•Ju %^.j:^^^^- IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) A A A to 1.0 I.I U;|28 {|2.5 |50 ■^" ll^S Mi U£ 2.2 2.0 1.8 1-25 111111.4 111.6 V] <^ 'l^^ ^^^' ? A CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques 1980 Technical Notes / Notes techniques The institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Physical features of this copy which may alter any of the images in the reproduction are checked below. D Coloured covers/ Couvertures de couleur L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'll lui a 6t6 possible de se procurer. Certains ddfauts susceptibles de nuire d la quality de la reproduction sont not6s ci-dessous. D Coloured pages/ Pages de couleur T P o fi T c o ai D Coloured maps/ Cartes gdographiques en couleur D Coloured plates/ Planches en couleur T fi ir D Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ Pages ddcolordes, tachetdes ou piqu6es Show through/ Transparence IV n Tight binding (may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin)/ Reliure serrd (peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distortion le long de la marge intdrieure) D Pages damaged/ Pages endommagdes b< fo D Additional comments/ Commentaires suppl6mentaires Bibliographic Notes / Notes bibliographiques D Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible D Pagination incorrect/ Erreurs de pagination D Bound with other material/ Reli6 avec d'autres documents D Pages missing/ Des pages manquent □ Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque Plates missing/ Des planches manquent D Maps missing/ Des cartes g6ographiques manquent D Additional comments/ Commentaires suppldmentaires The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in keeping with the filming contract specifications. Les images suivantes ont 6t6 reproduites avec le plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition et de la nettet6 de I'exemplaire film6, et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol —»-( meaning CONTINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. The original copy was borrowed from, and filmed with, the kind consent of the following institution: Library of the Public Archives of Canada Maps or plates too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Un des symboles suivants apparaftra sur la der- nidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbols — ► signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbole V signifie "FIN". L'exemplaire ii\m6 fut reproduit grfice d la g6n6rosit6 de I'dtabiissement prdteur suivant : La bibliothdque des Archives publiques du Canada Les cartes ou les planches trop grandes pour Atre reproduites en un seul clich6 sont film6es d partir de I'angle sup6rieure gauche, de gauche d droite et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Le diagramme suivant illustre la mdthode : 1 2 3 1 3 3 4 8 6 OJ K ^ & 1-^ o ^ cr, ,-- ' O f"" 1 r' rj i tu ^ 1 ^ 1 r,-i ^ 1 L114 d' -7"' s ■-' ! vi ' ^-* 4-> T^ CO rri ' .—1 '-1' 03 i 4— ' f-D M 1 C'j ^■^ 1 y; ■X. a 1 Sm C_i u '-^ 1 (li p; ^.' . , 1 H— ' IJ a.' en r-J 1 * c; 1 -*-> 11' V, e/j 1 REPORT STi':vi: X SON PHOSPHATE LOCATION, TOWNSHIPS OF PORTLAND AND BUCKINGHAM, i'i;()\ iNci-: OF 'Ui;i;Kc' I'.Y K. J. CHAl'MAX, I'll. D. c^'c, /',vfis^7v l^^. rti ) C O N T E N T S . I'KKMMIWKV N'oitCK. .Sl'iK AM> CiKNKRAI, 1 )(• >( K 1 1' I ION dl' IHK l'l;iiiMU( MiNKRAI, KkAI I'KK.i. (iHAKACTI'.k AM) C'oM I'l ).-.mi )N Oh 1 H K I'llOil'H A IK. I'ROI'OSKU MkIIUiI) UK I )K\ M.(>I'.M KN I . (Jenkra'. C'oM 1.1 SIONS. Ti ar to O (J cc \\\ cc tc m ci ai oi ti P' S o t^ tl r; PRELIMINARY RERORT ox THE STEYENSOE- PlIOSPIIxlTE L0CATI0:N\ RIVER DU LIEVRE, PROVINCE OF QUEBEC. To W. H. STEVENSON, Esq. &c. &c. RIMOUSKl. Sir, — I laving received your instructions to furnish you with an impartial Report upon the Phosphate property beh^nging to your Company on the River Du Lievre, in the Province of Quebec, I visited the spot on the 15th of the present month (June, 1875), and passed several days upon the ground. In consequence, however, of the undeveloped and comparatively unexplored condition of the property, I am not able, in the condensed statement which 1 have now the honour to present, to enter into more than general details. At the same time, my examination, although necessarily brief, was amply suffi- cient to prove the occurrence upon the property of a large amount of phosphate of lime in regular veins of more than ordinary width, and of first-class quality as regards composi- tion. The value of the location, therefore, as a mineral pro- perty, may be regarded as entirely confirmed. I. Site and General Description of the Property:-— "IX^^ Stevenson Location includes two a -ns lying respectively on opposite sides of the River Du Liovn,, at a distance of about twelve miles above Buckingham Village, between which, and the site of the property, the navigation is entirely free from rapids or other impediments. The area on the left or north- east bank of the stream comprises 200 acres in Lot 7 of the ist Kanj^c of Portland ; and that on t u; soutli-wcst bank consists of 400 acres, comprisini^ Lot 27 in the I2tli Kanj^c of lUickinL^hani. On each side of the river the f^round consists of j^ood araMe soil of an averai^e dept'i o( twenty or thirty feet. This rests on a lloor of Laurentian strata, oinijoscd essentially of micaceous and hornblend'c gneiss, associated with beds of feldspathic and i)yroxenic rock. These Lauren- tian strata croj) out in places in the river bed, as in the " Little Rapids" just above the property , and at a distance of about the fourth of a mile, t)r rather less, from each bank, they rise abruptly into b(^kl hills or ridi;es from 300 to 400 feet above the ordinary level of the river, as slujwn in the section attached to this Rejiort. It is in these ridt^es, from their exposed position, that the phosphate discoveries have been made ; but the apatite veins cut the strata almost ver- tically, and thus pass far below the base of the ridj^es, widen- ing, and becoming more solid as they descend. J^'inally, on both areas, apart from the cleared river-flats, the ground is thickly wooded. An ample supply of timber for mining and other purposes can thus be obtained upon the property. 3. Mineral Features : — The country rock of the location, as indicated above, consists of Laurentian gneiss, overlaid along the river banks and a short distance inland l^y an allu- vial deposit of clay and sand. The gneissoid rock upon the location presents four clearly marked varieties, although these graduate in places into each other. A large part is composed of ordinary micaceous gneiss : another variety consists of hornblendic gneiss, the hornblende running here and there into the acicular or actynolite form ; a third variety is composed simply of crystalline quartz grains and flesh-red cleavable feldspar ; and in a fourth variety, the rock is made up almost wholly of pale green or greenish-grey granular pyroxene. This latter variety is especially abundant in certain places. It has been frequently mistaken for apatite or phosphate of h'me, to which at first sight, at least to an unpractised eye, it bears a general resemblance. Many of the so-called phos- phate discoveries of the Ottawa District, both in Ontario and Quebec, consist simply of this mineral. It often accomiianies the true i)lios[)hate, however, as in the veins and beds of Burgess and adjacent townships, anil frequently forms in places the preponderatinj^^ matter of the vein. Its occurrence, therefore, may be re[,^■lrded to so'ne extent as an indication of the very probable presence of apatite in the vicinity. All the openini^s which I examined on the hiLjh ridi^c \y'uv^ a few hundred feet from the ri^dit bank of the river, on the Buckint,diam portion of the location, (see the .section,) consisted of this pyroxenic rock, or of red feldspathic gneiss, but in one excavation the pyroxene showed a few scattered specks of apatite, warranting farther exploration. I am quite .satisfied, indeed, that phosphate veins will be found in this ridge and throughout the surrounding area ; but at present the entire ground is practically unexplored ; and a few shots i)ut in here and there on the more exposed ledges, are all the develop- ment that it has undergone. This Ikickingham ridge, and t'ic slopes immediately around it, are, moreover, very denseh' v.'ooded, and also much encumbered by fallen rock and detritus, so that a mere examination of the ground, without systematic exploration, would lead to no definite results. The same variety of pyroxene occurs also largely on the Portland ridge, (see accompanying section,) lying back from the left bank of the river, where it has evidently been mis- taken for apatite in some of the earlier examinations of the property. This portion of the location has likewise remained undeveloped or nearly so ; but the ridge here is less thickl)' wooded, and although much broken up and covered more or less upon its flanks with fallen masses of rock and detrital matter, it shows exposed ledges and surfaces which admit of closer examination. On some of these exposures, veins of undoubted phosphate may be clearly traced. They cut the rock almost vertically, and run in a general S. VV. and N. K. direction. Near the upper part of the ridge, they are greatly pinched and broken up into .strings or veinlet.s, offering, indeed, but little more than indications of actual veins ; but this is a common condition of occurrence as regards the higher or sur- 8 face portions of many veins, and it may be safely assumea that all will widen and become solid workable deposits at lower depths. This view is full}' borne out by a partial devel- opment of one of the veins, occurrini,^ on the northern face of the rid^^c, durinij my inspection of the ^.^round. Small strinj^s or runners were seen near the summit of the ridL;e and at two places lower down, one at about 40 feet, and the other about 100 feet, below the summit. Three or four blasts were put into the rock near the lowermost of these indications, and a solid mass of phosphate was soon -ought to light. An addi- tional shot shewed this to be a icgularveiii of upwards of eight feet in width, running vertically, or at a \ery slight underlie, in a general S. W. direction, with every indication of widening still more on descending below the ba.se of the ridge. This vein contained a few imbedded fragments of rock, but it was quite free from disseminated pyroxene or calcspar. There can be no doubt that a vein of this strength and char- acter will prove permanent. It may not be readily seen on the opposite or southern side of the ridge, because the rock there is much shattered and disturbed, and huge ma.sses are jammed and squeezed together, but on trenching across the direction of its course in the narrow valley on the north side — or along the slope on the south side — it will undoubtedly be struck ; and in the latter direction it will be found, I have little doubt, to extend to, and probably traverse, the bed of the river. Just below the " Little Rapids," small pieces of apatite, evidently belonging to a vein, have been taken out of the river bed ; and a narrow vein of a few inches in width, apparently forming part of the same deposit, may be seen running across an exposed surface of rock immediately in the rear of Mr. McMillan's house on the Portland side of the river. Putting these data together, I have no hesitation in expres- sing my belief that a large amount of phosphate must be con- tained within these lots ; and that a systematic exploration and development 01' the Portland ridge and adjacent slopes, more especially, Avould thoroughly establish the fact. incd s at LVCI- cc of injurs two I bout put 9 3. Character and Comf'osition of the Phosphate: — Until recently the .suj)crphosph;itc of lime, so lart^ely employed in agriculture, was chieHy manufactured from the coprolite beds or deposits of fossilized excrementa found in various sedimentary rocks. These coprolites, however, are beini,^ rapidly worked out, and are thus no longer able to meet the increased demand. l<.ecourse has been had conse(juentl)' to the mineral phosphate or apatite, a substance met with chiefly in metamorphic or crystalline rocks, under three forms of occurrence : — First, in beds or bedded veins running parallel with the associated strata ; secondly, in true veins, cutting the strata more or less transversely; and thirdly, in detached crystals or masses imbedded in the bands of crystalline limestone, so commonly interstratified with gneissoid and other metamorphic rocks Apatite presents also, mineralogically, two more or less dis- tinct varieties. In one, the mineral is essentially a compound of phosphate o{ lime and fluoride of calcium ; and in the other, of phosphate of lime and chloride of calcium. In the first variety, however, a small amount of chloride of calcium, and in the second a small amount of fluoride, is almost invariabl) present. All the apatite hitherto discovered in Canada con- sists of Fluo-phosphate. This commonly presents a clear green colour, but it is occasionally dull purplish-red, or both colours are present together. When the substance is warmed in a powdered condition with strong sulphuric acid, the pre- sence of fluorine is manifested by the highly corrosive action of the evolved fumes on glass. The apatite on the Stevenson Location is entirely green in colour, and its specific gravity averages 3.193. A cubic foot, therefore, weighs very nearly 300 lbs. A sample, taken personally from the large vein on the northern side of the Portland ridge, showed the following composition : — Phosphate of Lime 89.80 Fhioride of Calcium 6.87 Chloride of Calcium 0.26 / Carbonate of Lime o 85 Foreign matters : \ .Sesquioxide of Iron 0.34 ( Silica 1.77 10 As this analysis was made on a fairly-sclcctcd sample, com- posed of four or five pieces of apatite taken from different parts of the exposure, the mineral may be regarded practically as a 90 ])er cent, phosphate. It is also comparatively free from foreign or intermixed matters, and it is entitled, there- fore, in every respect, to rank as a first-class material. Its value in the English market, according to present quotations, would probably fluctuate between £6 and £"/ sterling per ton of 2,240 lbs. 4. Proposed Development : — In developing this property, I would commence operations on the north or north-cast face of the Portland ridge, upon the vein already exposed. Leaving the upper part of the vein untouched, I would remove the heap of fallen rock and debris immediately below it at the foot of the ridge, and after driving in upon the vein, I would stope upwards as high as it paid to do so. At the same time, a cross drift or tunnel might be run from a c .-.; lent point in the main drift in an east and west dire^ . n, v) as to cut the other veins occurring in the ridge. As thcs eins appear to lie only at she ,t distances apart, the amount ' dead work would be comparatively unimportant ; and by this method the veins w^ould be struck at a fair depth to test their quality, and no vein could possibly escape detection. At starting, a certain preliminary expenditure would be necessary on the following items : Blacksmith's shop, with small stock of bar-steel for drills, gads, &c. ; powder house ; boarding house for men; stable for couple of horses; derrick; supply of hammers, picks, spades, barrows, &c. ; improvement of road to loading place on river, and one or two other sub- ordinate points. The phosphate miglit, of course, be run down to the river — or to a creek which enters the latter — by a double tramway with endless chain, but the cost of this appears to be hardly necessary. A single horse and cart could easily take down ten or twelve tons per day. 5. General Conclnsiofi}> : — In the present undeveloped state of the ground, it is not of course possible to give a definite II statement as to the actual amount of phospliatc within the limits of the property. But there is undoubtedly a very large amount. Where a broad and well-defined vein of the char- acter of that described above occurs at any place, additional veins will most assuredly be found in its vicinity ; and in the present case there is ample evidence of the occurrence ('f at least two other veins immediately west of that on which the openings were made at the time of my visit. These veins where they show on the broken and disturbed strata of the ridge, are necessarily pinched and split up into narrow strings; and they present, consequently, at first sight, a very deceptive appearance as regards their real strength and equality. If opened upon, however, towards the base of the ridge, they will be found to exhibit, I have no doubt, good workable dimensions. To give an idea of the large amount of phos- phate carried by veins of this character, it may be stated that in a vein of eight feet in width — and the vein already opened bids fair to exceed that width very considerably — each 'ength of lOO feet by, say, only ten fathoms or 60 feet in depth, will contain 4,273 British tons of 2,240 lbs., or 4,786 American tons of 2,000 lbs. each. As the substance is comparatively brittle, however, there would be a certain amount of loss in getting it out and subsequent handling — probably not fur short, on an average, of one-fifth of the entire weight. De- ducting this, the small section of the vein thus referred to would yield 3,418 British tons, worth, at the minimum price of ^6 per ton, no less than ;^20,5o8 sterling. The actual cost of laying down the phosphate at Liverpool or Glasgow ought not to exceed ten or eleven dollars [)cv ton. The items would compri.se: (i) getting or winning the ore; (2) barrelling or boxing up ; (3) hauling to river ; (4) convey- ance by scow to Ikickingham Village ; (5) hauling around rapids at Buckingham to loading ground on the Lievre Basin ; (6) river freight to Montreal or Quebec ; (7) ocean freight to Liverpool or Glasgow. It would be advisable, I think, to form a depot at the village, to which the phosphate could also be taken by sleigh during the winter months, ready to be shipped 12 for market on the opciiinjj of navigation. It might, of course, be shipped in bulk, but owing to the brittle nature of the material, the barrelling would more than repay itself by saving loss in transport, and by affording greater facility in handling. The barrels ought also to fetch their full value in England, as they could be utilized afterwards for packing the superphos- piiate. Three ordinary flour-barrels, properly packed, would hold rather more than a ton of the raw material, assuming this to be put up in moderately small lumps and fragments. In closing this Report, I may again express my conviction that in the Stevenson Location the Company possesses a phosphate property of undoubted value. I am, Sir, Your obedient servant, E. J. CHAPMAN, Ph. D., &c.. Professor of Mineralogy and Geology in Utiiversity College, Toronto, and Conndting A/ining Engineer. Toronto, June 28th, 1875. COPP, CIAHK ft CO., I'UINTERS, COLBORNE STKEET, TORONTO. V»