StP ,..-.^J jllt^. p"^^^ M> riii: mim;rvi imjomx i 01 (ANAHA. ^^^^ LIBRARY / y^^^v U3LIC AFFAIRS SERV!^ ^^^x^/m-if^ I ..^, iaV'<n ^9' 4 "-'>t;.v^&.|. BEITISH COLUMBIA MI.NKILVL P1(0\LNCE OF CAxNADA A Short History of Mining in the Province, a Synopsis of the Mining Laws in Force, Statistics of Mineral Production to Date, and a Brief Summary of the Progress of Mining during 1914. THE fRCllCi H Swiai uUSBA. I'lUNTED BY AUTIIOKITY 01" TIIK LlXilSLATlVK ASSKMlil.V. VICTOniA. B.C.: nicd by WiLi.iiM II. ClLLl."), Primer to tba Klng'i Mml F.icelltnt M« Biirrisij ('()L(Mi;iA. THE MINERAL PROVINCE OF CANADA. Britisli C()luiiit)ia lias juoducwl to date §";5,26!),{;03 of Placer Gold, §81,595,51(3 of IxKJe Gold, ?37,709,282 of Silver, .?31,4(i8,462 of Lead, §8(3,939,370 of Copper, and §149,814,462 of Coal and Coke ; §26,026,050 other metals and building-stone, etc., a total production of §486,822,745. The Mineral Production for 1914 was §26,388,825. Lode-mining has only been in progress for about t\vent_v-twt) \-pars, and not 30 % of the mineral land has been even prospected ; 250,000 square miles of unexplored mineral-bearing land are open for prospecting. Mineral locations are granted to the discoverers for nominal fees. Absolute titles are obtiiiiied by developing such properties, the security of which is guaranteed by Crown grants. The Mining Laws of this Province are more liberal and the fees lower than in any Province in the Dominion, or any Colony of the British Empire. Full information, together with Mining Reports and Maps, may be obtained from the Agent-General for British Columbia, Salisbury Hou.se, Finsbun,- Circus, London, E.C., or by addressing HON. SIR KICHAKD McBUIDE, K.C.M.G., William Fi.kkt Rohkutson-, Minisl-^r uf Mxnex, rnwincxal Minera/oijMt, VirlorUi, /l.C, Victoria, B.C., Camvla. Canada. MIMNt: IN BRITIJ^H COLUMBIA. Kritish Columbia, the most westerly Province of the Confcdei-ation forming the Dominion of Canada, comprises, principally, that section of British North America lying to the westward of the summit of the Rocky mountains. The northern boundary of the Province is the 60th parallel ; its southern boundary the United States of America, oi' practically, the 49th parallel ; on the west it is bounded by the Pacific ocean, and on the e<ist by the Rocky mountains as far north as the 54th parallel ; beyond that by the 1 20th meridian of west longitude. The total area of British Columbia is about 382,000 square miles, of which 28.5,000 square miles are estimated to be as yet uncultivated. The country is traversed in a north-westerly direction by four more or less continuous chains of mountains, between which lie valleys of varied width, well suited for agriculture. Each of these mountain ranges has been proved to contain mineral in sufficient quantity to be profitably mined, while the valleys of the interior, lying immediately to the west of the Rocky Mountain range proper, contain placer gold throughout the whole length of the Province and have been and are being worked in places to great profit. To quote from a report of the late Dr. Geo. M. Dawson, Director of the Geological Survey of Canada : — " While it may now be safely affirmed that gold is very generally distributed over the entire area of the Province of British Columbia, so much so that there is scarcely a stream of any importance in which at least 'colours' of gold may not be found, the enumeration of the principal discoveries of mining districts shows very clearly that most of these are situated along the systems of mount^iins and high plateaus which comprise the Purcell, Selkirk, Colorado, and Cariboo ranges, and the north-west continuation lying to the south-west of the Rocky Mountain range, properly so called, and parallel in direction with it." It may be truthfully said that the whole Province has been proved worthy of systematic examination, or " prospecting " as it is usually termed. As yet, serious work of this description has been confined to within a comparatively few miles of the railways, and not more than 25 per cent, of the entire area of British Columbia can be said to be really known, while not even half of that portion has been examined closely or in detail, by which means only will its value be .shown. It will thus be seen that about 250,000 square miles of country, known to be extensively mineralized, .still remain as a virgin field for the "prospector"* and for the investor in undeveloped " prospects," * a field such as exists to-day in but few other places in the world. Of what value this great area is likely to prove can best be judged by an examination of the results already obtained from the small portion of the Province so far developed, results which are shown in the tables of production which follow. It may reasonably be asked why development of these mineral resources has been so long delayed. The answer is easily found in the geographic position of the country and in the lack, until recent years, of transportation facilities. The metal as well as the money markets of the world are in Europe and on the Atlantic coast of North America, and since, prior to the • The terms " prospector," " prospect," are ftpplietl, th« former to one who seta out with the objeat of exploring for mineral, and the latter to the discovery made, which may or may not be afterwards developed into a mine. British Columbia, completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1885, a journey to British Columbia was a question of months of time and great expense, it may well be seen that the transportation of mineral or metal, other than the precious metals, from this Province to a market was practically impossible. The following brief outline of the mineral development of British Columbia may not be out of place : — Naturally the country was first explored and opened up from the Pacific seaboard. As early as 1835 coal was discovered at Fort Rupert by the Hudson's Bay Co., and in 1851 the same company opened up the extensive coalfields at Nanaimo, Vancouver Coal. Island. In those days the market was very limited, and it was not until 1875 that the output of the Province exceeded 100,000 tons per annum. Since that time, however, the market has gradually increased until, in 1902, about 1,400,000 tons of coal and 128,000 tons of coke, and in 1910 some 2,800,046 tons of coal and 218,029 tons of coke was produced, the market and transportation facilities, rather than the mines, being the limiting factors in the production. In 1914 the production of coal was 1,810,967 tons (2,240 ft.) and of coke 234,577 tons, this diminution of the output being accounted for by the fact that the inland collieries had to materially reduce their output, owing to conditions arising from the European war. The Coast collieries also made a slightly smaller output than in the previous year. The Coast collieries have produced to date a total of over 26,000,000 tons of coal, and made a gross output during the year 1914of 1,211,245 tons of coal; no coke being manufactured. Within the past eighteen years one of the coalfields on the western slope of the Rocky mountains has been made accessible by two railways, and made in 1913 a net output of 898,448 tons of coal and 286,045 tons of coke, but in 1914, owing to the effects of the war, the net output of coal dropped to 599,722 tons and 234,577 tons of coke. At present the only large working collieries in the Province are in the two districts just mentioned, but the distribution of coal seems general throughout the Province, since it is known to exist in places along the whole western slope of the Rocky mountains ; it is found in the interior valleys at Nicola and Princeton, on the Thompson river, in Peace River District, and in the Omineca District — a coalfield is being developed on the headwaters of the Skeena, the coal being anthracitic in character. Coal occurs on the Pacific coast on Vancouver Island, on the Queen Charlotte islands, and along the Skeena river, while recent reports confirm its discovery in the Atlin Mining Division ; the coal found is a first-class bituminous, carrying from 60 to 75 per cent, of fixed carbon, fi-om 20 to 30 per cent, of volatile combustible matter, and from 3 to 9 per cent, of ash. The coal reserves of the Province have been estimated by the Geological Survey as amounting to seventy-five billion metric tons. As will be seen, the greater part of- this immense reserve of power — for coal is power — remains dormant at present, an asset reserved for use in opening up the coming trade of the Pacific ocean. In 1858 alluvial or "placer" gold was found in British ColuTnbia in the bars of the lower Fraser river. Hardy and adventurous prospectors followed the stream up — following the golden trail thus "struck" — and, in 1860 and 1861, on the headwaters of the Placer-mining, river, they discovered the exceedingly rich "placers" of the Cariboo District, which have produced gold to the value of about $50,000,000. The news of these rich finds travelled abroad, and brought about a rush of gold-seekers from the then failing goldfields, of California and from almost every part of the world. From this time practically dates the opening-up and settlement of British Columbia. TlIK MlNKKAI. I'UOVINCE OK CANADA. Within tlie next ten years the Province produced about §33,000,000 worth of " placer " jj;<)l(l, the greatest production in any one year being in 1863, and amounting to about §4,000,000. All of this gold was obtained with pick and shovel, without the aid of any machinery, which, as a matter of fact, could not, be taken into the country over the crude trails and roads which scivcd well enough for the pack animals of the early miners and prospectors. As hius been tlie history of all placer-mining camps, a few years saw all the more accessible gold skimmed from the shallow deposit.s, until, gradually, as the workings became too deep for the ordinary |>ick-and-shovel methods, then only available, the placer output gradually dropped until in IK'JS, the annual production was only a little over half a million dollars. In 1H99, however, placer-mining was revived by the discovery of new and virgin fields in the Atlin District, a continuatioh to the north of the famous Cariboo and Omineca diggings of the past, and the connecting link between these and the more recent, but equally famous, goldfields of the Yukon, thus completing the chain of continuous " placer " districts from the 49th paiiillel, north-westerly, to the 69th parallel. Fort Steele, Revelstoke, the valley of the Fraser river, Quesnel Forks, Barkerville, .Manson, Telegraph Creek, and Atlin may be said to have been centres of known "placer"' goldfields, pointing with no uncertain finger to the Yukon, and indicating a flow of gold bearing wjish from the north-western to the south-eastern corner of the Province. In the vast area covered by this flow, the places mentioned are only spots at which gold luis been found in sufficient quantity to be profitably mined by the old pick-and-.shovel methods. That other such spots remain to be discovered seems probable, while it is certain that, in a large percentage of the intervening areas, gold exists in (juantitj- sucli as it will pay well to mine by modern methods. A continued falling-off in the production of placer gold might have been expected in the year 1900, had it not been that machinery and water-power were beginning to be substituted for the laborious methods of the early miner, a change rendered possible by the improvement in transportation facilities. The modern methods of working placer deposits demand a heavy initial outlay for plant, but a large number of powerful companies are now engaged in Briti.sh Columbia in installing the necessary machinery and equipment, with such prospects of success that the old |)lacer grounds promise, under the stimulus of hydraulic mining, to yield an output of gold not previously attained in the palmiest days of placer-mining proper. The new liydraulic companies referred to have taken up a large number of leases of placer ground in the Province, but this branch of the mining industry is, at present, only in its infancy in Briti.sh Columbia. Such brielly, is the history of placer-gold mining in the Province : that it is only the beginning of such, the improved methods of mining, and the new districts each year becoming accessible, lejive little reason for doubt. The total production of placer gold to date is about §73,269,603. It is only the repetition of the history of all placer-mining countries that prospecting for lode mines received little or no attention until after the placer grounds have been so culled o\er as to force the prospector into new fields of labour. Nor is this to be Lode-mining. wondered at ; the placer is the "poor man's mine"; he needs little or no capital to work it ; its product is cash, to all intents and purpose.s, and he is his own master — all attractions too great for the sturdy independence of the prosjicctor to allow liiiii to think of searching for lode mines, which, when found, wipiire so much capital to work hit they leave but very small interest in the property with the original owner or "locator," British Columbia, while, at the same time, the necessity of transportation facilities for the product of the mine, limits the field of search to within a comparatively few miles of a railway or navigable waterway. Railway facilities are comparatively recent acquisitions in British Columbia, our first line— the Canadian Pacific Railway — ha\ang been completed in 1885, and following, naturally the least mountainous path across the Province. From the main artery of communication thus aiforded, " prospectors " penetrated into the adjacent country by following up the main water- ways which abound, with the result that discovery after discovery of valuable mineral was recorded. Development of these mineral discoveries was unavoidably slow, being delayed by the lack of transportation facilities, which, it will be readily understood, could not be obtained until sufficient w^ork had been done on the "prospects" found t(^ prove their value and to give reasonable ground for believing that a proper and sufficient return would he obtained on the capital invested in the establishment of the requisite means of carriage and communication. Thus, it was not until 1893 that the lode mines of British Columbia really began to be productive, the output from this source during the six years immediately prior to that date amounting to an average value of only about $60,000 a year, derived from selected rich ores found near the existing lines of transportation. In 1893, however, the value of the production of the lode mines of the Province rose to §300,000, since which time there has been a steady increase, until in 1901 the output from this class of mining had reached a value of $13,683,04-1, and although it fell off slightly in 1 902, the decrease was due principally to the lesser market values prevailing ; since 1 903 an upward tendency is again apparent. The increase thus shown in the short period of a decade gives ground for faith in the country as a future large producer of mineral wealth, and indicates that British Columbia will prove to the capitalist a profitable field for investment. The total ppoduction of lode gold to date is $81,595,516 of which .$5,109,004 was produced in 1914. Such, then, is a brief summary of our mineral development, the details of which will be more fully found in the statistical tables following, which are taken from the Report of the Minister of Mines, and are compiled by the Provincial Mineralogist from the sworn statements of returns by the mine-owners and mining companies throughout the Province. Attention is in\'ited to these statistics and to the growth of the mining industry as therein indicated, since they speak both clearly and with due authority of the present standing and future prospects of British Columbia as a mining country. The development of the mining industry has been of such rapid growth that the demand for skilled, or even ordinary, labour has of late years been greatly in excess of the supply, and there is, consequently, plenty of work to be found in the country for miners and mine-workers generally, and the attention of British miners is directed to this field of labour. The country is fairly well supplied with clerical and office assistance, and there is at present a fair supply of tradesmen of almost every sort. The country is great and glowing in importance ; there is room for and need of a greatly increased population. The current wages jiaid in and about the mines are as follows : — Miners receive from $3.30 to $4.50 per day (14 to 19 shillings). Helpers „ 2.50 „ 3.50 „ (10 to 14 „ ). Labourers „ 2.50,, 3.00 „ (10 to 12 „ ). Blacksmiths and mechanics c. 3.50 n 5.00 .. (14 to 20 n ). The climate of the country is favourable — much milder than east of the Rocky mountains. The conditions of life are easy ; luxuries are scarce but want is unknown. The laws are just and equitable, and the administration thereof fair and sure, as is guaranteed wherever the British flajr flies at the mast-head. Pkovixce Oh- Canada. Mention has been niiulc of the geographical position i>t Itntisli ( oluiiibia as having in the past been a hinch-ance to (levelopinent. It would now seem, Imwcvcr, that the markets of the world may in tiie futme be on the bordei-s of the Pacific ocean, and that the disadvantages in the matter of freights from wliith this Province has suffered will be reversed, enabling us to more than compete with all in the coming trade. The markets for our mineral wealth have, in the past, been on tiie Atlantic seabuard ; in the near future they may be on the Pacific coast. Wo shall, too, shortly, have our own refineries within the boundarie-s of the Province, so that our metals shall be turnc<l out in marketable shape and sold from hero direct, thus making a material saving as regards freight. SYNOPSIS OF MINING BY-LAWS OF B.C. The mining laws of British Columbia are very liberal in their nature and compare favourably witli those of any other part of the world. The terms under which both lode and placer claims are held are sucli that a prospector is greatly encouraged in his work, and the titles, especially for mineral claims and hydraulic leases, are absolutely perfect. The fees required to be paid are as small as possible, consistent with a proper administration of the milling industry, and are much lower than those of the other provinces of Canada or the mineral lands under Dominion control. Provision is also made for the formation of mining partnerships practically without e.\pense, and a party of miners is enabled to take advantage of these sections of the Acts and work their claims together, without the trouble or expense of forming a joint-stock companj-. Considering the success that has characterized alluvial raining on a large scale in British Columbia, the rentals for hydraulic leases are particularly low. It will be found on reference to most of the Australian colonies and Natal that the rentals are, in most instances, eight times as much as in this Province, while the areas permitted are generally much smaller. The period for which leases are granted is practically the same. On a lode mine of 51 acres the expenditure of §500 in work, which may be spivjid over five years, is required to obtain a Crown grant, and surface rights are obtainable at a small figure, in no case exceeding $5 per acre. The following synopsis of the mining laws will be found sufficient to enable the miner or intending investor to obtain a general knowk^lge of their scope and retiuirements ; for particulars, however, the reader is referred to the complete Mining .\-<< wl,i,l, may be obtained from the King's Printer, Victoria, B.C. Free Miners' Certificates. Any person over the age of eighteen, and any joint-stock conqMiny, may obtain a Free ^liner's Certificate on payment of the re<]uired fee. The fee to an individual for a Free Miners's Certifiwite is 85 for one year. To a joint. stock company having a capital of 8100,000, or les-s, the fee for a year is 850 : if capitalized beyond this, the fee is 8100. British Columbia, The Free Miners' Certificates all expire at midnight on the 31st of May in each j-ear. Certificates may be obtained for any part of a year, terminating on the 31st of May, for a proportionally less fee. The possession of this certificate entitles the holder to enter upon all lands of the Crown, or upon any other lands on which the right to so enter is not specially reserved, and to prospect for minerals, locate claims, and mine. A free miner can only hold, by location, one mineral claim on the same vein or lode, but may acquire others by purchase. In the case of placer claims, only one claim can be held by location on each creek, ravine, or hill, and not more than two in the same locality, only one of which shall be a "creek" claim. In the event of a free miner allowing his certificate to lapse, his mining property (if not Crown-granted) reverts to the Crown, but where other free miners are interested as partners or co-owners the interest of the defaulter becomes vested in the company continuing co-owners or partners ^^ro rata, according to their interests. It is not necessary for a shareholder, as such, in an incoi'porated mining company to be the holder of a Free Miner's Certificate. Mineral Claims. Mineral claims are located and held under the provisions of the "Mineral Act." A mineral claim is a rectangular piece of ground not exceeding 1,500 feet square. The angles must be all right angles unless the boundaries, or one of them, are the same as those of a previously recorded claim. No special priveleges are allowed for the discovery of new mineral claims or districts. A mineral claim is located by erecting three "legal posts," which are stakes having a height of not less than 4 feet above ground and squared for 4 inches at least on each face for not less than a foot from the top. A tree-stump so cut and squared also constitutes a legal post. The " discovery post " is placed at the point -ivhere the mineral in place is discovered. Nos. 1 and 2 posts are placed as near as possible on the line of the ledge or vein, shown by the discovery post, and mark the boundaries of the claim. Upon each of these three posts must be written the name of the claim, the name of the locator, and the date of location. On No. 1 post, in addition, the following must be written : " Initial post. Direction of Post No. 2 [(/iviiig approximate compass bearing] ; feet of this claim lie on the right, and feet on the left of the line from No. 1 to No. 2 posts." The location line between Nos. 1 and 2 posts must be distinctly marked — in a timbered locality by blazing trees and cutting underbrush, and in bare country by monuments of earth or rock not less than 2 feet in diameter at the base, and at least 2 feet high — so that the line can be distinctly seen. Mineral claims must be recorded in the Mining Recorder's oflice for the mining division in which they are situated within fifteen days from the date of location, one day extra being allowed for each ten miles of distance from the recording ofiice after the first ten miles. If a claim is not recorded in time it is deemed abandoned and open for relocation, but if the original locator wishes to relocate he can only do so by permission of the Gold Commissioner of the district and upon the payment of a fee of $10. This applies also to a claim abandoned for any reason whatever. Till-: MlNKKAl. I'lKtVlNCi; OK C'aNAKA. Mineral claims are, until the Crown grant is issued, held practiually on a yearly leaiie, a condition of which is that during such year assessment-work bo performed on the same to the value of at least SI 00, or juiyment of such sum Ix' made to the Mining Recorder. Such assessments must be rect)rde<l before tlie exjjiration of the year or the claim is deemed abandoned. If, however, the required lussessment-work has been pcrformetl witliin the ywir, l)ut not recoi-ded within that time, a free miner may within thirty thiys thereafter record sucli lUisess- ment-work upon payment of an additional fee of $\0. The actual cost of the survey of a mineral claim, to an amount not exceeding .?100, may also be recorded as assessment- work. If, during any year, work is done to a greater extent than the required )?100, any further sum of SlOO — but not less — may be recorded and counted as further assessments. As soon as assessment-work to the extent of S500 is recorded, the owner of a mineral claim is entitled to a Crown grant on payment of a fee of .?2.o, and giving the necessary notices required by the Act. Liberal provisions are also made in the Act for obtjiining mili-site.s and otlier facilities in the way of tunnels and drains for the better working of claims. Placer Claims. Placer-mining is governed by the " Placer-mining Act," and by the interprctjition clause its scope is defined as " the mining of any natural stratum or bod of eartli, gravel, or cement mined for gold or other precious minerals or stones." Placer claims are of four classes, as follows : — • " ' Creek diggings ' : any mine in the bed of any stream or ravine : " ' Bar diggings ' : any mine between high- and low-water marks on a river, lake, or other large body of water : " ' r)rv diggings ' : any mine over which water never extends : " ' Precious-stone diggings ' : any dejwsit of precious stones, whether in veins, Ix-ds, or gravel deposits." The following provisions as to extent of the various classes of claims are made by the Act :— " In ' creek diggings ' a claim shall be two hundred and fifty feet long, measured in the direction of the general course of the stream, and shall extend in width one thousand feet, measured from the general course of the stream five hundred feet on either side of the centre thereof : " In ' bar diggings ' a claim shall be : — " (f[.) A piece of land not exceeding two hundred and fifty feet squaiv on any liar which is covered at high water : or " (/).) A strip of land two hundred and fifty feet long at high-water m:irk, and in width extending from high-water mark to extreme low-water mark : " In 'dry diggings ' a claim shall be two hundred and fifty feet squai-e." The following provision is made for new discoveries of placer mining ground : — " If any free miner, or party of free miners, discovers a new locality for the prasecution of placer-mining and such discoveiy be established to the satisfaction of the Gold Commissioner, placer claims of the following sizes shall be allowed to such discovers, viz. :— " To one discoverer, one claim 600 feet in length ; " To a party of two discoverers, two claims amounting together to. 1,000 feet in length ; " And to each memlierof a party beyond tw.. in numlx-r, a claim of the ordinary sixeonly. British Columbia, " The width of such claims shall be the same as ordinary placer claims of the same class : Provided that where a discovery claim has been established in any locality no further discovery shall be allowed within five miles therefrom, measured along the watercourses." Every placer claim shall be as nearly as possible rectangular in form, and marked by four legal posts at the corners thereof, firmly fixed in the ground. On each of such posts shall be written the name of the locator, the number and date of issue of his free miner's certificate, the date of the location, and the name given to the claim. In timbered localities all boundary-lines of a placer claim shall be blazed so that the posts can be distinctly seen, underbrush cut, and the locator shall also erect legal posts not more than 1 25 feet apart on all boundary lines. In localities where there is no timber or underbrush, monuinints of laith and rock, not less than 2 feet high and 2 feet in diameter at base, may be ereitnl in In u <.f the last-mentioned legal posts, but not in the case of the four legal posts marking the ri.iiitrs of the claim. A placer claim must be recorded in the ofljce of the Mining Recorder for the mining division within which the same is situate, within fifteen days after the location thereof, if located within ten miles of the ofiice of the Mining Recorder by the most direct means of travel. One additional day shall be allowed for every ten miles additional or fraction thereof. The number of days shall be counted inclusive of the day upon which such location was made, but exclusive of the day of application for record. The application for such record shall be under oath and in the form set out in the Schedule to the Act. A claim which shall not have been recorded within the prescribed period shall be deemed to have been abandoned. To hold a placer claim for more than one year it must be re-recorded before the expiration of the record or re-record. A placer claim must be worked by the owner, or some one on his behalf, continuously, as far as practicable, during working hours. If work is discontinued for a period of seventy-two hours, except during the close season, lay-over, leave of absence, sickness, or for some other reason to the satisfaction of the Gold Commissioner, the claim is deemed abandoned. Lay-overs are declared by the Gold Commissioner upon proof being given to him that the supply of water is insufficient to work the claim. Under similar circumstances he has also the power to declare a close season, by a notice in writing and published in the Gazette, for all or any claims in his district. Tunnel and drain licences are also granted by him on the person applying giving security for any damage that may arise. Grants of right-of-way for the construction of tunnels or drains across other claims are also granted on payment of a fee of §25, the owner of the claim crossed having the right for tolls, etc., on the tunnel or drain which may be constructed. These tolls, however, are, so far as the amount goes, under the discretion of the Gold Commissioner. Co-owners and Partnerships In both the " Mineral " and " Placer-mining " Acts provision is made for the formation of mining partnerships, both of a general and limited liability character. These are extensively taken advantage of and have proved very satisfactory in their working. Should a co-owner fail or refuse to contribute his proportion of the expenditure required as assessment work on a claim he may be " advertised out," and his interest in the claim shall become vested in his co-owners who have made the required expenditure, pro rata according to their former interests. It should not be forgotten that if any co-owner permit his free miner's certificate to lapse, the title of his associates is not prejudiced, but his interest reverts to the remaining co-owners. The Mineral Province of Canada. Hydi-aulic and Dredging Leases. leases of unoccupied Crown lands may Ik- ),'ruiiU'd by the Lieutenant-Governor in Counci] upon recommendation of the Gold Conunissioncr of the district, after location, by [)lacing a legal post at each corner of the ground applied for. On the post nearest the placer ground then being worked the locator must post a notice stating the name of the applicant, the location of the ground to be acquired, the quantity of ground, and the term for which the lea.so is to be applied for. Within thirty days application must bo made in writing to the Gold Commissioner, in duplicate, with a plan of the ground on the back, and the application must contain the name of each applicant, the number of each applicant's free miner's certificate, the locality of the ground, the quantity of ground, the terms of the Iciise desired, and the rent propo.sed to be paid. A sum of 820 must accompany the application, which is returned if the application is not granted. The term of leases must not exceed twenty yeai-s. The extent of ground covered by leases is not in excess of the following : Creek — half a mile ; hydraulic diggings — 80 acres ; for dredging leases — 5 miles ; precious stone diggings — 10 acres. Under Order in Council, the minimum rental for a creek lease is S75 per annum, and for a hydraulic lea.se SSO per annum, with a condition that at least §1,000 per annum shall be .spent in development. For dredging leases the usual rental is §50 per mile per annum ; development- work worth .'51,000 per mile pi'r aniiuiii must be done. Taxation of Mines. Mineral or pluct'i- claims, wlicn Crown-granted, are subject to a tax of 2n cents jier acre payable on the 30th June annually, but if §200 is spent in work in the year preceding that date, this tax is not levied. A tax of 2 per cent, is levied quarterly on all ores and other mineral substances mined in the Province, based upon the net value of such ore at the mouth of the shaft or tunnel, but where ore-producing mines produce under §5,000 in a year half the tax is refunded, while placer or dredging mines that do not produce a gross value of §2,000 in a year are entitled to a refund of the whole tax. These taxes are in substitution for all taxes on the land and for the taxes upon the personal property used in, or the income derived from a working of the mines, so long as the land is only used for mining purposes. By the " Land Act," a royalty of 50 cents per M., board-mea.su re, is levied on timber suitable for mining-props, a cord of props being considered as 1,000 feet board-measure. Coal and Petroleum Prospecting Licences. Any person desiring to prospect for coal, petroleum, or natural ga.s upon any unreserved lands held by the Crown may accpiire a licence to do so over a rectangular block of land not exceeding 640 acres, of which the boundaries shall run due north and south and raist and west, and no side shall exceed 80 chains (one mile) in length. Before entering into po.s,se.ssion of the said land he shall place at the corner of such block a legal stake, or initial post, and shall inscribe thereon his name and the angle represented by such po,st, thus: " A. B.'s N.E. comer," or as the case may be, and shall keep posted for .JO days in a conspicuous place upon the said land, and also on the Government ortice of the district, as well as publishing it in the B.C. Gazette and in a local newspaper for a like period, a notice of his intention to apply for such prospecting licence. The application for said licence shall be in writing, in duplicate, and .shall contain the best written description possible, with a diagram of the land .sought to he acipiire*], and .shall be accompanied with a fee of §100. The application shall In- made to the Assistant Commissioner of Linds for the district, an<l by him forwarded to the Mini.ster of Lands who shall grant British Columbia, such licence — provided no valid protest is substantiated — for a period not to exceed one year, and at the expiration of the first year an extension of such licence may be granted for a second or third year. Should the licensee discover coal, petroleum, or natural gas upon such land during the period of his licence, and produce satisfactory evidence, under oath, of the fact, he maj' obtain from the Lieutenant-Governor in Council, after having had the land properly surveyed, a lease of the said block for a term of five years, at an annual rental of 1 5 cents an acre, and such lease may be renewed for a further period of three years, upon the payment of a renewal fee of $100, for each parcel of 64:0 acres of land ; and if during the term of such lease, or within three months thereafter, he can show conclusively that he has continuously' and vigorously prosecuted the work of coal or petroleum mining, and has fully carried out the terms of such lease, he shall be entitled to purchase the said lands, including the coal, petroleum, or natural gas thereunder, at the rate of $20 an acre, or in the event of the surface rights having been alienated from the Government, he can purchase the coal, petroleum, or natural gas underlying such lands at the rate of $15 an acre: Provided also that, in addition to the rental or purchase price, there shall be paid to the Government as a royalty 2i cents a barrel (35 Imp. gallons) of crude petroleum raised or gotten from such land. {See chap. 159, Revised Statutes, 1911, and chap. i\, 1913.) Mining Recorders in Outlying Districts. Where mineral is discovered in a part of the province remote from Mining Recorders' offices, so that the provisions of the Act cannot be justly enforced, the miners themselves may, by a two-thirds vote at a meeting for that purpose, appoint a Mining Recorder from among themselves. Such Recorder can issue free miners' certificates, records of mining property, etc., and such entries will be valid notwithstanding any informality. Under the Act such Mining Recorder shall, as soon as possible, forward a list of the free miner's certificates issued by him, and of records made, to the nearest Gold Commissioner or Mining Recorder, together with the fees required by law therefor. Table of Fees. Individual Free Miner's Certificate $ 5 00 Company Free Miner's Certificate (capital, 8100,000 or less) 50 00 ( over .$100,000) 100 00 Recording Mineral or Pfcicer Claim 2 50 Recording Certificate of Work, Mineral Claim .... 2 50 Re-record of Placer Claim 2 50 Recording Lay-over , 2 50 Recording Abandonment, Mineral Claim 1 00 Recording Abandonment, Placer Claim 2 50 Recording any affidavit under three folios 2 50 Per folio, over three, in addition 30 Records in " Record of Conveyances," same as Affidavits Filing Documents 1 00 For Crown grant of Mineral Rights under " Mineral Act " 25 00 For Crown grant of Surface Rights of Mineral Claim under " Mineral Act " 10 00 For every lease under " Placer-mining Act " 5 00 The Mineral Province of Canai>a m:k.\l nioDi (TIon of iikitisii con miiia. MKTIIol) OK COMPUTING PUODL CTKJX. In assembling the output of the lode mines in the following t^ibles, the established custom of this Bureau has been adhered to, viz. : The output of a mine for the year is considered that amount of ore for which the smelter or mill returns have been received during tlie year. This system does not give the exact amount mined during the year, but rather the amount credited to the mine on the company's books during such year. For ore shipped in December the smelter returns are not likely to be received until February in the new year, or later, and have, consequently, to be carried over to the credit of such new year. This plan, however, will be found very approximate for each yeai-, and ultimately correct, as ore not credited in one year is credited in the next. In the lode mines tables, the amount of the shipments has been obtained from certifiefl i-eturns received from the various mines, as provided for in the " Insjiection of Metalliferous Mines Act, 1897." In calculating the value of the products, the average prices for the year in the New York Metal Market have been used as a basis. For silver 95 per cent., for lead 90 per cent., and for zinc 85 per cent, of such market prices have been taken. Treatment and other charges have not been deducted, except that in copper the amount of metal actually recovered has been taken, thus covering loss in slags. TABLE I. — Total Pkoductiox for all Years up to and includixg 191 1. (Jold, placer S 7:},-.'li9,60.3 OoUl, lode Kl..i!l.5,.-.1(; Silver ; 37,709,282 Lead 31,4r)8,4t)2 Copper 86.939.370 Coaf and coke 149,814,462 Building-stone, bricks, etc 23,827. 101 Oilier metals, zinc, etc 2, 198,949 Total $486,8-22,745 TABLE II.— Production for each Year from 1852 to 1913 (inclusive). 1852 to 1892 (inclusive) • S 81 ,09<J,(Ki9 1894 4,22.V7I7 1895 ;^,ti43.042 1896 7..'")ii7,9.W 1597 10,4.55.268 1598 ' 10,906,861 1S99 I2,.193,13l 1900 16,344,751 1901 20,086.780 IDO" 17,4S6,5.-)0 1903 17,49.-,,9.-.4 UKM 18.977,3.59 1905 22.461,.-?25 1906 24.980,.>»6 1907 25,882..-«o 1908 23,8.51.277 1909 24.443,02.5 1910 1911 191 26..377.IM16 23,499,072 :«,44O,S0O qio .•»0,2im,.S98 ■ \ ',',',',',',','.',',','.['.'.'.". 26,388,825 Tot.,1 . $4.86,822,745 BiuTisH Columbia, Table III. gives a statement in detail of the quantities and value of the difl'erent mineral products for the years 1912, 1913, and 1914. It has been impossible as yet to collect complete statistics regarding building-stone, lime, bricks, tiles, and other miscellaneous products, but such figures as it has been possible to secure are given in some detail in Table V. QUASTITIE TABLE III. AND Value of Mineral Products for IS 1913, AND U Gold, placer „ lode Silver Lead Copper Zinc Coal Coke Miscellaneous pro- [ducts Customary Measure. Ounces Pounds Tons,2,246 It). Quantity. 44,i 257,496 :, 132, 108 ,454 51,456,537 5,358,280 2,628,804 264,333 555 5,322 1,810 1,805 9,200,1 1,585,! 3,435,' Quantity. 272,254 3,465,856 55,364,677 46,460,305 6,758,768 2,137,483 286,045 Quantity. Value 247,170 3,602,180 50,625,048 45,009,699 7,866,467i 1,810,967 234,5771 563,000 5,109,004 1,876,736 1,771,877 6,121,319 346,125 6,338,385 1,407,462 2,852,917 TABLE IV. Output of Mineral Products by Districts and Divisions. Names. Divisions. Districts. 1912. 1913. 1914. 1912. 1913. 1914. $ 268,000 S 226,024 S 308,807 Cariboo Mining Division S 180,000 80,000 8,000 S 131,000 55,000 40,024 $ 166,500 37.000 105,307 Quesncl -, Omineca „ 467,579 5,723,004 6,165,255 412,748 5,947,9:» 7,092,107 2,079,177 4,703,672 6,311,205 East KooTEN AY District West Koote.say District 371,766 1,951,315 581,700 3,214,751 45,729 ■■■■627', 150 2,258,309 863,966 3,305,771 36,911 "471,534 1,780,936 579,563 3,456,610 22,562 Nelson Trail Creek Other parts 8,716,406 7,925,336 4,867,029 Osoyoos, Grand Forks & Green- wood Divisions 7,903,006 748,900 64,500 6,833,902 1,019,340 72,094 4,270,744 533,991 62,294 .Siniilkanieen, Nicola, Vernon. . Yale, .-Vshcroft, Karaloops LiLLouET Distkict 5,000 11,095,556 71,445 8,620,803 38,978 8,079,957 Coast Districts (Nanaimo, Al- berni, Clayoquot, Quatsino, Victoria, Vancouver) 332,440,800 §30,296,398 126,388,825 InIiiiiiI llrilinll ( olllllllii l-iMiniiiM-l'ii<'lfl<' The Mineral Phovince of Canada. 5-? -saiii]( sno ■83jaa!i|oo JO )Ik1 ■ino |»Jox •sionpoj^ 8noauv||oo . nil •(I«jd[y -9UO)8 -Suipimg Hi ;ii ill CO 5 S to is 3 E S^IS nil §1 ll^as nil i; = i (r>=i ■ £5 5 S3 3 f^5 I- l\ ?1 ClS E « •■= ''I I I i IS § 5 B «"2 i I 25 o 5 5» I I i la i i o 10 i i SJ6c iiriii-siiife British Columbia, TABLE VI.— Placer Gold. Table VI. contains the yearly production of placer gold to date, as determined by the returns, sent in by the banks and express companies, of gold transmitted by them to the mints, and from returns sent in by the Gold Commissioners and Mining Recorders. To these yearly amounts one-third was added up to the year 1878 ; from then to 1895 and from 1898 to 1909, one-fifth ; and since then one-tenth, which proportions are considered to represent, approxi- mately, the amount of gold sold of which there is no record. This placer gold contains from 10 to 25 per cent, silver, but the silver value has not been separated from the totals, as it would be insignificant. Yield op Placer Gold per Year to Date. 1858... . . $ 705,000 1873... ..$1,305,749 1859... . . 1,615,070 1874... .. 1,844,618 1860... .. 2,228,543 1875... .. 2,474,004 1861... . 2,666,118 1876... . 1,786,048 1862... . 2,656,903 1877 . . . .. 1,608,18-2 . 3,913,563 1878 .. .. 1,275,204 1864... .. 3,735,850 1879... .. 1, •290,0.58 1865... .. 3,491,205 1880 .. .. 1,013,8-27 1866 .. .. 2,662,106 1881... . 1,046,737 1867... 2,480,868 1882... 954,085 1868... .. 3,372,972 1883... 794,252 1869... 1,774,978 1884 .. 736,165 1870... .. 1,336,956 1885 .. 713,738 1871 . . . . 1,799,440 1886... . 903,651 1872... .. 1,610,972 1887... 693,709 1892. 1893. 1894. I 616,731 1903 588,923 1904 490,435 1905 429,811 1906 399,526 1907 356,131 1908 405,516 1909 481.683 1910 544,026 1911 513,520 1912 643,346 1913 1,344,900 1914 1,278,724 970,100 1,073,140 1,060,420 1,115,300 969,.S00 948,400 828.000 647,000 477,000 540,000 426,000 555,500 510,000 565,000 Total l?7S TABLE VIL— Production op Lode Mini a Gold. Silver. Lead. Copper. Zinc. ^ Oz. Value. 0. Value. Pounds. Value. Pounds. Value. Pounds. Value. Value. $ 17,690 79,780 63,19-2 8 17,331 76,000 47,873 7:i.>HS 204,800 674.600 165,100 Xil. Nil. 808,420 2,135,023 5,662,523 2^:MI Ml. 33,064 78,996 169,875 .'.:i2,-.'.',,i S « S 1888 104 813 54,371 1891 4 000 1802 99 999 1,170 6,252 3il,-2(14 -2S7;49B 272,2.54 247,170 23,404 126.014 :::::.'.:::: 324,680 !ir>2„S40 16,-234 :'.;.;,-.',is ■71,781 1 i'i.'jes 1895 1896 1897 1898 2,342,397 4,257,179 7,052,431 6,529 420 1899 6,751,604 13,683,044 11,101,102 11,571,367 12,309,035 15,180,164 17,484,102 16,218,847 14,477,411 14,191,141 13,228,731 11,454,063 17,662,766 17,190,838 16.2-25,061 1903 '■■;«- 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 '■' -,.-.nn,6o6 ! I,1M,192 ,' . II ■M;:!-i,.'i44 1 . 1 . .-.,.;:.N,-J80 1,; :.'..' ..'^lif.'.'ii' ibb'.ooo 192,473 l-2n,0M 31li,1311 324,4-.'l 34(i,12.i To-1 3,958,273 81,695,.-,ll .;«,74o,.s05 31,4(;s,4(;2l .',115,-207,;»IXi S6.:i:j!I,37i) 35,302,-251 1,708,260 239.420,880 The Mineral Province of Canada. 19 TABLE VIII.— Coal and Coke Production per Year to Date. Coal. r. ToiK (2,240 Iti.X Value. I,873,»(7 $ 6,003.245 18«-2 282,139 846,417 1883 213,299 639,897 1884 .%4,()70 1,182,210 188.5 26.-i,.596 796,788 1886 326,636 97»,il08 1887 413,360 l,24O,08(J 1888 489,301 1,467,903 1889 579,830 l,73!).4i)0 1890 678,140 2,031,420 1891 1,029,097 .3,087.291 1892 82«,.S.35 2,479,005 1893 978,294 2,9;M,882 1894 1,012,953 3,038,859 1895 9.39,&M 2.818,962 1896 896,222 2,688,666 1897 8S2,854 2,648,562 1898 l,l.S.-.,865 .3,407,595 1899 l,.3lHi,:«4 .3,918,972 1900 l,-i:t!),595 4,318,785 1901 1,4(50,331 4,380,993 19<I2 1,397.394 4,192,182 1903 1,168,194 3,.'><»4,582 1904 1,2.53,628 3,760,884 1905 1,384,312 4,152,936 1906 1,517,.303 4,551,909 1907 1 ,800,067 6,.30«»,235 1908 1,677,849 5,872,472 1909 2,(X)6,476 7,(fi2,666 1910 2,800,046 9,800,161 1911 2,193,062 7,675,717 1912 2,628,804 9,200,814 1913 2,1.37,483 . 7,481.190 1914 1,810,!»67 6,.3.38,.385 Total 41,199,387 * I. 32,507,063 Coke. Year. Tons (2.240 »i.). Value. 19..396 $ 96,980 35,000 K.J.OfH) 34,a)l 171.2.56 8.->,149 42.5,745 127,081 6.35,405 128,015 640,075 16.5,->»3 827,715 23S.428 1 . 1 92, 1 40 171,785 l,.358,92o 99,227 996,135 •222.913 1,3,37.478 247,399 1,484, .394 2.58,703 1..5.52,218 18,029 1,308.174 66.Ctt.5 .3<t6,a30 264..333 .. 1..58.5,!«t8 286,045 1,716,270 2.34,577 1,407,462 101,869 817,.307..399 1899 IWK) 1902 1 1903 1 1904 2 1905 -2 1908 '2 1909 2 1910 2 1911 1913 1914 .; Total 3,1 British Columbia, TABLE IX. — Production in Detail of the Gold— Placbr. 50,000 30,000 35,000 10,000 8,000 s,m 9,000 13,000 23,000 Windermere-Golden . Slocan and Slocan City. 11«,206 104,510 Trail Creek Div Revelstoke, Trout Lake and Lardeatl. 138,568 2,81)4,201 13(i.l85 Boundary (Grand Forks, Greenwood and Osoyoos Divisions.) Similkameen, Nicola, and Vernon Divisions. Yale, Ashcroft and Kainloops Divisions. . . . Coast (Nanaimo, Alherni. Cia.voqiiot, Quat- sino. New Westminster, Vancouver, and Victoria Divisions.) 2,688,632 2,663,809 2,176.971 21,300 27,775 25,600 228,617 4,72.%.M3 257,496 6,322,442 272,2.54 6,627,490 247,170 5,109.004 The Mineral Province op Canada. Mktallikk.kou.s Mink.s, ktc, for I'.tll, 191'2, 1913, and 1914. Lk* D. COHfER. Zwc. Totals for Divmojie. T«TALH roK DuTTRicra. I'ounda. Vtlue. Pound*. Value. Found.. Value. 1»U. I91t 1913. 1014. ,914. • . * • ■■■■i3ii;o66 ■34:066 ■■■■■io;6o6 t """"i"8b:666 """"50:666 * '""■i3i",666 """30:666 « ■"■mooo 292.807 :.::::;::. ::::::::. ZM ^ wiisi iJ 8,000 ••""ib:6^ """■343,668 "siim ■sUm m4ae ■■"228:776 ■""290:660 2,006.877 238.S78 41.612 «;579 17 ifS 0«» 9,495 ■■■682,891 733,907 728.(J30 870,209 ■■■90:509 98:087 89,666 """8"6s",ii2 ""■""32:579 88,403 1,336 U,123,376 14,446 204 1.612.779 ::::::::: 16,740 "1.127:683 •i.]27;683 953,728 "■"98s;829 is'v'-'ui^ 24 8S3105 .J~ ::::::•:::: '■/:E ■■l42;6i8 Mia """"103,264 100,768 '■■ 288.009 4,863:894 9,027,801 11,502 195,723 354,795 282,433 286,882 BSl.S-W 890,096 ^^ 92,270 459 ""to,m 9,230 20,506 4:512 \:m 1.807 59 26,257 MM 2,639,1X)0 2,638,661 a779.830 280,006 2,B»4,644 6,216,687 6.606,088 7.264:464 ■mora 7.233 129,092 307,723 115:^ ""iiwB 50,768 " ■"871:766 ""■616:460 ■msM ■1.777:936 ■eeaoes ""iiBBi 6,706,671 lli.!)44.Ml 15:2^:910 11,3!H1 ::.:::::: "■■481:265 ■'2,M"i,sa« 68:624 ' i.bsV.sii " "2,258:369 4,291 124,470 41.%045 387,654 614.057 '"""664:438 ■S,'196:6S7 """""46:729 ""7","846:686 ""8i8:9«6 ■"8,i«i:77i """"s6:9ii 22!l,3«t; 521,771 12a912 ia.iw 4.<(W2 l.WH ■22,^327:359 33,372,199 ■■ ■ "8:073 ■ 'iovis ^ :::::::;::: ■■■imTTO .S.4.'V.'!.3.'.l .... 4,37«,.'.7r.. ... 2.234,339 1.833 :::: i8;ii6i:::: ""6,688:962 4.171.744 3:732 6:294 1. 000 ir.isi 6.467 ■1.6SS.947 '"" 2.660 """■ 2:660 4.443 7.0W ■■■ 81,446 ■"i3sb:i78 im b",666 7.978 ' ■i6,'«iw.7ii 15,429,778 14.443, 7!>3 13.070,245 7:978 ■"l.^StVl.M^ 2,.'.21..1-l '2.iBb,898 """"i.»7:64i "'l.G07:64i »6.S7?.3«7 44.»71.4.14 .'..-..:iilj.r,7: SU.625.048 1, 069,621 1,8W,«27 i:77i:877 S6.»t7.a5« 51.4.W,:-.37 45:009:699 4,671,644 t,fS4.S44 8,408.513 6.3.18.280 7.0!>4.4)» n,7r.8,7(is 6,121.319 7.886.467 ie9,o« 316,130 liJ:{li 11,830,083 18,218:266 "l7,7bo:8S8 i&raadei iimasi British Columbia, TABLE X —Showing Mineral Production of British Columbia. furni m m ir?si R!l El ra ISl ra rsi rm IFUI IPl FSl Fil m PH PI WfH PI w\ wl nn m\ 1314 1 »34 000 000 33,r,OO,000 33,000,000 32,500,000 32,000,000 31,500,000 31,000,000 30,500,000 30,000,000 29,500,000 29,000,000 28,500,000 28,000,000 27,500,000 27,000,000 26,500,000 26,000,000 25,500,000 25,000,000 24,500,000 24,000,000 23,500,000 23,000,000 22,500,000 22,000,000 21,500,000 21,000,000 20,500,000 20,000,000 19,500,000 19,000,000 18,500,000 18,000,000 17,500,000 17,000,000 16,500,000 16,000,000 15,500,000 15,000,000 14,500,000 14,000,000 13,500,000 13,000,000 12,600,000 12,000,000 11,500,000 11,000,000 10,500,000 10,000,000 9,500,000 9,000,000 8,500,000 8,000,000 7,600,000 7,000,000 6,600,000 6,000,000 6,500,000 6,000,000 4,500,000 4,000,000 3,500,000 3,000,000 2,500,000 2,000,000 1,500,000 1,000,000 500,000 000,000 \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ 1 / \ \ >» / \ \ \ \ \ / \ / 1 -J ij / ■N / (^/ 7 ^ <!, / / ^ / \ y ^ j ^ / \ ^ ot 1 ' \ ■< lU / s •^ <j / \ / ^ ' >/ ^/ ' » -, \ , -5 1 1 V 1 / y / '/ \ / / r ^ III ^ f V \ -J < 1/ ' ^ / <: t / ^ 1 ' \ A- 1 ' r '. , -. ' / '■^^ ' / / . 1 y r, «►' / -" ■ 'v yT p^* » k ^ Tu^ / y ,~ --. /, ' -" ' / X ,' " / ,'' / ^ t;-^ -f*- f-f r— _, (7 M. D -r, ^ ^ ct '^ — r: JZ ?r^ — — — — — — ::: ^ z: ^ ^ Hl90l|l slisoel Hl90l|l902ll903|l904ll90sll906|t$07|l808|l909|l91ol|gi1 1191211913 llQU I y==s ^^ §s .4 ii i :?: a » iZ '^^\ :i II =1 ^ The Mineral Province of Canada. 23 British Columbia, PROGRESS OF MINING. The year 1914, during its first half, gave promise of being an exceedingly favourable one for mining in the Province, and it was even expected that its mineral production would exceed that of any previous year. Tliese expectations, however, were shattered by the unprecedented conditions which con- fronted the mineral industry during the last half of the year. These conditions were brought about by the great European war, which so upset the metal markets of the world that quota- tions of prices for the more important metals were unobtainable for months. Such a condition was never before experienced, lea\'ing no basis on which present sales of ores or metals could be transacted, or even the future values of these predicted. Gold alone had a stable value, but the other metals that go to make up the mineral output of the Province are all such as America produces a large surplus of, which surplus had been disposed of in the European markets, and with these markets temporarily destroyed, the pro- duction of these metals was either stopped or materially curtailed. Recently, however, since the eventual outcome of the struggle can be definitely predicted and Britain has obtained the undisputed command of the seas, the metal markets have been able to again resume business and to quote prices, these, however, being somewhat lower than previously prevailing. It will be seen, therefore, that the conditions adversely affecting the mining industry are but temporary and with their end within sight. The production for 1914, although it is materially less than those for the years 1912 and 1913, is, nevertheless, about the same as for the year 1910, while it is considerably greater than that of any other year and is much greater than the average production for the last ten years. The decrease shown this year, while it is partially caused by a lesser quantity of the metals produced, is not entirely attributable to that cause, but is partially due to the lower average price of the metals prevailing in 1914 as compared with those of 1913. For example, the average market value of silver in 1914 was about 4.9 cents an ounce lower than in 1913 ; copper was 2.27 cents a pound lower ; lead, 0..5 cent a pound lower ; zinc, 0.4-5 cent a pound lower. If the metal prices of 1913 had been maintained during 1914 and applied to the output for that year, this output would have been valued at some 11,170,117 greater than it appears. The lower average prices for the metals prevailing in 1914 are partially attributable to the war, but to some extent were occasioned by the financial stringency which preceded the war and possibly foreshadowed it. The gross value of the mineral production for 1914 was §26,388,825, a decrease from that of the year 1913 of .f3,907,.573, or about 12.2 per cent. The gradual increase in production during the past twenty-three years, and its fluctuations, are graphically shown in Table X., on page 14 of this Report. The tonnage of ore mined in the lode mines of the Province during the past year was less than that of 1913. The ore mined amounted to 2,175,971 tons, showing a decrease from that of the previous year of 487,838 tons. The tonnage mined in 1914 was produced by the various districts in about the following proportions: Boundary, 50.3 per cent. ; Rossland, 13.6 per cent. ; Cassiar, 12.1 per cent. ; ■ i-iii'iii.' i: The Mineral Province ok Canada. 25 the Coast District, 11.7 per cent. ; Slocan District, 4.7 per cent. ; Ainsworth, 3.1 percent.; Nelson, 2.7 per cent. ; Ejist Kootenay, 1.7 percent.; and all other parts of the Province combined, 0.1 per cent. The following tabic shows tlie number of mines wliicli shipped ore during tiie yviir 1914, the districts in whicli they are situated, and the tonnage produced in each distiict, together with the number of men employed, both above ground and underground ; — • Tabi.1 IIPPINO Minks CARnioo ASD Cassiar : Omiiieca, Allin, Skeens, Queen Charlotte, aud Portland Canal East Kootenay : Fort Steele Windermere-Golden West Koote.sat : Ainsworth Slocan and Slocan City Nelson Trail Creek Other Divisions BOONDARV ; Grand Forks, Greenivood, and Osoyoos Ashcroft-Kamloops SirailkameenVernon LlLLOOET Coast Total. Tons of Ore shipped. No. of Mines shipping. No. of Mines shipping over 100 Tons in 1914. Men EMru)VED iv tuksk Mi.ni! In explanation of the table it should be said that, in its preparation, a mine employing twelve men for four months is credited in the table with four men for twelve months, so that the total given is less than the actual number of individuals who worked in the mines during the year. Taule siiowint. Non shipping Mines anu Mkn kmpi,i«ved. NCMRER OF Ml M. M,. ,M,,.,., District. Working. Idle. Total. Below. Above. ToUL .3 .... ^.... 8 2 2 2 i 9 2 ,1 8 3 "l 12 2 10 24 10 9 5 28 24 "lO 37 8 3 41 5 I 45 ■J-, East Kootksay Ainsworth 40 Nelson 10 Trait. Creek 12 4 86 LiLLOOCT 2 Total .•ici ~2 102 137 83 220 British Columbia, SUMMARY OF THE STATISTICAL TABLES. Referring to the preceding tables of the mineral production of the Province, the following is a summary of their contents : — Table I. shows the total gross value of each mineral product mined in the Province up to the end of 1914, aggregating $486,822,745. From this table it will be seen that coal-mining has produced more than any other separate class of mining, a total of .$149,814,462 ; followed next in importance by copper at $86,939,370, and next in order is lode gold at $81,-595,516, with placer gold in fourth place at $73,269,603. The metal gold, obtained from both placer and lode mining, amounts to a value of $154,865,119, the greatest amount derived from any one mineral, the next important being coal, the total gross value of which, combined with that of coke, is $149,814,462, followed by copper at $86,939,370, silver at .$37,709,282, and lead at $31,468,462. Table II. shows the value of the total production of the mines of the Province for each year from 1893 to 1914 (inclusive), during which period the output increased nearly tenfold, and reached a production, for the year 1913, valued at $30,296,398, which is nearly three times what it was in 1898. The gross production for the year 1914, is $26,388,825, which is materially less than that of either the year 1912 or 1913, a condition not due to the mines, but to be accounted for by the disruption of the metal markets occasioned by the war, which necessitated the closing-down of some of the larger mines during the last half of the year. During the first six months, the year gave promise of making a record production. The value of the total mineral production of the Province up to the end of 1914 was $486,822,745. Table III. gives the quantities in the customary units of measure, and the values, of the various metals or minerals which go to make up the total of the mineral production of the Province, and also, for the purposes of comparison, similar data for the two preceding years. The table shows that there has been this year an increase in the production of placer gold of some $55,000, but at the same time a decrease in the output of lode gold of $518,486, making a decrease of $463,486 in the total production of the metal. The amount of silver produced this year was 3,602,180 oz., having a gross value of $1,876,736, an increase in the number of ounces produced of 136,324, due to an increased production in the Omineca, Skeena, and Fort Steele Divisions. The gross value of the silver product this year, however, shows a decrease over that of last year of $91,870, on account of the market price of silver being lower during this year. The table shows an output of lead in 1914 amounting to 50,625,048 S)., valued at $1,771,877, which is a decrease from the production of the preceding year of 4,739,629 fc. of lead. The production of copper this year was 45,009,699 Bj., valued at $6,121,319, a decrease in amount of 1,450,606 B)., or about 3.12 per cent. The value of the product was less than that of the preceding year by $973,170 — a decrease of 13.7 per cent. Table IV. shows the proportions of the total mineral productions made in each of the various districts into which the Province is divided. It will be noted that this year again the Coast District has the honour of first place on the list, followed, in order of importance, by the West Kootenay and Boundary Districts. The Coast and East Kootenay Districts owe a considerable proportion of their output to the coal-mines situated within their limits, whereas, in the other districts, the production is chiefly from metal-mining. The Mineral Pkovince of Canada. 27 The Coast District also derives a large pi-oportion of its production from "Miscellaneous products," such as building materials, etc., due to the larger cities therein ; this year this amounted to §2,419,817, as shown in Table V. In this table, this year again, the value of zinc has been distributed to the districts producing it, which has occasioned some changes in this table as compared with the I'JO'J Report, thus making it differ from the column in that and previous reports. Table V. is a new table introduced three yejirs ago, and is an endeavour to show in some detail the production of tho.se products, such as building materials, previously summarized under " Miscellaneous products," and which amounts this year to §2,852,9 1 7. Much ditticulty has been found in obtaining reliable figures regarding these products, and in many cases they have had to be estimated; but, while the figures are not as complete as desired, they are at least approximate, and show what an important branch of mineral production this has become. Table VI. gives the statistical record of the placer mines of the Province from 1858 to 1914, and shows a total production of .?73,269,603. The output for 1914 was ?565,000, an increase, as compared with the previous year, of about 10.8 per cent. Table VII. relates entirely to the lode mines of the Province, and shows the quantities and values of the various metals produced each year since the beginning, in 1887, of such mining in the Province. The gross value of the product of these mines to date is $239,420,880 ; this figure includes the zinc production of 1909 and all subsequent years. Last year a new column was made in this table in which to record the zinc production, and the output since 1909 has been recorded therein. In former yeare the zinc production was small and was listed a.s miscellaneous material. Table VIII. contains the statistics of production of the coal-mines of the Province. The total amount of coal produced to the end of 1914 was 41,199,387 tons (of 2,240 lb.), worth §132,507,063. Of this, there was produced in 1914 some 1,810,967 tons valued at 86,338,385, a decrease of 326,516 tons in quantity and of §1,142,805 in value compared with the preceding year. In these figures of coal production the coal used in making coke is not included, as such coal is accounted for in the figur&s of output of coke. The amount of coal used in making coke in 1914 was 355,461 tons, from which was made 234,577 tons of coke, ha\-ing a value of §1,407,462, a decrease from the preceding year of 51,468 tons, or about 17.95 percent., with a decrease in value of §308,808. While 234,577 tons of coke was actually made only 234,480 tons was actually sold ; 94 tons being added to the stocks at the mines, and 3 tons was used under the company's boilers. The total value of the output of the collieries of the Province in 1914 was §7,74.5,847. The average selling prices taken this year in the calculation of value of product are the same as those used last year ; that for coal being §3.50 and for coke §6 a ton of 2,240 11). The prices used in calculations prior to 1907 were §3 and §5 respectively. More detailed statistics as to the coal production of the Pro\-incc and of the separate districts are given elsewhere in this Report. Table IX. gives the details of production of the metalliferous mines of the Province for the years 1911, 1912, 1913, and 1914, and the districts in which such productions were made, showing the tonnage of ore mined in each district, with its metallic contents and its market value. The total tonnage of ore mined in the Province during the year 1914 was 2,175,971 tons, having a gross value of §15,225,061 and with the placer gold u total value of §15,790,061. BUITISH COHMRIA, The following table shows the percentages of such tonnage derived from the various districts of the Province : — Boundary District 50 . 25 per cent, of tonnage. Trail Creek Mining Division 1 3 . G5 .. n Cassiar District 12.10 n n Coast District 11.75 Slocan District 4 . 73 Ainsworth Mining Division 3.05 .■ Nelson Mining Division 2.72 << m East Kootenay District 1 . 65 .■ Other Divisions 0.1 100.00 In reports previous to 1910 there has been included in this table the "Miscellaneous products," and in 1910 these were shown distributed to the various districts ; the great increase of these products in the past few years has rendered it advisable that this table be reserved exclusively for metalliferous products, and so a new table (No. V.) was introduced in 1911, giving in some detail, the output of these miscellaneous products. In making comparisons of this table with similar tables in previous reports, the fact that "Miscellaneous" has been removed will have to be borne in mind. Table X. presents in graphic form the facts shown in figures in the tables, and demonstrates to the eye the rapid growth of lode-mining in the Province, and also the fluctuations to which it has been subject. It will be seen that, although coal-mining has been a constantly increasing industry duiing this whole period of twenty-three years, lode-mining did not begin practically, until 1894, since when it has risen with remarkable rapidity, though not without interruption, until it reached, in 1906, the $17,500,000 line. The total mineral production in 1910 reached the $26,000,000 Hne, and in 1912 it reached the $32,000,000 line, while this year it again drops to near the $26,000,000 line. Table XI. compares graphically the output of certain mineral products in British Columbia with that of the combined output of similar products in all the otlier Provinces of the Dominion, and shows that in 1913 British Columbia produced, in the minerals shown, an amount equal to over 45.9 per cent, of all the other Canadian Provinces combined. GOLD. The production of placer gold during the past year was worth about Placer Gold. $565,000 as nearly as can be ascertained ; great difficulty is found in obtaining reliable figures, since the work is, in many cases, carried out by individuals or unorganized groups of men who keep no books, frequently paying wages, or for supplies, in gold-dust, which, being readily transported, is scattered, and the ta.x imposed thereon by law is thus evaded. This year's output shows an increase, as compared with 1913, of $55,000, chietly due to a better gravel-wa.shing season than usual in the Atlin District. Considerable work in connection with placer-mining was done in the Similkameeu District, although the actual production was small. The production of placer gold is nearly all from the Atlin and Cariboo Districts ; over 93 per cent, of the total coming from these two sections. The Mineral Province of Canada. 'I'Ir- viilue of tlie gold produced from lode-iiiiiiing in the Province during Gold from Lode- tlie year 19U wius .'55,109,004, ii decrease, a.s co^lpu^ed with the previous mining. year, of §018,486, or about 9.2 per cent. This reduction in the production of lode gold is due to large decreases in the output of the Boundary and Nelson Districts and smaller decreases in the Atlin, Lillooet, and Coast Districts. Against this there is a considerable increase in the Hkeena Division of the Ciussiar District, due to the commencement of smelting operations by the Granby Comi>any at Anyox, and a slight increase in the yearly output of the Trail Creek Division. The falling-off of the gold production in the Boundary District is entirely attributable to the closing of the smelters in August, on account of the European war. This same cause is largely responsible for the reduction in output of the NeLson Mining Division. The only large stamp-mill in operation in the Province is at the A'jcXv/ Plate mine at Hedley, in the Osoyoos Mining Division, which, this pa-st year, milled some 78,494 tons of ore having a value of about §800,000. Thei'e are smaller sUmp-mills operating at tlie Poonnan, Queen, Mother Lode, and other mines in the Nelson Division ; and in addition, there are stamp-mills at the Jewel mine. Greenwood ; Coronation mine, Lillooet ; and Enyineer mine, Atlin, which operated during the year. The following are the values of the gold product of the three most important camps ; Rossland, $2,864,201 ; Boundary, §1,775,048 ; and Nelson, .$316,210. About 74 per cent, of the gold production of the Province is obtained from the smelting of copper-bearing ore.s, the remainder mainly from stamp-milling. SILVER. The total amount of silver producetl in the Province during the yejir 1914 was 3,602,180 oz., valued at .§1,876,736, an increase in amount, !is compared with the previous year, of 136,324 oz. ; but, owing to the decrease in the market value of this metal, the value of the silver-output in 1914 was 891,870 less than in 1913. This is the greatest prrKluction of this metal since 1902. The Slocan District — including the Ainsworth, Slocan, Slocan City, and Trout Lake Mining Divisions — produced about 59 per cent, of the total Provincial output of silver this year, and the Fort Steele Mining Division about 13.7 per cent., all from argentiferous galena. Tlie remainder is chiefly derived from the smelting of copper-ores carrying silver. The Hazelton District shows a big increase over the output of the previous year, the figures being respectively 13.5,265 and 46,298 oz. ; most of this is credited to the SUixr Standard mine. The following table .shows the silver production from the diflTerent Mining Divisions : — Slocan and Slocan City M.D. producwl Fort Steele Bnundurv 'i Ai.iswortli Nelson Trail Creek •■ Ornineca Skcena Coast Trout Like All others 3,602,180 1,775,975 oz. silver = 49.35 ] per cent, of totjil. 492,080 13.65 347,981 9.64 „ 329,586 9.15 „ 1.50,268 - 4.18 „ 1.36,185 3.78 135,265 .3.75 131, .509 .{.64 „ 91,574 2.54 „ 11,295 0.31 „ 462 0.01 " British Columbia, LEAD. The lead production of the Province for the year 1914 was 50,625,048 B). of lead having a market value of $1,771,877, showing, as compared with the previous year, a decrease in amount of 4,739,629 ft. of lead, or 8.55 per cent., and a decrease in value of $403,954, or 18.5 per cent. This amount of lead represents the amount of metallic lead actually received and paid for by the smelters. Instead of taking account of " loss in slags," we have followed, as has been our habit, the practice of the smelters of deducting 10 per cent, from the market price of the metal, in calculating the value. The average market price of this metal for the year 1914 was a little lower than for the previous year. The lead production is this year, as usual, derived chiefly from the Slocan and Fort Steele Mining Divisions, as is shown in the following table : — Fort Steele M.D. produced 24,863,105 ft. lead = 49.13 per cent, of total. Slocan Ainsworth 2,004,436 „ 3.95 323,482 M 0.64 130,590 „ 0.26 Nelson Omineca All others 50,625,048 100.00 COPPER. The amount of copper produced in the Province in 1914, smelted during the year, was 45,009,699 ft. fine copper, valued at the average New York market price for copper at $6, 121,319. These figures represent the amount of copper actually recovered, as nearly as it is possible to ascertain ; the amount of copper really in the ores mined would be approximately 25 per cent, greater. As compared with the year 1913, these figures show a decreased production in amount of 1,450,606 ft., or about 3.13 per cent. This decrease is accounted for by the war conditions. It is an agreeable surprise to find that under these conditions, the quantity of copper pro- duced in 1914, as compared with 1913, shows only the comparatively small decrease of 1,450,606 ft. The explanation lies in the fact that the operation of the Granby Consolidated Company's Midden Creek mine and its smelting-works at Anyox, in Skeena Mining Division, resulted in the production of copper to an extent that largely offset the decrease that resulted from the suspension of production from Boundary District mines. The following tabic shows the production of the various districts for the years 1911, 1912, 1913, and 1914 :— 1911. 1912. Boundary District. .22,327,359 ft. 33,372,199 Rossland ., . . 3,429,702 ,. 2,539,900 Coast & Cassiar „ ..11,017,872,, 15,518,181 Yale-Kamloops ,, . . 152,723 ,, Nelson ., „ 26,257 1913. 1914. 28,621,973 ft. 16,428,959 ft. = 36.52% 2,538,661 „ 3,779,830 ,. 8.40 „ 14,446,967 „ 24,199,621 „ 53,74 „ 37,578 „ 14,525 „ 0.03 „ 815,126 „ 586,764 „ 1.31 „ 36,927,656 „ 51,456,537 „ 46,460,305 „ 4.5,009,699 „ 100.00 „ The average assays of the copper ores of the various camps, based upon the copper recovered were as follows : — Boundary, 0.753 per cent. ; Coast, 2.545 per cent. ; and Rossland, 0.636 per cent. The Mineral Province of Canada. ZINC. Tho total quantity of zinc produced in 1914 was 7,866,467 ft)., valued at $346,12.') the average New York price, less 1.5 per cent., being Uken as tho ba.sis of valuation. This shows an increase, as compared with the year 191.'!, of 1,107,699 lb., or 16.;}C per cent. The lowering of tho United States tariff on zinc concentrates and ore entering that country served to stimulate zinc production, and during the latter months of 1914 the high price pre- vailing and the great demand for zinc for war purposes accelerated the shipments of concentrates. The experiments and plant for the electric smelting of zinc-lead ores which had been in operation at Nelson for about a year under G. C. Mackenzie, of the Mines Branch of the Department of Mines, Ottawa, were finally abandoned during last summer. W. R. Ingalls, who acted as consulting zinc metallurgist to that Department, writes — " The experimental work at Nelson, B.C., was discontinued, it being regarded as conclusively settled that an electric zinc-smelting furnace so small as one ton of daily capacity is a commercial impossibility, while the satisfactory development of a larger furnace was regarded as too doubt- ful to be undertaken at Nelson." COAL. The gross production of coal in 1914 was 2,166,428 long tons, of which 3.5.5,461 tons was made into coke, leaving the net production at 1,810,967 tons. These figures show a decrease, as compared with 1913, of 404,332 tons gross and of 326,.516 tons net. The quantity of coke made was 234,577 tons, which is a decrease of about 51,468 tons as compared with 1913. For purposes of comparison the following table is shown : — 1914. 1913. 1912. 1911. 1910. 1909. Coal, gross to LesK mode into coko IS, 2,240 tt.. . 2,166,428 355,461 2,5-0,7(iO 433,277 3,025,709 396,905 2,297,718 104,656 3,139,2.35 339,189 2,400,600 .394,124 Coal, net 1,810,967 2,137,483 2,628,804 2,193,062 2.800.046 2,006.476 Coke made 234.577 •286,045 264,333 66,005 218,029 258,703 These figures indicate a serious decrease, which is, however, only temponiiy, Ix-ing mainly attributable to the European war. In the interior of the Province the war brought about at least a partial closing-down of the metalliferous mines and smelters, and thus diminishing the amount of railway transporta- tion, all of which constituted the chief market for the coal of this district. In'the Vancouver Island District the output in 1914 was gi-eater than it was in 1913, when the labour troubles interfered with the production, but it is still much below the normal output of the.se collieries. Production was not interfered with to any appreciable extent, if at all, by lal>our troubk« in 1914. In fact, it was claimed that much more coal could have been pnxlueeil had there been demand for it. There is no doubt that all there was a market for was j)rocliir<fl. I'nfortunately, though, less coal than usual was required from Vancouver Island mines for hunkering purposes, the state of war having considerably lessened the demand. The activity Bkitish Columbia, of German cruisers that sought to destroy the shipping of the allied powers at war with Germany, for a period of four or five months interfered with the steamship trade to which Vancouver Island collieries ordinarily look for a considerable portion of their market. The destruction in December of those of the enemy's war-ships that had disturbed the mercantile service removed this menace to shipping. Again, the competition of fuel-oil continued to be felt, though not in a larger degree than in 1913. Summarizing the Provincial production of coal, the following table shows the output : — Vancouver Island mines tons, 2,240 1 Nicola and Similkameen mines n Crowsnest mines n Total quantity of coal mined n Less made into coke « Net quantity of coal produced « 1,558,240 206,257 1,261,212 3,49.S 5,542 2,570,760 433,277 ,072,314 138,931 955,183 Collieries of Coast District. The Coast collieries mined 1,211,24.5 tons of coal in 1914, of which 18,63.5 tons was added to stock, making 1,192,610 tons distributed from these collieries in 1914. This amount was distributed thus : Sold as coal in Canada 724,066 tons. United States 213,324 „ 11 other countries Total sold as coal 937,390 tons. Used under companies' boilers, etc 107,991 n Used in making coke Lost in washing 147,229 n 1,192,610 n Plus coal added to stock 18,635 .i Gross output 1,211,245 m The total coal sales of the Coast collieries for the year show, as compared with the sales of the previous year, a decrease of 44,700 tons, equivalent to 4.5 per cent. The consumption of coal in that part of British Columbia served by the Vancouver Island collieries shows this year a decrease of 36,011 tons, or about 5.64 per cent, from the preceding year ; the amount exported to the United States was 114,392 tons greater, and no coal was exported to other countries. Only one company in the Coast District — the Canadian Collieries, Limited, hits ever made coke, and this year the ovens have not been in operation, although the company sold 2,314 tons of coke from stock, exhausting the stock. The coke sold was entirely for consumption in British Columbia, no export sales having been made. On Vancouver Island, four companies produced coal this year — the Canadian Collieries, Limited, the Western Fuel Company, the Pacific Coast Coal Mines, and the Vancouver- Nanaimo Coal Company ; the majority of these companies each operate two, or more, collieries. The combined output of tlic Island collieries was 1,072,314 tons. The MiNKii.M. I'hovinck or Canada. 33 In the Nicola and Princoton valleys of the Coast District, the Middlesboro Colliery Company produced 60,705 tons of coal ; the Princeton Collier}', 19,535 tons ; the Inland Coal and Coke Syndicate (formerly Coal Hill Syndicate), 53,281 tons; the Coaln.ont Colliery, 1,H50 tons ; and the Pacific Coast Colliery Company, 560 tons. The t(.t;il .uitpiH .,f tliis portion of the district was 13.S,931 tons. East Kuotunav Coalkielo. There were three companies operating in this district -the Crow's Neat Pa.ss Coal Company, operating two separate collierie-s, the combined output of which was 778,403 tons ; the Corbin Coke and Coal Company, which made an output of 74,312 tons ; and the Hosraer Mines, Limited, which produced 102,468 tons of coal, making a gross output for the district for 1914 of 955,183 tons of coal. Of the coal mined, 3,2U5 tons was added to stock, making the amount <.f coal .listributed from the collieries 951,978 tons. Of this gross tonnage, 355,461 tons was used in the uianufacture of coke, of which there was produced 234,577 tons (2,240 Ih.). The coke sold this year amounted to 232,166 ton.s, and 3 tons was used under the companies' boilers, making a total of 232,169 ton.s, to which mu.st Ix; added 2,408 tons added to stock, making the coke production for this year 234,577 tons, as compared with 286,045 tons in 1913. The following table shows the distribution made of the coal of this district : — Sold as coal in Canada 140,094 tons. United States 389,383 .. Total sold ivs coal 529,477 tons. Used by the companies in making coke 355,461 n Used by the companies under boilers, etc 67,040 n 951,978 ,. l'lit« coal added to stock . 3,205 « Gross output 955,183 i> The greater part of the gross Provincial production is still being mined by three companies — the Crow's Nest Pass Coal Company of East Kootenay, the Canadian Collieries and the Western Fuel Company of Vancouver Lsland, which rained, collectively, 74.4 |>er cent, of the gross output, their respective production representing 36 per cent., 24.1 per cent., and 14.3 per cent, of .such total. Of the other collieries : In the Coast District, on Vancouver Island, the Pacific Cmuit Coal Mines, Limited, produced 130,645 tons, and the Vancouver- Nanaimo Coal Company 107,158 tons; and in the Nicola Valley section of the district, the Middlesboro Colliery Company mined 60,705 tons, the Inland Coal and Coke Company 53,281 tons, the Princeton Coal and Land Company 19,535 tons, while the Coalmont Colliery producetl .some 4,850 tons of coal. In the Eiist Kootenay District, in luldition to the Crow's Nest Pass Coal Company, which [iroduced 778,403 tons, the Hosmer MincvS, Limited, produced 102,468 tons and the Corbin Coal and Coke Company 74,312 tons. In addition to those companies actually shipping, several other conijianies have U-en installing plant and have appi-oachwl the shipping stage, mention of which will be nuide elsewhere in this report. 3 British Columbia, The collieries of the Coast District, including the Nicola Viille_v field, arc to be credited this year with about 56 per cent, of the total coal output. The gross output of the collieries of the Province for the past year was, as already stated, 2,166,428 tons, of which some 21,840 tons of coal was added to stock, making the gross amount of coal distributed 2,144,588 tons. Of this gross amount, there was sold for consumption in Canada, 864,160 tons ; sold for consumption in the United States, 602,707 tons ; making the total coal sales for the year 1,466,867 tons of 2,240 ft. In addition to the coal sold, there was used in the manufacture of coke 35-"),461 tons, all in the East Kootenay field; and used under companies' boilers, etc., 175,031 tons: while 147,229 tons was lost in washing and screening. There was no coke made this year in the Coast District, although some 2,314 tons was sold from stock, the total coke production having been made by the Crow's Nest Pass Coal Company, and Hosmer Mines, Limited, in the East Kootenay field, where, from 355,461 tons of coal, 234,577 tons of coke was manufactured, of which 3 tons was used under the companies' boilers. The coke sales of the Province for the past year amounted to 234,480 tons, and in addition 94 tons was added to stock. The following table indicates the markets in which the coal and coke output of the Province was sold : — CO.41. Coast District. Crowsnest Pass District. Total for Province. Sold for coiisuQipl ion in Canada ton'*, •2,2.10 It). export to United States n II export to other countries n 724,066 213,324 140,094 389,383 864,160 602,707 Total coal sales Coke. Sold for consumption in Canada tons, 2,240 lb. export to United States « export to other countries » 937,390 2,314 529,477 177,853 54,313 1,466,867 180,167 54,313 Total coke sales ; 2,314 232,166 234,480 OTHER MINERALS. The situation in regard to iron ore remains unchanged, no material Iron Ore. advancement having been made in the utilization of the numerous deposits throughout the Province. At present there is no market in the Province for iron ore, and, as a consequence, very little development-work has been done. There are, undoubtedly, a number of iron-ore deposits in different districts which are of considerable size, and which are, as a rule, very free from injurious elements. In considering the possibility of the successful establishment of an iron and steel industry, other factors besides availability of ore are important — namely, a sufficient market for the products, a supply of fuel near by at a price comparable with what it is in the East, and a steady supply of suitable labour. The Mineral Pkovince of Canada. Ho far as is at [)ieseMt known, thi-re is on the Coast no developofl UH\y t>f liii-inatite or other ore of iron, such as would be desirable to mix with the magnetites for blast-furnace smelting. A deposit of hiematite is being develoind on the Zymfiet/ river, a description of which is given elsewliere in this Report. As to the electro-thermic smelting of sueli iron ores into commercial pig-iron, the process has not as yet been suBiciently perfected, although it is looked upon as one of the possibilities of the future. Considerable interest has been manifested during the past year in regard to iron-deposits generally, and there have been many rumours of intended installations of iron-smelting plants, but notiiing iit all definite has yet become public. No production of platinum in 1914 has been reported, and it is not Platinum. likely that the Tulamecn output from placer-mining was more than a few ounces. Drilling for oil was continued in the Fraser valley, and also in the O'l- neighbourhood of Otard bay, Graham island, but although the re-sults are said to be encouraging, no appreciable flowage of oil is yet repoi-ted. A small amount of development-work wa.s carried out on the mica Mica. claims in the vicinity of Tete Jaune Cache, but no output is yet recorded. Now that the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway has l)een built within a few miles of these claims, it is pretty well assured that they will be seriously investigated this coming summer. It is of interest to note the fact that the mineral molybdenite has been Molybdenum. discovered, in what appears to be commercial quantities, at the head of Lost creek, some fifteen miles from the town of Salrao, in the Nelson Mining Division; two carloads of the mineral has been mined and taken to Salmo for shipment. The deposit would appear to be of considerable size, but, judging from the siimples sent to this Department by the owners, the material will require to be concentrated to bring it up to the market requirements of about 8.5 per cent, molybdenite. BU ILDI NG M ATE U I AL.S. The production of building materials during 1911 was less than in the year 1913, due no doubt to the financial depression and the war, which have, to some extent, retarded construc- tion-work, especially in the Coast cities. The decrease in output was general with each of the different kinds of building material, except in the case of riprap. Nearly §500,000 worth of this material wius u.sed in the construction of the breakwater and piers at Victoria, and therefoix' this column in the table shows a large increase over that of the previous year. The output of pottery and tile was also nearly equal to that of the previous year. Tlie heaviest decreases were in red brick and cement. For the past yejir, although the statistical returns are not as complete as desire<l, n production of about .?2,.S.52,917 is accounted for, the details of which ai-e given in Table V., (ui l)agc 9. Approximately 8-5 per cent, of this output comes fiimi the Coa.st District, and the larger part of this finds its market in the Cojist cities. British Columbia, Excellent building-stone of various sorts is found in abundance in Building-stone, almost every part of the Province, but the fact of its widespread distribution has, however, been somewhat against the establishment of large (juarrying industries, as a sufficient local supply could always be obtained, and, except witliiti reach of the larger cities, few regularly equipped quarries have been opened. On the Coast, chiefly between Vancouver Island and the Mainland, there ai-e several well-equipped quarries taking out granite, sandstone, and andesitc, all of excellent quality. These quarries supply the stone building material of tlie Coast cities, and also export to the United States. A detailed desci'ijition of the more important quarries was given in th(> Report of this Bureau for 1904. The marble-quarry in the Ainsworth Mining Division is still being Marble. developed, but it is not known that any appreciable output was made. Two new maible-quarries were opened up on the southern end of Texada island, but it is too soon as yet to expect anything more than sample shipments. Sample slabs from one of those quarries sent to the Provincial Museum show a marble very pleasing to the eye and of excellent quality, hard, and taking a good polish. The other quarry is known to have sent at least one scow-load of large blocks to Vancouver — pi-esumably to be slabbed — but no information is as yet available as to the results obtained. The production of red brick during the past year was about 17,000 M., Red Brick. amounting in value to §163,300. The price of common brick ranges from ?8 to §11 a thousand, accoi-ding to quality and demand. A considerable quantity of biick is still imported into Vancouver, but, as the local plants are now well equipped with modern appliances, they should be able to overcome outside competition. The only company producing firebrick in the Province is the Clayburn Firebrick. Company, Limited, with a plant at Clayburn, where the beds of clay are of the age of the coal-measures. This company made approximately 1,600 M. firebrick, worth about $43,000, and 1,100 M. front or face brick, worth over f30,000. Besides this the company made a large number of common brick, paving-brick, tiles, drain-pipes, etc. The plant of the British Columbia Pottery Company at V ictoria West, Pottery Drain- which manufactures drain and sewer pipe, chimney-tiles, etc., was rebuilt pipe, and Tile, after having been burned down in 1913, and had nearly a full year's output. The Port Haney Brick Company, besides manufacturing common brick, also make drain-pipe, partition-block, etc. The manufacture of lime is conducted in a small way at a large number Lime. of points in the Province, but only on the Coast has any attempt been made at more extensive operations. In the neighbourhood of Victoria, on Esquimalt harbour three kilns are in operation, and there are kilns on Saanich Arm. On Texada Island — in addition to the old plant at Marble bay — a new and extensive plant has been erected at Blubber bay. The limestone being used is of exceptional purity, but in some instances the lime-stone beds are cut by igneous dykes wliicli have to be rejected, and this somewhat increases the costs of quarrying. The Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company quarried about 52,000 tons of limestone from the Fife quarries for use as flux in the furnaces at the Trail smelter. TllK MlNKHAI, PltOVlNCK or ('ANAI)A. 37 Two companies nmiiufactuied cement in the Province during the past Portland Cement, year. The Vancouver Portland Cement Company, with works at Tod inlet, is Siiid to liavo pro(liice<J over S."».0O,OOO worth of cement. Tlu? Asso- i-intc<l Ci'Hifiit Company, with works at Haniljcrton, made a protJuction valued at about ^.'iOO.OOO. The cciiH'nt plant started near Princeton has eea,sed to operate. The returns for cru.shed rock and gravel indicate a falling,' nil' in the Crushed Rock ili'iiiand for this niat(;rial. Some of the plants whicii have l)een in and Gravel. (i|n'ratioii for the pjist two or three years ceased operations, and others made a smaller output than in the previous year. Concrete construction has become so extensive on tlu; Coast that a number of plants are well fitted up with crushing and screening machinery to make the various products required. Near Vancouver and Victoria a number of companies supply wa-shcd sand and gravel, properly screened to size. Some of these companies use a system of mining the gravel by hydraulic streams and canying the i)rotluct to the screens by the water used. The value of the sand and gravel ))i<)(lii(i'il for use in these two cities amouiitdl dining the past year to over §300,000. 38 British Columbia, METALLIFEROUS MINES SHIPPING IN 1914. CASSIAR. ATLIN MINING DIVISION. Mine or Group. Locality. Owner or Agent. Address. 1 Character of Ore. Engineer Carcross 1 SKEENA. SKEENA MINING DIVISION. Granby Group... 1 Granby Cons. M. S. & P. Co Anyox Copper, gold. 1 ^ QUEEN CHARLOTTE MINING DIVISION. Early Bird ..1 Moresby island.. J. McLellan l Queen Charlotte ... . Gold. Gold, copper. OMINECA MINING DIVISION. I.-Mii,. Gold, silver, lead. Silver, copper. .Silver, lead. Uold, silver, lead. EAST KOOTENAY. PORT STEELE MINING DIVISION. St. Eugene . . . Moyie Kimberley Consolidated M. & S. Co 1 " Marysville ' Silver, lead. WEST KOOTENAY. AINSWORTH MINING DIVISION. Riondel, Kootenay lake . Riondel... ... Caledonia Charleston South Fork, Kaslo creek Kaslo „ Highland Consolidated M. & S. Co H. Giegerich ....'.' '.'."'.'.'.'. Uchlan MacLean Silver Hoard Mines, Ltd Ainsworth Uear'lake " 1, Panama . Kaslo . Silver. Revenue Kaslo creek Silver, lead. Jackson bo-sin Utica Utica Mines Ltd. Kaslo Silver, lead, zinc. ■■ J L Retallack & Co Gold, silver, lead, zinc. The Mineral Province ok Canada. a9 WEST K00TENAY.-6'a»«,/M<ferf. SLOGAN MIMNQ DIVISION. Mine or Group. Loculit}'. Owner or Axent. Addren. OhanKUr of Ore. Silver. Ie»l. Cinderella Three Forks Sandon NeivDcnvur .':■■:;; .SilviTton .■^andon Three Forks smidoa'.'.::: :.::.:: ::: fi. H 1' A. 1'. 1 ■■!'.■ Three Forks '&Z::: :::.:::: New Denver Silvertoh Tlir. , I-...1 - Thn. 'l ..,4.- New Hcivir Kiuilu " Evening & Jennie... Hartney Hewitt Ivnnhac i^nu li« -liLlor Silver, "lead. zinc. Silver.'lead. I,uili.vTh..ui;lit. . X'H.niln.v l!.ilnll.r-r:i,il fee^iS*^""^':-.^"::;:;: Ilanil.kr-raril oo Minefl. Lt/1 <v,„ M!i,in..,-.VSmellVCo.ofr'an. Ii.. l: i'h M.ii.s.LUl :; Silve-,"lca<l, zinc. .Silver, lead. -, .'. - M;i,i-B, IM - . '■■<■'.- i .rUod MininifOo. \it,,\i.j',M,',nngCo.'.'Lid'.'.'..'.'. Won.lerlul Group Mining Co. . . . Sandon Silverton Silver."lcad. linu. Silver, lead. Silver, lead. line. Silver, lead. Wuliiirliil Sandon SLOCAM CITY MINING DIVISION. Black Prince Lemon creek Silver, lead. Gold, silver. lea<l. Bastmont Ten-mile creek. Ellis Silver Uininir Co Slocan sf^sFowie"..^. ::;:::::;■: ottaw^.. ..:::.::::; NEI^ON MINING DIVISION. Burnett Gold silver California W. Moore Nelson .Salmo Nelson;:;:;:::::;: Emerald Salmo Deer creek — South Fork, Salmon river Kokanec creek a. B. Mining Co Wni. A. Talbot Con.<.olidatcd M. S. S. Co Bell Bros. & Bennet Uotherlode Sheep Creek Min. Co. C Crosslev silver' cad line Molly Gibson Molybdenum. Cottonwood creek ;!!!'.. Perrier . w-.R^witt::::::::::;::::::: ar"co"p^'?''(i"""^""*^ fai.^":"^..:::: Gold, silver, copper. ' Toad mountain Nelson sheepdreek:;::::: Silver King Summit Group rntrft"*"-^ Gold, silver, copper. Gold Sheep creek Morning mountain Yniir Deer creek A. H. Gracey Hobson Silver Lead Co Nelson Yankee Girl Ymir Salmo OoW, silver. THAIL CREEK MINING DIVISION. Consolidated M. 4 8. Co. . U Boi No. 2. Ltd. Phoenix Gold Mining Co. 1 ItolT LAKE MINING DIVISION Silver Clip :::: erguson For- REVEUVruKK MINIM. lilVISilU.N. \VndC. Elliott. Victoria. Bbitish Columbia, BOUNDARY. GRAND FORKS MINING DIVISION. Mine or (iroup. Locality. Owner or Agent. Address. Character of Ore. Rawhide Hhoeniv New Dominion Copper Co LouisJohnson . . Greenwood Gold, silver, copper. GREENWOOD MINING DIVISION. Carmi . . Dynamo Granby Imperial Jewel-Denoro Motherlode . . . Sally.... Standard Grand Forks - Rock Creek . Greenwood . . Gold, silver. Gold, silver, lead. Gold, silver, copper. Gold, silver. Gold, silver, copper. Gold, silver, lead. , OSOYOOS MINING DIVISION. Dividend Nickel Plate Kr^^nountain...... Dividend-Lake View C. G. M. Co. Hedley Gold Mining Co iMiey^.::::: Gold, silver, copper. i""'"" VERNON MINING DIVISION. St. Paul Monashee mountain Paul Rembler | Kelowna Icold. KAMLOOPS MINING DIVISION. Iron Mask Kamloops E. G. Wallinder Kamloops . . . Gold, silver, copper. LILLOOET MINING DIVISION. Coronation . - Cadwallader creek Coronation Gold Mines, Ltd Victoria .. ..Gold. COAST. VANCOUVER MINING DIVISION. Britannia Howe sound. J & Smelting Co. Britannia Beach . NANAIMO MINING DIVISION. gS*^""" . Jas Raper Vananda I. Little " Vancouver Tacoma Marble Bay Tacoma Steel Co Gold, silver, copper. CLAYO.(JUOT MINING DIVISION. Meares island. Kallapa Mining Co., Ltd Vancouver W.W.Gibson .■...-■- The Mineral I' DEPARTMENT OF MINES. VICTORIA, B.C. Hon. Sir Rich.\ri> McUrik R. F. Toi,MiK, Wm. Flket Robertson, D. E. Whittakkr, John D. G.\i,i.o\vay, Thomas Graham, Henry Devlin, John Newton, Geo. O'Brikn, Thomas H. Williams Robert Strachan, James McGregor, Mi nisi er of Mines. Deputy Minister of Mines. Provincial Mineralogist and .Usaycr. Proi'incinl .Inatysl and Assistant Assayer. Assistant Provincial Mineralogist. Chief Inspector of Mines, Victoria. District „ Nanaimo. Merrill. Nelson. GOLD COMMISSIONI'KS AND MTNTN'f; nF.rORDE I'.:- Mining Divisions. Location of Office. (iold (.'oniniis.sioiuT. Mining Recorder. Sub- Recorder. Atlin Mining Division. . Sub-offico Atlin Discovery J. A. Fraser W. G. Paxton.... R. Webster Telegraph Creek H W Dodd Summit Station GeofTrey Butler. W. H. Simpion. Wyniiton Haines (U.S.) .... (Com. for taking Affidavits) H. \V. Dodd Nahliri Telegraph Creek . . Boundary Telegraph Creek. H. W. Dodd J. F. Pilling. William Strong. Chas. H. Smith. Stikine Mining Division . . Sub-oflice Liard Mining Division . . . Skeena Mining Division.. Sub-office Prince Rupert J. H. McMuUin... ,J. H. McMullin H. H. Carney. ^j J. R. C. Deane. ^ A. Forsythe. Stewart (Portland Unuk River... . Anyo.x Stewart Prince Rupert Burt E. Daifv. J.' H. McMuIlin .' ; ■. (at Prince Rupert) J. H. MoMuUin... John Conway J. H. McMullin . . F. A. McKinnon. Portland Canal M.D Bella Coola Mining Div. . . Frank Broughton. I'ctrie S. Jack. W. Prescoll. Queen Charlotte Min'g D. Sub-ottice Queen Charlotte . .Ti'dwttv E. M. Sandilands. . E. M. Sandilands.. iwY C. Harrison. William Morgan. Omineca Mining Division. Sub-office Hazelton Fort Grahame.... Fort St James Stephen H. HoskinH Jas. E. Kirby John Ross. Alex. C. Murray. Manson Creek W. B. SUclc. ronn«r Citv P. R. Skinner. R. Gale. Terrace ■■■■••■;;■■■■■;;■• C. E. Doolittle. Babino Portage R. J. Camcrou. J. E. Hooson. Parsnip Rivera. . . . Wm. Fo». Pacific Smithers T. H. MeCubbin. Walter Nool. British Columbia, GOLD COMMISSIONERS AND MINING RECORDERS.— Con<.Hiterf. Mining Divnsions. Location of Office. Gold Commissioner. Mining Recorder. Sub-Recorder. Peace River Mining Div.. Fort St John F. W. Beatton .... Thomas A. Mansell. Pouce Coupe .... BarkerviUe Quesnel G. J. Duncan. Cariboo Mining Division. . Sub-office A. P. Halley. T. W. Heme. Henry Taylor. George Milburn. Quesnel Mining Division. . Sub-office 150-Mile House... Quesnel C. W. Grain (at BarkerviUe) Arthur Sampson... Clinton Mining Division . . Lillooet II Clinton Lillooet Caspar Phair E. T. W. Pearse II (at Kamloops) Hugh Hunter Caspar Phair E Fisher Kamloops Mining Division Kamloops H. P.Christie W. N. Rolfe L. A. Dodd Nicola Nicola Sub-Office Hope George Blue. F. M. Gillespie. Similkameen i, Princeton Hedley Hugh Hunter Vernon Mining Division . . Greenwood Mining Div. . . Sub-office Vernon Greenwood Vernon H. F. Wilmot W. R. Dewdney... H. F. Wilmot. Rock Creek H. Nicholson E. F. Ketchum. Grand Forks Min. Div.... Osoyoos Mining Division. . Sub-office Grand Forks Fairview Olalla S. R. Almond J. R. Brown S. R. Almond R. D. Tweedie R. W. Northey. F. M. Gillespie. Hedley Golden Mining Division . . Golden H. C. Rayson F. H. Bacon Ronald Hewat H. S. Clark Fort Steele Mining Div... Sub-office Cranbrook Steele N. S. A. Wallinger. Joseph Walsh. Geo. F. Stalker. Femie Moyie John P. Farrell. Alfred Dryden. Wm. J. Green. W. Simpson. A. N. Vars. Ainsworth Mining Div . . . Kaslo R. J. Stenson .... A. McQueen Trout Lake New Denver Sandon Slocan Trout Lake Nelson R. J. Stenson (at Kaslo) R. J. Stenson!'.!!! John Cartmel Angus Mclnnes . . . Slocan Mining Division... Sub-office W J Parhani. Slocan City Mining Div. . . Trout Lake Mining Div.. Nelson Mining Division . . Sub-office . . . Howard Parker. . . . A. N. Vars S. S. Jarvis Creston . Guy Loewenberg. Geo. S. Coleman. Yniir Sheep Creek James Thompson. G. A. Kennington. John Cartmel (at Nelson) Rubt. Gordon 1, (at Revelstoke) Walter Scott Sub-office H. F. Wilmot. Revelstoke Mining Div... Lardeau Mining Division . Revelstoke Beaton R. S. Squarebriggs. William A. Strutt. Newton R. Brown Mrs. A. H. Strutt. The Mineral Province of Canada. 43 GOLD COMMISSI MINING UECORDERS.-Conelu(ied. Mining Division. location of Otlice. fiold Conimissionor. Mining Recorder. Sub-Recorder. TraU Creek Mining Di v.. . Nansimo Mining Division Sub-office RoBsland Nanaimo I^iadysniilh H. R.Town8end... fieorge Thomson. .. H. RTowneend... George Thomson. . . John Stewart. H. F. Helmsing. iJavid Jones. Rock Bay W H Lines Alberni Mining Division. . (•hiyo.,uot yualaino Victoria Mining Division. . New Westminster Min. D. Alberni ciayo-ioot yuat«ino Victoria J. Kirkup » (at AlVjcrni) Herbert Stanton... F. C. Campbell.... W. T. bawiey .... 0. A. Sherberg.... Herbert Stanton... 1. Wintemute New Westminster. Harrison Uko.... L. A. Agassiz. J. Pelly. A.P. Grant!!!!!!! Vancouver Mining Div... Vancouver John Mahony VICTORIA, B.C.: CuLLiK, rrlnlcr lo llic King's Most Excellent MnJcBiy.