiver—
certainly ov«r ]0U miles It appenrs to he nn overjlow, and cun*
■ists cliivfly of green and gruyisii siaie uunglonieratus, and other .
fiaitially alieied strata, irtercitraiificd with gi een^tone ninsses, and
traverseil by nunier<>*.'.3> Trap Dykes. Jt contains many quartz
veins, holding cupfxT pyiiies and c()pi>er oreH, in coinnieicial
quantities. It alrti* contains vast deposiU ol iron ore, of the fine^t
quality. On ihe whole, it abounds in ininerals of great ecooomio
importance ; but the illiberal policy liitlierto pursued by the
Government has retarded the pr(»gre88 of developmcutof the great
mineral weiilib of that regiun. It is to ^e hopid a more liberal
and less Buspicioua |K)licy will be adopter under Confederation,
when the people of Upper Canada shall have the absolute control
of her own land granting department. The total thickness of this
formation is probably nut much under 2U,Oi)0, and it it has, as has
been suggested by SSir W. Logan, its equivalent in the calciferoua
and chazy forniotions of the Kast, why may that formation i.oi
also, ou examination, prove auriferous, as well as that of the
Eastern Townships t We wil not, however, discuss that matter
just DOW, but pass on for the benefit of the explorer, to the con*
^deration and the possibe identity of those strata and rocks in
which gold bus been iouod, at Madoc, and other parts of the gold
bearing world.
■>
MICA SHALE.
Mica Shale has the constituents of gneiss, but is thin slate, and
breaks with a glistening surface, owing to the large proportion of
mica, upon which its fuliated structure depends. It contains less
feldspar and much more mica than gneiss. 1'be thin even slabs of
the more compact varieties are much used for fl.iggiug, and fur
door and hearth atones, and for the lining for furnaces. The finer
olay or arenacious varieties make good scythe stones. Both these
varieties may be found in abundance in cc>nvenient positions, for
manufacture and transportation, in many parto of tha formation
under consideration.
Hornblende resembles mica slate but has not so gl^^tening or
bright a lustre, and seldom breaks into as thin slabs. It is more
tough than mica slnte and makes an excellent material for fing^.^^.
Talcoie Slate resembles mica slate, but has a more greasy feel,
owing to its eontaining talc instead of mica. It is muallt/ light
gray or dark grayish-brown. It oreaks into thin slabs, but is
brittle, yet often makes good firestoncs, and sometimes it is woiked
for aeythe and honettones.
H
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
Talcou Rock is a bard and tough compact rock, cotaioing more
or less talc, p.nd often quite ooiipact. It is usually very much
ii^tersectiu by veins of white quartz. Much of it contains chlorite
(an olive green mineral) in place of talc^ here aiid there diaaemi*
nated.
Chlorilic Shale has a dark green color, and is similar in general
cliaracter to talcose slate. Thete rocks are to a great txtent the
gold-bearing rocks of the world, especially the guartzose veins that
pervade them. Platinum, irridosmium, pyrites, and many other
minerals, occur in them, or in aesoctate beds.
Steatite is a soft st^ne, easily cut with the knife, and greasy
in its feel. Its color is usually grayish-green, but it is subject to
many variations. It occurs in beds, generally associated with
talcose slate. PotUone is a compact steatite. Rensselaerite is
another compact variety ucted for inkstands Neither of these are
likely, however, to be found in any great quantity, iu a state fit
for commercial purposes, in the formal ion uuder consideration.
Serpentine is a dark greeu and other colored, uustratified rock, '
usually associated with talcose rocks and with granular Uinestune.
The purer varieties are of a rich olive greeu color, and forms a
very handsome marble when polished. It is a silicate of mag-
nesia, or rather magnesian silicate, with traces of protoxyd of
iron, carbonic acid, and water.
Trap rock is a dark greenish or brownish rock, heavy and tough.
It has sometimes a granular crystilline structure, and at other
places it is very compact, without apparent grains. It is an inti-
mate admisture of feldspar and angite. It is often called dolerite.
The Feldspar in this rock is usually the kind called Labradorite —
one of the most beautiful minerals known to Canadian geology, and
which occurs in many places in the formation under consideration.
Porphyritic trap^ like porphyritic granite, contains disseminated
crystals of fehlfpar.
Porphyry consists maiidy of compact feldspar. Red, or brown-
ish red and green, are common colors ; but grey and black are*
occasionally met with. The feldspar crystals arc, from a very
small size, to half or three quarters of an inch in length, and have
a much lighter shade oi culor than the base, or are quite white.
It breaks with a smooth surface and concoidal fracture. Porphyry
receives a fine polish, and has been used for columns, vaoes, mor- '
tars, and pther purposes. Green porphyry is the Oriental vtrde
antique of the ancients, and was held in high esteem. Hed por-
phyry is also a beautiful rock. It has a clear brownish red color,
and is sprinkled with small spots of white feldspar.
Clinkstone is a grayish blue rock consisting, like porphyry,
mainly of feldspar. It passes into gray bapult, and is distinguished
by its less speciiiks gravity. It rings like iron when struck with i
hammer, aud h« nee its name.
^m
SHALE ROCKS, QUARTZ — GOLD.
l&
>■■ l' ^>N
Trachyte is another feldnpatic rock, distinf^uished, br brenking,
with a rough surface, and »hoving less conipactnesf* than clink'
stone. It sometimes contains crystals of hornblende, mica, or
some glassy feldspar mineral. It occurs in volcanic regions.
Slate is an argillaceous rock, breaking into thin lanninae.
f^hale is a similar rock, with the same structure usually less
perfect, and often more brittle*
Schut includes the same variety of rock, bat is extended also to
those of a much coarser laminated structure. Tha ordinary day
slate has the fame conslitution ns mica slate; but the material is
so*fine that the ingredients cannot be distinguished. The two
pass into one another insensibly. The colors are very various, and
alwnys dull, or bnt slightly glistening. Roofing date is a finer
grained variety, of a dark dull blue, or bluish-black color, or some*
what purplish — Occurs of excellent quality near Danville and
Melbourne in Lower Canada, and Thunder Bay, at the head of
Lake Superior.
Argilite is the term generally given to all clay slate rocks. iVb*
vaculite, hone slate, or tehet-itone, is a fine grained slate, contain-
log considerable quartz, though the grains cf this mineral are Dot
perceptible. It occuri* of light and dark shades of color, and com*
pact texture.
Alum Shale is any slaty rock which contains decomposing pyrites,
and thus will afiforcl alum or sulphate of alumina^ on lixiviation, or
leaching, as in making ley.
Plumbaginous schist is a clay slate coutaining plumbago or
graphite, and leaves traces like black lead.
Pipestone. The pipestone of the North American Indians iras
in part a red clay elate, or compacted slate, from Goteau de Prai-
ries. It is called C'ataline. A n^tiilar material occurs on the
north shore of Lake Superior, at Nrpigcn Bay. Another variety
is a dark grayish-green cniupHCt nrgillic, foiknd at the outlet of
the bay N. W. from Cold water, on the Georgian Bay.
Quartz rock is a tompnct rock, cunsi^tinc^ of Ihe oxyd tf silica,
and often appearing grnuular. Its prevailing ro^or is whice, but
is often found passiug into gray, recidish, or dull bh^ish, and some-
times brown. When the granular quai ts contains s 'ittle mica, it
often breaks in slabs, like gneiss or mica slate.
Ooldaud Topaz are often found in micaceous granular quartz,
which is one of the most refractory rocks ka^wn. It is conse-
q. ^ Ay used extensively for hearth-stones, for •*?« lining of fur-
Daces, and for lime kilns. At Stafford, in Connecticut, a loose
grained miceceous OHartz rock is highly valued for ."uinooes, and
sells at the quarry U)r $1 6 per ton (irol('). Another highly impor-
tant use of this rock is in the manufacture of glafis a..d sandpaper,
and in sawing marble, and for the manufacture of hone-st<>nes and
whet-stones. In many oases it oocuis crumbled to a fine sand, aod
is then highly convenient for these purports Quarts rock occurs
L' lmfJMi.i I a'liiMiiiM i MjiMa i
3C
ill
U
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
filling velne or fissure*;, in all formations, but appears to be most
abundant in tiie 8ub;;rystilline strata, and particularly the ono
under consideration. It can easily be traced, where fuund, along^
the outcrop of the containing rock, in the form of a white band,
which raries from a mere ribbon in width to several hundred feet.
Where these veins are found in contact with any of the slates just
mentioned, thty ftftoitld be well searojied for gold, and particularly
so where either contain iron pyritisorred oxydof iron {ochre) — i.e.,
ironinastateofdecompoiition. If the bimilphuret of iron (py-
rites) is the true matrix of gold, and there are grounds for
believing that such may be the ca^e, where these pyrites are ex-
posed, they become decomposed and changed by absorbing or
taking up another equivalent of oxygen from the atmosp»here,
whereby it becomes pulverulent and soluble sulphate of iron, or
the common copperas of commerce. If the iron pyrites contain any
gold (and it is seldorn, if ever, found without traces of it) it will
remain unaflFected by 8uch change, and become deposited and
drifted about in the place where the decomposing pyrites exist.
Pyrites are often partially or wholly decomposed at a considerable
distance beneath the surface, when the rocky structure is cavern^
ous or loosely stratified. This is caused by \he action of the oxy-
gen, contained iii the waters permeating the strata, coming in con-
tact with the pyrites, and changing it into a soluble salphaie, when
all traces of it may be washed away with the permeating waters,
and the precious mineral- (gold) they contain left behind. Or, the
waters which permeate the strata, generally carry with it from the
surface, some vegetable acid, from decomposing vegetable matter.
This water, after penetrating some distance beneath the surface,
and carrying with it this acid, naturally follows along the stratifi-
cation of the tocky structure of the country, passing over and
coming in contact with deposits of iron, which the acid contained
in the water immediately attacks and dissolves, carrying it along
till it mak?s its exit at some lower level, where, coming in contact
with the oxygen of the atmosphere, it becomes oxydized and pre-
cipitated from its solution, and changed Into the peroxyd of iron,
or what Is commonly called y«llow and red ochres. In either case,
neither the acid nor the atmosphere will have any eflfect on the
precious metal that may be contained in the pyriteous ore, and it
will be left behind as a deposit in the place from whence its
matrix was so removed. This is a process that has been constantly
going on through all ages, and is yet in full but silent play over
many parts of Canada and part'oularly in Lower Oanada, as wit-
ness the vast deposits of perxoyd of iron that are still in the process
of formation there. Such may probably have been the process
whereby many of the ** pockets" of gold that are found beneath
the strata have b«en deposited.
We shall now proceed to furnish a short account of the minerals
that occur and are likely to be met T/itb in the formation under
« >fl. .
k
4i
DISTRIBUTION OF MINERALS.
17
coDslderntion, so that the explorer, while traversing thai regioo in
search of the more precious metal, may also have an eje to the
discovery of other minerals of equal, if not of greater importance,
than the auriferous deposits that are now known, beyond a Ques-
tion of doubt, to exist 'n the very extensive Laurentian gold nelds
of Canada. And, in the first place, we may remark that, as the
foregoing rocks are likely to be met with, sparingly, in that forma*
tiou, a short description of them is deemed necessary for the gold*
ance of the explorer, more particularly as they are all more or lest
associated with the gold fields of other countries. lu the second
place, we may be allowed to preface what follows by a few general
remarks on the geographical distribution, origin, aud position of
minerals ; the nature and depth of the veins aud faults.
Alluvium signifies recent deposits of matter, and comprises sand,
gravel, loam, and clay. Jt souietimcs contains, or is almost entire-
ly composed of animal remains It is found nearly all over the
country, along the sea coast, the lakes, rivers, fl?id rivulet?, and
forms their banks and bottom. Bug iron ore, pcroxyd of iron,
(ochre) potters clay, fire clny, | eat, nud a few others are its only
productions in a commercial point of view.
Minerals are chiefly distributed over and below the surface of
the earth in layers or raassee:, in lodes, or larg • veins, running par-
allel with or traversing the general course oj ibe stratification of
the rock, in nests or pockets, in nodules, which are concretions or
accumulations of minerals of Rmnll extent, intimately diffused
through the containing rock, and iu small veins, which are either
branches of heavy rock, or traversing larger veins, ramifying the
rock 'a all directions.
V7'(? Laurentian formation, being alow subcrysfalline and meta-
r :;9r^)'Mc seiies of rocks, resting immediately upon the primitive
f,;!^t.:;-v, and, being composed of tlieir disintegrated atoms, in a
h 'rj? iliered condition, together with those other aud immediate-
ly * j!C€c ling formations, which may have, like the former, been
subji * ., to violent uplifting, long continued heat, and metamor-
phic action, whereby their physical j»ro|)erties and character havo
become very much changed, may be considered tlie home of the
greater part of the more valuuble mineral and metallic deposits of
the world. In these metamorphio or highly changed rocks, we
find more variety and greater abundance than in any undistributed
equivalent o' the same or succeeding geological formations. In
thiese rocks the best qualities and greatest abundance of ores are
r' ways found. The rocks of a higher series, or those which contaia
V 'mji^ous coal do not fui-nish anything like so great a variety, or
quantity of mine^ils, ns the e metamorphio rocks, and mnny kinds
are not found at all in them. They do not furnish gold, copper,
antimony, and many other substances. I'hey chiefly furnish coal,
—w
IB
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
iron, lithestooe, with lead and zinc epariagly, and iu very limited
quantity.
Mineral substaooes, particularly .tlioso which are used for the
production of miUulH, i.e., the workable mercantile or common use-
ful ores, are very few in number, and are generally oxyds, that is,
oombinations of metal with oxygen ; eulphurets, or metals combin-
ed with 8ul[)hur, and carbonates; or metallic cxyds combined with
carbonic acid. Combinations of metals with other substances
than this there are, but they are rare.
The above description of minerals frequently form lartje bodies,
or masses of pure ore, by themselves, buried beneath the surface
of the rock. They are generally, however, blended and mixed
with foreign matter as lumps o;- grains of quartz, lime, and other
substances, such as baryta, c ?^-^?»- <fec., which are either me*
chunically mixed or iu chemict.'^ ^nation with them. Some-
times the main body of the vein U jnd to be rocky matter con-
flitting of the matrix or ore veins, and the ore sparingly imbedded
in that sucratAnce. Indeed this is the case in ninety-nine cases oat
of one hundred. Again, the mineral masses are found, in that one
exceptional case in the hundred, in such heavy hard masses as to
admit of their extraction without any admixture of the veinstone
or wall rock. In other cases rock and mineral cannot be raised
together before separation. In other and the far greater number
of iostuuces, the veins are too small for the entrance of the work-
men, and are consequently of no value, unless it should happen to
be ipme of the more precious metals or minerals, when the value
of the mineral lode might justify the expense of blasting away the
wall rock and making a larger opening.
Oeographieal distribution of mineralt. y^e have already briefly
Btat»'d our views of the general geographical distribution of the
great majority of the more valuable mineral bodies, but as our
readers may desire to kno^ something of our views of their geo>
graphical distribution on this continent, and more particularly Id
^reference to Ganada, we will briefly state that there ir, indubitable
eTidencs tha'- the Laurentian rocks are the oldest on this continent.
They were thrown up from beneath the ancient sea, from the coast
of Labrador to the extren)e north end of the Rocky Mountains, at
the Arctic ocean, an extended distance of about 5,000 miles. la
this position they remained, as an island, and the nucleus of this
continent for countless ages. In the mean time sedimentary mat-
tar was being washed down and accumulated in the bed of the
•Urrounding oceanic waters, when, in the process of time, another
npheaviog took place. This upheavil, radiating from the same
pnnt in the extreme north east part of the Province, from whence
the Laurentides received their impetus, struck off in a ^outh wes-
terly direction, upraising the southern portion of the continent of
North America with its superincumbent, and far more recent de.
' fi '
.
NUCLEUS AND FORMATION OF THE CONTINENT. 19
posits, fls evidenced to this day ; thus forming the Allegany chain
of mountains. Here we have two great mountain chains ra Hating
from the same point, and bearing off in d fforent directions in all
their solitude, through the trnekless ocean f<>v thousands of miles.
These two mountain chain?, diverging, and, opening to the west,
formed two sides of an open triangle, facing to the west, and hav-
ing the western, or Pacific, oceuu rolling- in between them. After
another long period induration, another gre:it convulsion of nature
took place, and up came the Rocky Mountains, and ih6 Andes of
South America, with their more recently accumulated sedimentary
matter, thus shutting in and forming a great triangular inlard sea,
to be afterwards filled up with the detrital matter from the walls
of this great surrounding or enclosing triangle. Such, I presume,
has been the nucleus and formation of our great North American
contineot.
Now, if we run our eyes over the map of the continent, we will
see that there are three great mountain ranges, such as I have
above described. The Laurentian is the oldest ; the Allegany
the second, and the Rocky Mountains the latest. In truth we
know that for a long series of years the southern chain, or Alle-
ganies, produced very large deposits of gold and other precious
metals, and that the gold bearing land has been traced and success-
fnlly worked through that chain for upwards of 1,000 miles — the
Eastern townships gold fields belong to this chain. We also
know that the Rocky Mountaini*, from California, and far sooth of
it along that chain, to far north of British Columbia, is a gold
bearing range, and is also rich in various mineral deposits; and
why not the other and older member of this sisterhood be also a
gold and rich mineral producing region ! Why should she be de-
prived of the inheritance, custody, or share of the precious metal,
because she is more aged ? Briefly, and to the point, there is n'ore
reason why our Laurentide mountains should be a gold bear-
ing region than those of either the Alleganies or the Rocky Moun-
tains, for it is generally admitted that the precious metal is con-
fined to the lower subcrystalline strata. We may search in vain
for a lower crystalline strata than that found in the Laurentide
Mountams. But it may be asked, how comes it that the precious
metal is found in the Rooky Mountains, and in the Alleganies^
when they are overlaid by a more recent formation ? The answer
is that, either the lower and more primitive rocks have been brought
up by the forces that elevated those regions, or that tne long con-
tinued and powerful heat to which their secondary strata was sub-
jected, during their elevation, changed them by metamorphio ac-
tion, and rendered them also, as before itated, mineral and metal-
lic-bearing rocks, of the first order.
The origin of minerals in veins may be mainly considered the
result of infiltration from the surface, to which class many of the
copper and iron ores belong. In some instances it is probablt
y BHWiWHHIIIHiWii
20
GOLD REniONS OF CANADA.
that depr>sits havo been formed at the bottom of the ancient seas,
as those of the c<>al measures, while others may have been ejected
from below, and raised by the power of internal heat, and some
caused by the electro magcietic current. Tim first class generally
consists of wedges decreasing with the depth ; the second of sphe*
roidal masses, and the third of wedge-shaped masses incieasing
with the depth. The first felass of veins is tiie most deceptive, and
CBDQot be depended upon; the second can be estimated 6y its ap>
pearance on the surface, or by sinking shafts into it ; the third
class may be depended upon as increasing and improving with th«
depth.
Mineral veint are jot always found in a horizontal position. The
stratification of the Laurentian rocks is very irregular, and much
contorted. It would be a difficult matter in that region to follow
the stratified edges of the upturned rocks for any considerable dis-
tance. These rocks dip at almost all possible angles. Those veins
which were formed before or while this great field was in a state
of violent agitation will be difHcultto trace out, while those which
were formed at a more recent date, after the agitation ceased, will
be comparatively ensy. There are two sets of quartz veins per-
vading this formation, (at least in some parts of it) for one set
strikes northeast and south-west, while the other crosses it on the
opposite points of the compass. The strike of a rock is the diiec-
tion that its upturned edge bears to the compass. The Laurentian
rocks are, in many instances, almost vertical, and generally inclin-
cd, not less than 80* to 76°. The inclination or dip of a vein or
rock is measured from the horizontal plane. If. therefore, a vein
dips but 10" it is nearly horizontal, and if it dips 80° it is almost
vertical. The dip of a vein is not always uniform in its various
parts, particularly if the plane of the vein is not parallel to the
plane of the statification.
The depth of veins. It is almost impossible to determine the
depth of veins when they are not horizontal. Indeed, we have no
such thing as a really horizontal fissure or vein, (though some min-
erals are deposited horizontally) because they havi been openings
caused by internal volcanic action from below, and therefore reach
to an enormous depth. Theee fissures, or rents, were subsequent-
ly filled up, most generally, by silica held in solution in the waters
that covered the face of the deep when they were formed —hence
the origin of quartz veins.
The mining operations in this country are of such a recent date,
that there has been hitherto neither time nor pecepsity for deep
mining. We cannot, tlierefore, say to what depth they extend, nor
is it at all probable that their ultimate depth will ever be reached
bj the art of man, either in this or any other country. There are
very few mines more than three hundred feet deep in the United
States. In Gierraany they have been sunk to the depth of two
thousand six hundred feet. In Mexico one thousand six hundred
DEPTH OF VEINS — GOLD.
21
' I V
1
and fifty feet. The tin nml copper mines of Cornwall, in Ent^lnnd,
are one thousand tight hundred feet deep, and the silver wines of
Norway, Saxony, and Hungary, are of about equal depth.
Veins of Minerals are often fcund to be disturbed in their
regular course, either by other mineral veins or, by dead rock.
These are caWed faults, slip?, or slides, and appear in every kind
of vein. They are cuused by matter which has penetrated the
crevices of the rook, after the fissure was opened. The mass of a
vein is often found to divide into various small branches, which,
at certain distances, or at greater depths, re-unite. Such faults,
whether consisting of mineral or de id veins, are often very per-
plexing to the practical workmen, but the scientific miner is never
at & loss in such oases.
Gold. — We shall now pursue our remarks on the gold formation
of Madoc, and the Townships to the east and west thereof, lying
north of the line of junction between the Laurcnlian and thd^
Lower Silurian formations, as they appear at the present moment
to be the great dentre of attraction; and this is the locality iu
which the precious metal has so far been found in the greatest
abundance, though other townships and localities, a considerable
distance to the North, to tlie We»t, and to the East, all in the
Laurentian formation, have reported the discovery of auriferous
deposits, of very great richness and magnitude, both iu the quartz,
oxyd of iron, and alluvial washings, certainly some of the quartz
specimens are exceedingly rich, anil, if one tenth part of the paper
and other reports prove correct, we may congratulate ourselves
as being possessed «>f one of the largest and richest gold bearing
countries iu the world.
Even in the depth of a Canadian winter (1866-7) many have
struck out-, and, notwithstanding the great depth of enow, and the
severity of the weather, have succeeded iu unearthing some fine
rich specimens of the precious metal.
The gold in this region is not confined, as is mostly the case in
other gold bearing countries, to alluvial washings, but is found in
the native quartz rock, in the alluvial washings, in the ocherous
matter, and in the large beds of black magnetio oxyd of iron,
(commonly called black sand) that is so abundant in that forma-
tion. The writer travelled over a good deal of this gold bearing
formation in 186S-4, and found the precious metal, in both yean
at several points about 100 miles, a little, west of North, from
Madoo. This fact, coupled with the current reports of its dis-
corerj in various localities, far apart, and in intermediate places,
goes to confirm the view that the precicus metal is not confined to
any odcl isolated spot, or small section of country, but, as I have
already said, extends over a large area of country, and to aa
unknown distance, both to the East, to the West, and to the
North ; and why nut ? This (the Laurentian) is the largest for-
mation on the continent, and, so far as observations have been
22
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
able to determine, is ideotically the aame, in all its parts, and
over all its whole area. The specimens of fi;oId bearing quartz
from our Laurentide rocks are decidedly rich in gold. They
appear to be literally studded with pieees of gold, varying in size,
from that of a ^raiu of powder, to that of a pea. and which, at a
reasonable estimate, wouM be worth $2000 to the bushel or
100 lbs. quartz. Besides these quartz specimens, the alluvial
waahiogf, oxyds of iron, and oohreous matter, are stated to be
exceedingly rich. Certainly the pieces exhibited, as coming from
the washings in that formation, are large and of the most encour-
aging des'ci'iption.
There are several main lines of Government roads leading into
this formation for some considerable distance, which will be good
starting points for extended lines of exploration ; and their con-
nection with the frontier, at short distances, where the Grand
Trunk R. R. and Sleumers, are parsing almost every hour in the
day, affords facilities for carrying on explorations^ and prosecuting
jaioing enterprise, un parallelled and unprecedented, in the annals
of the gold mining world.
These main lines of road, traversing that ^ rmation, are the
OppioDgo, starting from the city of Ottawa, and striking toward
Lake Nippising, is finished to Oppiongo lake ; the Hastings Road
running from Belleville, on the G. T. R. R., through Madoc, in
the County of Hastings, and intersecting the former near Oppiongo
Lake; the Bobcaygeon and Trading Lake Road, starting from
Peterboro, a R. R. Station, connecting with the G. T. R. R. at
Port Hope, and tei linating 12 miles beyond the cedar narrows, at
Trading Lake; the Victoria Road, starting from Lindsay and
Beaverton, and intersecting the Peterson road, in the Township of
Oakley, near the Muskoba River, and which latter (Peterson Road)
runs from the Oppiongo Road via Wabushkoiig Lake, intersecting
the Burlington and all the other lines of road before mentioned to
Muskoka Lake ; the Muskoka Road from the foot of Lake Conchi-
ching to Muskoka (20 miles) Parry sound and Vernon Lake, con-
nected by Railroad and Steamer with Toronto. There ate three
other lines of road running through the counties of Addiogton and
Frontenac, and known by the name of the Mississippi, Frootenac and
Addington roads. From all these points on the frontier, the explorer
will und no difficulty in taking his supplies and reaching any part
of the gold bearing formation, he may desire, between the Ottawa
River and the Georgian Bay ; and when he reaches the distant haven,
he will find along its frontier a scattering but civilized population,
and many facilities both by streams, lakes and otherwise, for the
removal of his camp equipage, from place to place, and the keep-
ing up of his supplies from the outer world. But let him not
neglect his supply of fish-hooks and his dog and gun, as that
countrv literally abounds in fish and game of the finest quality.
There he will find brook trout weighing from 6 to 7 pounds, and
ADVICE — OUTFIT— GOLD.
M
■I
fct
black benr weighing 200 to 300 lbs., and venison and othtr game
without number. These he must salt for 24 hours, then smoke
well, and pack for future use.
To strangers coming into the country, I would say secure the
author's maps of the gold fields, his geology and mineriils of
Canada, and the present work, and read and study ibem wull, and
the services of a good Canadian to accompany you. When I say
a good Canadian, I mean one that is accustomed to the bush and
' the canoe. Encumber yourself with as little an you possibly can.
Throw nway, or leave behind, all superfluities; for, unless you
penetrat : very far back, you will at all times be within a day or
two of plenty of supplies. Five or fix joiniiig together, and .pro-
curing a tent made of light twilled cotton, a couple of canoes to
examine around the small lakes and rivers, which are very nu«
merous, a couple of bags of flour, a couple of hundred weight of
dried fat pork, some tea, coffee, sugar and salt, one blanket and
musquito bar, and a little rock oil for each, a couple of small axes
or tomniahawks, fi^ih-lines and trolling spoons, a small giil net,
a donble-barrelled gun, with powder and shot; a few bullets, or
buckshot; a frying pun, soup pot, and tea pot, with a tin plate,
knife, fork and spoon, fur each man, and a packing basket to carry
them in, with a couple of empty water proof packs, in which to
pack dried meat and fish, and a small pocket compass. For miu-
ing operations it will also be nece8(>ary to take a washing pan for
each man, a couple of iron ladles, u keg of coarse blasting powder,
a few yards of patett fuse, a couple ot steel drills, (one two, and
one four feet long) a miner's pick-hammer, a good pocket lens
each, two good strong striking steel hammers, a sera ping rod, a
small glass-stoppered phial of each of the acids — bydrocloric,
nitric, and sulphuric — and two or three pounds of purt and «lta^
hyed mercury, and a piece of good chamois leather or bucksh'^o,
through which to press the mercurial amalgum, and save -^ae
mercury after it has passed through the alluvial washings, wher«
the existence v)f gold is sunpected in the sands u^id gravel . To
the above might advantageously be added a quart cast irou pestle
and mortar, to crush and teat the quartz .
i The gold in the region under consideration will be found in it*
native state, in soaall grains, in spangles, in crystalb so small as
to be almost invisible to the naked eye, and also in large grains
aod lumps. It will also be found imbedded in mass<.>s in quarts,
particularly that whieb traverses talcose or chloritic slate; at
other places it will be found mechanically enclosed by quartz and
decomposed pyrites, or ochreoua matter. Ic has pot as yet, I
believe, been ascertained whether the native gold of the Canadian
gold fields is pure or alloyed with silver uranum, <bc., &c.
The admixture of silver in the California gold, which has
hitherto been almost exclusively found in the alluvial sands aud
gravels on the bonks of the rivers, and iu the valleys and gulches
^
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
trayersed by mountaio streama, diiniDishea its value 15 to 20 per
cent
The implement used for washing out gold is very eimple
and oonsiflts of a sheet iron or tin pan, ten to twelve inches in
diameter, and three to five inches deep. It will not do to put
mercury in n tin pan, as it will adhere to the tin, and the mercury
be loflt; nor will it do to put mercury in a greaay pan, as the
grease will adhere to and coat the mercury, and prevent it taking
up the gold. If any grensy substance his been used in the iron
wash pan, it must be wkU burned aud cleaned out before using
mercury in it, or you will lose your labor, and leave any gold
there may be in the pan behind. When the place for prospecting
has been fixed upon, the pan is filled with the suspected sand or
gravel, immersed in water and shaken, when the gold, if any,
sinks to the bottom, and the sand, clay, and gravel on the top flow
off with the water, or are taken out by hand, till the bulk m the
pan is reduced to less than a handful, which may be examined by
the eye glass and put into a clean dish, and the operation con*
tinued till there is sufficient collected — say two quarts — to run the
mercury through it. The material so obtained may then be placed
in a clean iron pan, free from greate^ and say half a pound of
clean mereury poured in, immersed or filled with water, and
thoroughly mixed, stirred, and shaken till the mercury becomes
intimately diffused in minute particles throughout the whole mass.
When this is done a few minutes dexterous shaking of the pan in
the proper position, whieh a little practice will soon make perfect,
the operator will b« enabled from its great specific gravity, to
concentrate and bring the mercury and gold amalgam to the bot>
torn, and thence to one of the sharp edges of the pan, from which
it can be poured into a clean iron dish, th?nce into a piece of buck*
skin or ohamoii leather, and the mercury forced through its pores
into a clean vessel and saved, when, if there be any gold in the
material under examination, it will bt held in the leather in the
form of a white, silvery, soft mass. If this amalgam be now
placed in a clean iron ladle, and over a hot fire till the ladle
attains to a red heat, the mercury will be thrown off and the gold
left bekiod. It cannot be doubted that a large quantity of gold
is l^ist in this way, but as my object is to furnish the most simple
and practical general information as a guide to the explorer, both
geologically and geographically, and the mo£t simple tests whereby
he may easily and readily determine the character and quality of
the minerals which he may find, I do not deem it expedient, in a
synopsis of this nature, to speak of the more perfect and expensive
modes, and the improved machinery and appliances in use m other
countries, necessary to the successful development and extraction
of the precious, or any other mineral, from its native bed. Suffice
it to say that the above is a good, sure and simple test, which can
be determined by the most inexperienced, and that the proximity
c'V
GOLD KOCK8 AND ITS EXTRACTION.
25
• (
^J^
-of the Canadian gold fields to all the commercial facilities of the
-world, affords uiinarallelled advaotages for the cheap and easy
introduction of all and every of the mo:*t approved modern ap-
pliances for the extraction and mcceuBful working of the great
mineral deposits of the country, be they gold, iron", or otherwise.
It is more than probable that the gold bearing rocks of the
Laurentian formation will be found, as before stated, to be son e
one or more of those of a shaly or nlaty character that are inter-
sected by quartz veins — probably chloritie and talcose slate. The
latter resembles sor.pstone, but it \(> not so greasy to the feel, and
the former has a dark green color, and is similar in general charac*
ter to talcose slate. It is the quartz vein* that traverse these
f hales toe should particularly examine for gold, auriferont pyritet,
platinum, due. When a place has been selected for trial, a two or
three feet deep blast may be blown out, and if the gold is visible
and it is desired to test the quality of rock, take about one pound
and pulverize it, and grind it very fine in nn iron mortar, wash it
and treat with mercury in the same manner as directed for the
washing and testing of sand and gravel, and the wt'ight of gold
produced in the pound will give the ratio per ton of rook. When
the quartz are vanting in these rocks, very little gold may be
looked for. These shales are sometimes found colored red at and
near tl>e lurface. At a greater depth they are filled with small
crystals of iron pyrites, which are deco;npo8ed near the surface,
and appear as peroxyd of iron, or ochre, which colors the slate
brown, and in some instances yellow. This is a sort of nietamor«
nhio rock of various degrees of hardness, and, where it has not
t>een subsequently disturbed, runs in regular belts, generally
parallel \x ith the stratification of the formation in which it is en-
closed. Those parts of the band which are usually richest in gold,
are generally characterized by small veinsof quarts running paral-
lel with the slate, and when this quartz is wanting very little gold
is to be expected. The talcose gold-bearing slate of Oold Hill, In
North Carolina, is particularly distinguished in this respect ; and
it may be said that the ores from that mine are the richest of that
whole gold region. The direction of the veins is parallel *'> the
general course of the strata or formation ; that is, from n*" ') jast
to south west, and their inclination or dip, which is also parallel
to that of the strata, is from 45* to 90**. In their extension, these
beds of slate rock often become changed in their composition, and
pass into feldspar, mica shale, and other relative rocks, when they
cease to be auriferous, or to contain gold-bearing quartz. The
quartz veins that run through these shale rocks are often very
large, and sometimes found to contain galena, iron, copper, and
bisulphuret of iron, or pyrites, which in themselves again are oc-
«asionly found to be rich in' the precious metal. It is said the
gold found in the slate rocks of Virginia aud North Carolina
occars In exceedingly small grains, often so fine as to be not only
f
2f»
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
U \
iuTie'bU to the n«k«d eye, but undigcoruible even by the aaaist^
nQce of a 9troug lent; and ihia is the cane evoii'Avben t)ie rock ore*
nre wcrtb three or four dollars per buihfl. Some ot the veint of
that r(>gioi) contain course gold, io gMins as large as the bend of
a pin, and even lar^^er, whieh are generally found io quartz in
whi<b pyrites are i-unccnt rated into larger inaskca. When the
pyrites are dissemiuuleU in fine crystals through the mass of the
i-ock, the gold is found to be very iiue. In freuh pyrites the gold
(being of ihe same color) i^ iuvitiible, even if after separation it
appears to be coarse. Gold is easily Jistinguished from pyrites.
It IS malleable and soft, and easily beat o:«t with the hammer, or
cut with a knife, and Avill form au amalgan^ with mercury. jPy*
rit€» are easily distinguished Ironi ^old. By naiural or artifioial
decom position the gold becomes visible; the pyrites aro converted
into the oxyd. or soluble oaiph&t,e of iroQ, and by the c.id of a leiis
the gold may be dete^.ted.
Jron pyrites — Bitulphur*t oj iron. Usually in cubefl, simple or
modified. Us color is brcnze yellov^, with a lustre •fteu splendent
metfllic. It is ver^ hard and brittle, and will strike fire with steel.
Its composition is iron 47 per cent., and sulphur 53 parts in one
hundred. They are distinguished by their cubical form, and in
being too hard to be cut by a knife— copper being much softer, and
not hard enough to scratc!: glass, or fitrike fire with steel. Iron
pyrites occur in rocks of all ages, ;ind is one of the most common
ores ou the globe. The ores of tilvtr at all approaching pyrites,
are steel gray, or aearly black, and are easily out with a knife,
and quite fusible. Gold, though much resembling it in color, is
»olt and ^Tialleable, and does not give off a sulphur odor before the
blow-p'^p.v iiT on hot iron, like pyrites. This species of ore is of
the highest ,'nportance iu the aiis, although not affording good
iron, ou aocoint of not being abit to entirely separate the sulphur
from it. It afiords the greater part of the sulphate of iron (green
Titriol or copperas^ and sulphuric acid (oil of vitriol) and also a
considerable portion of the sulphur and alum of commerce. To
obtaio the sulphur, the pyrites are sometimes heated in clay re-
torts, by which means about 16 to 20 per oeat. of the sulphur is
distilled over and collected. The ore is then thrown out into
heaps, exposed to the atmosphere, when a change ensues, by
which the remaining sulphur and acid hecorae sulphuric aoid aiad
oxyd of iron, and form sulphate of iron, or copperas. The metaii
is then lixiviated or leached, acd pai^tjy evaporated, and run off
into troughs or vats to crystallize. In other instances, when the
sulphur is not sought to be obtained, the ore is coarsely broken up
and piled In heaps and moistened. Fuel is sometimes used to has-
ten or commence the process, which, afterwards, the heat gener-
ated continues, and decomposition takes place as before men*
• tioned, with the same result. One manufactory at Stratford, ia
Vermont, produces about 1,000 tons of eoperas anuusJly, which at
IRON PYRITM — THEIR IMPORTANCE AND VALVE. 27
I
1
p
9 cento p«r pound, producer $40,000 ptir annum. The great q8«
however, to winch iron pyrites Mre Applied, nt the present timf, iff
in the mnnufnet' re of the eulphnrio acid. It is found to be t;;i easy
matter to calcine or roast the iron pyriten in a furnace of a pecu-
liar construction, and by this nieons expel almost the wh^le of the
sulphur in the form of sulphuroufl aoid, which is conducted at once
to leaden chambers, the floors of which are covered with water,
which, bjr the absorption of the sulphurous acid and another equiv-
alent of oxygen, at the expense of a very small quantity of nitric
acid, becomes converted into sulnhuric acid. Formerly large quan-
tities of sulphur were imported into Britain for this manufacture,
but within tlie last few yeara it has almost entircK been replaced
by pyrites, which is brought in large quantities from Spain, Por-
tugal, Belgium, and Ireland. It is stated that the cr^nsumption of
pyrites in Britain for the year 1862. for the maimfacture of sul-
phuric acid, reached 264,000 tons, which, at $10 per ton, amounts
to $2,640,000; and this took place b-fnre the manufacture and ex*
portatiun of such vast quantities of sulphuric acjd as have found
a ready market at the oil reHneries of the United States and Can-
ada. In order to give some idea of the gr« t importance of the
vast depoi^its of iron pyrites and its product:, that occur in Canada
in a commeiciul and manufacturing point of view, I may state
that sulphuric acid, which is now for the most part manufactured
from' pyrites, is the agent used for decomposing common salt for
the manufacture of soda, in its various forms of soda ash, carbon-
ate of soda, and caustic soda. From this decomposition is also
obtained hydrochloric arid, which is used in the manufacture of
Chlorine, and chlorid of lime, — materials indispensible in the man-
ufacture of paper and in the bleaching of cotton linen, ^o. Besides
this, the manufacture of soap and glass, add many other chemical
products, are dependent upon the soda thus obtained. Sulphuric
aoid is also used for the manufacture of nitric acid, superphos-
phate of lime, alum, and many other products ; all of which are
generally manufactured in the vicinity of sulphuric acid and alkali
works. The value of the products of the alkali manufacture in
Britain in 1860, is stated to have been £2,500.000 sterling, or
$12,500,000. Of this about $6,000,000 was manufactured in South
Lancashire, wher« 8,110 tons of sulphuric acid are consumed eveir
week, for the decomposition of 2,600 tons of suit. Besides this
700 tons of the acid are employed for other purposes, making a
weekly total of 8.810 tons or sulphuric acid manufactured in that
district alone ; the greater part of this from pyrites. These stat-
istics will serve to show the immenoe importance to a manufac-
turing country, of an abundant source uf sulphur. The time will
come, and is even now at hand, when our increasing industry will
be sufficient to open our eyes and warrant the establishn;eo in
Canada of manufactures of chemical products, when the great Tft'ue
aad importance of our extensive Canadian deposits of iron pyrites
I
28
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA. '«r Vii^ifi
will be appreciated and converted into ueeful articles of oozntnerce;
Bttsidcs the above thcr« iiB another — magnetic pyrites — which
is neoi'ly of the eame color aa the last, and ia generally massive
or hexagonal and tul.ular; it ia liabla to speedy tarnisl). and is
slightly altracted by the magnet. Composition: Sulphur, 39.5,
iron, 60.6, in 100 parts. Its inferior hirdness (4) and magnetic
Jiuality will distingu'sh it from ihc other, and its paleness of color,,
rom copper pyiites. Its uses are the same as the common
pyrites
The ^;reat comnierciiil iinpoitfinee ntlached to nn abundant sup-
ply of titis niineial, (svich a supply as Cana'la will some (lay aflFord)<
m a manufacturing point of view, coupled with the further proba-
bility of their being auriferous, besides containing nickel and cob-
alt, I hive deemed it of the greatest importance, ttiat their
abundant occurrence, in the Lnurentirtn formation, and the mode of
converting them into profiiable ntercaniile commodities, should be
made fully known. For, if they should provo to contain either
gold, nickel, or cobalt, or all three, which is often the case, in com-
meri^iol ruantities, the usual cliemical process before mentioned
will have to be applied to extract them, when a conversion of the-
ore into copperas or sulphuric acid ciiU be effected, at about the-
same, or at most, very little? additional trouble, or expense.
The above is a digreision, but the subject is of such importance
and the two minerals are so intimately related and connected that
I thought it besu to introduce the subj' ct in the midst of our re-
marks on gold, where it would stand a chance of being read, and
receivA a share of that p.tteution .vhich its importance demands.
Gold never appears in solid veins, but is always disseminated
through the n^a^s of the rocky vein. In some places it is not vis-
ible, and in others it is quite apparent, while, in exceptional cases,.
it ip obtained in comparatively large pieces. Gold is nevei found
as high in the geological horizon, as the coal strata ; nor in any in-
termediate older format.on between that and the gneiss, unless,
they have been Sv.bjected to great convulsions and physical chcnges
suofi as the Aileghanies and the Rocky mountains. W;.i may look
for it in vain on the level and undisturbed strata of Southern Can-
ada or the Western States, south of the line of junction between
the Laurentian and the Silurian formations. It is not there, nor
can it exist there-. Ics origin t^ppears to be in the most ancient
rocks known, aud is frequently and abundantly found in trap-rocks,
or those of igneous origin. Green-stonfi-porphyry, Syenite, and
GneisH, appear to be the prima»*y 8<mrces of gold. The Laurentiitn
or gold formation of Canada, is gnei%n, with occasional trap-dykes
oi porphyry and syenite \ these are also found in dykes and veins
in other gold-bearing countries. The immediate matrix or vein
stono of gold, in some of these regions, is evidently the pyritcS
wbieh, however, may only bs a secondary enolosure, an'i iuis view
seems to be supported by tie fact thai; eomo of the richest gold
' I V
^ I ^
GOLD-BEARING VEINS AND ITS MATRIX.
29
n
\t
d
es
ns
iD-
c8
ores have beea found near a vein of trap rook, or other in^runiye or
igneous strata. Our Can«iiiian gold discoveries now being deveU
oped on such an extensive ticale, are of too recent a date k.> have
afforded me au opportunity of again so minutely investigating tbem
as would have been desirable.
It is the general impression, xeben gold is found in the bottom
of a stream, or near its banks, or in alluvial soil, that a vein of
gold ore must exist somewhere above (he place -whnr<j the gold has
been found. This impression, however plausibb, is fallacious.
We find gold in grains disseminated through f.r^nite, and also
meet with gold in washings in the alluvial depo;.uts of granitic
XBOuolains ; still there are no gold bearing veins loi^nd in the rock.
Tranb>Ition rocks contain spangles and grains of gold, but more
commonly veins in which the gold is associated with quartz or
falcspar, but more frfquently with pyrites, 'i'he primary source
of gold is evidently in granite auu its associated rocka ; and the pre-
sence of coarse gold in the igneous or volcanic rocks may be attri-
buted to a coagulation of the small particles in its |u-imary sources.
These particles belong to the mass of the rock anil not to veins lo>
cated in it.' The veins fv>rmed in these, and in all rocks, must be
secondary to the rocks themselves; and, as eucli, have been e'.'ber
infiltrated froiju above, or injected from below. Tho infiltrated
veins can only consist of qnai tss, feldspar, calcspar, and similar in-
filtrations which may contain gold accidentally wavshed '.nto the
vein. Pyrites and all other sulphurets of metals appear to be in-
jections, from below, as' it is very doubtful whether these can crys-
tal i:<e from a watery solution. These sulphurets have, most like^
ly, been driven into the creviccp of the rock, either in the form of
vapours, which is most probable, or have been injected in masses
by pressure from below. Henco we are not justined in expecting
veihi of gold to exist in the neighborhood ol alluvial deposits in
which that metal may be founu. On the contrary, such a supposi-
tion appears quite improbab'e ; for the gold f^om pyritous veins —
the probable true source of that; metal — is generally very fine and
is most likely to be carried off by the waters. It is an established
fact, that where the gold in thj alluvml washingp is coarse, the
chances are thai there are no regular veins of gold or near. Coarse
gold is mostly found to have been distributed thr .:^rh the mass of
the vein. When a stream contains more gold i l r a heavy rain
or freshet, or where the gold in an alluvial deposit is found in a
«tratum, it is an indication of there being no ve'u. The abrasion
of the rock furnisht^s the metal. A severe winter or a henvy fresh-
et ia the cause of the formation of this stratum . A veir would
furnish a regular supply, but not form a stratum of f.ne dust.
Oold is never carried far from its original reslin;^ place ; therefore
a vain cannot be found at any considerable distance from the allu-
vi'*l washing?, nor i* there any prospect oi find.ug it where the
river ocases to carry it. The quantity of gold obtained from this
Hi
I
iiimB»'* » * J uw g i
WK
80
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
tonree may be very promising at first, but experience hag render-
ed its futnre continuance very problematical. It is pretty general-
ly believed that the source of gold in California and British Col-
umbia is in the masses of rock, and it would be well if rur CV,aa-
dinn explorers would pay some little attention to these facts.
The next deposit and source of gold maybe found In infiltrated
veins. Gold enclosed in crystalized quartz is evidently derived
from alluvial soil, which has beer washed into the crevices of the
rock and afterwards covered by quartz in solution ; and to this re-
sult tbs lieat of a volcanic region has, no doubt, greatly contribut-
ed. Silica or quartz is easily soluble? in pure hot water, but is
precipitated from it as soon as it comes in contact with any other
matter, or when cooled.
The veins injected from below are a third source of gold. To
these belong the pyritous veins, and as far as their decomposition
18 concerned, the ferruginous or iron-bearing veins. Whether the
gold in these vems is iu a metallio form, and has been evaporated
m that Slate, or whether the gold was raised and condensed alrng
with other metals and sulphurets, is a quostiou of no importance as
affecting our object, and may be left to the itco discussion of the
learned. It may, however, be asserted as a fact, that all native
sulphurets, particula)-)y all the sulphurets of iron, contain gold. It
does not by any mean^ follow from this that all pyrites contain suf-
ficient gold to pay for its exi Taction. As sulphurets cannot possi-
bly penetrate any rock but fi-om below, we may naturally conclude
that the heaviest body, or greatest quantity of such kind of ore
must necessarily be deep in the rocky structure of the earth's stir-
faoe. The conclusion i^ supported and confirmed by practice ; for
all pyriteous veins are invariably found to improve in quality and
quantity with the depth. Should the veins of pyrites that per-
V. ^0 our Canadian gold fields prove auriferous, as I have no doubt
they will, this circumstance will s: eak very favorably for the per-
manency and <oontinuou8 yield of gold contained in them, as we
have here deposits of pyrites of almost unparalleled extent, ^reat
width, and undoubtedly reaching to, if not far into the primitive
rock, a depth of many thousand feet. Here then (if those veins
prove auriferous) we have a mass of precious metal enclosed in these
Telns which cannot be exhausted for ages, and in this respect the
region in question is the most importanl of all the deposits in the
world.
From what has already been stated, we may conolude that the
sources of gold decide the value of a mining region, and if this be
the true measure whereby a gold-bearing district is estimated, then
there is good reason to believe that the Canada gold fields contain
the precious metal in most, if not all the states and positions we
have been endeavouring to describe. The gold derived from the
abrasion or wearing away of the rocks, where the metal is promis-
GOLD ITS ACCUMULASION AND COLLECTION. 31
cuously disseminated, is (be oheapeat, if in sufficient quantity and
tolerably coarse. The first miners or succeseful explorers who
mav arrive at a virgin deposit, may mnlte a fortune in a short
time; but when the gold at that spot is exhausted, there is no vein
tu fall back upon, and a long series of years, nay ages, may elappe,
before another heavy deposit of metal is accumulated. If the wash-
ings in such districts are not carried on too extensively, a regular
yearly supply may be depended upon ; the crop being in propor-
tion to the quantity of rain that falls, the severity of the frost, and
the abrading action of the atmosphere on the containing rock.
The yield of gold from its containing ore is very uncertain and
very variable. In alluvial deposits, a fortune may sometimes be
obtained from a pailful of snnd. More than one of the gold bear-
ing countries have produced lumps of native gold worth over
$6000. The gold ores of the Southern States, that is the iron*
bearing slate, eilberoxydized or pyriteous, now long worked, yield
from ten cents to one hundred dollars per but^hd. The Nova
Scotia gold mines yield fiom ^ an oz. to 8^ ozs. to the ton of
quartz. Oxydized ore which yields fifteen cents worth of
gold to the bushel, pays very well for extracting.
Ores which yield but ten cents' worth to the bushel
are worked 'to advaniage. Most of the mines, however,
yield from twentv-five to thirty cents worth of gold per hundred
pounds or bushel of ore; some, nowever, yields as high as one dol-
lar per bushel. In crushing, washing, and amalgamating or mix-
ing with mercury gold bearing rock, a lar^e proportion of the gold
is wasted, which, in very poor ores, amcun to 60 per cent.
Ores which yield twenty cents worth of goI«l >/ an ilgamnition,
yield forty cents by smelting them. The undeoomposed (M es are
troublesome to work. The way adapted to obtiin all or most of
the cold is ir '::u^algamate the ore at different times, with intervals
for decomposition by exposure to the air. I mean iron bearing,
or pyriteous ores.
Burhttone is a quartz rock containing cellules, or small cavities.
It is as hard and firm as quarts crystal, and owes its peculiar
Talue to this quality and the cellules v/^'ch gives it a very rough
surface. In the best millstones the cavities are about equal ia
space to the solid part. The Paris burhstone is from the tertiary
formation, and is therefore of much more recent origin than the
quartz rock of the Laurentian strata, nevertheless good quartz
rock, suitable for millstones, have been found in the latter forma-
tion, particularly on the esst side of the Ottawa River.
Sandstones consist of small grains of aggregated quartz sand
pressed into a compact rock. They have a harsh rough feel, and
every dull shade of color from white to yellow, red, brown, and
black, and usually consist of silioious sand, with, sometimes, graina
of feldspar and a little el&y. They are of all geological ages, from
32
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
%
11 ;
the lower Silurian to the most reoeut period, and are, therefore,
not to be found in the Laurentian formation, but may, in abund*
ance, along it* southern margin. The uses of sandstone as a
building material is well known. For this purpose it should be
free, like granite, from pyrites or iron sand, as these rust and dis-
figure the structure. Some sandstones, especially those which
contain clay, appear well hi the quarry, but when exposed for a
while, and left to dry, they gradually fall to pieces. This char-
aoter of rock answers well for structures beneath water, where it
is confined from the distructive action of the atmosphere. Some
sandstones, which are so soft as to be cut from their bed without
blasting, harden on exposure, and are very durable. These are
qualities which must be tested before the stone is used. It
snould also be considered that in severe frosty climates, a weak
absorbent stone is liable to be destroyed in a comparatively short
space of time, v^hile in a drier and more congenial clime, even sun
dried bricks, will la^t for centuries. Such was the care of the
ancients to provide strong and durable materials for their public
edifices, that, but for the desolating hand of modern barbarians,
in peace and in war, most of the temples and other public monu-
ments of Greece and Rome would have remained perfect at the
present day, uninjured by the elements during 2000 years. The
contrast in this respect, of the works of modern architects, is very
humiliating to those who boast so loudly of progressive advance-
ment in the arts and sciences ; for thei e is scarcely a public
edifice of recent date that will not be crumbled to dust, and
blotted out of existence in a thousand years. Many splendid
structures are mouldering monuments of folly in this respect.
Stone intended for a durable edifice ought to be teste*^ as to its
resisting qualities and durability by immersion in a saturated
solution of the sulphate of soda, and exposure to the air for some
days. This process will cause crystallizalion within the stone
and the same disintegration of its fitoms that would result in time
from the action of frost.
Crystalline, or granular limestone, will be found in considerable
abundance, in large, irregular beds of many miles in extent, in the
Laurentiun formation. It would appear, from past explorations,
to be mostly confined to large broken patches along its southern
frontier. These paches may be found at variable distances,
(northward) from the margin of the silurian rocks, to 50 or even
100 miles, but they are more abundant wichin the first 20 or 80
miles of the southern limits of the Laureutian formation. Its
colors are white and clouded, of various shades. The finer variety
resembles loaf sugar. It often contains scales of mica, and
plumbago disseminated, and occasionally other foreign matter,
from which the cloudings and shades of color arise. The finest
and purest varieties of white crystalline limestones are used for
statuary and the best carving, and are called statuary marble. A
MARBLB— SERPENTINE, MEERCHAUM.
33
le
le
^»
lu
y
id
^
1st
lor
1a
' I ^
varioiy less firm ia texture is employed for building purposes, and
makes a goud material. They consist essentially of the carbonate
of lime, or of the carbonate of lime and magnesia, ^md are the same
in composition as the common flaglimeetone of oiher formations,
but are crystallized. They are easily scratched with a knife, and
effervesce with acids. These rucks, when coarse, usually crumbles
easily, anci are not then a good material for building. But the
best varieties are not exceeded in durability by any other archi-
tectural rot'k, not even by granite. For statuary it is essential that
it chould be uniform in tint, and without seams or fissures. The
liability of finding cloudings within the large blocks makes them
useless for statuary ; and the presence of pyrites, or manganese
unfits the stone for buiUiiug purposes. The minerals generally as-
eociatt^d with this rock are tremolite, asBentus, tcapoliie, chondro-
dite^ pyroxene, apatite, np/iene, spinel, graphite, idocrane, and mica.
Verd antique marble is a c'ou'ie<l green marble, consisting of a
mixture of serpentine and limestone.
Serpentine is upually massive and rompact in tt-xture, and of a
dark oil greon, olive green, or blackish gre n color; also gray,
white, and brijcht green, mixed or blended together ; purer speci-
mens of a ri«h oil green color, and translucent, breaking with a
splintery fracture. It is rare in tin Lanrentian formation, but
very abui.dant in the metamorphic rrciss of Lower Canada, and ia
a beautiful stone when polished. Its composition is silica 42.3,
magnesia 44.2. wnter 12.4, carbonic acid u.9, and protoxyd of iron
^% Precious and common serpentine are easily distinguished from
other green minerals by iheir dull resinous lustre and compact
structure, in connection with their softness, b-Mng easily cut with a
knife, and their low specific gravity. It commonly occurs as a
distinct 'ock, and the varieties mentioned, as well as several others
of little importance, but too numerous to mention in this place,
either constitute the rock or occur in it. If is occasionally dis
seminated ihroush g-ianular or c»ystalline limestone, giving: the
latter a cloudwd gieen color : thin is the verde antique marble of
t/ie ancients.
Meerchatim is a dull white earthy material like clay, light and
soft, and is composed of silica 60.9, magnesia 27.8, water 11.3,
oxyd of iron and alumina 1. When heated it gives out water
and a feoted odor, and becomes hard and perfectly white When
first dug up it is soft, has a greasy feel and lathers like soap. It
is used for making the bowls of Turkiiih pipes by a process like
that for pottery ware. When imported into Germany, the bowls
of the pipes are prepared for sale by softening them first in tallow,
than in wax, and fiually poliehing them. Its probable occurrence
amongst our Laurentian rocks has caused the introduction of the
subject in this place.
Iron and its ore§. Native iron is a mere cuiiosity, is vsry rar«*
•^ waj I u -
34
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
i!
J
■; 1
i
il
-and of no practical value. There is a fine Canadian specimen in
the Geological Museum at Montreal.
Brown hetnetote, brown oxyd of iron, brown ironstone, pipe ore,
bog ore, is found of all Rhndes of color, and under the most vary-
ing forms. Its streak and powder are always yellow, and the col-
our of the ore passing through all shades, from yellow to brown
and black, and its lutitre vanes from the dulncss of loam to the
resnious brilliancy of pitch. Compact varieties are generally granu*
lated, but are often found of fibrous texture nnd sickly lustre, pass*
ing from a lively brown to a jet black. This ore Is so extensively
distributed and appears under so many different forms thrt a des-
cription of it is very difficult. It is n hydrated oxyd of iron, and
when pure is a peroxyd of iron containing about sixty per cent, of
iron.
Ited iron ore. Hematite, iron-glance, specular iron ore. The ap-
pearance of this ore varies from a dull brownish red to the lustre
and color of polished steel or plumbago. Its powder is always red
and its feel somewhat greasy. Some kinds of this ore possess the
color and lustre of steel, others appears in crystals, in the form of
fine leaves or cubes, and of the color and lustre of black lead.
The chemical composition of this ore, when pure, is oxygen 80»
and iron 70, but it is frequently adulterated with clay or silicious
matter, and is often found to contain but fifteen to twenty per cent,
of metal, some kinds of red clay ore, though of an intensely red
color, contain but five per cent, bf iron. It is not attracted by the
magnet, and if not too largely mixed with foreign matter, it forma
one of the best and cheapest iron ores for the smelter. The qual-
ity of iron made from it is always found to be soft and strong, and
particularly well adapted for the production of heavy wrought
iron.
Magnetic iron ore occurs in large massive beds, and in the form
of magnetic oxyd. or black sanu, in our Laurentian rocks. This
ore is generally bluish-black, and sometimes pitch black, with a
metallic lustre, and accordingly hard. The compact and crystal-
line varieties are sometimes found in the same vein. Its powder
and sand are exceedingly sensitive to the magnet. When it cc-
riurs in large pieces it is said to attract iron and to magnetize it
when rubbed over it, but I think this is a mistake. The attraction
of the iron is most likely caused by the small pieces of native
magnet known to be imbedded in the ore. When this ore is in a
pure state it io better adapted for making strong maletble iron
than any other, provided it be not spoiled in the smelting process.
This is the richest of the iron ores and,'when pure, contains 70 per
oent of metallic iron io 100 parts. Some specimens contain only
from 20 to 26 per cent, of metal ; these are cc<nglomerated, in
which the crystals are imbedded in a cem^^nt of olay, silex, and often
lime. Magnetic ore frequently contains foreign matter injurious
> <
> I •
r
c
;* ■«
IRON ORES.
3q^
* 1 *.
/ ■ ^
to iron, ai Bilioa, copper, arsenic, titanium, and sulphur ; the hitter
often in large TisiVle quaatities, in the form uf crystals of yellow
py riles.
Carbonate of iron constitutes the largest quantity of iron ore in
the United States, but on account of its requiriug a difficult and
tedious treatment in preparing it for smelting — it is very little'
used. Some of the best iron in the Western States is manufactur-
ed from a decomposition of this ore. It occurs in the higher for-
mations in the form of flattened spheroidal bodies, from the size of
a pea, to a mass sufficient to weigh half a ton. These bulls form
either a continuous vein, in which one ball is laid beside and above
the other, and the space between them filled with clay, or the balls
are separated, sometimes many feet or yards, and imbedded in
slate. Sometimes it is found in continuous veins, in a compact
form, resembling limestone. It contains from 20 to 36 per cent.*
of iron. It has rot, as yet, so far as the writer can recollect, bef n
found in Canada, but may be found beneath 8ome of the beds of
hydratedoxyd, to which it becomes converted by the loss of its car-
bonic acid by exposure at the surface. Jis compositiou is protox*
yde of iron, carbonic acid, clay, silica, lime, and often magnenia,'
with, in most cases, in the centre of each decomposed ball, a black
lump of manganese.
Sparry or gpathic ore is a secontl variety of the carbonate of"
iron, which, in Europe, furms the first quality or quantity of the'
two species. In almost all instances when this ore occurs, it is
more or less impregnated with nulphur, und in some cases with
copper, which detracts seriously frum its practical value. Its col-
our is generally white, varying to a yellowish brown, and dark
brown. I's texture in the ficbh fracture is always decidedly erys-
talliac, and of asilkey nature. ' '
Thi,? ore frequently forms the main mass of a vein in which other
valutble ores exist, and thus forms a guide to detect ores which
would not otherwise be found. In North Carolina it forms ths
bulk of a vein of gold bearing ore, Where it is s^'^orijpanied by
quartz, iron, and copper pyrites, and a large quantity of gold. It
is associated with all kioda of metallic ores, changing the character
uf a vein from one kind of ore to that of another.
These constitute the great bulk of the iron ores proper. There
are, however, some few ferruginous or iron be' ring miuerals, whieh
are used in the manufacture of iron ; bur .hey do not «t>nstitute
iron ores proper, and may be conside re<! as fluxes. To this class
belong lerrugiuojs slate, shale, and clay shite, which contain iron,
red marl, and ^reen marl. These sontain frtftn five to ten per
cent, of iron. Any mineral which doeu not contain twenty per
cent, of iron is not considered an iron ore.
Iron pyriies.— As this mineral has been partially treated e£
before, wc shall not have much to say in this place, but we (V^em
36
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
n
/
a further notice of It necessary. This ore is very properly not
considered an iron ore ; but it is a species of mineral of great im-
portance and value, as will be seen by reference to former pages.
There are two different kinds uf common iron pyrites, [besides the
arsenical and some other metallic pyrites) the one in yellov, of a
brass or golden colour ; the other is white, and of a ftilvery lustre.
The chemical composition of both is nearly alike. Ooe of them
contains more than half its weight in sulphur, and the other part
iron. These minerals are often confounded with more valuable
4substauces, by those who are not expert metalurgists, on account
of their great lustre, brilliancy of color, hardness, and general
resemblance to gold. It is a very easy matter to distinguish it
from gold or any other mineral, for the slightest heat drives off
^ulphurou^ acid, a most conusive poison, having a suffocating
smell which at once proves its character; besides, it is exceedingly
hard, and will strike fire with steel, aud fly in pieces uader the
hammer.
Sulphuret of iron is very extensively distributed in the rocky
structure of the earth, and accompanies almost every description
of mineral. It is found in all geological formations, as well as in
alluvial soil and gravel. They are of lit'.le value in themselves,
where not found iu abundance. Where found in quantity, as
before stated, they are of v<iry great commercial value. It is,
, however, as the matrix of other metals, namely, as the bearers of
y gold, silver, nickel and cobalt, that they deserve more attention
than they have hitherto received, and it is as such we intend to
notice them in this place. All iron pyrites contain gold, and often
silver, from which rule only those of th<^ coal formation are excepted. ,,
The extensive gold deposits of the . athern States constitute a
belt, or accumulation of veins of iron pyrites, which, when deoom*
posed, liberate the gold, and it appears in a metalic state. The '
pyrites are the matrix of the gold. The veins of guld>bearing ore
* in those regions are, and have been, veins of pyrites, which are
being decomposed at the surface, and to a certain depth beneath, '
as fast as the process of denudation takes place, when they yield
up their gold to the alluvial washings: Below the point whero *
the process of decomposition is reached, the veins are essentially *
formed of pyrites, and at a greater depth entirely so. The pyrite- '* '
ous slate of these regions contains gold in most cases where the
pyrites are perfectly decomposed. It does not follow from this'i
fact that adl the sulphurets of this kind contain so much precious *■
metal as to make them eoramercially valuable as an ore for the '
•extraction of that mineral. It is not, therefore, at all improbable
that the great abundance o'' pyrites which occur in the low sub-
crystalline, slaty rocks, of our Laurentian formation, may. on ex-
amination, prove to be golu-bearing, and be the matrix, from '
'whence the large deposits now being found have been, and are
being, liberated by the decomposition of these sulphurets of iron.
^
tU:,;
IRON PYRITES.
37
k
4
•■■;'
^
It Diay be asked, — How do you acoouot for the existence of the
preeious metal in quartz yeina ? All fissures and ygiDs in the
rocky strata were occasioned either by the contraction of the solid
matter, while passing from a state of fervent heat to that of cold*
ness, or internal volcanio eruptions from beneath, and are there-
fore necessarily subsequent to, and of a much more recent date
than the enclosing rocks that were rent asunder to form those
fissures. These openings or fissures were filled with silica (quartz)
held in solution in the waters that covered the land at that time,
which was carried down into the fissures by those waters, or it
might also just as readily be washed down in particles that had
been previously liberated from the iron pyrites, by their decompo.
sition into a sulphate or perozyd when the country was dry land.
At first sight, and to the inexperienced, iron pyrites and copper
pyrites are not easily distinguished from each other. Iron pyrites
are, however, of a decidedly crystalline form, the other is not.
The first are very hard, aud will strike fire and scratch, glass ; the
latter will do neither, and assumes all the colors of the rainbow,
while the iron pyritea only ranges between silvery white (rare)
and golden yellow to almost red. And now, while we are on the
subject, we might, with advantage to man;, lay down a simple
process, whereby tlie presence of gold in pyrites may be easily
determined. If iron pyrites are the matrix of gold, they must be
opened to liberate and set the gold free. To test the presence of
gold in a specimen of pyrites, it should be exposed to a gentle
beat for three or fdur aays, or it might, to greater advantage and
saving of trouble, be placed in a clean open dish,taod a little sul-
phuric acid applied to start the heat, which wilJ, ii^itbout further
trouble, be kept up, while decomposition goes on, and the pyritea
become changed into a soluble sulphate of iron, or the common
copperas of commerce. The application of a little wa</?r will dis-
solve the sulphate, and the gold will be found in the bottom of the
vessel. In this process, complete dissolution of the pyrites must
take place, or the process must be repeated with the residue, or a
new trial be made. Or, a specimen, say a couple of pounds, may
be pulverized, or broken up finely under the hammer, and placed
ib an open, clean iron pan, to allow a liberal access of atmospheric
air, and a gently raised heat applied. It will not take long to
oxydize the mass, but care must be taken that the proto sulphuret,
which forms eoon aft^'r the ore is exposed to heat, is not melted,
and form clinkers. If it is, it w ill take a long time to oxydi^a the
mass. The best plan in that case will be to pound the melted
sulphuret, and roast it in an iron pot; or, if specimens are conve-
nient, rather repeat th ) assay witti more care. The roasting pro-
cess is, however, a tedious oue, as the roasting must be performed
with particular care, for the particles of gold are very apt to en-
2 ♦
m
38
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
1 i
dope thttUBelves in particles of sulphuret, and thue escape detee<
tlon. All the sulphuret bLouIU be converted into oxyd or oohre,
or the gold cannot be sepaiated from it. When oxydation is com-
plete, the mass, rust, or ore, must be washed and treated \vilh
mereury like an^ other Wdshiogs or gold-bearing ore *, the man*
ner of ddog which has been already described.
Antimony is occasionally found native, but is usually combined
with sulphur, or sulphur and lead, arsenic, oxygen, lime, nicke),
■ilver, i»nd copper. It rises easily in white ifumes before the blow-
pipe, without odor, and, in one or both of these particulars, is
easily distinguished from other vaporizable metals. The ores fuse
Tory easily, and all evaporate, some giving off fumes of sulphur.
Specific gravity below 7.
Native Antimoni/ is usually found massive, with a distinct lami-
lar structure. Color and streak tin < white ; brittle. Hardness 8
to 8^. Gravity 6.6 to 6.76. Its composition is pure antimony,
often with a little silver or iron. Fuses easily and passes off in
white fumes. It occurs in veins of silver and other ores.
Sulphuret of Antimony passes through a great variety of form?,
sometimes columnar, or fibrous, massive, granular, with a shining
lustre, lead gray color and streak, liable to tarnish, Umina thin
and brittle, but a little flexible ; hardness 2 ; gravity 4.5 to 4.6. Its
oompositioQ is antimony 78, salphur 27. Fuses rapidly in the
flame of a candle. On charcoal it becomes absorbed, giving off
white fumes and a sulphur odor. It occurs in veins with ores of
silver, lead, zinc or iron, and is often associated with heavy spar
or quartz. This ore affords nearly all the antimony of commerce.
Besides the above there is an oxyd, which contains 84.8 per
cent, of antimony, called white antimony. There are also over
a dozen other combinations of antimony and other mineral bodies,
the enumeration of which would carry us far beyond our limits.
Graphite-Plumbago ia generally found foliated, massive, granu-
lar and compact. Its lustre is metalio ; and color, iron-black to
dark steel gray. The thin lamina is flexible. Hardness 1 to 2 ;
gravity 2.09. Soils paper and feels greasy. It is infusible before
the blow-pipe, both alone and with reagents, and is unaffected by
acids. Its composition is 90 to 98 per cent, of carbon, with traces
of iron. It is sometimes called a carburet of iron, but there is no
chemical combination between the carbon and the iron — the iron
is only accidentally present like any other foreign matter. This
mineral resembles molybdenite, which is often mistaken for it ;
but while neither the blow-pipe nor the acids will effect the plum*
bago, the sulphide of molybdenum will gelatenize in the acid, and
this will be a sufBcient test to distinguish them, as well from one
another, as from the other varieties of mineral which the more
graniSlar varieties resemble. This mineral is found in crystalline
rocks, especially in gneiss, mica slate, and granular limestone, and
PLUMBAGO.
39
gometimea io granite, argelliU, pjroxine, pyrallolite, quartzite.
feldspatio rocks, and eyeo magnetic ozyd or iron. It exisUi ana
is found in some abundance alooff the southern flank of the Lauren*
tian formation, more particularly from the east side of the Otta*
wa to Guli Lake in the county of Victoria, and on examination
may very probably be found accompanying the crystalline lime-
stone of that formation to the Georc^ian Bay, and far into the
interior, it is a valuable mineral when obtained in mercantile
quantity and of sufficient purity, to be of commercial value ; and,
08 it occurs pretty generally throughout our Canadian gold-fields,
which are likely to be thoroughly examined very soon, the ex-
plorer who traverses that region in search of the precious metal
IS advised to keep a good look out for the occurrence of this min-
eral, as well as the one to be immediately described below,
(which is of far greater value, and known to the writer to exist
there,) and he may find something to his advantage, and of
more value, than even the preciout metal itself.
The principal English locality which hitherto furnished tho
pencil manufactories for centuries, was at Burrowdale in Cum-
oerland, but the supply from that source becoming exhausted
three years ago, it was finally closed. This mine was worked
only for six weeks in each year, and during that short period
realized $200,000 per annum on the sale, of the material raised.
It was not the state of purity, but the peculiar state of aggre-
gation or combination in which its particles were held, that gave
to the graphite from the Burrowdale mine its great value. It
was ready for the saw when it came from the pit, and the
sales were made monthly in London. The principal purchasers
were the Jews, who were in the pencil manufacturing trade. The
prices realized ranged from 86 to 45 shillings, sterling, per pound.
This mineral became so common a subject of robbery a century
ago, as to have enriched many who lived in the neighborhood ; a
body of miners would break into the mine, and hold possession of
it for a considerable time, till it was finally protected by a strong
building, and the workmen required to put on a working dress ia
an apartment on going in, and take it off on coming out. In an
inner room two men were seated at a table assorting and dreeaing
the graphite. These men were locked in while at work, and
watched by the steward from an adjoining room, who was armed
with two loaded blunderbusses. These precautions attest the great
value that was placed upon the mine, and was deemed necessary
to check the stealing propensities of the Cumberland mountaineers.
The ^anular graphite has been preferred for the manufacture of
pencils, and it is this character of the Burrowdale graphite that
rendered it so valuable.
According to a French mode, graphite of a coarse quality is
ground up fine and calcined, and then mixed with the finest leri*
I
f
i
f f
1
•
1
4S'
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
I >
I !
]
i!
gated chji (clay reduced to a fine powder,) and worked into a
paste \rith great care. It is niadu darker or lighter and of differ-
ent dc'^rees of bardnees, t)y varying the. proportions of clay and
the decree of calcination to which the mixture is subjected ; and
the hardness and color is also varied by the use of ealino solutions
and lampblack, Another method, in use in the United States,
cousisU in finely pulverizing the graphite, and then, by a very
heavy pressure obtained by machinery, condensed into thin sheets.
These sheets are then sawed up to the required size, and the pen-
cil is pure graphite. The foliated variety is preferred on account
of its being freer from impurities. Our Canadian plumbago ought
to be worth $100 per ton for ordinary polishing and other com-
mercial purposes. There is a process adopted and patented in
England for the conversion of looce pulverulent graphite into com-
pact solid masses, in a state of absolute purity, for the manufac-
ture of the finer quality of pencils, and it is said that our Canadian
plumbago is admirably adapted for that process, a description of
which would be too lengthy for these pages, but it coneists of
purification, exhaustion of tht air, and consolidation by compres-
sion.
Molyhdennm occurs in nature as a sulphuret, and sparingly as
an oxyd ; also, as molybdic acid in molvbdate of lead. The sul-
phuret occurs in hexagonal crystals, plates, globules, or masses, ^
thin, foliated, like graphite, and resembling that mineral. Its
color and streak is pure lead gray, and slightly greenish. Laminae
thin and very flexible, but not elastic. Hardness 1 to 1.6 ; gravity''
4.5 to 4.75. Its composition is molybdenum 59 ; sulphur 41 parts
in 100. It is infusible before the blow-pipe, but when heated on
charcoal sulphur fumes are given off, which are deposited on the
coal. Dissolves in nitric acid, excepting a gray residue. This
mineral resembles plumbago, but differs in its paler color and
streak, and also in giving off fumes of sulphur when heattfd, as
well as by its solubility in t oid. It occurs in granite, gneiss, |
, quartz, mica slate, and allied /ocks ; also in granular limestone^f
and has been found in the mctamorphic rocks at the Harvey hill f.
copper mine in the eastern townships, and in the Lauren tian for- »
mation, at various places, in small quantities, from the Min^aa x
Islands, in the Gulf of St.Lawrence, to the head of Lake Superior. I
With one exception it has not been found in commercial quantity ?
in any place in that whole range, but the fact of its occurrence f
oyer such a vast extent of country is sufficient to warrant the sr
belief, that it may hereafter be found, in many places, within that >
long range, in workable quantities. The writer has seen many f
places where eoasiderable excavations were made by blasting in
the crystalline limestone of the Laurentian formation, in the pur- :
suit of pyrites, under the belief that they were gold, and at which
places the mineral molybdenum was strewed around and rejected, ^
under the belief that it was plumbago, and of no value. It is,
i,#-*
V •
LITHOGRAPHIC STONE.
41
t
03
leiss,
tone,
hill
for-
nor.
tity
ence
the
that
[t is,
however, a vftluable mineral, and is worth from ik4 to $6 a pound,
and well worthy the most earnest attention of explorora. It is
known to the writer to occur in foliated globular masses in many
places, from the size of a pea to that of a musket ball, imbedded
m the quartz, crystalline limestone, and micaceous gneiss, of the
Laurentian formation, and thcr . c>\n be but little doubt that it
will be found in quantity in many parts of that formation when
thoroughly examined. If the explorer will pay the sligbeat atten-
tion to what we have said on the snl "ect of this and the preceding
mineral (plumbago) he will have no diflSculty in determining their
characters, and less excuse for passing the more valuable by and
rejecting it for the other.
Molybdic Ochre is an earthy yellow, or whitish oxyd of molyb-
denum, or rather molybdic acid, which occurs only as an incrus-
tation.
Molyhdate of Lead has a resinous lustre, and occurs in dull
yellow octahedral crystals, (two four-sided pyramids placed base
to base,) and also massive. It contains molybdic acid 84.26 ;
protoxyd of lead 64.42.
It is only recently that the molybdicores became of any com-
mercial value ; they are now, however, of importance for the col-
oring matter contained in the acid. This coloring matter is of a
very fine delicate blue tint, and is said to form and impart a
beautiful and lasting color to silk in its manufacture. The price
of molybdic acid in New York is about 75 cents per ounce.
Lithographic Stone is a compact grayish or yellow-grayish
limestone, or magnesian limestone, of a verv even texture, free
from grit or foreign matter, having a conchoidal fracture, and used
in lithography. At the base of the Trenton group of rocks, which
immediately overlies the Laurentian formation, and along their
line or junction, from Kingston to the mouth of the Severn River
at the Georgian Bay, occurs a thin band of fine stone of the above
description, which will be found exposed in many places ; in some
of which it is sufficiently fine-grained, and possesses the necessary
fineness of texture to make good lithographic stone. These stones
are exposed- in the neighborhood of Madoc, Cobokonk, Rama, and
many other places along the line of junction between the two for-
mations before mentioned, as well as in many other parts of the
Province; and it is somewhat surprising that our lithographers
should be inaporting, and paying in New York 30 cents a pound,
for a material that is no way superior to what occurs in Canada.
Zircon is usually found in crystals, but sometimes in square
Erisms, and octahedrons, (two four-sided pyramids placed baae to
ase,) and granular. Its color is brownish-red, brown, and red, of
clear tints ; alfto yellow, gray and white. Its streak is uncolored,
and its lustre more or less adamantine, and often transparent, but
occasionally opaque, with a brilliant conchoidal fracture. Hard-
•*»
s»%.
42
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
nesB '7.6 ; graTity 4 to 4.8. ConsistB of silica 83.2 ; ztroonia 66.8.
Transparent red specimens are called hyacinth. A variety from
Ceylon is sold for inferior diamonds, which it much resembles,
though much less bard. The hyacinth is readily distinguished
from spinal by its prismatic form and specific gravity, as well ae
its adamantine lustre, and a less clear shade of red. Its infusi-
bility, hardness, and otler characters, distinguish it from tourma-
line, idocrase, staurotide, and the minerals it resembles. Zircon is
confined, to the crystalline rocks, including lavas and crystalline
limestone. The clear crystals are of common use in jewelry.
When heated in a crucible with lime they lose their color, and re-
. Bemble a pale straw-yellow diamond, for which they are substi*
'\ tuted. It occurs in the Laurentiau formation, and some very fine
specimens, said to constitute veritable gems, have been found
; therein by some of the members of the geological suivey.
4 Pink Garneta occur in some abundance in many places in the
{, Lanrentian formation. They occur white, brown, black, and green,
r but the deep red color is prevalent. They are brittle, and trans-
^ parent to opaque, with a vitreous lustre. They are composed of
4 the silicates of alumina, lime, iron, and manganese,) and the yarie-
X! ties of color arise from their various combinations. Oxyd of chrome
is sometimes present, producing an emerald green variety. Pre-
eious garnet is a olear deep red variety, much used in jewelry,
and makes a rich gem. Those of Pegu are ihost highly valued,
a tnu are cut quite thin on ac^sount of their depth of color. An
octagonal garnet, measuring 8^ lines by 6|, (about half an inch in
diameter,) has sold for $700. They occur abundantly in mica
'^r klate, hornblende slate, and gneiss, and somewhat less frequently m
in granite quartz and granular limestone ; sometimes in serpen-
tine and lava. The vitreous kstre of their fracture, without a
prismatic fi or 6 sided) structure, even in traces, and its usual dode-
;. eaheiral fcrms, (12 rhombic faces^ are easy forms for distinguish-
iD^ it. ^ Tourmaline has less specific gravity ; staurotide differs in
. being infusible ; and idocrnse fuses much more easily. Garnets
^ tnd garnetiferous sands are pretty abundant about Trading
lake, Hollow lake, and Yemen lake, and further to the north, and
to the east and west of those places.
Tourmaline is usually found in prismn, terminating in a low
pyramid. They are commonly long, and often have only three
prismatic sides, which are convex and strongly *furrowed. It
occurs also compact, massive, and coarse columnar, the columns
sometimes radiating or divergent from a centre. Color, black,
blue-black, and dark brown, common ; also, bright aad pale-red,
grass-^reen, cinnpmonb''own, yellow, gray, and white ; sometimes
red within, and jreen externally, or one color at one extremity
another at. the other. Transparent; usually translucent to
opaque. Lustre, vitreous, 'iclining to resinous on a surface of
TOURMALINEi OCPRE.
4a
'f
{ ''
ft'acture; styeak unoolored. Brittle: the crystals often fracture
Bcrosa and break very easily. Hardoess 7.8 ; gravity 3 to 3.1.
Electrically polar \9hen heated. There are a grevt many diflferent
TiirietieB of this mineral, which differ very much in composition.
Before the blow-pipe the dark varieties inturaesce, (or froth,) fvad
fuse with diffieuliy, while the red and light-green only become
milk-white and a little slaggy on the surface. They are essentially
composed of silica, alumina, lime, protoxyd of irotj, soda, &c., vary-
ing with the colors, or rather the colors varying with the compo-
sition. The red, green, and yellow varieties are distinguished
' from any other species they resemble by the crystalline form, the
prism of tcuruialine always having s. 6, 9, or 12 prismatic sides,
or some sjir.ple multiple of 3. The electric polarity of the crystals
when heated, is another remarkable character of this mineral.
Tourmalines are common in graoiie, gneiss, mica slate, chlorite
elate, steatite, and granular limestones. They usually occur pene*
trating the gangue. The red crystals, when transparent and free
from cracks, are of great value, and afford gems of remarkable
beauty. They have all the ricbnesa and lustre belonging to the
ruby, though measuring an inch across. L beriar^ specimen of
tbis variety, now in the British Museum, is valued at £500 ster-
ling. The yellovir tourmaline, from Ceylon, is but little inferior to
the real topaz, and is often sold for that gem. The green speci-
mens, when clear and fine, are also valuable for gems. A stone
measuring 6 lines by 4, (^ by \ inch) of a ^^^ greeir color, is
yalued at Paris at $15 to $20. These more precious minerals, of
which we have been speaking, occur in our Laurentian rocks, and
while the explorer is in the field in search of others, are worthy
cf bis careful attention and close observation.
Ochre, both red and yellow, is an impure hydratted oxyd of tron^
and arises from the decomposition of iron ores. This is sometimes
effected by the infiueuce of the oxygen of the atmosphere on the
iron ore, but more geneially by the water permeating the strata,
carrying down with ft some vegetacle acid from decayed vegetable
matter, and coming in contact with subterraneous deposits of iron ;
the acid attacks the iron, dissolving and setting it free, to be held
in solution in the water, and floated off to some other and tess ele-
vated locality, where it^appears on the surface, and the oxygea of
the atmosphere attacking the iron thus held in solution, precipi-
tates it in tha form of a brown or yellow 1 ydrated oxyd. Yellow
ochre, when burnt, becomes more hi^hlv oxvaized, and assumes a red
color. It is then ground and prepareo for use, and forms red
. ochre, and Spanish brown. There are large and valuable deposits
of this mineral in Lower Canada, as we!l as m^oy smaller ones in
Upper Canada, which might b^ wrought to advantage,
Sulphate of Baryta, or Heavy spar. T.*imetric, in modified
rhombic and rectangular prisms, with cjr/itals usually tabular ;
44
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
1
'
6 '
1-
i i
I?
I
!l
the masBive varieties are often coarse lamellar; also columnar, fib-
rous, granular and compact. Lustre vitreous: color white and
Bometimes tinged yellow, red, blue, or brown. Transparent or
translucent. Hardness 2^ to 3^. Gravity 4.8 to 4.8. It is com-
posed of Baryta 66, and sulphuric acid 34. It is often the gangue,
or matrix, of the ores of metals. Heavy spar is ground up and
used as white paint, and in adulterating white lead^ and for that
purpose is worth, in the Boston market, about $40 per ton. It
occurs in some abundance in the Huronian formation, at Lake Su-
perior, and also in the Laurentian formation. Carbonate of baryta
is another variety which contains carbonic acid, instead of sulphuric
acid. It contains baryta 'ZV.G, carbonic acid 22.4- This mineral
is poisonous and is used in the North of England for killing rats.
The salts of baryta, which are much used in chemical analysis, are
made from this ppccies ; the nitrate produces a yellow light in
pyrotechuyj and the prepared carbonate is a common water color.
Calc ,^par or carbonate of lime is important as a vein stone, in
which are often found many valuable minerals. It apparently as-
sumes a great variety of crystalline shapes and forms, and some-
times occurs fibrous with a silky lustre, sometimes lamellar, and
often coarse or fine granular and compact. The purest crystals
are transparent with a vitreous or glass-like lustre; the impure
varieties are often opaque and earthy, DiflFerent names have
been a^jplicd to the more prominent varieties. The colours of
the crystals are either white, or some lifjht grayish, reddish, or
yellowish tint, rarely deep red ; occasionally topaz yellow, rose or
violet. The massive varieties are of various shades, from white to
black. Hardness 3, gravity 2.6 to 2.8. Its composition is, lime
56, carbonic acid 44. Infusible before the blowpipe, but gives out
an intense light, and is ultimately reduced to quick lime. It effer-
vesces with aoids, and is easily scratched with a knife ; which char*
acteristica, with their complete infusibility, will readily distinguish
them frona other vein stones. Their occurrence in the Laurentian
formation, which is in so many places, destitute of limestone for
the maufacture of lime, is of the highest importance ; for, apart,
from their being valuable as the probable matrix of other mineral
bodies, they will, when burnt, form quick lime, and this cannot but
be a matter of considerable moment ii\ the future settlement of
that vast region. (Do not, however, make a mistake and endeavor
to burn quartz rock into quick lime, as was the case at Trading
lake, not long ago, when the writer happened to be patsing). It is
easily burnt, as the heat drives oflf the carbonic acid, and leaves
the lime in a pure or caustic state. Some of them, as well as other
lime-bearing rocks, which contain clay disseminated through them,
oft^n burn into hydraulic lime, a kind of lime, of which a cement
or plaster is made, that •* sets" under water.
PLATINUM GROUP, CHRONIC IRON.
45
Platinvm, Iridium, Osmium, Rhodium^ and Palladium are called
platiDum, or the precious metals, because they always appear to-
gether, or alloyed, and generally accompany gold, but rarely in
such quantities ns to be of any importance. They are, neverthe-
less, as valuah u na gold, and some of them sell at even higher
prices than that iii(jt;i!. They are chiefly foujul in gold regions
where the gold occurs, an I mostly or exclusively in alluvial ground
anc' sand. Platinum ap))Ofirs in flittened grains, of a grayish lead
color, resembling tarnished steel, and in its ordinary state is as
heavy as gold, and can b; (btained, if present, in the wash pan
along with the gold. Their } osaible occurrence in the Canadian
gold region, and particularly in the bottom of the pan, along with
gold, should not be overlooked by the miner or explorer. They
are easily separated by a chemical process, and obtained in a state
of purity ; but, a description of which would be too lengthy in this
place, particularly in view of the uneatablished fact of their exist-
ence in our Upper Canada gold fields, of which, and its mineral re-
sources this work ic almost exclusively designed to treat.
Chromic iron is the only ore of practical use of the mineral *■'
^ chromium. It occurs in some abundance in many parts of tho
newer and more recent raetamorphio rocks of Eastern Canada, \\\ i
association with serpentine. The color of this ore is brownish- f
black, resembling black manganese, but it is harder and almost of me- .|
tallic lustre. Its powder is brown, and the mass is brittle. The -
best qualities of this ore produces 60 per cent, of the oxyd'of chro- |
mium. The remainder is iron, clay, and siliceous matter. The
chrome used in the arts is always obtained from this ore, and is the «
compound of chromic acid with potash, from which are prepared i
both the red and yellow chromates of lead. The green oxyd of .)
, chromium is also prepared from the salt, and is used as ao indeU j
lible green color in painting, and for tho preparation of an indes- ,1
tructible green printing ink. Large quantities of the bichromate of
potash are used in dying and in calico printing, and it is said that,
South Lancashire, alone, in 1861, manufactured fourteen tons per
Tveek. The chromic iron ores of Canada are rich in acid, and are
worth one dollar currency, per ton, for each unit of chromic acid
they will produce. Thus the ore from Bolton, Canada East, which
gave by analysis 45.9 per cent of oxyd of chromium, would yield v
60 per cent, of chromic acid, and be worth $60 per t6n, in its raw
state, delivered in England, where, in the place above mentioned,
alone, the consumption must be equal to 1000 tons of ore, yielding
50 per cent, of chromic acid. The principal supplies of this ore
are now obtained from Pennsylvania and Maryland, and from Nor
way. The process of manufacturing the bicromate of potash is one
which might, to great advantage, be carried on in this country. It
consists simply in calcining (or roasting) the fiuely ground ore,
with crude potash, in a proper furnace, exposed to a current of
46
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
I ,1
! \
i i
■ IV 1
in
r.
air, by which the chromfc ozyd becomes acidified, and utiitei with
the potash. The resulting mass is next lixiviated, or leached, with
water, and the solution, being mixed with a certain amount of
' 8u~i|ihuric acid, furnishes, by evaporation, crystalline bicromate of
potash. In the absence of sulphuric acic| a crude neutral chromate
might be prepared by simple evaporation and shipped to England
to be there converted into bichromate. The cheapness and facility
with which the ore, the potash, and the requisite fuel may be ob-
tained, in the neighborhood of vhose deposits, combined with its
ready means of transportation, are such as to offer great induce*
ments for the working of the chrome ores of this country.
Nickel. The ores of nickel, except' ig one or two, have a metal-
lic lustre and pale color. Their spccijjic gravity is between 8 and
8, and hardness between 6 and 6. They resemble some cobalt
ores, but do not, like them, give a deep blue color with borax.
There are several varieties of ore, or combinations of ores>, contain-
ing nickel, such as arsenical, autimonial nickel, nickel pyrites,
emerald nickel, &c. (be, a description of each of irhich would be
very lenghty and out of place here. It has been found in the Eas>
tern Townshi as ; near Brockville ; and at Lakes Huron, and Superior,
generally as. ociate' with cobalt. These ores are generally very
poor, but the high price of nickel in the market will allor/ very
poor ores to be wrought to advantage. It is found in iron pyrites,
in calcspar, serpentine, gneiss, chrome icon, and generally accom-
panics cobalt, silver and copper ores.
Cobalt ores generally have a metallic lustre, tin white, or pale
steel gray, inclining to copper-red color, and a specific gravity
from 6.2 to 7.2. The ores of cobalt are remarkable for giving a
deep blue color to gUss of borax before the blowpipe, even when
the proportions of cobalt are so very small The ores having iio
metallic lustre have a clear red, or reddish color, and specific
gravity of nearly 8. Tin-white cobalt conaWis of cobalt in
eombination with arsenic which varies from 18 to 24 per
cent, of the former, and 69 to 79 of the latter. It occurs
in octahedrons, (4 sided pri&ms, placed base to base}, cubes,
dodecahedrons, (four sided pyramids placed base to base, twelve
faces) reticulated and passive, an(! gives off arsenical fumes in a
oaadle flame ; colore borax, ariu other fluxes, blue, and affords a
pink colorea sob: don with nitric a<iid. It is usually found in veins
with ores of s'lver aud copper.
Black rxyd of cobalt is a black, or blue-black, earthy mineral,
soluabl«j in nitric acid, with fumes of chlorine. It occurs in an
eartliy state mixed with oxydof manganese, and is sometimes mis-
t^'.ken for the black oxyd of copper. Nickel and the sulphuret of
cobalt occasionally occurs with the oxyd. This ore is exported to
England in large quantities and there purified and made mto wnalt
for the arts.
COBALT, MANGANESE.
47
♦v
Artenate of cobalt is another ore of arsenic and cobalt, irhich
occurs in oblique crystals having n highly perfect cleavage and
foliated structure like mica. It also occurs as an incrustation, and
in reniform shapes, sometiDaes stellate — star-like. Its color is
peach and crimson red, and lustre of the laminee pearly. The
earthy varieties have no lustre. It is transparent to subtianspa*
rent. Hardness 1.6 to 2, gravity 2.95, composition : oxyd of cobalt
87.6, water 24.0 parts in one hundred. Gives off arsenical fumes
when Seated, ana fuses, and yields a blue glass with borax. It is
founo , i ores of lead and silver. Cobalt is most always associated
with nickel, and the two ores are generally found together. It has
been, found in many places, ia both Provinces, but the only place,
so far as known, where it occurs in available quantities is in an ex-
tensive deposit of iron pyrites, at Elizabeth town, near Brockville.
These pyrites have produced, on analysis, eight pounds of cobalt to
the ton, which, at $8 per pound, gives a yield of $24 per ton ; and
this calculation is based upon only two-thirds of the actual yield,
while the expense of extraction and marketing was estimated at
$14.00 per ton, and the whole of the oUier 'available and valuable
materials, including the sulphur and nickel, rejected. It would be
g well for explorers, on finding deposits of pyrites, to have them care-
fully tested, not only for gold, out also for cobalt and yickel, the
latter being worth over $1 per pound.
Mangumexe ores have a specific gravity below 5.2, and afford a
violft-blue color with borax, or salt of phosphorus, in the outer
flame of a blowpipe ; and on heating the oxyd with hydrochloric
acid, fumes of chlorine are given off, which are divided from the
acid.
i There are only two or three principal ores of this metal which
are of practical value ; the others are merely objects of science.
The most abundant ore is the Black peroxyd, which consists of 68
per cent of metal, and 86 of oxygen. It is a very dark brown min-
eral, and, generally, has a velvety appearance, when it has been
exposed to the atmosphere. In the fresh fracture it is close, com-
pact, and of a vitreous lustre. Another variety is composed of the
oxyd of manganese 62.6, silica 89.6, oxyd of iron 4.6, lime and
manganese 1.5, water 2.1. Its colour is generally a deep flesh red,
also orownisb, greenish, or yellowish when impure. It occurs usu-
ally in large massive rhombic prisms ; lustre vitreous ; transparent
to opaque ; becomes bla^k on exposure ; hardness 6.5 to 6.5 ; grav-
ity 3.4 to 8.7. Resembles somewhat a fleeh red feldspar, but differs
in greater specific gravity, and blackeaing in {he glass with
borax.
Bog manganese ooMxetB of peroxyd of manganese in varying pro-
portions from 80 to 70 per cent, along with peroxyd of iron, and
80 to 26 per cent, of water, and often several per cent, of oxyd of
cobalt and copper. It is a hydrated peroxyd mechanically mixed
48
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
I !
w:
h
i;;
1
with other oxyds, organic ackls, and othw impurities, and, like bog
iron ore, is formed in low places, from the decomposttion of miner-
als containing manganese. It gives off much water when heated,
and affords a violet glass with borax. It is found in every geolo-
gical formation, in or near the oldest rocky strata, in voTcanio
regieoB, and in alluvial gravels. It is used in glass works to im-
part a violet blue, the mauufnoturingof chlorine for bleaching, the
production of oxygen, in calico printing, and may be used for umber-
paint. TbiB latter specimen is found in some quai-tity in many
parts of Lower Canada, and at Bachawaning Bay, at Lake Superi-
or, and may yet be found in commercial quantity ia our Upper
Canadian Laurentian rocks.
Zinc occurs in combination withsnlphur, oxygen, ailica, carbonic
acid, sulphuric acid and alumina. Blende is the sulphuret of zinc,
and is composed of 68 per cent, of zinc and 32 per cent, of sul-
phur. This ore is always foond erystalized ; and, in most cases,
the masses of it are mere accumulations of crystals. Its color is
generally a bright or reddish brown, but it is sometimes black,
red, green or yellow. It is transparent, or at least admits of the
passage of light if in thin splinters. The lustre of this ore is
brilliant and more decidedly adamantine than any other ore. It is
found in heavy veins and m isses in the gold regions of the South-
ern States, where it forms the principal silver ore. It also con-
tains gold, and is associated with galena, iron and copper pyrites,
tin, heavy spar, black roargancHe, and manganese spar, but is
chiefly worked for its silver and gold. It occurs in rocks of all
ages, and is associated generally with ores of lead, copper, iron,
tin and silver. This ore is the " Black Jack " of the mines. It is
useful aa an ore of zinc, though difficult of reduction, Hed zinc
ore is a compound of oxyd of zinc, manganese, and oxyd of irons.
Its color in brick-red, with a yellowish tint like cinnabar. Its
texture is granular and massive.
Silicate oj zinc occurs in modified rhombic prisms ; also, massive
and encrusting, mammilated or stelactitic; color white, sometimes
bluish, greenish, or brownish ; streak uncolored. Transparent to
translucent : lustre vitreous or subpearly, brittle ; hardness 4^ to
5 ; gravity 8.85 to 3.49 ; pyro-electric.
Apart from the above, there areothei varieties of zinc ore, of no
great importance in a commercial point of view, the enumeration
of which would be of no practical utility in this place.
Titanic iron, in crystallization, has much the appearance of spe-
cular iron. It is often found in thin piatee, or quartz seams; also
in smalt grains in blacli sand. Color iron-black; streak and lustre
metallic ; hardness 5 to 6 ; gravity 4^ to 5. It ia an oxyd of iron,
holding a variable proportion of titanic acid or oxyd of titanium.
There are a number of species of this ore with as many different
SULPHUR — PEAT.
49
)fno
ition
ape-
also
jstre
IroD, \
lum.
rent
names. It occurs in quintity at Ray St. Paul, Wlow Quebec,
where it has becnopeuoH, and i*ome of the <»re introduced into the
market. This ore, which is generally very free from any earthy
admixture, contains 48 6 per cent, of titanio acid. Tiiis is also
sometimes found in orange- red crystalline grains, disseminated
through the ore, thus increasinc; its richness in titanium. This
roineral has hitherto received little attention, and but few applica-
tions in the aits: and, until a very recent date — during which large
depoeits of titanic iron ore have been found in ih<? Laurentian for-
mations of Canada, a:jd Norway — it was comparatively a rare sub-
Btance. It is, however, just now receiving confiiderablo attention
in the scientific world, and from the advance alreac^y made, in the
endeavor to convert the acid to some useful purposes in the arts,
there is little donbt that it will, ero long, receive as extensive an
application, and be converted to as many useful and important,
though diiferent purposes, in the commercial world, as the acid
which is extracted from its sister ore — chrome iron. In which
case the Laurentian rocks of Canada will be able, probably, to
supply it in ioexhaastible quantities.
StUphur. There are no mineral deposits of pure sulphur found
in Canada ;' at least, not in sufEcient quantity to be of practical
use ; but there are great deposits of metallic and other sulphurets,
from which the mineral might be profitably extracted. Sulphur
may be obtained from iron pyrites, by simple distillation in iron
or stone retorts, when they will yield about one-half the sulphur
they contain. The residue can be easily converted into sulphuric
acid, or copperas. In this process the pyrites can be very readily
made to yield up, with comparatively trifling additional expense,
any of the more precious minerals, gold, nickel, "or cobalt, they
may contain ; and this fact should not be lost sight of by capital-
ists, or those who may contemplate embarking in the manufacture
of sulphuric acid from the pyriteous deposits of Canada.
Peat is a material found in lowgrounds and swamps, and if suf-
ficiently pure, forms a fuel of considerable value. It is an accu-
mulation of decayefll or carbonized plants, grasses, &c., which
grow and sink on the spot where it is found. It is purest where
deep, free from disturbing causes, or freshets, or streams, whereby
sedementary clays and sauds are washed down and deposited alorg
with the vegetable matter. There are vast, and almost inexhaustible
deposits of peat in Canada. This wise provision of Provideuae will,
in a great measure, compensate us for the complete and irremed-
iable absence of coal from our Canadian strata ; and will, as our
forests disappear before the bush man's axe, be generally introduced
and succeed the " cordwood '' now so expensive along and in the
frontier and larger cities of Canada. Where wood and coal can be
obtained at a reasonable price, peat cannot be introduced to suc-
cessful and remunerative competition. But when the mi\rket value
50
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
l I
|i 'i
of these iDdispensableMoessaries of civilized life, has ruled bo high
as to have reached and maintained tiie famine prices of the last
few years, successful competition need not be feared; and we
are glad to learn that several enterprising companies, foreseeing
the neceFsity, and the pecuniary advantage to be derived there*
from, have purchased extensive tracts of peat land and commenced
active operations, with the view of supplying the market with
fuel at a cheaper rate. We wish them every success.
Peat is said to be peculiarly adapted for t' e smelting of iroo
ore, and the heating and hardening of steel, and for this purpose
the turf is pressed and charred, the fire of the raw wet material
being found injurious. As Canada is one of the richest iron*con-
taining countries in the world, and as it possesses the necessary
fuel for its manufacture, in great abundance, who can foretel the
limit to which she may not attain in the future, in the manufac-
ture and exportation of that one article of commerce, as well a»
that of many others of her vast resources t It is to be hoped that
the day is not far distant when her people will shake off their ap-
parent apathy, aruuse themselves to the fact that she is great and
rich in all that can conduce to material prosperity, and moke a
nation great and wealthy, and her people prosperous and happy.
Why not make use of the wealth that stares them in the raee,
thereby reversing the tables, and making her a manufacturing and
exporting country, instead of an impovetished, consuming, and im-
porting Province ?
Diamonds are pure carbon, and have been found in almost all
the gold regions of the world. Where geld, and particularly coarse
gold, is found in alluvial soil, there is a probability of the presence
of diamonds. The geological formations in which gold is found,
generally speaking, possess strong indicitions of their presence ;
but they are always found at a much greater distance from the sur-
face of a gravel bed than gold. The matrix of this mineral appears
to be that gravel of the gold formations known by the name of
" pudding stone," in which quartz pebbles are cemented together
by the oxyd of iron. If diamonds are present in the wash-pan
they can readily be detected by their great brilliancy and sparkle,
if the washing is performed in the bright sunlight.
7^71 ore generally occurs in granite, in heavy masses or iodes,
mixed with conglomerates of varioas rocks. It is also found in
alluvial gravel as the result of the deoomposition of the above
rock, and is then called stream tin. It has a variety of colors, white,
gray, yellow, red, brown, and black ; but its most striking feature
is its weight, which is about equal to that of galena, from which,
however, its hardness, brilliancy of lustre in the fresh fracture,
striking fire with steel, and frequent double detached crystalliza-
tion, readily distinguish it. 2i'n pyrites are not very abundant,
and the extraction of tin from them is not profitable. This ore ift
COPPER ORES.
51
|iode8,
ind Id
labove
7hite,
Mature
rhiob,
Jtiire,
miza-
Idaot,
>re i»
of a gray or yellowish color, heavjc crystallized, and of a metallic
lustre, and is always found to be adulterated with foreign matter,
as iron, copper, lead, and other ores, which predominate so muoh
as to make the smelting of tin from them impracticable, or so dif-
ficult and expensive, as to render it unprofitable.
Native Copper is found in large quaotitiet in regular reins in
the State of Wiiconsin, near Lake Superior, and is in 'small quan-
tity, or of rure occurrence, on the Canada side of that lake. TheA
masses of copper are imbedded in volcanic rock, and small veins
ramifv it in all directions. It occurs in bodies of almost every
size, from more grains to enormous masses, weighing many tons.
It is occasionally found to be mixed with silver in distinct fibres,
and unalloyed with the copper. It dissolves in nitric acid, and
produces a blue solution with ammonia. Native copper has not as
yet been found in any quantity in Canada, but as there are numer-
ous indications of its existence in many places from one extreme
of the country to the other, it is not improbable that it may yet
be found to exist in paying quantities in more than one locality.
Sulphuret of Copper, or vitreous copper ore, is the ore from
which most of the copper of commerce is smelted, and it is pretty
generally distributed in the metamorphic and crystalline rocks of the
earth's sm*fkce. There are two kinds of ore of this variety.; the
one is called gray sulphuret of- copper, and the other copper
pyrites; this latter generally contains iron in combination with
the copper and sulphur. The vitreous sulphuret contains copper c
•77.2 ; sulphur 20.6 ; iron 1.6 ; and gives off fumes of sulphur before
the blow-pipe. Dt fuses easily in tiie outer flame of the blow-
pipe, and after the sulphur is driven off a globule of copper
remains. It dissolves in nitric acid with the precipitation of sul-
phur. The vitreous copper ore resembles vitreous silver ore, but
the lustre of tho fracture is: less brilliant,. and they give entirely
different results before the blow-pipe. The easiest and most
ready way of determining whether it is a silver or copper ore
would be by putting the blade of a knife in a diluted solution of
the ore, after it has been dissolved in nitric acid ; if it is copper it
will coat the blade with copper ; if the ore contains silver, it will
coat a plate or piece of clean copper with silver. In both cases a
small portion of the solution must be mixed with three or four
times the quantity of water, or the acid will attack both the blade
of the knife and the copper. This ore occurs in some abundance
on the north shores of lakes Huron and Superior, in the eastern
- townships, and is found in the Laurentian rocks of Upper Canada,
to the north of Belleville, Kingston, and Balsam Lake.
Copper Pyrites, or sulphuret of copper and iron, resemble iron
pyrites, but may be easily distinguished from the latter by their
irridescence or bright rainbow colors. This ore is always accom-
panied by iron pyrites, the latter often decidedly predominating.
\
%
52
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
r
Its composition is sulphur 84.9 ; copper 84.6; iron 30.5. It fuses
to a magnetic globule before the blowpipe, and gives off sulphur
fumes ou charcoal, and with borax affords pure copper. Itgivesa^
similar effect as the vitreous copper ore with nitric acid. ThiBg
o.'o resenibka native gold, and also iron pyrites, but ca > be casilji
distinguiflied from gold, by crumblirg when attempted to be cut ^
instead of s^ptirating in slices ; and from iron pyrites in its
deep yellow color, and in yielding easily to the point of a knife. ;
This ore occurs in granite and its allied metamorphio rocks, and Is
usually asFociated with iron pyrites, and often with galena, (lead)
blende, (zinc) and carbonates of copper. It is a very common
ore, and is sometimes found in serpentine in gneiss rocks. It
varies in yield from 2 to 40 per cent, of metal. This ore gener*
ally accompanies gold-bearing pyrites, and may be considered a '^
good indication of richness. Cousidering the extensive distribu-
tion of this ore, its great utility to smelting works, and its general
demand in the neighboring republic, it is to be retjretted that it *'
is not more extensively mined in a country that could afford it so ^
abundantly as Canada, The smelting works of the atlantic cities
pay 1300 (gold) for each per cent, of copper in the ore: now, a
ton of ore, which contains 10 per cent, of copper, would bring $80, -
and as ore containing this and a much larger proportion of metal 1
is plenty in Canada, and railroad and shipping facihties are all
that could be required, it certainly ought to be a good, profitable •
business to embark in the development and shipment of copper?
ores.
In Germany, copper ores which, in most instances, contain only '
one per cent, of copper and a little silver, are extracted and ''^
smelted to advantage ; it cannot be considered difficult or un- 1
profitable here in Canada, where the veins are frequently found ^
to be heavy, to work to good advantage mines which furnish ores ^
containing five to ten per cent., and often much more copper, not
saying anything of the sulphur and other valuable metals that
usually accompany such ores.
These ores are the most generally distributed ; still, we often '
find others, but their quantity is comparatively small. They are •
the Red Oxyd, of a lively red color ; the Black Oxi/d, of a violet '',
black color; the Silicious Oxyd, of a green color; the Carbonate^ "^
of a blue color; the Phosphates and the Chlorides, both of a green;*
color ; b':t these, with a great variety of others, are better fitted
to occupy a place in a cabinet of curiosities, than any useful pur- ~^
pose in this treatise, or to the practical explorer, only so far as *
they serve as an indication, where found, of the presence of the ^
first three mentioned above. The richness or value of the copper
pyrites may be generally judged from their color ; if of a fine
yellow hue, and yields readily to the hammer, it is a good ore;
but if hard and pale yellow, it contains largely of iron pyrites, and f
is of poor quality.
't .ft!SS'l^s:s^llL'Jjxii.JScsr--
M
LEAD ORES.
53
Lead is seldom found in a pure state. It is generally in combi-
nation u'ith sulphur and various acids ; when found it is of no
practical value whatever, because it only occurs in very small
quanti cs, and it costs but little to smelt it from its ores. The
most important lead*bearing ore \sgalena,ov the sulnhurct of lead.
It occurs in perfect cubes, and of a bright metallic lustre. Its
hardness is 2.5 ; and gravity 7.6 to 7.7 ; and when pure contains
86^ per cent, of lead, and 13^ per cent, of sulphur. It often con-
tains some Rulphuret of silver, and if hen caired arfjentife70u% gal-
ena, and sometimes sulphuret of zIul. is present. This ore resem-
bles some silver and copper ores in color, but its cubical cleavage,
or granular structure when massive, will usually distinguish it.
Its powder, however, when fiuely rubbed, is black, and the ore is
very hnavy . It is found in granite, limestone, clay sandstone, and
almost all through the whole geological range of rocky strata, ex-
cept the bitumiuous coal regions, and is often associated with ores
of zinc, silver, and copper. Quartz, baryta^ (heavy spar) calcnpar,
or carbonate of lime, is generally the matrix, or gangue, in wnich
galena is found ; but it sometimes occurs in fluorspar, and often
large deposits are found in moiintain or inagnesian limestone.
Some varieties of galena contain a high percentage of silver; but,
when this occurs, the ore is generally luxed x\ ith other minerals.
The Missouri galena does not contain sufficient silver to pay for
separating it from the ore, while the Arkansas p;alena is so rich, in
silver, that they send it to England to be smeltea. Galena con-
taining silver has been found in many parts of Canada, but it is
not so generally known, or appreciated, as it deserves to be. The
proverbial apathy and indiflference of Canadians to the great min-
eral wealth of their country, and pcrliaps, th'e difficulty of smelt-
ing this ore to advantage, may be in the way of its more gensral ap-
plication, and better state of development here ; but I am inclined
to the opinion that it is the former.
Bed oxyd of lead is a heavy pulverulent, bright red and yellow-
ish mineral, much like red chalk, but will let fall globules of lead
in the reduction flame o^ the blowpipe, and is commonly associated
with galena. This is the red lead of commerce ; but can be, and
is, extensively prepared artificially. Lead is calcined (roasted)
in a reverberatory furnace, and a yellow oxyd is thus formed,
which is afterwards heated in the same furnace in iron trays, at a
low temperature, by which the lead absorbs more oxygen and be-
comes red lead., A much better material can, however, be obtain-
ed by the slow calcination of white lead. This mineral (red oxy^d
of lead) was found, by the writer, close to the Pinnacle mountain,
near Danville, in the Eastern Townships.
Sulphate of lead occurs in the form of right rhombic priSms, in
crystals, massive, lamellar, or granular, having a white, or slightly
gray or green color, and adamantine lustre, which sometimes in-
I :
V >
k I V !
1 »; '
54
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
elio'es to rcsinoua or vitreous. It is transparent to nearly opaque,
and is soft, having a hnrdness of only 2^ to 3, and the heavy Hpeoi-
fip gravity of 6^. It contains 73 per cent, of the oxvd of lead, and
fuses before the blowpipe to a sing, yielding a globule of lead with
carbonate of soda. It does not effervesce in nitric acid, and is
usually found associated with galena, and resulti^ from its decom-
position.
Carbonate of lead is an ore of frequent ocourrence, and is found
io modified right rhombic prisms, often in compounci crystals,
either in six sided prisms, or in wheel shaped groups, of four or
six rays, and also massive and pulverulent as a compact white
powder. It contains 88^ per cent of the oxyd of lead, and 16^
J)er cent, of carbonic acid, passes through various shades of color,
rom white to dark, fuses, and, with care, affords a globule of lead,
and effervesces in dilute nitric acid. This h the white lead of
commerce, so extensively used as a paint. Tint the material for
this purpose is abundantly made and prepared ^y artificial means,
the process of which would be too lenghty and complex for in6er«
tion here. It more particularly belongs to the chemical manufac-
turer, and therefore can be of little interest to the explorer.
Phosphate ofleadoocmB in the form of six sided prisms, in globules
and kidney-shaped masses, with a radiated structure. Its oolor is
brigkt green, or brown ; sometimes fine orange«yeIlow, owing to the
presence of chromate of lead. Its streak is white, or nearly so, and
its lustre more or less resinous, and partially transparent. Hard-
ness Si to 4 ; gravity 0^ to 7. Its composition, oxyd of lead 78 ;
muriatic acid 1.65 ; phosphoric acid 19.78. It fuses before the
blowpipe on charcoal, and on cooling the globule becomes angn-
lar. This mineral'has some resemblance to beryl and apatite, (a
six sided crystal of phosphate of lime), but it is much heavier, and
quite different in its action before the blowpipe.
Chromate of lead occurs in oblique rhombic prisms, massive, of
a bright red color, and translucent, and has a streak oif orange-yel-
low. It is composed of chromic acid 81.85, protoxyd of lead 68.
16. h produces a yellow solution in nitric acid, and blackens and
fuses before the blowpipe, and forms a shining slag containing
globules of lead. It occurs in gneiss, and is the chrome-yellow of
the painters. It is, however, made in the arts by adding to the
chromate of potash in solution, a solution of the acitate or nitrate
of lead. The chromate of potash is usually procured by means
of the chromic iron ore — which see.
There are, besides the above, quite a variety of minerals which
contain lead, but they are of little interest or value as ores. The
galena fomd in limestone formations, or accompanied by lime, is
generally very poor in silver. The largest and most numerous
beds of lead ore are found in and near limestone rocks. The lead
ores of siliceous formations, particu'.arly those found in slates, are
J,; :,l
SILV£R ORES.
55
generally rich in precious metal ; and it ma)r be said that the lead
ores of the oldest rocks jire the richest. From the many indicntions
of the occurrence of lead ores in many parts of the country, both in
the the Upper and Lower Province?, thore can be little doubt but
that there is more lead in the country than we are aware of, and
it may yet be found in fitill lari^er quantities than heretofore.
However, the price of lead is so low in the market, that the rais-
ing of lead ores cannot Le considered a prpfitablc business, unlets
the body of the ore is very large, and can be raised, and trans-
ported cheaply. Still, lead ore may be very profitable, if the
quantity of silver in it is sufficient to pay for extraction, smelting,
and renning, and, as we have before stated, the richest silver-bear-
ing lead ores being confined to the older rocks ; we should not let
that fact escape our attention in our explorations in search for
gold, through the old melamorphio rocks of the Laut entian forma-
tion, where, if not found in quantities as a lead ore, it is very likely
to be rich in silver, and therefore of far more intrinsic value,
' though small in quantity.
] Silver occurs native and alloyed ; also mineralized with sulphur,
selenium, (transparent-foliated gypsum) arseDic, chlorine, bromine,
or iodine, and in combination with different acids. Silvei orea
fuse easily, and decompose before the blowpipe, giving a globule
of silver, either alone, or with soda. The globule is known to be
of silver by its flattening out easily under a hammer, and also bry
its Bcctility. The different species of silver ores, varies in specino
gravity (or weight, as composed with water) from 6^ to 10^. That
is, from 5i to 10^ times heavier than an equal bulk of water. N'o'
Uve iilver is found in various shapes and forms, and it is often dif-
ficult to decide by ight, whether a mineral is pure or contains
silver in admixture. It. is found in all mines where silver ores
occur, in the regular form of crystals, bat principally in Irregular
grains and formless aggregations. It appears in the native copper
' of Lake Superior, ramifying the copper in all directions in the form
' of fine threads of pure silver. Silver has a jreat affinity for sul-
phar, which soon blackens its bright surface, and for this reasoa^
most of the native silver is found imbedded in black masses in the
■Over ores, filling fissures in a vein, or appearing as a black vegita--
tation in cavities, or on the surface of a vem. Most of the silver in
the United States is derived from gold. All the gold brought
to the mint from the mines contains some silver, varying in amount
from one to fifteen per cent, and upwards. All native and manu-
factured silver contains gold, copper, iron or arsenic. These metals
have a great affinity for silver, and cannot be entirely separated
from it in the smelting and refining operations. Native silver is
usually, however, an alloy of silver and copper, the latter ingredient
often amounting to ten per cent. It is also alloyed with gold,
and sometimes with bismuth. Before the blowpipe it fuses easily,
60
GOLD REOiONS OF CANADA.
H I
' 1
i
and affords a globule which becowes angular on cooling. It dis-
Bolves in nitric acid, from the diluted solution of which it is preci-
pitated by putting in a clean piece of copper. It is easily distin-
guished by being malleable. It may be known from bismuth, and
other white native metals, by giving off no fumes before tho blow-
pipe, and by affording a Bolition with liydrochloric acid, which be-
comes black on exposure.
Sulphuret of Silver, or nlver glance^ is the most common of all
the silver ores, and is found in the form of crystals, hairs, and
needles, or like wire twisted into nets, and in flat plates, and in
amorphous, or shapeless masses. It has a dark gray color, and is
malleable and easily cut with a knife, like lead. It is not elastic
like metallic silver. The clean cut looks like metallic lead, but
soon becomes covered with a film of various colors. It is a soft
heavy ore, having a specific gravity of 7^ to 7^, and hardue88««'2
to 2^, and, when pure, contains 87 per cent of silver, and 13 per
cent of sulphur. It gives off a sulphurous odor before tho blow-
pipe, and finally yields a globule of silver. It is soluble in nitric
acid, and, from a diluted solution of which, it can be precipitated
by putting into the solution a piece of clean copper. Sulphuret of
silver, and all the silver ores, are found in rocks of all ages, except
in the coal formation : and always accompanying the ores of
copper, lead, an:imony, gold, arsenic, and others, along with
quartz, calcspar, heavyspar, or Baryta, manganese, pyrites, iMid
other minerals. It is a remarkable fact, that; silver occurs more
abundantly where mineral veins cross, or meet each other, than in
other places, or in the finer ramification of a vein.
« This ore is abundant in the gold region of the Southern States,
where it appe^rt* in heavy veins, associated with other metallic
ores ; but the only one (of the many deposits of this kind which
occurs in the United States) being worked to any extent, up to a
late period, is the Washington mine — unless there has been some
lately started in California. The silver ores of that gold region
are imb .>dded in a gray, blue, or brownish-black mineral, composed
of from 30 to 50 per cent, of sulphuret of zinc, from 5 to 10 per
cent, of galena, in email crystals, some iron pyrites, copper pyrites,
sulphuret >f tin, and in sonie oases a little arsenie. The amount of
silver ii: th'ise ores varies from 12 to 60 oz. to the ton of crude ore,
and is worth $2 (gold) per ounce, on account of the large amount
of gold wih which it is alloyed. These ores are very rich^ in
gold, and some of them yield it by simply being pounded and
w&ohed.
' Sulphuret of silver and antimony occurs with other silver ores,
and contains sulphur 16.4, antimony 14.7, Rilver 68.6 and copper
0.6per cent. It is formed in right rhombic prisms, in compound
cry.stals, and massive. Its streak and color it, iron-black, and its
hardness 2 to 2|, and specific gravity 6|. Before the blowpipe it
pj^^
SILVER ORES.
f^^'
'}^
57
- '-J
gives off an odor of Eulphar and also fumes of antimony, and yields
a dark metallic globule, fiora which the sliver may be obtained by
means of the addition of soda. It is soluble in dilute nitric; acid,
and the solution indicates the presence of silver, by silvering a
plate of copper, when placed for a short time in it. Its black
color, and, more decidedly, the fumes of antimony given off before
the blowpipe, will readily distinguish it Irom the sulphuret of
silver.
Chlorid of Silver, or Horn Silver, is not of so general occur-
rence as the antimoniul sulphuret, but it appears in almost every
place where silver is found, "nd occurs chiefly at the out-crop of
veins, along with native or sulphuret of silver. It appears in
cubes, massive, columnar, and often incrusting ; has a gray color,
passing into green and blue, and looks somewhat like horn or wax,
with a resinous lustre, passing into adamantine, often exhibiting
all the colors of mother-of-pearl, and cuts like wax or horn.
When pure ii contains 75.3 per cent, of silver, and 24.7 per cent,
of chlorine. It fuses easily in the flame of a candle, and emits
acrid fumes, and with the blow-pipe affords silver easily on char>
coal. The surface of a clean iron plato rubbed with it becomes
silverized. This is a very common ore, and is extensively worked
in South America and Mexico, where it occurs with nf'.tive silver.
It is Also found in Cornwall, Saxony, Sibprii\, Norway, and the
Hartz. There are, besides those enumerated, a ^reat many other
silver-bearing ores, but, although valuable, the'r appearance is
very rare, and they are more sought after as cabinet curiosities,
or objects of science, than as silver rres.
Silver has been found in many of the lead and copper ores of
both Upp«»r and Lower Canada. At Lake Superior, in Prince's
mine, it .v s found in calcspar, mixed with copper and a small
portion of gold; and in like manner, s-ilrer, copper, and gold,
w^re found in pyrites, on the 17th lot of the 7th range of Ascot;
and in a quartz vein, which occurs at the rapids of the Chaudiere,
in St. Francis, Beauce County, in Lower Canada, silver, lead, and
native gold was found. The lead appearet'i to he very rich in
silver, a sample yielding no less than 256 ounce?, to the ton of
ore.
These and many other interesting details respecting the richness
of the silver ores of Canada, can be found In Sir William Logan's
Geology of Canada. Their occurrence in the gold fields of Upper
Canada may be looked for with some prospects of success, and
more especiallj'^ in galena, which, as before remarked, if not found
in commercal quantity, to make it available as a lead ore, may,
in that formrtcion, be expected to be rich in silver, and therefore of
importance as a silver-bearing ore.
Mica occurs i»^ some abundance in the Laurentian rocks of
Can:«da, and has ^eeo found in considerable sized slieets in many
58
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
r
places, more particularly in the neighborhood of the Ottawa rirer,
and the head waters and lakes of the Qull and Blacic rivers. It
is usually found in finely disseminated particles in the gneiss rock,
giving it a lamellar or ea«ily*8plitting structure, but is occasionally
met with in quartz or other vein stones, in highly cleavable, flat,
foliated masses, from a few inches to two or three feet scross its
face, and one to several inches thick. These masses can be split
into very thin leaves, which are elastic, tough, more or less trans«
parent, and of various shades of pearly color, from white, through
green, yellow, and brown to black. Its composition is silica 46,8 ;
alumina 86.8 ; potash 9.2 ; peroxyd of iron 4.6 ; fluoric acid 0.7 ;
and water 1.8. It is highly refractory, and infusible befor« the
blow-pipe, but becomes opaque white . On account of its tough-
ness, transparency, and thinness of folia, it has been used in Siberia
for glass in windows, and in the Russian navy it has been em-
ployed as a substitute for glass, on account of its not being liable
to break or fracture from concussion. It is in common use for
lantern and stove windows. It is worth from $1.00 to |2.50
a pound, according to size, color, and transparency, and may be
successfully searched for, and obtained, amongst the Laurentian
rooks of Canada, more particularly in the places above indicated.
Beryl — Emerald — usually occurs in long six-sided prisms, with-
out regular terminations. Its color is pale green, passing into
blue and yellow, excepting the deep and rich green of the emerald.
Its lustre is vitreous and sometimes resinous. It is a hard, brittle
mineral, being 1^ to 8 in the scale of hardness, and is transparent
to subtranslucent. The Emerald includes the rich green variety,
and owes its color to the oxyd of chrome. Beryl especiallv in-
cludes the paler varieties, which are colored by the oxyd of iron.
Aqiiamarine includes clear Beryls of a sea-green, or pale -bluish,
or bluish-green tint. Beryl consists of silica, 66.9 ; alumina, 19 ;
gluciana, 14.1. Emerald contains less than one per cent, of oxyd
of chromium. The hardness of this mineral will distinguish it
from apatite, (a phosphate of lime,) and this character, and also
the form of the crystals, from (?-rf «}n tourmaline, and its imperfect
basal cleavage from euclase, (a pto-electric species of silicate of
allumina aud gluciana,) and topaz, a fluorid of silica. The finest
emeralds come from Grenada, where they occur in dolomite, a
tnugnesian carbonate of lime. A crystal from that place 2^ inches
long, by about 2 inches in diameter, is in the cabinet of the Duke
•or Devonshire, and though full of flaws, aud partially unfit for
jewelry, has been valued at $800. A more splendid, but much
smaller specimen, belonging to a Mr. Hope, of London, cost $3000.
The finest Beryls come from Siberia, Hindostan, and Brazil, and,
some of thera, are as large as c calfs head. Sir William Lo^aa
Temarka of this mineral : — •' In the Laurentian system, granitic
veins, with tourmaline, ziron, and mica, the associates of Beryl,
H<r*^«i Jt.ABRADORITE. ^
59
are Diet with."' According to Dr. Bigsby, Beryl is foimd in well
defined pale green crystals, with black mica, in a porphyritic gran*
ite, associated with gneiss and mica schist, oo Ine east side of
Rainy Lake, 280 miles to the west of Lake Superior. As these
valuable minerals, and their associates, cbrysobery], lourmaliDe,
ziron, <bo,, occur in the gneiss and granitic rocks, they should be
sought for in the Canadian Laurentian rocks, while a search for
other minerals is being prosecuted.
Zabradorite usually occurs in cleavable massive forms, and has
a dark gray, brown, or greenish brown color, with usually a series
of bright chatoyant colors from internal reflections, eopeoially blue
and green, with more or less of yellow, red, and peart-gray. The
lustre of the principal cleavage face is peatly, while that of the
other faces is vitreous. Its hardness is 6, and its specific gravity
2.69 to 2.76 ; and its compositioD, silica 63.1 ;, alumina 30.1 ; hme
12.8; soda 4.6; water 0.6. Before the blow-pipe it fuses to a
colorless glass, and is entirely dissolved by hodrochloric acid. It
differs from feldspar and albite (a compound of silica, alumina,
iron, and soda, Ac,,) in containing a large per centage of lime, by
its dissolving In hydrochlorio aci'* and its beautiful deep-seated
colors and their reflections. It is a constituent of some granites,
and was originally brought from Labrador, hence its nama
Labradorite receives a fine polish, and, owing to the chatoyant
reflections of rich and delicate colois, the specimens are often
highly beautiful, and sometimes used in jewelry. This beaii*liul
mineral occurs in many parts of the Laurentian formut'on, from
the coast of Lp.brador to Lake Superior, and probably much further
to the north west. The specimens* collected in Canada by Sir
William Logan, and now in the Geological Museum at Montveal,
are very beautiful, and from eiperimenfs caused to be made by
that gentleman, it was found that Labradorite rock ccuid be
readily sawed and manufactured at a cost a little above that of
ordmary marble, certainly not more than its great beauty and
durability would amply warrant and justify. A very large de*
posit of that mineral occurs on the Georgian Bay, forming many
small islands, and the coast line of the main land for a distance of
five miles, which affords excellent facilities for being sawed into*
slabs and blocks, and for exportation.
Besides the minerals we have enumerated, there occurs num»
bers of others, of great value and importance throughout the
length and breadth of Canada, of which it is beyond our limits
to speak. These are, properly, subjects for a more extended and
scientific treatise than this essay pretends to. We hrve merely
confined our observations, as much as possible, to the more valu-
able and prevalent minerals already known to occur, or that may
hereafter b« found, in the aucieut subcrystalline and roetamorphic
I
H
■^1
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
rocks of the Laureutian formation, in which the pj eeioua meta
has so recently been discovered. This mineral will be so exteu-
' iively sought after by explorers, through that formation, during
'*' the succeeding season, that we have deemed it advisable in the
■'' higheat degree to draw their attention to the fact of the existence
' ' of other equally valuable Kiiuerals in those rocks, and which, if
Dot gold, can, in a great ranjority of instances, be more readily
and profitably converted into gold, through the regular channels
of commerce, than the latter can be extracted froja its primitive
or native bed.
In exploring for minerals, the first thing necessary is to aacer-
tain whether there be any, and of what description, in that local-
ity. The next consideration will be, in what particular apot,
. rock, or vein-stone, they are most likely to be found. In order to
success, we must have a knowledge of these rocks, as it multiplietj
, and facilttataa our operations. For this purpose, sorne knowledge
' of mineralogy is necessary^ whereby we may know the rocks or
Tains, when w« see them. To supply this want to those who
' have little or no knowledge in these matters, we have given such
a description of the prevailing rocks of the Canadian gold region,
as will enable the explorer to detect and identify them when
found. Where the veins run parallel with a uniformly inclined
. or horizontal strata, there is no difficulty in finding a vein; bxit
where the mineral-bearing vein traverses corrugated and diis-
turbed strata, at various angles of inclination, more or less defined,
the object is not so readily attained. The veius, however, in the
central part of the Upper Canada portion of that formation, have
two general bearings ; that is, the one from south- west to north -
, emt, and the other from fhe north-west to the south-east. The
former is more abundant than the latter, and they both belong,
more particularly, to the quartz class, in which gold is found.
Feldspatic veins, like the quarta veiny, keep a general straight
course, and are, like the others, of variable width, and are easily
distinguished, by their camparative softness and darker color,
from the quartz veins, which aro generally white, and will strike
fire with steel, while feldspar will not.
When fragments of ore are found at the bottom, or >n a hill side,
it ia very evident that the vein-rock, from which the fragment came,
has a higher location, and should be seai olied for higher up. If the
fragrrents of mineral are found on level gi'ound, and the specimen
is sharp and unworn on its ang'.ew, the vein is not far of}". If rounded
and worn ia appearance, it may have been adrift, and brought from
', a great distanca. In this vase, no matter how rich, it would be uRft-
, less to search lor it. If frogmenU of mineral are found in *
itream, the veins which supplied them must bo hight-i np the
" river. He^vy niatenals do not drift far, and, in cousequenoe of
their weight, are ea*ily destroyed. Gold never drifts far in a
... itream; itisaiwav* found close to its source. If the current of
mm
LAtJUENTtAN FORMATION.
61
water 38 stronj^ enough to move grains of gold, it soon ruha them
into euob a fiae rluat that it cen be carried off by the most (^entie
current Tlier^fore, gold i» seldom found in qvianiily In th« Wds of
streiraB or rivesg. Native metals, aud sulplmreiB of tnetals, are
alv/ays found near their Bowroc^ because tbej cannot move far
without dijstnuition. The Laurentian formation is so little covered
by drift, or aed.moot&ry matter, that its rofiky strata is very much
expcvocd ; therefore, iittle if any diffiouHy will arise in finding and
tracing out a vein-rock, and the search by trench, drift, shafts and
Boring, naoy in most, if not in all, cases be entirely dispensed with.
When, however, a gold-beariog quart?, vein has been discovered,
and it is desiired to test ito value at a depth, a bore-hole may be
fidv(>Rtag<'o«Bly sunk in the vein ; or, if the vein has an inclina-
ticri, or a dip, the bole should be commenced at such a distance
from its ttppur side, and in such a place, where a prolouged
plumb-lino would be most likely to reach the vein, nt the required
depth frona the suffacG. When llie hole has bceu sunk directly
through the quartz-vein, from tlie top, the bore-meal, or pounded
rock, will eervo as a test of the riohoesa of the vein, as the wovk
progresses; and. in the other cfinc, when the drill strikes the
quartz beneath, its meal will, in like mauner, indicate the richoasa
{»f the vein. The operatioa of boring and testing for minerals, m
described above, may be conducied in the same manner as boring
for oi?, salt, or artesiiiin vt^ells. Boring an art<»9ian well by the aid
of a rope and heavy spindle is a very shiiple operatiou, but re-
quires considerable practice, which a mere description caxiaot
supply to those who unc'ertake it.
With the exception of irui., rjincials arc either scantily dispersed
io sand or soil, or exist in Baiall veins, traversing and ramifying
the rocky strata, M^^tals and metallic ores, generally, have a
greater specnfio gravity than soil or sand, and this forms the prin-
ciple upiio v-bi<sb CO base the tirst examination, If saad or soil is
10 hi cxamiocd wo must select a spot where we (uispect the
exiateno* of minerals. Thi« may be at the bottom of a bank or in
the bed 9* a creok, or river, o'- io any place where a current of
water wouid be likely to have deposited a heavy pubstaoce. If it
should OS sand, clay, soil or grave!, it Bbould be olitaiued fr^ a^i as
great a depth as jjossible, and put into an iron or tin pan, ^bout
ten or twelve inches in diameter, and from two to three inches
deep, having a fitralght boitom. without bend or- curve, and the
sides forming a sharp and well ^lenned angle wiii^ th«! base. Such
a pan should be filied with tlie Mind, or in«U«rial to be examoQed,
and then iair.i€r»*»d m still water, eitiwr in a krge tub or in a ^ol,
or in a creek where thor* is little or no eurreot. WashiDg nnaler
a pump, hydrant, or iu a current of water, w not reeeanaended ;
for some of ttje mineral which it may tie desired to sav*. may t>«
carried «it The pan must then be submerged, aud fiicd
^rtAw. Thm »acd msM then be stinsd mi^ one
m
i :l!
zsrs..
62
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
':!■
■ !'
other Lolds the pan, nnd, when the mass has been well worked
tlirougb, and any luvnpB of chy well pulveiized and dissolved, to
liberate any particles of mineral it may enclose, the muddy water
in the pan inuBt be poured off, and the pan filled again with fresh
clean water, re stirt'ed, and poured off, This process must be re-
peated until all the fine light particles of clay and eand are washed .
off. When this has been done, the bulk in the pan will be con-
siderably diminished, when the pan must be held horizontally, and
only so much water admitted as will cover the sand. By holding
the pan with one hand, and shaking it with the other, all the heavy
particles will sink below the saud. And, if one side of the pan be
gradually lowered while being shaken, it will allow the light par-
ticles, even if quite large, to pass off with the water when the
heavy metal will settle in the corner of the pan. If there is much
Quartz sand in the pan covering the particles of heavy metal in a
thick layer, the greater part of it may be removed and drawn out
by one of the fingers, care being taken, at the same time, not to
throw out any valuable mineral. It is not necessary to use both
hands iu\8haking the pan ; a little practice will enable the opera-
tor to shake with one hand and wash with the other. By this
means the quantity of material under examination is reduced to a
very small bulk, and may be washed oflf almost to the last grain,
if the shaking operation has been well performed. In the corner
of the pan there will remain more or less metal, or metallic ores,
in case there was any in the sand. By putting a small quantity of
water in the pan, just enough to cover the sediment, and giving
the pan such a motion as will produce a gentle current in the
corner of it the minutest particles of metal, even one particle, and
that invisible to the naked eye, may be secured. If there are any
particles heavier than those which are yisible, they will be brought
to light, because the lighter particles of the mass are carried
forward by the current of water, and the heavy ones remaining
behind become gradually exposed. In the corner of the pan may
now be seen a string, or some one or more heavy particles, which
- may be examined by a lens if they are too small to be detected, or
i- are forma which cannot be distinguished by the unaided eye.
'> This is the usual process adopted by explorers in finding aad
washing sand or gravel to obtain gold, platinum, diamonds, tin,
and lead, and to determine their existence in any locality. Of
course there are other appliances and modes adopted in the ex-
traction of the precious metal on a large scale, both by crushing,
sluicing, and amalgamation, but they are only introduced into gold
regions by capitalists and mining companies after due preparation,
and the fact of the existence cf the precious metal has become
well established and gold bearing property sf cured, but never during
exploration or prclitrinary Juvestigation. Gold ie easily detected
- by its bright lustre when not discolored by amalgatnation, or iu
. alloy with other metaU, or sulphurete, in which cases it bad better
i
MINERALS AND METALLtC ORES.
63
on,
me
Id
ter
be submitted to an examination in the usual way, hj as^ay. P1a>
tinum is known by its lead color and great weight, tin by its dark
gray, often black, colour, and lead by the lustre and crystallice
form of galena. Other metals can hardly be distinguished from
each other in that way, because their sulpburets are easily ozy-
dized, and escape in this way without being recogni.^ed. Diamonds
are easily detected by their sparkling brilliancy if the pan is held
in the direct vays of the sun. Minerals which cannot be distiu*
guished by the eye had better be subjected to those trials which
have already been meutioned, or submitted to an experienced metal«
lurgiot.
Minerals and Metaiie ore* extracted from veins or beds must be
selected so as not to have an admixture of different kinds in the one
examination. Veins belonging to the older rocks alwhys contain
a variety of mineral substances, but up in the more recent forma-
tions, much variety is not to be expected. If a tpeciman from one
of these veins is subjected to an examination by tne eye, or by the
lens, the color, lustre, and crystals, are observed, and if we cannot
decide what the mineral may be, we try its weight and gravity.
Experience in judging of specific gravity by feeling, is of great
Be 'vice and vT^vi\y facilitates the determination of the character of
mineral. Water is the comparative standard of weight, whereby
the weight of other matter is compared. It is placed at 1 : that is
one pint of pure water, at a temperature.of 60 degrees, weighs one
pound, common brick is placed at 2, quartz 2\, sandstone 2 to 8,
iron ores 3 to 4, heavy spar or Barytes 4J, tin ore 6, galena Y, gold
19, and platina "il : that is, 1 pint of platina will weigh as muoh
as 21 pints of water, and so with all the others. From this we
may extract some leading features which may be used as a stand-
dard of comp.arison of other materials. In connection with the
above, their is a scale of hardness adapted in mineralogy, the ap-
plication of which will also much facilitate the determinttioa of
minerals. This scale ranges from No. 1, for talc, which is a very
soft mineral, to No. 10, for the diamond, which is the hardest of all
known substances, and will be found mentioned in connection with
the majority of the minerals treated of in this work. Besides these,
there is also the taste and smell. The hardne«8 of a aiineral is
usually determ?ned by a small hard file, but reliance is not to be
p'iced on this test, as the same mineral often varies in hardness.
If the specimen is white, or of a whitish color, and soft, it may be
clay, challjj;, limestone, or soms metalio oxyd, and should be roast-
ed, by exposure at fiirst to a gentlo heat, and afterwards to a
cherry-redl. If Ik retains its white color and slacks in water like
quicklime, it is chalk, if not, it may be clay, but if neither clay nor
chalk, it may be a metalic oxyd. If it is hard, but still white, and
adheres to' the tongue, it may be clay-slate, clay, fireclay, or
argetlaceous iron ore, (iron holding clay), aud should b5 pounded
and roasted, when the quality may be ascertained. If it does not
6^r>
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA. .,|^
1
adhere to the loogu^, it may be a melAllIc oxyd or carbonate, for
most of the cnrbouateei are white. If crystalline iu form, it will
require the aid of an expert mineralogist to decide on the proper
class to w'nich it may belong, and even then the resuh ia very
dor.btful. The only positive metliod of deciding the queition is.
by roasting the specimen. If it is soluble enough to impart a
taste to the tongue, it may be common salt. Saltpetre has a dis-
agreeable sweet taste, alum a sour astringent taste, and white
copperas, a sour taste, much like ink.
// the »pecimen under examination is yellow and friable,
(pulverulent) it may bo, and in most cases is, the hydrated oxyd
of iron or yellow ochre. Some lead and zinc ores have a yellow,
and dirty yellow color. The former are regarded as mere curi-
osities, and Wie latter is of a compact aggregate formi and always
of a dirty color. If it has a yellow color, is hard, crystalline, and
of a metalic lustre, it is, probably, a metaiic sulphuret ; this can
easily be determined by roasting.
The red clam of minerals embraces a large variety, in which
iron predominates. There are masses of red iron ores of every
variety of form and color, from a faint rose colored clay-ore, to
the dark crimson, and almost black crystalline oxyd. If unable to
determine to which class the specimen belongs, by the sight, we
have no other recourse remaining but to roast it. Cinnabar is
red, and, like zinc, inclines to yellow or orange, but can be dis-
tinguished from zinc by its more lively color, and from iron by its
shade of color. Zinc has a shade of yellow in its composition,
while iron inclines to brown. There is also a bright fiery red
copper ore, but it- has a much greater specifio gravity than th%
above mentioned ores ; and there are red-lead ores, which have
about twice the specific gravity of iron. There are also red silver
01 es, ores of antimony, and other red minerals, but these are sub-
etances, the character of which, if any doubt exist, should be
determined in the labratory of a professed mineralogist.
Brown colored minerals predominate in mineral deposits, and,
when the specimen found is of that color, it may be a hydrated
oxyd of iron, in which case it will yield a yellow powder by which
it may be distinguished from other minerals. The sulphuret of
antimony is brown, but ia easily known by its well developed
crystals, or crystalline fracture; the crystals are developed in
long prisms, or pyramids, and the color always inclines to blue.
The oxyde of tin is also dark-brown, but is very hard, baa little
lueti'e, and is extremely heavy. The sulphuret of xinc is also
brown, inclining to blackish-brown, and soft enough to be scratched
with an iron. Brown cinnabar is a species of sulphuret of mer-
cury contaminated with vegetable matter, carbon, or bitujnen, and
is quite cojnmon among the ores of mercury. All the ores of
manganise are Brown, more or less inclined to black ; they are
■■^.-.v
BLACK COLORED MINERALS.
65
found crystallized, and amorphous, in noaBaes of eartby texture.
There are many lead ores of a brown color, but they are usually
accompanied by galena, and may be easily known. Chrome ore
is also brown, but is ea^^ily distinguished by the use uf potash
when roasted along with the pulverized ore. The potasli will
take up the acid, and, by saturating the charge, after roasting and
cooling, the color will determine the chromic character of the
specimen.
Black colored minerals are the most prominent in the whole
range. Magnetic iron area are all black, and are distinguishable
from all other substances by their affinity to the magnet. If a
mngoet cannot ba obtained, the blade of a knife, well rubbed by
the end of a fire poker, or on the powder of the ore. will impart
sufficient magnetism to the blade to cause it to attract the fiuely
powdered ore. A violet-black hydrate of iron is als-o found, but »
always accompanying brown hematite ; it appears in concretions.
A cryatrMized black oxyd of iron, having a feel like plumbago, is
very common. A black ore of copper is also found, but it is a
curiosity, generally forming but a film of blach velvety oxyd over
, another ore of copper. Most of the common manganese ores are
black, but usually inclining to a brown, and, in some instances, to
.; a blue. Metalic silver also appears in black masses, or concretions
. in great variety, but is maleable, and when cut with a knife
exhibits metalic silver.
( In conducting the above, or any examination, of mineral species
it is necessary to be provided wilh a good magnifying lens of one,
or better, one and a half inches in diameter. The specimen sup-
posed to contain the mineral should be broken, to aiford a fresh
fracture ; if by close examination no difference in the texture, or
sprinkling of foreign matter can be detected in the mass, it may
• be considered of uniform composition. If however grains, or crys-
tals, of other minci^la are detected in the main mass, they should
be examined as to their color, lustre, hardness, and chrystaline
, form ; and, if this is not sufficient to determine the nature of those
particles, the whole mass should be pounded and washed. By
J this means we will obtain a larger quantity of particles, which
, may be more readily recognized ; and, if not, there is no other plan
' left but to pound and roast it. Minerals examined by the eye or
lens should be shghtly moistened, to draw out more vividly their
^ colors and lustre. BUui.'rsi
When gold bearing ores are xmder examination by the aid of a
lens, the greatest caution is requisite not to decide k»o hastily.
Ores containing gold in very minute particles are the meet diffi-
cult to examine ; for a spec of the sulphuret, or oxyd of iron, will
often mislead the best observers. If, apparently, a spec of gold is
'■■ detected in a piece of rock, the specimen should be turned in such
, & way that a direct ray of light may fall upon the grain, or par-
1
1
i
1
1 '
1
j
if
*♦
66
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
tide, from all directions, aad it should then be miDutely inspect-
ed in every possible way. If, on turning tlie specimen round, no
portion of the surface color, curvature, or lustre, is interrupted, but
that it retains all, in complete uniformity, wo may, provided the
specimen be moist, believe the speck, or specks, to be gold. , If
the particles exhibit a perfect plane emoolh sufface, or a sharp
angle, or is very brilliant, its identity with gold may be questioned ;
still, it may be gold, which can be decided by touching it with
the fine point of a pen knife. A metallic sulphuret will not take
an impression from eteel, biit gold Avill. The surest and most
certain way is, however, to pound the rock into a fine powder,
carefully wash it from all rocky matter, and then examine the pan,
if necessary, by tije aid of a Jens, to ascertain if there be any par-
ticles of gold in the corner of it. Particles of gold exhibit a uni-
form color, and are either flat, spherical, spangles, or round irregu*
lar grains ; while particles of sulphureta, or other minerals have
crystalline forms, refract the light more strongly and shew planes
and angles on the surface.
Mines are the depositories in which the subterraneous treasures
of the mineral kingdom have been placed bj the bounty of the
Omnicient Beine^^ to be developed and utihzed, at progressive
periods, by intelligent man ; and mining is an art in which all
th^ lights of ecienee, all the capacity of mind, and diligence of
mao, must be brought to bear, and in which they can find their
application. The ^w mining operations that are being carried on
in a country so rich in mineral wealth as Canada, is somewhat
surprising, and are of too limited a number, and of too recent an
origin, to present any masterpieces in the art, or afford any in*
straotion. It requires ages, and even centuries, to develope such
Bubterraneoua caverns and structures as are at this day to be
found in the fall operation of developement in the old world, in
South America, and in Mexico. In these old subterraneous mines
there is poetry — a high, religious poetry— the miner, in his lonely
chambers, is constantly reminded of the.bounties at his disposal,
and the assistance he requires from a higher power than what
poor puny man can bestow. But we are travelling beyond
Dounds. It is not permitted us to luxuriate in descriptive mining,
to its fullest extent. This we exceedingly regret ; but, as our aim
is to be explicit, brief, and useful, and as there can be no im-
mediate use, in the present stage of progress, in the development
of our mineral wealth in this country, in describing the highest
cultivation of this art, it would be wasting the time of the reader
without any corresponding advantage, to extend this essay any
furtiier than its practical utility will warrant.
Mineral deposits are rarely discovered except by actual explo*
ration and search. There are leading features in the geological
structure of a country, and the study of the science of geology
*...,..:^
FALACIES OF THE IGNORANT.
57
will furnish us 'with inBtructions suffioieut to enable us to deter«
mioe what kind of minerals may be found in a certain descriptioa
of rock, or formation, and those which cannot;, but it cannot, and
should not, be expected to do more than give us an approximate
idea of the locality and its boundaries, in which those certain
classes of minerals, that geological research have determined to
belong to it, to the exclusion of all others. For, it would be
labour in vain to search for a certain mineral substance in a rocky
structure in which it could not exist. Therefore, a knowledge of
geology, sufficient to distinguish the rocky formations, and to
know the class of minerals belonging to, and generally found ac-
companying each, is indispcnsible to succccs, and the saving of
labour.
Among the many falacies had recourse to by the ignorant, in
endeavouring to determine the location of the more valuable
mineral deposits, are those derived from unimportant circum>
stances, such as the issuing of mineral springs, the emission of
vapors from crevices in the rocks, the more rapid melting of snow
lo one place than another, and the presence of certain species or
kinds of vegetation. The divining-rod, and the secret compass,
made of load>8tone, or magnetic iron pyrites, electrobiology, and
many other contrivances of a similar foolish nature, are also
absurd follies. Such means only tend to support the pretepsions
of the deceiver and impostor ; and, it is to be regretted, have
often been the cause of superstitious and ignorant people engag-
ing in researches of the greatest felly and absurdity in &eir
nature, and which as invariably resulted, disastrously and ruin-
ously to the credulous treasure-hunter.
Indications of a mineral deposit is either indirect or direct.
Geology points out the indirect indications. We cannot find .
water by digging into quick sand, unless we dig through it; bitu-
minous coal cannot be found in granite, nor gold in the coal for-
mations ; tin does not exist in lime-stone, nor carbonate of iron in
the primative rock. If such anomalies do happen, it is merely
an eScception to the general rule. Positive or direct indications of
minerals are the finding of a specimen, even though it is not in
»itu, or in its proper place ; the frequent occurrence of fragments
of minerals strewed over the surface, and the actual discovery of
a vein or deposit in situ. «: «,
any
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ASSAYING.
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tion of assaying so perfectly as to afford a qualitattve and quanta-
tive result, similar or equal to a chemical analysis. We intend to
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GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
go ao far only into the subject as will enable tlie explorer to form
a tolerably correct estimate of the value of the ore which he may
find, and the componeots of which he may desire to determine.
Weje we lo do otherwise, this work would become too cumbrous,
and the facilities and requirements, too few and too remote, to be
of anv avail when the would-be operator was far in the interior.
In all cases, however, where any doubt arises respecting the quan-
tity, quality, or value of an ore, which the explorer cannot suffi-
ciently determine, the only way to arrive at a satisfactory result
is to mark the place where the ore was obtained, and have recourse
to a professional assayist, or chemist, with a fair average specimen,
and nave it assayed. However, we will state that the operation
to be performed is to reduce the ore, whatever its nature may be,
to the metal ic state, (if of a metalic nature,) and then decide its
value. To perform a dry analysis or assay of this kind, crucibles
are required for the smelting of the ore, and cupels ior ascertain-
ing the presence and amount of the more precious metals it or
thoy may contain. These crucibles can be most advantngeousiy
purchased in a drug store ; but if the explorer is too remote to
have easy access to such a place, (which is not likely in the Cana*
diau gold regions,) he must resort to their manufacture, or at least
to a substitute for them. Crucibles suitable for the explorer's
purpose should be about four inches high, and three inches wide
at the top. The material of which crucibles are generally made is
f lumbago and fire clay, which contains a larger portion of sand,
n many instances, an iron pot will serve the purpose, but if it is
required to have n more refractory or fire proof article, end the
explorer has not the means of access to get them, let him find
some white, tenacious, plastic clay, free from lime, which can (on
trial) stand the fire without meltiug. In the next place let him
break up an old fire brick, piece of porcelain or, Chinese ware, or
gray stone ware. These roust be pounded into a coarse sand, and
mixed with the burnt clay. If these latter are not obtainable,
white quartz, pebbles, or pieces of stone, free from lime, are sub-
stituted. They must be heated to redness, and suddenly brown
into cold water, after which they must be pounded, as before
stated, and are then ready for use. This coarse sand, made from
one or all of the ingredients mentioned, is mixed with as much
fire clay as will make it adhere together. Too small a pronertion
of clay has a tendency to weaken the crucible, and two large a
quantity makes it liable to form cracks and pores. The mixture
of clay and sand must be well worked and kneaded by hand, and
the desired shape of the crucibles moulded over a pattern of
proper shaped wood, around which a sheet of wet paper may be
placed to prevent it from sticking. The paper may be left in the
crucible, as it will protect the clay against the first influence of
beat, and prevent it from cracking. It will burn out in the subse-
quent bakmg of the crucible. The bottom of the crucible should
^
CUPEL — SMELTING, ^^©t^
69
be about bnlf an incb, and the sides from two to three eighths of
an inch thick. "When the form has been given, they should be
allowed a few days to dry, in a gentle heat^ as it tukea ifome time
for the water to evaporate from the clay. When sufficiently dried
they must be subjected'to a strong red or even whito heat. The
baking may be done in a stove, or grate, or open fire ; the crucibles
should be piled in the centre, and the fuel, coal or dry wood, laid
around them. They should be allowed to remain in the fire until
it burns out and, if the baking has been done in an open fire,
should be well covered with ashes to protect them from the sudden
rush of cold air which will occur when the fire in exhausted.
The Cttpel is another apparatus for smelting ; it is a Email, fiat
crucible of one or two inches in diameter and about three quarters
of an inch high, flat at the bottom, and having at the top a flat
concavity^ in which the metal is assayed. The cupel is made of
finely-pulverized bone ashes, wood ashes, or ninrl. The 6rst is the
best, or the first and second mixed together. These ashes must be
well pulverized, sifted and mixed with as much water as will
cause them to adhere slightly. The ashes should then bo preseed
into a small tin cup, or a simple ring of tin and a convex depres-
sion formed on the top like a watch glass. As thtj mass has but
slight adhesion, it requires to be handled very gently ; for this
reason a piece of paper miy be laid around it. They should be
porous but close enough to prevent the infiltration of pot metal ;
and, on this account, too much and two little water will prove
alike injurious. A strong pressure is necessary in forming a
Cupel. Fresh made cupels can be air dried, which can be done on
the top of a common stove, or in any other warm place, after which
they are ready for use.
Smelting. — Metallic mineral ores are always a combination of
metal and oxygen, or metal and rulphur. 1 hese latter must be
changed into the first, and made an oxyd, by roasting before they
are exposed to the reducing process, or emelting. Oxygen readily
combines with carbon in a heat sufficiently intense for smelting ;
hence, all the metallic oxyds are reduced by carbon. Sulphur
has a great affinity for irou, and, the metallic sulphurets, are
therefore, always melted along with metallic iron, which takes up
the sulphur aud liberates the metal that was at first combined
with it. The ingredients made use of in smelting, as well as the
ore must be reduced to powder aud finely pulverized so as to
form a fine, impalpable powder, or dust. Then the ore, fluxes, and
material used for reduction, are sometimes all mixed together,
and, at other times, they are put into the crucible separately, the
ore to be smelted must be as pure and as free as possible from
foreign matter, and in all cases, the ore, after being coarsely
fiounded, should In every instance be washed, to purge it of all
mpurities. Smelting Furnaces cannot be every where obtained.
. f I
II
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i i
I,
70
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
If thej could, their dm would be preferable to the means propof ed
below for suppljing their plaee. It !• (o be presumed, that thoea
who are willmg to iuour the expense of building a smelting fur-
nace, have the knowledge necessary for that purpose, without re-
sorting to the nectdsarily narrow limits of this work for informa-
tion, and we will therefore pass that matter by and proceed to the
details of a method in substitution. For smelting lead, and almo«t
all other metallic ores except iron and tin, a common coal stoye
will eire out sufficient heat, particularly if it be prorided with a
clay lining, or partially closed with clay. A common coal fire-
grate constitutes a good smelting furnace. The grate may then
be reduced in sise, by filling in brick at both ends, so aS to reduce
the interior dimensions to about one foot in length. The space
above the grate, which furnishes the drnft, may be closed by a
sheet iron, or brick covering, leaving only a small opening for
supplying the fuel and inserting the crucible. This small opening
may be dosed by a brick. Such a grate, or pair of tongs, an iron
poker, crucibles, ore, and fluxes, are the only requisites for the
performance of successful operations.
Attay of iron oret. — To smelt or assay iron ore by fusion, is
neither a simple nor an easy operation, especially if it is intended
to separate, not only the iron, but all other ingredients, and make
a quantative assay. Iron ores are easily recognized by their
changing to a red color in roasting, and there will be no need of
smelting, if it is not desirable to find out the quantity of iron in
the ore. To do this the ore must be brought to the highest state
of oxydation : if it is not naturally a red oxyd, it must be roasted
to make it so. The ore must then be finely crushed, and the
fluxes also pulverized, and five hundred grains, which is a little
over one ounce, mixed with one hundred grains of powdered
limestone, one hundred grains of dried, or still better, melted
borax, and one hundred and fifty grains of hard charcoal. All
these ingredients must be well pulverized, dusted, or run Ihrouffh
a fine silk sieve, and then mixed together. If borax cannot be
obtained, a little common salt and a small quantity of potash may
be added to the lime, but the results are not so certain as when
borax is used. The addition of lime to all ores is not always cor-
rect in principle, as some ores already contain it, and it is only
necessary to add it, in greater or less quantity, to those ores which
do not already contain enough, or hold it only in insufficient quan-
tity. If this ore contains Time, it will be advisable to use only
borax and carbon or charcoal in the smelting which succeeds in all
coses; the only difference being, that, the assay will not be «o
correct without as with the addition of lime. In the assaying of
iron, good crucibles are necessary, and those made from black
lead are, for many reasons, preferable to those made from daj.
The materials for smelting must be well dried before using, and
V
ASSAY OF IRON ORES.
71
propoied
hat thota
Itiog fur-
ithout re-
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od almoft
ioal stoye
ed with a
coal Are*
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e roasted
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leds in all
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Isaying of
W black
ym clay.
Ising, and
the -crucible should be dry and warm before the materials are put
into it. The mixture, when put into the crucible, should be presned
down gently, the remainder of the space filled with coiirscly
pounded charcoal, and the whole covered by either a slab of clay,
a piece of fire*briclc, a piece of anthracite, or charcoal, nnd the
whole charge to be tested should never more than half fill the
<jrucible, as the mass will boil as soon as melted, aod may run
oyer the sides of the pot, if sufficient room ie not left. The cru-
cible should DOW be placed on a piece of fire brick, in the
furnace, so as to elevate it about three inches above the bara
of the grate, an J firinij fixed, and the fire kindled and kept
at a brisk heat for at least one hour, after which the furnace
must be again filled with coal, covering the pot and its lid,
the door shut down, and the most intense heat generated
which the fuel ia capable of producing. The under bars of
the grate should be frequently cleaned and a liberal quantity
of air supplied. If charcoal is used, the fire roust be replenish-
ed as the coal is consumed. If the draft is not sufficient
for the oonsumption of anthracite, it may be mixed with charcoal.
The second heat cannot be too strong and should continue for
nearly one hour ; after which with a pair of tongs the crucible can
be removed from the fire and placed upon a heated bricic, othei-
wise, if placed, while heated, upon a cola or damp place it is liable
to crack, and the assay may be lost. When the crucible baa been
slightly cooled but is still of a white heat, give it a few motions up
and down, placing it gently but firnJy upon its foot piece. This
motion is necessary to briug down aiid collect the particles of
metal which may be suspended in the melting stage. When cold
the crucible may be broken and the button of metal will be found
in the bottom. If the heat has not been strong enough, or the flux
has not been sufficient, much of the iron may be found in small
globules in the slag. In this cose the sla^ should bo pulverized
without breaking its grains, aod the pounded mass washed in the
wash pan where tbe grains of metal will remain after the pounded
slag has been washed off. An experiment tcnuioatiog as badly
as the above, would be considered a failure, not because the metal
was not gathered together in one button, but because a large portion
would remain in the slag in the form of an oxyd. lu all such
oases the operation should be repeated. There are many causes of
failure, to enumerate which and their remedies would necessarily
carry us far beyond the limits of our work without any practical
benefit to those for whom it is designed, suffice it to say that we
must be cautious in the UEe of potash or soda, and it will be better
if their use can be avoided, as borax and lime should be quite
Bufficieut to finish any assay of iron, and it will be butter and
more satisfactory, to repeat the assay where a partial failure such
as the above occurs. When a satisfactory result has been obtained,
the button of metal, found in the bottom of the crucible, should be
72
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
cleaDsed and freed from slag by the gentle use of a pmall hammer
and then weighed. The weight of this button will give the pro-
portion of metal contained in ihe ore. When the assay coutains
500 grains, and the button weighs 100 graiDS, the ore contains one
fifth or 20 per eent of metal, and so on, in proportion to their
relative weights. After the button has been weighed, it may be
broken, and the fresh fracture will indicate the quality of iron
which may be produced from the ore in large or extended opera-
tions.
Aisay of Copper oreg. If the ore is a mixture of native copper
and rock, the mineral should be coarsely pounded, and most of the
rocky debris washed off. After this it .nust be once more pounded,
mixed with a small quantity of potash or soda, and exposed to a
strong heat in a clay crucible without any ad'litiou of Coal. If
the fire is strong the copper bvtton will soon be formed ; fifteen
minutes or half au hour is generally sufficient to smelt this kind of
ore. Copper ores, of whatever nature they may be are improved
by roasting, which expels the larger portion if not all the volatile
matter contained in them. The roosting must be performed by a
gentle heat, and the ore repeatedly pounded, after which it is
smelted along -with black fitix and borax.
£lack fiux is a compound of carbonate of potash (pearlash) or
carbonate of soda and carbon, (charcoal) and i» made in ihefollou-
ing manner. Two parts of crude tartar and one part of saltpetre,
should be finely pounded and mixed together and gradually heated
in an iron pot till it is burnt. It should not be over heated, but
as soon os it is thorougly warmed, it should be kindled by means
of a hot coal, or hot poker, it then burns slowly and does not
arrive at a heat sufficient to melt it. The mass so prepared in
once more finely pulverized and sifted and is then securely bottled
and kept from moisture, and is ready for use. If tartar cannot be
got, black flax may be made by dissolviug sugar or starch in
water, and mixing in this the potash or soda, in the proportion of
one part of sugar to ten parts of soda or potash, and evaporating
the mass to dryness. This mass should be pulverized and treated
as above directed. It works well, but is net equal to the first, and
requires lar^e crucibles, as it boils up considerably.
Any of the copper ores, no matter of what description, if pre-
vioufefy roasted, will make a good assay with black flux. The
quantity used varies between three and four parts to one part of
ore, and, if this mixture is not sufficiently fusible, the addition of
half or one part of calcined borax will furnish a liquid slag which
will permit the melted copper to pass to the bottom of the cru-
cible. For this operation a clay crucible without either coal or
plumbago, is preferable ; as too much coal is detrimental to the
fluidity of the slag. In this assay a quick heat is requin d, for, if
..i»i.i
ASSAY OF COPPER ORSS.
73
iV^
le
the erooible be too long exposed to the heat it it in diuifer of
being eut through by the flax, and the charge loet
The following is the plan of aaaay adopted at Swaneei in Walee.
One ounce of ore is pounded and sifted as fine as pcesibU, and
roasted in an iron pot for abo«t twenty minutes, or untU the bine
flanne disappears. When cold, it is again pounded atid m'\xed
with the following flux in the proportion of 14 or 16 dwts. to one
ounce of the ore, viz., 28 dwts. of nitre (saltpetre) 8 dwts of ctvm*
mon window glass, 2 dwts. of calcined borax, 2 dwts of fluor spwr,
82 dwts of argol (crude taitar). This mixture must be pound 9d
and mixed with the ore in the proportion of three fourth parts \^<o
one of the ore, put into a crucible and melted. When tm> mate
becomes fluid, and ceases to boil any longer, it may, to save tbs
crucible, be poured into a hot iron mould or pot; as soon m it iit
cool enough to become solid, it may be immersed in water, ths
slag knocked off with a hammer, and the copper button weighed.
This aasay does not always prove correct ; the nature and 04«m-
fosition of the ore occasion a necessary difference in its treatme^it.
be quantity of tti^ flux is rather small and is often increased to
equal weight with the ore, but too much flux is as bad as too littU),
and both retain copper in the slag, either in the metallie state, or
as an oxyd. A good button of metal has neither a very smooth
nor rugged appearance ; both extremes indicate a loss of metal.
It should have a flue copper color, with a bluish cast, and not be
too smooth. A whitish appearance of the button is decidedly
bad, being the result of alloys which have combined with th«
«opper, or the flux, when it is in too gjeat q aantity ; it may be
the result of too much argol, or of some ooal which found its way
into the crucible. If the copper has not all been sepajrated from
the ore, the slag ought to be pounded, waihed, and proper care
taken to save it, and, if grains of copper are found in it, ther
mav be added to the buttooi but if in tne form of an oxyd, which
will be indicated by its brown color and porous texture, the slag
may be finely pounded, mixed with a little quick lime, and melted
again, and the copper, thus obtained added, to the first This
last operation is always one of very doubtful propriety. An assay
which has been spoiled had better be repeated, as it is exceedingly
difficult to extract a small quantity of metal from a red slag.
llie copper obtained in these assays ii seldom or never very
malleable, being generally hard and brittle, but their appearance,
•olor, lns||;^e, and texture furnish indications of the eorreetoess <^
ths assay. If the button is very coarse, porous, and hard, and if
it lodn black and does not resemble copper,, the vield is not cor*
reet, and the assay is lost A new asaav must be had in that ease.
If it Is ooarae, porous, and blaek, but sligbtlv malleable, the assay
«ay be good i^d the yield true ; bat it will be a Swe isa r y to re«
74
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
' i
melt this buttoD. Another instance ii, when the button ezbibite a
■bade of brown upon its surface ; but this is somewhat similar to
the others just mentioned. When the button is re-melted, it
yields about two>thirds its weight of fine copper, and niuwt be
broken or pounded and tlien nelted or refined with nn equal or
double weight of flux; composed of crude or refined tartar, to
which a little common salt has been added; to prevent the appear-
ance of a red or burnt slag, a little charcoal, or coke, or some
powdered stone coal, may be also used. The next species •f
Dutton has a brownish red or copper color ; this may be considered
a good result and givine a good yield. If this button should be
broken, and melted with twice or thrice its weight of the above
mentioned flux, it will yield one half its weight of fine copper.
The worst description of buttons are those having a white, gray,
or yellowish color. These are useless, and the assay is a complete
failure.
The first operation, in these assays, is the formation of crudo
copper, which must be refined by a second pro 'ess of smelting.
In the second operation, as much flux must be constantly present
as will properly cover the metal, and prevent its oxydation, and
consequent loss of copper ; and, for that purpose, the best flux
that can be used is the black flux, which has been already descri-
bed, with the addition of a little common salt.
If, in the first assay, the ore does not contain sufficient iron*
which will be denoted by the dryness and porous character of the
slag, and the coarse and porous nature of the button, some iron
must be added to it. Flux may assist in remedying the evil, but
there is a danger of the retention of copper in the additional
quantit]^ of flux. Iron is, in such cases, the best flux, and must
be used in the form of a fine powder, and as an oxyd, or iron ore.
To produce a good button at the first melting, the flux neces-
sary for the operation must be composed of 3 oz. of ai^ol, (crude
tartar) ; 28 dwts. o^ nitre, (saltpetre) ; 10 dwts. of cacU.ied borax ; '
10 dwts. of bottle, or window glass, atd dwts. of slacked lime.
These ingredients should be well pounded, mixed together, and
sifted, and is then ready for us9. It must be kept in tightly-
elosed bottles, to protect it from the moisture. One outice of the
oaleined ore, prepared as before described, should be mixed with
one-and-a-half ounces, or a little less, of the last-mentioned flux.
Two or three pennyweights of eommon salt, and aa equal quan-
tity of argol should be pounded and mixed together, put into a
small crucible, and melted, at the same time that the ore and flux
are being melted in another crucible. When the latter is melted,
and ready to be withdrawn from the fire, it should be emptied
into the other crucible, in which the flux is alsp^ in a hot fluid
state, the motion prodnoed by the discharge of the assay from
one crucible li^o the other, will have the effect of gathering to-
ASSAYING AND REFINING.
getber all the itray graioR of copper, whioh might otherwise hare
adhered to the sides of the crucible. When the Utter crucible
has been heated to the proper degree, the contents should b«
poured into an iron mould, previously heated and greased ; or, it
may be allowed to cool, and the crucible be broken, to obtain the
button of copper, which is frequeutly found to be crude, and will,
sometimes, require refining.
This lost mode of assaying is never qu^te correct, and always
falls short of what ought to be the true yield. It is a profitable
assay for the purchaser of the ore, but an unprofitable one for the
seller. Rich ores are more sensibly effected by the fluxes than
the poor^>r kind, and lose a greater proportion of their metal. To
prevent this, the amount of saltpetre and Fait may be diminished,
■ or entirely dispens^ed with, and the ores melted with argol alone,
to which a smuli quantity of coal dust had been added. If the
refining w asles mote than one third of the crude copper, the first
operr.tiou must have been imperfect, and the assay may be said to
' have been lost, or spoiled. A little experience will teach any one
whether the ore melts too sluggishly, or too rapidly, on the appli«
cation of the first heat. If it melts too rapidly, the flux is too
sharp, and too fluid, and iho assay is spoiled ; but, if it is too
tough in the crucible, the addition of a little borax, or fluor spar,
wtli make it lively; the use of too great a quantity of these
articles, has, however, a tendency to make the copper crude.
Refining. — The buttons thus obtained are not of a fine quality,
and have once more to be broken up, and prepared for tlie process
of refining. For this purpose a crucible is placed in the furnace,
and, when brought to a white heat, the crude copper, which is
being heated in a small crucible, must be thrown into the hot one,
and melted rapidly ; as soon as the copper has melted, a little of
the following flux, which has been previously melted in another
crucible, must be poured over the hot copper, and a few minutes
after the contents of the crucible should be emptied into a
greased mould. If the copper does not prove to be fine after the
last melting, the operation will have to be repeated in the same
crucible, until the copper has acquired the necessary fineness,
which can be determined by flattening it with a hammer on ao
anvil, bending, and therj breaking it. If the color and strength
are satisfactory, the assay is, thus far, finished.
The slags, resulting from this refining operation, should be
mixed with a small quantity of argol (tartar) and smelted in th«
same crucible in whicn the refining was performed, and, the grains
of copper resulting therefrom, added to the button of refined
copper, which will complete the assay. This grain often has the
appearance of iron and should be refined before adding it to tb*
former. This is the flux refered to above ; for coarse or omde
copper U lbs. of nitre, 1 lb. of argol, | lb. common salt, Well
76
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA r
u I
1
"ii
pnlT«rii«d and mixed tofi^ether, and put into an iron pot, and stirrad
with a red hot iron poker, until it is properly and thoroughlj-
burned. After which it is pulTerixed and bottled for use.
Attay of Lead ore*. The assay of Lead ores is not rery diS*
cult, but it is an operation requiring more ekill than might at first
sight appear. It is so volatile that if the smelting operation be
not oonduoted with great care considerable loss will occur render*
Ing the result of an assay very doubtful. Lead ores may be
divided into two classes. One class comprises those which oontaia
DO sulphur, the other class may be mizea with sulphur, or be pure
iulphurets. The first can be assayed without tne addition, the
second requires the addition of metallic iron to produce satisfactory
results. Lead does not require much heat, ana a high heat should
not be used. If losses are to be avoided by evaporation, a common
stove, a fire grate, or any description of furnace, will suffice for
this purpose, and black lead crucibles answer the purpose better
than those composed of pure clay. If the latter are used they
should be lined with a coating of charcoal powder or plumbago.
An assay of lead can be performed to the greatest advantage in a
east iron crucible. Instances occur in which a great heat is re*
quired to smelt a lead ore; but these are extreme cases and should
never be depended upon for correct results. Lead ores whioh do
■ot contain any sulphur, such as red or white lead, should be
smelted simply with black flux. If the ores are very pure, such
M litharge, minium or red lead, white lead, and similar ores, there
will be little or no flux needed. Common lead ores, such as are in
a natural state, are never sufficiently pure to yield their lead when
■melted, without the addition of flux. Such ores should be
poundea, and roasted gently, or merely dried to expel the water
whieh may be contained in them. The powderea ore may be
mixed with pulverized black flux in the proportion of one ounce of
the ore to two or more ounces of the flux. Two parts of flux to
one of ore is generally sufficient, but there may arise instancea in
w^'^ thafc amount will not even make a fusible slag, and more
flux will have to be added. There can be no objection to using as
much flux as we please, but then it compels the use of larger cru*
cibles, as this flux is very liable to boil and flow over. In oases
when two parts of black flux is found to be insufficient, it will be
advisable not to use any more flux, but to add carbonate of sod*
alone or in connection with a little glass of borax. With these
additions to the flux, the process ia always successful, provided we
use a plumbago crucible, or one lined with charcoal or plumbago.
The mode of performing the operation is very simple. When the
flux and the ore are well mixed, it should be put in the crucible,
previously well heated, and filled to not more than one third ; the
other two parts being needed for ebullition. The crucible should
tiiea be covered by a slab, or a good hard coal, and placed in a
ASSAY OF LEAD.
cold furnace, the fire kindled, and the heat raised graduAlly, ai a
Budden and rapidly iiioreasinf^ heat is very apt to boil the maM
violently, and, if the crucible be not very large, drive the content!
into the fire.
A little commoD palt over the top «f the ore will moderate the
Tiolenoe of the ebullition ; but if this should not prove sufBcient,
and there is danger of the mass boiling over the top of the cru-
eiblp, the cover should be removed, and air admitted, which will
spedily diminish the agitation. As soon as the boiling eeases, a
stronger heat may be generated, and the mass brought into a state
of perfect fluidity ; but a greater amount of hcut should never be
applied than will be actually necessary for the accomplishment of
our design.
When the mass is properly melted, and appears in the crucible
with a clear glassy surface, the assay is accomplished. The cru-
cible iihduld then be removed from the fire, cooled, quenched in
water, and finally broken, to remove the button of lead, which is
found in the bottom of it. There is generally no difficulty in
separating the button from the slag, but it sometimes adheres to
the crucible, when made of clay or iron. When this occurs, a
great d<5al of ehisellmg is frequently necessary to separate the
adherent particles. It is necessary in every case to pound the
slag, wash it, and examine whether there are any grains of lead
in it. It is usually soluble in water, therefore nothing is needed
bat to pound it coarsely and dissolve it in water. If there are
any metallic grains contained in it, they will remain after the slag
has been washed off. If the mass has boiled too strongly, and the
fire has been too hot, the crucible will be very apt to retain some
of the crude slag, and form globules of lead, which will adhere to
the bides of the crucible. The loss of these globules diminishee
the yield of the ore, and makes the assay incorrect. Such an
assay cannot be remedied and is lost; the adherence of these
globules to the crucible having been caused by the boiling, ^very
effort should be made to avoid the inconvenience in a future
operation.
The lead produced br such an assay is never pure, and always
retains some traces of those metals which hare been mixed with
the ore, such as copper, silver, antimony, kc. It also invariably
eontains some potassium or sodium, which it receives from the
flaxes. These admixtures are, howeyer, in such limited quantitiee
as to exercise but little influence upon the correctness of the assay.
The loss by evaporation is of far more consequence, amounting
generally to about ten or twenty per cent. If sine and lead are
fonnd united in the same ore, and the proportion of the former be
greater than that of the latter, the lead will frequently evaporate
entirely. In this case the only chance of success exists in washing
the ore, roasting it, and using an excess of flux in smelting it, takin^f
78
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
'
1.
I
eare (o uso ODly an much of the black flux ns will bnrely precipi*
tato the lead.
TViB Sufphvrel of Lead^MQ those lead orcn which coutiiin sul-
phur and lead. They should not be roasted, but simply smelted
with black flux and a litdc dry carbonate of soda, with the addi.
iioD of Bome metallic iron. About 20 per cent, of iron, in the
form of wire ends, cut into short pieces, tacks, or broken nails, is
generally added, but no harm will result from the addition of a
larger quantity, even were it incrcaecd to one half, provided the
heat applied in the reduction be not so great as to reduce or melt
some of the iron. Iron of a coarse form ii the best for this pur-
pose, as it can be so used liberally, and without ariy resulting evil
effect, because it docs not easily melt, and will take up the sul-
phur. The quantity of flux may be varied without occasioning
much difference in the result, from one ha(f to double the quantity
of tlie ore. If the ore is a simple sulphuret, like galena, carbonate
ofBodaand metallic iron will be sufficient for smelting it; but if
it contains any oxyde, or other forms of lead, the black Hux must
be applied. The most perfect, and, at the same time, the surest
way of assaying lead ores is in an iron pot or iron crucible. Any
iron pot will answer this purpose, provided it be not tbo largo.
If one can be obtained having the form of a clay crucible, such as
a carpenter's glue-pot, for instance, it will be well to procure it ;
atill any iron pot, having a round bottom, is good enough for au
assay ol lead, and If black flux, soda, or nitre, cannot be obtained,
a very eflSoient flux can be compounded of potash, to which soap
has been added to an amount equal to the weight of the ore, and
a email proportion of common salt. This flux should be mixed
with the pulverized ore^ and the mixture dried in an iron pot over
a gentle Are ; care being taken to stir it constantly to prevent its
boiling over. "When it is thoroughly dry, the stirring should cease,
and the heat be gradually raised to the melting point Sulphu-
rate, in particular, emelt well in an iron pot. The best assay can
be made in an iron crucible, as it furnishes the purest lead, and
largest yield \ for, when the loss in a clay crucible reaches 20 per
cent, it will not average more than ten in an iron pot but will
requii;^ the same quantity of iron ore, as before designated.
Asiay of Gold. Gold is generally, and we may say, usually
found in its native condition, as a pure metal, but it is sometimes
found in sulphurets, and in alloy with other metals. The sulphur-
ete, or iron pyrites, are considered the most abundant source of
gold in the United States, and very probably also in Canada,
^hat may on examination prove to be the matrix of gold in the
Canadian Gold fields, in the Dominion of Canada, yet remaine to
be determined. It however occurs in Hiu in the quartz veins, and
▼ery probably abo, in the extensive deposits of iron pyrites that
oecun 80 exteii8ively,and areso generally distributed, throughout the
'•^ * • ASSAY OF (>OLD. • '? '^9
Laureitinii formation, in which the precious metal, hns now been
proyed to exist in lar^e commercial qnniititicH.
Should the gold in its nntive Ptnte bo enclosed in other tnineralti,
the ore may be pounded nnd washed, nnd the roUI separated froni
it and weighed ; but Buch nn assay will bo incorrect, as a larpfe
proportion of the emallcr partick'B of the tine ^old would bo
washed away, and more than half the actual oontonls of tlio ore
lost. Such an ore may be amalgamated with Jnercury, which how-
ever, must be pure, but that process is, also, not quite safe, and
remarkably slow and tedious. The best way is, m all cases to
make an assay by the process of smelting;. Gold ores are generally
poor. It is therefore useless to smelt bo small a quantity as ono
ounce, five ounces being little cnouf '■ , *n any case, for the produc-
tion of a successful assay. The ore mi « ho finely pounded, sifted,
and at least an equal weight of litharg'i Added to it. Iti most cases
however twice or three times It^ ./eif ht of lithrirge may be re-
quired. When the ore is very fti' ous (full ^t quartz) or sulphur-
ous, (pyriteous) this will be the case. It will always be best to
ase a liberal nmoont of litharge, as '' ij.'*^?'' does any harm, and
may facilitate operations very mT^cii. The litharge of commerce
is very poor, sometimes containing cuppe" and iron, and frequently
silver, which is worse than either, roiulcring an asfv made with it
quite incorrect. The surest pirji to obtain a pure liiiiuige is, to
take acetate of lead and dry it by a strong heat, constantly stirring
it, at the same time, to prevent it from smelting. The litharp^e
obtained by this process may be considered free from silver. * To
the mixture of ore aad litharge add a little black flux, just suffi-
cient to afford carbon enough for the precipitation of a Hmited
quantity of metallic lead. One part of black flux will produce one
part of metallic lead ; and as half an ounce of lead will le suflUcient
to absorb all the gold coDtained in the flvo ounces of ore, that we
are supposed to use in the charge, not more than half an ounce of
the black flux should be added. If however there are no pyrites
in the ore, some carbonate of soda, or borax, may be added ; bat
if sulphurets are present, (pyrites for instance) it will be advisable
to use nitre. In most cases the assay, will be more perfect, if we
abstain from the use of alkaline, such as potash and soda, fluxes
entirely, and substitute litharge, and a small quantity of finely
powdered charcoal The assay must be performed in a crucible
composed of pure clay, or, which would be preferable, in an iron
pot. When smelting in ^lie latter the contents should be emptied
into a mould while hot, because it will be difiicult to separate the
mass from the pot, when it becomes cold. In smelting, the metal.
in the pot should be invariably covered with a luyer of salt, as it
facilitates the smeltir)g, and the separation of the gold from the
alag.
The lead button obtained by this process will contain all the
II
I
It
•A
;
f
80
GOLD REGKJNS
OF CANADA.
gold (lerivftble from the ore under examination — whether it be ia
a eulpburet 'pyrites), or in ii silicate (quartz). One of the prin-
cipal conditions of success is an accurate or approximate propor-
tion of the ore and flux, as well as that of Ciiibon : fur the reason
that black flux, snch as we have described, is preferable to char-
eoal ; but soap is betler than either ; soap, from its chemical com-
position, pcnetratts every ramification of the mass, and its carbon
18 brought into tdose contact with every particle of the ore. The
application of alkaline fluxes is objectionable, so far as it causes
an ebullition, or. boiling of the mass; and, if sulphur be present,
it will retain a portion of the gold. ' .. ,
From what has alreidy been said, in previous pages, on
gold, and the assay of other metalic minerals, the writer
18 of opinion that, were he to pujsue the subject further,
it would become wearisome to the exploring, hard-work-
ing, and industrious pioneer to read and study it, and to
whom the commerce of the world is almost entirely indebted for
the discovery of many, if not all, of those gold-produeinj. fields,
regions, and territories, that have hitherto supplied the precious
metal, and created such a revoluf'on, in migration, civilizationi
and commerce, even to the remotcat and most uncivilized parts
of the earth, that •' other ages seldom knew,''
Instead, however, as herein before stated, of pulverizing, wash-
ing, and nmalijamating, or even smelting quartz-rock, which is
known to contain gold, to determine whether that metal occurs in
it, "in paying quantities, and in what proportion, though invisible
to ihe naked eye, or lens, it may be well to say that it can be
readily determined by specific gravity.
The specific gravity of a body will be found by dividing the
weight, in air, by its loss, when weighed in water. For example :
A piece of quartz weighs, in the air, 298 grains. The same piece
weighs, in water, 180 grains. The difference of weight is 118
grains. Divide 293 by 113, and you will have the specific gravity
of the quartz ; viz. : 2*68.
Suppose we find a piece of gold bearing quartz rock, in a gold-
produoing section of country, whose specific gravity, we find, by
the above rule, to be 8067, and in which gold is known to exist,
and it is desirable to determine the relative proportion of gold it
may contain. . . ., j
The specific gravity of gold is 19 000; and, of pure quartz,
2-600.
1st. Deduct the specific gravity of the specimen from the spe-
cific gravity of gold, the diffeience is the ratio of the quartz bj
volume; viz. : 19 000 — 8 067 — 10-933.
2nd. Deduct the specific gravity of the quartz from tie specifie
DETERMINATION OF GOLD BY SPECIFIC GRVITY. 81
be
by
gravity of the apeciinen, the difference is the ratio of gold by
Tolume ; vie. : 8 067 — 2*600 ~ 6-467.
3rd. Add those two ratios together, and proceed by the rule o'
proportion. The product is the proportion of gold by bulk-
10'93S + 6.467 — 16 400. 16400 is to 6*467 Bs 100 is to 3S86-
4th. Multiply the per centage of gold by bulk, by its specific
gravity— the product is the ratio of the gold in the mixture, by
weight; viz.: 88-86 X 1 9000 — 683 65.
6th. Multiply the per centitge of quartz by bulk, by its specific
gravity. The prqiluct is the ratio of quartz in the mixture, by
weight; viz.: 6666 X 2600 -!- 173-29.
6th. To find the per centage of gold, add the two ration, 633 66
+ 178 29 — 806-94. As 80694 is to 633-65 bo is 100 to 78 6«,
the product of gold, by weight, in the specimen.
Assay of Silver Ores — Silver is not often found in a chemically
pore state, and should only be smelted with as much metalic lead
as will absorb the impurities which may be enclosed in the silver
mineral. Native silver is usually found alloyed wif:*. gold, which
may be separated by the dry analysis in the crucible; but, thft
humid method, by acids, is the most simple and certain in itB
results.
Silver ores are found in a great variety of forms, and in combl*
nation with almost every other kind of material, to form an ore.
If the amount of silver contained in a nuaeral is too small to re-
pay the cost of extraction, it may still be regarded as a silver
ore, but may be used for some other purpose. Silver ores are
assayed nearly in the same manner as gold ores; differing, how<
ever, in tlie greater degree of heat used ; silver requiring a higher
temperature to smelt it than gold. Most of the silver ores con-
tain suflScient lead to make the addition of that metal, in the
smelting process, superfluous. In that case, the ore should be
treated exactly ns a lead ore, with the exception that little or no
iron should be used in the assay, but principally black flux and
borax. It is of little consequence if lead remains in the cinder,
for the greater portion, if not all of the silver, will follow the
bulk of the lead. All the silver will be obtained by the applica-
tion of a strong heat, no matter how much lead may accompany
it. The object aimed at, in this- assay, is to produce but little
lead, and obtain all the silver. This can be accomplished if the
ore has been properly roasted (oflen a tedious aifuir) and the
assny be made with saltpetre and argol, to which borax may be
added. If the assay be performed in this manner, it will be per-
fectly safe, provided all the conditions of the process be complied
with ; but, as it may be doubtftil whether reliance can be placed
upon an adherence to those requisites, it will be advisable to
follow another plan which, though more tedious, is cortain of
success. If the ore ii rich in silver, a portiou of the iiiharge,
f •
82
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
I 1
1 i
V]
made of acetate of lead (sugar of lead) should be added ; the
qaantiiy of litharge may be optional, but should always be in aD
iDTereo proportion to the amount of lead contained in the ore. It
is not necessary to use so large a quantity of silver ore as would
be required of gold ore, in these operations. For practical re*
suits, one ounce may, in all cases, be considered sufficient. A
very perfect solution of iron will be needed in the flux, and if the
ore contains much silica, lime, or other foreign matter, which can-
not be removed by washing, a large quantity of litharge will have
to be employed. When the ore bus been washed and finely
pounded, it should be mixed, as the case may ilquire, with more
or less litharge. (In some cases it will not require any). An
addition of half an ounce of black flux Bhould be made, which
will produce half an ounce of lead. The powder of charcoal
made of hardwood, ii belter than black flux. One part will
make thirty parts of lead, reduced from the oxyd. Eight grains
of charcoal will make 240 grains, or half an ounce of lead. In
every instance, a half ounce, or one ounce, of dried or burned
borax should be added to the mass, which should be thrown loosely
into a dry crucible, and not more than one third £11 it ; over
which should . be spread a layer of common salt, the crucible
covered, and then exposed to heat, which should be strong and
rapid, and in consequence of this indispensable requisite, the
application of alkaline fluxes, such as saltpetre, soda, Ac, would
be injudicious; litharge and glass of burnt borax should finish
such an assay. Boiling, in this case, eht>uld be avoided more than
in any other case; and, if it cannot be entirely prevented, it
should be diminished as much as possible, which can be in a great
measure prevented by the application of salt over the charge, or
by opening the cover of the crucible.
If the silver ore is a perfect sulphuret, or silver in combination
with sulphur, the assay may be made comparatively easy, by pul-
verizing and mixing the crude ore with an equal weight of lith-
arge, and nearly half ite weight of nitre. If there is a large
f)roportion of iron, or copper pyrites, in the ore, the amount of
itharge and saltpetre should oe proportionably increased. Iron
pyrites require four times the above weight of nitre; copper
pyrites three times that amount. This mixture will produce all
tne silver in a very small quantity of lead. If the alloy contains
too much saltpetre, it will not produce any lead- at all; but this
evil may be remedied by the addition of some small chips of me-
tallic leid to the fluid mass. Any ore will readily yield its silver
on the liberal addition of litharge ; while the presence of alkaline
flaxes is not so favourable to the precipitation of silver, but has a
tendency to produce more lead.
Refining lead, to obtain the gold and silver is not a very eafJ
process for the inexperienced, and we would advise reoourae to bo
PROCESS OF REFINING.
83
had to an experll^nced professor, nr metalargist; but at* this h
extremely difficult in some, and impossible in other instances, we
will endeavour, in as plain and brief a manner as possible, to lay
down such rules as will guide the expenmenter, to a eomcwhat
satisfactory result
The silver and gold in the fotegning assayp, having been alloved
with a large portion of lead, the following assay by the cupel, is
designed to destroy the lead and other metals, and produce the
gold and silver in their pure state. The principle upon which
mis process is founded is tne feeble affinity which gold and silver
have, comparatively with other metals, for oxygen. The other
metallic substances contained in the assay will rapidly absorb
oxygen, melt and sink, like a fluid glass, into the pores of the
cupel, which are not, however, large enough to absorb the gold
and silver metals. We have already described the mode of con*
structing a cupel for small assays, pimilar to those we have beea
describing. The next apparatus to prepare is a mujffle. This is a
box made of fire-clay, shaped like a traveller's trunk, in which one
end is wanting, and about three-eighths of an inch thick, one foot
long, six inches broad, and four inches high, and provided at the
top with numerous small oblong holes. This miifffe should be
made of good fire*clay, capable of Resisting a strong fire, and en-
closed in a furnace by a wall, in such a manner that the fuel may
completely surround it. In this muffle the cupel or cupels should
be placed for refining. They may be purchased ready made in
the large cities, but, at a distance from such places, this is im-
possible, and we shall, therefore, point out their mode of construe*
tion. Instances may occur rendering an assay imperatively
necessary, and, if no muffie can be procured, or prepared on the
spot, a good sized crucible may be selected, a hole driven through
the bottom of it, and the cupel containing the lead placed therein.
The crucible should then be placed in a furnace, in such a position
as will admit a draught of hot air through the bottom of it After
every preparation has been made, the procest of cupelling becomes
very simple. The muffle should be neated, and the cupel, con*
taining toe lead, to be operated on, placed in the mouth of it, so
that it may receive the heat very slowly. When all the moisture
bat been expelled from the cupel, it may be pushed further into
the muffle, and a stroc^er heat applied. The bone ashes will
looD assume u very white appearance, and the metal will l«ok
red, and, if the cupel is surrounded by an iron band or hoop, the
metal will appear dark'red.^ The heat should then be rapidly
iooreased^ but not made too intense ; for, if the lead becomes to<»
lively, evaporation will succ.ed. aud the lead vapors will carry ^
with them the silver or guld. The best heat is that which is juft
•uffioient to prd^Dt the lead from chilling, and heat tho oxyd of
lead to the dfegree necejssary to allow it to sink in the cupel and
i
I ^
84
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
V
not form a cold black ring around the hot lead ; hut when thia
kappeoB, the heat should be increased, and the oupel will absorb
all tue ozyd made by the test The lead should not only be kept
liquid, but also in lively motion, until nearly the whole of it is
absorbed by the cupel ; Uie heat should then be rapidly increased
to Uie highest degree (a bright white) to melt the scattered silrer
•r gold into a round globule. When all the lead has disappeared,
and not previously, a bright, shining metal ic globule will appear.
The cupel should then be removed from the fire, and, when cool,
the globule separated from it and cleansed from the adherent
dirt; and weighed. An assay of this description is never quite
correct, the yield being always too small. In large operations the
yield will be greater from the same ore, or lead. If the difference
•f yield in large and small operations were always the same, there
would be no evil resulting from it; but this is not the ctise, the
multiplied and complicated operations necessary in assaying, can*
not be conducted wilh so much precision as to ijroduce uniform'
results. In all assays made imfliediately from the ore, silver will
be found more or less alloyed with gold, and gold with silver. As
the 8ep~ ration of these two metals by the dry or smelting analysis
is uncertain and tedious, we will describe a process by which an
approximate result may be easier obtained. The proper method
of separating gold and silver is by the humid or acid process ;
that 18, to dissolve the alloy, or rather the silver it contains, in
aitrie acid, which alone will not effect the gold, and precipitate
the silver by means of a solutioi: of common salt. 1^ separate
gold from silver or other metals by dry analysis, it should be
■jnixed and melted with three times its weight of the sulphuret of
antimony, which may be obtained in the drug stores. This alloy
should be run into a mould, cooled, the slag knocked off, and the
brittle regulus or button melted in a fresh crucible and treated as
before. In the second smelting some saltpetre and a little eomnum
salt should be added ; these will deAiroV and oxydiae all metals
except gold. If the button thus dbtainea should oe found brittle
and bard, the same smelting process, with the addition of saltpetre,
aod salt should be once more repeated. If, after this, the gold
remains impure, more antimony should be melted with the gold,
and the refining process repeated, until the experiment prores
sveeessfnl. By this method all the gold will be obtained pure;
and the difference in weight between the gold and the metal re*
«eived from the cupel will be silver, if cupelled metal has been
•std. All the metal to be assayed by this operation should be
the result of cupelling ; and for this reason, all gold and silver ore
Isom which it is desirable to obtain pure gold, should be melted
with gold and cupelled.
If the gold be in fine grains, such as wash gold, usually is, or
amalgam, it should be purified by mixing It witn a little oorrosiTa
sablimate or ealomel, neaUag it at first gently, and then raising
ASSAYING MERCURY, AND ITS ORES.
85
B
e
n
tii« heat nntil it nelta the gold. This operation shoald be per-
formed in a new crucible ; the eilvei', and other metals, are theo
leet by evaporation. If, in theee oi^ratioos, any ailrer should
remain in the slug, it may be recovered by smelting it with argol,
to whieh a little charcoal dust has been added. The recovery of
the silver will, however, be more certain, if the slag should be
treated as a poor silver ore, pounded, smelted with litharge, and
then cupelled as previously described. If gold or silver is alloyed
with platinum, irridium, rhodium, or copper, the separation of
theee metals will be very difficult ; the alloy must be subjected to
the humid analysis, as, in all such casf's it would be utterly use*
less to endeavour to make a good assay by the dry process. Such
alloys may be melted with lead ; but in cupelling, they cannot be
separated, — not even the copper will, in this case, leave the other
metals.
Mercury occurs native, alloyed with silver, and in combination
with chlorine or iodine. Its ores are completely volatile, ez-
eepting the one containing silver. Traces of mercury have been
fonnd by the members of the geological survey in the gold fields
of the Province of Quebec, in the Dominion of Oanada, and at"
tentioQ is ealled to that fact, and also to the report of an extensive
deposit said to have been discovered in the Laurentide rocks some
dittanoe from the north side of the Saint Laurence River, not far
firom Quebec, but the exact where- abouts of which is kept a secret
by the discoverer. It is not however improbable that further
diseoveries and developements may be made in our primitive
ftKtks, as the progress of exploration is extended.
Kative mercury is however a rare mineral,, yet it is found a^
different mines of this metal, in Siberia, Spain, Austria, Hungaryi
Pern, and California. It is usually in disseminated globules, but
is sometimes accumulated in cavities, so as to be dipped up in
palls. It is used eJS^ msively for the extraction of gold and silver
orea, and is exported in large quantities to gold and silver pro-
ducing countries. It is also employed for silvering mirrors, ther-
aometers, and barometers, and for various other purposes con-
■eeted with medicine and ^e artsi
dnnahar. — Sulphuret df mercury. This is the ore from which
iKe principal part of the mercury of commerce is obtained. It
0«eun mostly m connection with taleote and argillaeimu $hal«, or
other stratified deposite, both in the moet ancient, and h those of
wore recent date. This mineral is too volatile to be expected io
aay abondanoe in prsper igneous or crystalline rocks, yet it has
^•en found sparingly in granite. This ore occurs as earthy eoat-
iagSi tabular orystils, six sided prisms, and missive. Lustra un-
MaUUlo, adamantine in crystals, often dull. Oolor bright red, to
Wownith-radt lad browni»h*black, streak red. Subtranaparent to
Marly opaque. Hardness 2 Io 2.6. Gravity 6.7 to 8.2.
»«*.
86
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
pur« it cootalns about 86 per cent, of metalio mieroury, and 14 p«r
c«nt of sulphur, but it often oontaios impuritiei. The pure varietj
Tolatilizes and disappears Aitirely before the blow pipe, and this
character will readily distinguish it from red dxjd of iron, red
Ivfd, and chromate of lead ; and from Rtalgar or red tulphurtt of
^^rjienic, by giving oflF when heated on charcoal, no garlic odor.
in an assay the cinnabar should be pulverized and mixed
with half its weight of iron filings er borings, and some slaoked
lime or soda, the mixture put into an iron retort to about one-third
its capacity, and the retort gradually exposed to a strong red heat,
otherwise U may break the retort. The neck of the retort should
be prolonged by an iron pipe about two feet long, which should
be surrounded by another pipe made of tin, suffioiently large
to leave a space between the two. Through this latter pipe a
current of cold water should be made to pass from the lower to
the upper end, which will keep the pipe cool, and condense the
mercurial vapor as it passes out through the iron pipe. It will
pass from it in a metallic state in drops, which may be collected
in an iron or porcelain basin, filled with water. The fire should
completely envelop the retort to prevent the adhesion of quiek-
Rilver at its top. A strong heat, and a sufficient anoant of iron
will drive the last traces of mercury from the ore. If an iron
retort cannot be obtained, a stone-ware bottle, an earthen jug, or
still better, a common cast iron cofifee keUle, 'vAich can be pro-
cured in almost every place, may be employed. The lid of the
kettle must be tightly cemented with strong clay, moistened with
salt water or a solution of glauber salt, and be held down with an
iron bar passed through both of the ears to which the handle is
attached. A substitute for the pipe may be made of sheet-iroo,
the joint well closed and the pipe well bound with iron wire. The
joint should be turned upward and made tight by the application
of fire clay, and the pipe led over a basin containing water, so that
the mouth will be about two inches above the water. A moist
rag, kept constantly wet with cold water, must Se kept on the
pipe to condense the vapor of mercury as they descend the pipe,
and make il drop into the basin of oold water. The meroury col-
lected in the baiin, should be put in a bottle and weighed, which
will indicate the yield of the ore..
8KARCHIN6 FOR GOLD.
87
,.»
CONCLUDING REMARKS.
When a seotion of country is intpeoted to contain gold tb«
points to be most carefully exRiuioed are' the quartz veins cutting
through talcose, chloritio and other shales, and the sands of the
rivers flowing over or through them, as well as the iron pyrites
and particles of disintegrated rook, which often accumulates in the
eddies of ravines formed on the sides of hills by the action of water
during great floods. The sectious of rock thus laid bare should
also he examined and tested with a view to the discovery of veins
of auriferous quartz, from which specimens should be broken and
carefully assayed.
In examining th^" sands broi^ght down by rivere, such portions
should be selected for experiment as have, from local causes, been
subjected to the action of rapid currents and eddies ; since, from
the great specific gravity of the metal sought, it invariably accu-
mulates in those situations. '
It is usually found that if a river or creek produces fine scaly
gold in those parts of its course which lie through a flat open
country, it will, if followed .into the mountainous districts, in the
direction of its source, become raoro productive and yield gold in
the form of '* nuggets " and less finely grains ; but as before stated,
these will always be found near the place from where they were
separated from the containing rock, as gold will not, from its ex-
treme softness,. bear much attrition or rubbing, and will soon wear
away to an impalpable dust and become lost. The most produc*
tive localities hitherto fuund have been the bends or curves of
rivers, and in these places the conformation of the banks on the
convex and concave sides of the stream are found to be materially
different. On the convex side, the banks consist of gradual slopes,
or accumulated drift flat*, while th*» opposite side id i;m»i»; lutrifea
and bluff. This is often occasioned by tbo dip of ihe roclc in dis-
turbed strata, and sometinK s by the reverberation or reflection of
the stream from an opposite perpendicular cliff. In all such slopes
and fiats, gold is foui d to be much more plentiful than along tho
margin or in the bottom of the same river, where the water flows
through a straight and uninterrupted channel. The quartz rook
in auriferous localities is frequently stained of a rusty brown color
from the presence of peroxyd of iron, and in many instances pre-
sents a honey-comb red appearance.
When an auriferous deposit is situated at a distance from any
creek, pond, or stream, its working is called dry digging, and the
earth and sand have to be carried or carted, for the purpose of
washing, to the nearest available water. River diggings are, how-
ever, generally speaking, the most productive, and in these the
larger fragments, or nuggets, are most frequently found. In such
localiti "9, however, a very careful examination is required, as the
gold is seldom found at the surface, but at a greater or less dis-
t
88
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
it i.
Unee below the present bed of the river, and the naggeta and
larger graios are meet frequently from lodes and oreviees exreting
in the rooks on whioh the sand and gravel repose. When the iur-
face consists of loose gravel, the gold will, in most instances, have
subsided beneath the coarse deposit, and will be found mixed with
a sub-strata of tough clay, where that exists, and which is not
readily disturbed or broken up by the current of the stream. On
the surface of this second bed the gold will be found to be distrib-
uted in a thin stratum, which should be carefully collected and
washed. Where this stratum of clay does not occur, and the su-
perincumbent drift is of a loose porous character, the bed rock should
oe reached, its surface carefully scraped, and the accumulations
thereon washed and examined. With the view of reaching the
stratum of clay, or the bed rock in the bottom or sides of a stream
trenehes are dug, and by means of what are called " back troughs,"
the course of the stream is entirely diverted. When the bed of
the creek has been thus exposed, and all the larger pebbles and
gravel removed, the exposed stratum of teaaeious clay must be
collected and carefully washed; or, when that does not occur, the
bed lock should be carefully examined.
Parties prospecting should carefully examine the surface of the
country in order to discover the beds of old streams, now become
dry, through the rivers, whicli formerly passed through them,
having been diverted into other channels. By carefully examining
these old water courses, it will be easy to ascertain, and determine
the points at which eddies formerly existed ; and in such plaeei a
search is often well repaid. When such a place has been found,
the earth, and sand, should be removed, until the original bed of
the stream has been reached, and, when this can be effected the
firm blue clay should be collected and washed as in the case of
that which occurs in existing rivers, and, where the clay does not
exist, the bed rock should be reached, and its surface and crevices
carefully sci iped and examined. When such places prove pro*
ductive, pit:* and audita will have to be sunk, and run, (some-
times to a considerable depth, and distance), and from some of
which, in other countries, hundreds of pounds worth of gold have
sometimes been collected in a single dayi by per&ons with only the
most rudimentary knowledge of mining.
Explorer » should in all cases, as well as the above, look out for
Taleote shale, cMnritio shale, achiatose shale, .and mieaee<n$t shale,
and where the quartz veins run through them, $e9 well to it; at
the same time the ochreous matter in the cavernous quartz ; the
black oxyd of iron, and titanic iron^ (or black sand) ; and iron py-
rites, should also receive attention.
The characteristics of gold from various localities, is very vari-
able in composition and purity, aud ranges from 60 per cent of
gold in the lowest, and 88^ per cent of silver as the highest, in
CHARACTERISTICS OF GOLD.
89
le
it
• >
Bome parts of Russia, and 95.68 of gold, and 8.92 of silver, ia
Bathurst, in Australia, to 98.06 of gold, 1.39 of silver, aud 16 of
iron, in Africa, as the highest. Some of the Australia gold oontains
from 0.18 to 0.67 per cent of iron ; and, in all countries, it is rarely
found without traces of copper, iron, palladium, or rhodiuro| and
often several of these in combination.
Gold is so extremely malleable and tenacious that one grain of it
may be benten out into a leaf of 66 square inches, and only one
200,000th of an ir.ch thick. It will then, to a certain degree, be
transparent, and, on being held against the light, appears of a
beautiful green color. This metal melts at a temperature of 2016
degrees, Farcnheit, and when heated to a higher degiee, gives ofl
metallic fumes. A globule of gold exposed between two charcoal
points, to the action of a powerful galvanic battery, gives of^
abundant metallic vapours, by the escape of which, its weigh is
rapidly diminished. When precipitated from its solutions, gold
assumes a dark brown color, Jbut on being rubbed with a piece of
smooth steel, or other hard body, it readily assumes its ordinary
yellow color and metallic aspect. Pure gold may be exposed
for an iudefioite length of time to the action of air and
moisture, without becoming in the least degree tarnished ; nor is
it oxydized by being kept in a melted state in an open crucible.
Neither sulphuric, nitric, or hydrochloric acidi> a ill, singly, attack
gold, even when in fine powder, or dust; but, in a mixture of
hydrochloric and nitric acids, in the proportion of one part of
nitric to two parts of hydrochloric acid, it is peadily attacked and
disolved, in the form of a chloride. This mixture ia also a solvent
for platinum, phosphate of lime, and many other substances, not
acted on by one single acid. Gold may also be dissolved by
bydrochlorio acid, to which has been added some sHbstance cap-
able of liberating ohlorlne; among which may be mentioned chro-
mio acid, and peroxyd of manganese.
Gold is not directly attacked by sulphur, at any temperature;
but, when fused with alkaline sulphides, it is readily acted on
frith the formation of a double sulphide of gold and the alkaline
metal employed.
We have, in another part of this work, already pointed out
certain necessary processes for the determination and collection
of the precious metal from alluvial soil, &c.,'<&c., but we deem it
necessary to repeat that, the examination of an auriferous rock
for gold, is an extremely simple operation.
First, pound it very fine, and reduce it to an impalpable
powder, then wash it in a shallow iron wash-pan ; and, as the
gold sinks, the lighter portions of the substances pounded must be
allowed to float off into some other receptacle. The largest part
of the gold will thus be left in the angles of the pan ; and, by
repeating the process, a further portion will be obtained, till suflS-
90
GOLD REGIONS OF CANADA.
i
I
.
cient is collected, wbon the ^oUi mny be amalgamated with clean
mercury, and the amalgam obtained, after being strained through
buck-skin, heated iu au iron retort, or clean iron ladle, by which
the mercury ^vill be expelled, and the goM remain in the vessel.
Bj Buccesfeive trials in this way, or those already pointed out, the
proportions of gold contained in a specimen of rock, pyrites, or
alluvial gravel, may be ascertained with considerable accuracy.
This principle, of the affinity of merctiry for gold and silver, is
taken advantage of, and largely employed in the treatment of
auriferous sube'ianccs, and silver-bearing ores.
If the ore to be operated upon should be iron pyrites, pulverize
it to a fine dust, as before, ana boil the specimen powder in nitric
acid. It will become dissolved with evolution of copious red
fumes, whilst the gold, which the pyrites may hold, will in no
way be effected, and will remain at the bottom of the flask, in the
form of a fine sedimentary deposit.
To determine whether the ore contains copper, pulverize it in ah
iron mortar, or, if that cannot be got, pound it with a hammer, on
a clean flag stone, and dissolve the powder thus obtained in nitric
acid, and evaporate the solution, nearly to dryness, in a saucer, or
some other shallow vessel ; add water and afterwards ammonia
(spirits of hailshorn) in excess. If the liquor assumes a blue
color, it is proof of the presence of copper in the mineral examined.
If copper be present in appreciable quantity, a knife or other
clean bright piece of steel, will immediately become coated with
it, if immersed in t&e dilute nitric acid solution.
APPARATUS AND RE- AGENT REQUIRED BY THE
GOLD ASSAYER.
Apothecaries scales, with weights from I to 1000 grains. Aisay
balance, of good make, with weights from 1 grain to -j^^ of a grain.
Forceps. Fireclay crucibles, in sizes. Two hammers, werghing
respectively one and two pounds. Tongs, both o'lrved and straight,
for holding crucibles, cupels, Jie. Oast iron ingot mould. Assaj
furnace, with muffles. Scorifiers. Steel stirring and cleaaiiig
rod. Anvil. Copper scoop. Gutting pliers. Small shears.
Scissors. Cold chissels for cutting metal. Set of files. Small
rolling mill. Iron mortar and pestle. Set of Sieves (find wire
gauze.) Onpel mould. Bone ash, for making cupels. Scratch
brush. A few glass flasks. Glass funnels. Stoppered bottles.
A small pallet knife. Small porcelain crucibles. Spirit lamp.
Poor lead for assaying, both granulated and in sheet Litharge.
Anhydrous carbonate of soda. Dry borax. Crude tartar. Nitre.
Pure nitric acid, and hydrocloric acid.
Ill
ShHoing the quantity of Oold in a ton of Ore, whm 400 graim of
the rock, or veinstone, will produce the following reeulte :
]f400ffn.orore
give fine gold.
OIUIKS.
.001
.002
.008
.004
.006
.006
.007
.008
.009
.010
.020
.080
.040
.060
.060
.070
.080
One ton of ore
will yield.
I
OZ. SWTB. 0B8.
0. 1. 16
0. 8. 6
0. 4. 21
0. 6. 12
0. 8. 4
0. 9. 19
0. 11. 10
0. 13. 1
0. 14. 16
0. 16. 8
1. 12. 16
2
8
16
18.
14. 8
10. IG
If400jr8.ofoni
give fine gold.
.090
OBIINS.
. .20.0
.800
.400
.500
.600
.700
.800
.900
1.000
2. .000
8.000
4.000
6.000
6.000
7.000
8.000
9.000
10.000
One ton at or«
will yield.
OZ. DWT8. OB8.
16. 6. 16
24. 10.
82. 18. S
40. 16. 16
49. 6.
67. 8. 8
66. 6. 16
78. 10.
81. 18. 8
168. 6. 16
246. 0.
826. 18.
8
408.
490.
6. 16
670. 18. 8
658.
786.
0.
816. 18.
16
8
,100
8.
8
20.000
1688.
6. 16
INDEX.
Ad?antagea of Oanadiui gold fields over all other oovntriet. . 21
Alloriam 16
Antimonj 88
Apparatus and re-agents, required by gold assayera ^0
Argilite, alum shale 18
Argol 86
Assaying 67 to 76
Assaying— mode adopted at Swansea 78
Auriferous pyrites 78, 78
Back troughs, the use of 88
Baryta 48,44
Beryl 58, 68
Boring Artesian Wells 61
Boring lo test a vein stone 81
Burhstone. Millstone 81
Blaok Flux.— Its Preparation ,. 72
Oalespar 44
Cdemioal Analysis 68
Ohioritio shale 14, 88
Ohromio iron 46, 48
Oinnabar, Extraction of Mercury from 86, 88
Oinnabar, its composition and assay • 88
Olinkstone 16
Cobalt 28, 46, 47
Concluding remarks 87
Copper— natire^py rites — sulphoret 61, 62
Copper — ^test for in a specimen 90
Copper— teat for, and gold 90
Crucibles and their Manufacture 68
Crystalline limestone 8S
Crystalline limestone as a building material 88
Cupel and Cupelling^, Process of 69, 8S, 84
Determination of minerals by colors, Ao 68 to 68
BeterminaUon of gold « 64, 66
Diamonds 60, 68
Emerald 68, 69
Exploring for minerals 60
Falaolea of the ignorant in searching for minerals • . . . • 87
94
INDBX.
PAOB
Oarocts 43
Geographical distribution of mioerals 17
Geology — a knowledge of, necessary 67
Gneiss rocks 9, "^1
Gold in Laurentian formation 11, 61, 62
Gold in Quartz Veins. — How Accounted for 3*7
Gold bearing rocks of the wocld 14, 15
Gold — >fvhat rocks found in 14, 15, 16
Gold in pockets 16
Gold in pyrites. How to determine 16, 37, 38
Gold; The probable matrix of 16
Gold in Madoc and other places 21
Gold, the cause and supply of, in drift 29
Gold in quartz 80
Gold — how deposited in quartz 30
Gold in injected veins 80
Gold in all eulphurets 30
Gold, The permanency of, in iron pyrites 30
Gold in soil derived from the abrasion of rocks 30
Gold, Uncertainty of its continuance in alluvial washings SO
Gold — its separation from silver, &c , 84
Gold — its purification ' 84
Gold, The yield per ton of, in the vein rock 80
Gold — the way to obtain all in the rock 80
Gold, Loss of — by washing for, and amalgamation 30
Gold— where to be found 23, 87, 88, 89
Gold, Washing and assaying of 24, 61, 62, 90
Gold, Dry digging and searching for 87, 88
Gold bearing shale and rocks 25
Gold never appears in solid veins 28, 29
Gold— its origin, and distribution in rocky strata 28
Gold, Prospecting for. 87, 88, 89
Gold in alluvial w ashinga 29, 88
Gold in ]3yrites , 28, 30
Gold does not drift far— it is too soft 60
Gold is always found near its source 60
Gold — its determination in a specimen 62, 68
Gold in Nuggets, to be found in mountainous districts 87
Gold in scales, found in flat country. . . , 87
Gold, Eiicamining clay and old river beds for 88
Gold, Purity and composition of S9
Gold, maleability and other characteristics of .... .' 80
Gold, Affinity of mercury for 90
Gold-bearirg ores, Examination of, with Lens. 65, 66
Gold, Instructions in examining for $f
Gold, Easy test for Copper and , • 90
Gold, AnalysiB of 8(
iitDSjr.
95
' ^ PAQK
Oold in combination with the platioutn group 85
Gold, Determinatiou of, in quafiz by specific gravity 81
Gold, Specific gravity of 80, 81
GoM, How to dissolve 89
Gold, ExaminatioD of a rock fo: 90
Gold, Determination of, in iram pyrites 90
Gold, Refining and separation of 83, 84, 85
Gold, Table she wing per cottage of, per ton, in quartz rock . . 91
Granite as a building material 9
Granite — Minerals in 9
Graphite • 88, 89, 40
Higher strata barren in roinerp^s 17
Hornblende , • .9, 13
How to distinguish similar ^jolored ores 65
How to make a magnet 65
Huronian formation, with it8 rocks and minerals 12, 13
Instructions in gold wafehing 61
Instructions for exploring 60
Iron and its various ores 88, 84, 85
Iron pyrites, — its importance and value 86
Iron pyrites, the probable matrix of gold 86
Laurentian formation, its extent, &e 9, 17, 61
Laurentiau formation and metamorphic rocks the home of the
minerals 17
LabradoHte 69
Lead and it^ ores 58 to 57, 76, 77, 78
Lithographic Stone 41
Mang&joie 47, 48
Marbj"; — v«rd antique 88
Meer( baura 88
Mercurv and its ores 85, 86
Mercury — Native, always accumolates in cavities 86
Mica shale 18, 87, 89
Mines, the Depositories of the MlneralEingdom 66
Mines and minerals,— reflections on 66, 67
Mintsrs outfit 22, 28
Mineral de{)0Bits rarely discovered except by exploration and ^
starch 67
Minerals and metallic ores 68
Mineral indications 67
Minerals—distribution of 17
Mineral veins— their peculiarities 21, 24
Minerals — Determinution of by color 61, 64, 65
Mineralogy — a knowledge of, necessary 60
Mobybdenum .VI /i*. I*;. '. 40, 4t/
Molybdale of lead .-. .... it'
M«lybdic ochre ...*<• 41
96
INDEX.
ll*^ • .
PAO«
Muffle, — its use aud eonitruotion » 88, 84
N«aolii of the contlDent 18
Niekel in pyrites 28
Nickel 40,46, 4t
Nitrohydrocbloric acid — a sol vent for gold 89
Ochre— perbzyd of iron 48, 44
Origin of minerals 18
Origin of the Alleghany Mountains. .^ 17, 18
Origin of the Laurentide Mountains . .'. 17, 18
Origin of the Rocky Mountains 18
Peat— Its great value to this country 49, 60
Pencil manufacturiEg ....,, 40
Pipe s^ne IS
Platinum. — Hew known 63
Platinum group of tnetala 46, 68
Plambago— Graphite .... 38, 89, 40
Plumbaginous schist 16
Plumbago at Burrowdale, England ■ 89
Phimhago— mode for its solidification 40
Porphyry • 16
Pyrites— gold bearing 26, 26, 87, 38, 47
Pyrites — conyersion of, into a soluble sulphate « 26
Pyrites, the great importance and value of .26, 27, 26
Pyrites — Magnetic 28
Pyrites and sulphurets are ejections from below 29
Quarts veins and rocks 16, 19
Quarts veins, The origin of 69
Roads leading through the Oold Regionf 22
S«d and brown colored minerals 64
Refining, Process of 75, 76
Befiolng lead to obtain gold and silvdr 82, 88
Rockn— their striyture,— stratified and unatratified,— cooglo-
Derate 7
R«ek8,— crystalline, — shale,— slate, — sedementary,->-dyke. . 7, 8
Rocks,— eruptive — porphyritio— metamorpbic 8
Rocks,— <9ompo8ition of granitic 9
Sands Umes, — their character as building material 81, 82
Sandstone — bow to test its durability 81, 83
Sandstone, Present buildngi of, are monldering away. '. 81
8««le of hardness for minerals « 68
Schistote shale ^ 69
Serpentine,— marble 16, 88
Silver and its ores 64 to 6t
Silver ores, Assaying of • 81, 82
Slate, Shale, Schistose Rocks 16
Bnelting Furaaoe and Smelting Process 69, 70, 71, 72
StMidtra wcij^t for mineralf 68
INDEX. 97
PAOB
Statuary marble. 88
Steatite. (Soap-stone) 14
Sidphar of rare occurrence in Canada 49
SulphnretB always found near their source 61
Sidphurels easily destroyed 61
^enite Rocks f
1*1110086 shale and rock 18| H| 89
Testing a vein rock. 61
Tin ore 60
Titanic iron 48, 49, 89
Topaa 15
Tourmaline 42, 48
Trachyte Rock 16
Trap rock 16
Veins. — Thoir Course 60
Veins, The depth of Unknown 20, 21
Wash-pan for Qold 24
Washing grayel or sand for gold 24^ 61, 62, 90
Washing under a pump 61
Zinc 48
Zircon 41
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ADVERTISEMENTS. M
GOLD LANDS!
ABOUT
FIFTEEII THOUSIIID ACRES OF LilllD
IF^OZl. S.^LXj£S,
WITHIN THE
<3@L© ^l(a:@Kl© ®F M^D)@©2
8^g" For Lists and Particilars apply to the Proprietor, ^^
'^' ■ ' ' T. D. LEDYARD,
74 YoNGB St., Toronto.
TO GOLD MINERS.
Portable Forges, Bellows, Anvils, Vices,
Drills, Picks, Steel, PoTvder, Fuse, &c.,
^' FOR SALE BY ^ , , ^ ^ ,.
JAMES GLASS^
Bbllkvillk, 4tb April, 1867.
JOHN LEWIS
FRONT STREET, BELLEVILLE,
9
Has on hand a good assortment of
MINERS TOOLS, BLASTING POWDER, AND FUSE,
ivhich he offers low for cash.
I
i
100
ADVERTISEMENTS.
DIAMOND & DICKSON,
%
Solicitors - in - Chancery, Conveyancers,
dec, vtc,
FRONT STREET, BELLEVILLE.
A. DIAMOND.
*
Branch Office at Madoc.
GEORGE D. DluKSON,
Official Asngnee^
.M r
GO TO 3
FORREST & LOZO'S
/ '
:.j;l '^■«lfT
mtdORaPH OAiiERY,
(Opposite the Anglo American Hotels)
r . ' , *
If you want to be sure of getting your Pictures takea
in the latest and best styles of the art.
1.
f
'virork -warranted to please.«^|
l. ' JKLJUIJ.l « PJMfJ »il
ADVERTISEMENTS.
101
GOLD LANDS FOR SALE.
THE SUBSCEIEERS OFFEE FOE BALE
of Land, in the 3rd and 4th eons, of the
TOWI^SHIP OF LAKE,
• NORTH HASTINGS
THESE lands were carefully selected soiiie years ago,
by an experienced practical miner, in preference to
any other in North Hastings, and abound in QUARTZ
VEINS which, undoubtedly, carry gold.
Copper Ore of the finest quality has been found in
several veins on the property^ identical in character
with the gold-bearing copper ores of Colorado. A
large deposit of arsenical iron ore, with which gold in
usually associated, has also been found.
The Deer River runs through the whole length of
the property and supplies unlimited water power for
crushing and washing.
The subscribers will dispose of these lands upon
favourable terms to purchasers who will develop them,
as they own more lands in the neighbourhood.
Tjfie title is direct from the Crown. «t.
Lands in this 'township have been withdrawn from
sale by the government as a gold district. ^
Por terms, &c., apply to either of the underaigned.
ANDREW THOMSON.
^ ^ w W. W. DEAN.
r ADAM H. WALLBRIDGE.
I
i
102
ADVERTISEMENTS.
COMMENTARY ON THE
OLD ANI) n THHPT
■♦•-♦>-»'•-
i!
H-T."
A New London Edition, with the Author's
• V final Corrections.
,^^ ■,\.:V-
In 6 Volumes, cloth, $18. Half
calf; $25.
>;v' t :;r,l
This is confessedly the Best Critical Oommentary
«
on the Holy Scriptures Extant.
"''0 7w :, ♦ y-/:
-JtiX^'i'
.'a<^ •
SOLID B-y
♦ -
MACLEAR & CO.,
17 King Street West,
(Cor. of Jordan St. Toronto.)
W:
««pam«H«nv*n
ADVERTISEMENTS.
103
■;i
ENGRAVINGS,
©
PHOTOGRAPHS,
A'C, &c., &0.,
A LARGE, VARIED, AND
VALUABLE STOCK
•m
ALWAYS ON HAND AND SOLD AT LOW PRICES,
IP1€1P
MADE TO ORDER ON SHORT NOTICE. .
ALWAYS ON HAND, VARIOUS SIZES.
A-
:vQma *'•■* -ie-'-iiSkiS
THE WASHABLE GILT H0ULDIH6S
SUPPLIED AT MAKERS' PRICES.
SOT.l> BY
MACLEAR & CO.
17 KING STREET WEST,
eOMBR e}f ,/9fiBAH STftBBT»
TORONTO.
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104
ADVERTISEMENTS.
THE SELF EXPLmTORT
^MxU ^iiittilg §Mt
CONTAINING THE
OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS,
WITH MARGINAL READINGS, »■
OIliaiNAL AND 6ELBCTED
PARALLEL REFERENCES PRINTED AT LENGTH.
A FAMILY REGISTER
AND A LEAP TO HOLD
■i'
COLORED SHEEP, $4.
,,,, SOLD BY ,,,
MACLEAR & Co.,
17 King Street West, Corner of Jordan St.
I
TORONTO.
CANVASSERS WANTED
TO SELL SEVERAL
^311 ?^1L1||L§H WMS3
ia every part of Canada.
' * -A-I^iFIjY TO ^ '
MAGLEAB & Co.,"
17 King Street West, Toronto.
P
mm,
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ADVERTISEMENTS.
COMING
106
BETWEEN 186T & 18T5
i
m
3t.
i
Explaining the future Liberal Fulfilment of the Seals,
Trumpets, Vials, and other Prophecies of Revelation and
Daniel, within the final Seven jwars ; commencing with a
Napoleonic-Judaic Septennial Covenant for the National
Kestoration of the Jews ; subsequent e^itensive Revivals of
Religion ; the Firstfruits Ascension of 144-,000 translated
Christians ; the Latter-day Wars, Famines, Pestilences,
and Earthquakes ; Fieiy Ordeal of f ,. , , »^ j
The Great Tribulation and Antichristian Persecution foe
three and a half years — the Slaughter of the Witnesses — the
Second Ascension of Innumerable Christians — the Closing
Conflict at Armageddon — the Personal Reign of Christ oa
Earth for a thousand years.
1*;?,;
With Qnotations from the Treatises of
Archbishop Cyprian, GeorKe, Duke of Manchester, Lord Congleton, Hon-
orable Gerard Noel, Revs. Dr. Alexander Macleod, Dr. Hales. Dr. GiU, Dr.
Orabe, Dr. Roos, Dr. Seisa, and Revs. Thatnas Scott, Hoilis Read, B. Nan-
{le, R. Skeen, J. G. Gro^ory, R. A. Purdon, R Govett, R. Polwhele, Tilsou
Urse, C. J. Goodhart, J. G. Zipple, B. W. Newton, 0. Beale, D. N. Lord.
Colonel Rowlandson, Major Trevilian. Major Bolton, etc.
H ♦ 1 fc
1 Vol Royal 12mo., 448 Pages — Price one Dollar, Post Free.
^; *rf "With eighteen PuU-Page lUustratlOM. * "■"■
IT TBB SEV. I. BAITEB, OJ TEE CSUSCD 0! ENGLANI.
For Sale by
MACLEAR & CO.,
1 7 King St. "West, Toronto.
. \
106
ADVERTISEMENTS.
K' !
II
I
VI
or
BRITISH PERIODICALS,
cj
/,
NAMELY:
THE LONDON QUARTERLY REVEIW,
(Conservative.)
( ; • , THE EDINBURGH REVIEW,
(^Vhig.)
THE WESTMINSTER REVIEW,
(Radical. )
' THE NORTH BRITISH REVIEW,
■,\ (Free Church,) and
C ' BLACKWOOD'S MAGAZINE,
(Tory.)
IT is needless to tell the people of Canada that the above
Periodicals stand at the very head of British Literature. None
but men cf the very highest g"ade of talent find acc3ss to their
pages as contributors ; and the Teat majority of their Articles
— embracing as they do every vai. '^ of subject— arc addressed
to the World, not to any class or part^ . ...,
The extraordinary advance in the cosl _ ' labor and material
in the United States, where these Re-prints are published, and
the Publishers adhering to the gold standard, has necessitated a
moderate advance in their prices here, yet this enhanced price is
Less than half their cort in Britain ! *
The Price for any onb of the Esviews is -
*' " THREE " "
" *' FOUR " *•'
" for Blackwood and three Reviews
** for Blackwood and the four Reviews . .
Blackwood's Magazine •' .> * ? > _
ADVANCE.
.^v-«
$4 00
7 00
10 00
12 00
13 00
15 00
4 00
CAHADIAN GURRENCY-IN
MACLEAR & CO., Toronto Agents,
17 King Street West, corner of Jordan Street.
rWiwffil*M<n>*Miiip
ADVERTISEMENTS.
107
CONTAINS TUB
VERY CREAM OF BRITISH LITERATURE,
ALSO, SOMI
^
Stitttrans from Contir^ntal ^triobituls,
Translated for the columns of the " Eclectic."
Each Number will be embellished with a first-olass
Port; .:Jt of some celebrated person, or other
equally valuable picture.
Subscription, - - - §5 per annuni.
- $3 50 Harper's Magazine - - |4 00
- 3 50 Atlantic Monthly^ - - 4 00
The Sixpenny Magazine 1 75
Good Words 1 50
Cornhill Magazine -
London Society - - •
Temple Bar- - - - ■
All the Year Round
Belgravia
Chambers' Journal •
London Journal -
Medical Record - -
London Lancet - - -
The Englishwoman's Magazine
Madame DeMorest's Book of Fashion
The Illustrated London News - - - • - 9 00
Braithwaite's Retrospect - - - - 2 50
And any of the ordinary British br Americau Periodicals.
3 50
300
3 50
200
175
400
Sunday Magazine - -
Sunday at Home - -
Leisure Hour - - -
Family Herald
5 00 • Godey'a Ladies Book
W h
175
175
175
175
3 00
3 50
3 00
MAQLEAR & OO.,'*^ ' *'^-^'*
AGENTS FOR THE BRITISH fe AMIBICAN PERIODICALS, *^
17 KING STREET WEST, TORONTO, C. W.
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*• *
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108
ADVERTTSEMBNT8.
MINERAL LANDS.
'W^IETTEID
Mttw mth fiJapM
To assist in the working and development of some yerj
valuable
SELECTED HINEBAL LARDS.
lv« -.•?'!-■> 1^1^ JL-">.>^ a
BOTH IN
UPPER AND LOWER CANADA
As well as for the parchase of others of great value, in
bet^ Provinces. Also, fcr the purchase and develope-
-^ ment of large tracts of the finest Pine and other
(INCLUDING WHITE WOOD,)
& the most favourable available localities for manu-
facturing and shipment in Canada.
Long professional experience through the wilds of
Canaila eliablds the advertiser to say that he is poss-
<^8ed of a vaEit amount of information respecting its
resources, in a commercial point of view, and that he
will be willing to treat with parties seeking invest*
ments on the most liberal terms.
HENET WHITE, P.L.S.,
Avttor of the "Gtoology, Oil Fields, and Minerals of
Canada Wost," *' Tha Oold Ragtom of Canada,*'
Ao , Ao., Ao« r ^ '*
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