Report of Commander Folger and Lieut. Buckingham to the secretary of the United States navy, upon the nickel and copper deposits of Sudbury, Ontario [microform]
Permit me to add a few lines of preface to the Report of Commander Folger and Lieutenant Buckingham which here follows:
Public-domain full text preserved in the Mountain Man Mining Library. Original source: archive.org.
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Sir,—
Permit me to add a few lines of preface to the Report of Commander Folger and Lieutenant Buckingham which here follows:
The production of nickel steel and other alloys of nickel, for warlike appliances of every kind and description, has become a matter of the greatest commercial importance and that importance has been greatly enhanced within the last few days by the immense sums appropriated by the Russian, Knglish and United States' Governments for the strengthening of their navies
The world's supply of nickel is limited to two localities, one in the district arcund Sudbury, in the Province of Ontario, and the other is on the Island of New Caledonia, in the Southern Hemisphere, east of Australia,in one hundred and sixty five degrees east longitude and twenty three degrees south latitude.
At no other place and in no other country in the world has any nickel of any importance or commercial value ever been found,
As an alloy of nickel with steel now determines the value, strength and durability of steel, 1t also determines the strength, valne and durability of a navy made of steel.
The power of a nation's navy is now determining her place and power in the commercial world.
Itis a most remarkable fact that at the present time every great nation in the world desires to buy war ships, and it is still more remarkable that in no market in the world are any warships for sale,
Canada is the only country in the world which possesses both nickel and iron—what use has she made of these minerals? What use does she propose to make of them? These are very important questions. They are questions far more important than any commercial question before her Parliament or her Government. The importance of nickel and steel in a commercial way, was found out about ten years ago.
Members of Parliament have many times asked me: " ILas Canada really goi a supply of nickel sullicient to meet the wants of the world? Can she supply it as cheap or cheaper
than New Caledonia? Can Canada, by any means, have a monopoly of the production of this metal ? Can she refine it in this country and mix it with her iron and produce nickel steel?" To every one of these questions we have invariably answered, yes. But I have been called upon for the proof of my statements, and I here offer it.
In 1890 General B. F Tracy, the Secretary Jf the United States' Navy, after exhausted experiments, decided to adopt nickel steel for the use of the navy. But before doing so he said to me that he wished to assure himself that there was a sufficient supply of nickel at Sudbury, and that he wished to send his own commission of experts to Sudbury to examine all the deposits in that neighbourhood. He did send sucha commission. That commission made a report to him and the following pages of this pamphlet constitute this report and I think are abundant proot of my statements that Canada not only has an inexhaustible supply of this metal but that she can produce it at a cost far below that at which New Cal-
edonia can produce it aud that she thus has a.monopoly of
the world's use of this metal. As will be seen by the last page of this report the Canadian Copper Company owns six hundred and fifty millions of tons of this nickel and copper bearing ore. The immense importance of these figures can be best understood when [ state that this tonnage represents an amount more than five times as great as all the iron ore ever mined in the States of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota from the epening of the first mine in any of these States until the present day, and more than thirty times as great as all the nickel to be seen in the whole of New Caledonia.
The Sudbury ores taken as a whole carry about equal parts of copper and nickel. They vary from two per cent. to thirty per cent, of nickel and from two per cent. to thirty per cent. of copper. They could be successtully worked either as copper or nickel mines, but they can be more sucecessfully worked as both nickel and copper mines. But if they are to be of any benefit to Canada they must all be refined and manufactured in Canada. Thus far these immense deposits have been of little benefit to Canada and of no benefit to Canadians.
Canada's iron ore can be made of no use unless alloyed or mixed with nickel.
They cannot be alloyed or melted with nickel unless the nickel is refined in Canada so that the Canadian manufacturer of nickel iron or nickel steel can have his nickel at a price
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as much cheaper than his American competitor, as the American has to pay for import duty upon refined nickel.
They never will be refined in Canada while the Government permits them to be exported in a crude state.
The whole question, therefor, depends upon the Govern. ment exercising the power taken at the lust session of Parlia. ment and placing an export duty of two cents per pound upon copper and ten cents per pound npon nickel in the form of nickel and copper mattes. No figures less than these will prohibit its export in the form matte.
The expense of producing matte at Sudbury has been greatly cheapened since this report was made seven years ago, but the extent of the deposits has not changed, and the work. ing of the several properties since the making of the report has proven it to have been wonderfully correct.
The pamphlet which I have also sent you on "The Question of Export Duties on Nickel and Copper Mattes," will show you that Sudbury can produce nickel at about one half the price at which the New Caledonia Mines can produce it and lay it down in the markets of Europe or the United States, but I will not go farther. I ask you to read this report and when you have read it you will better understand from the highest official authority, the magnitude of the interest which Canada has allowed and is allowing to be wholly diverted from her own country.
S. J. RITCHIE. Russell House, Ottawa,
March 2Ist, 1898.
Report Of
COMMANDER FOLGER and LIEUTENANT BUCKINGHAM
The Secretary of the United States' Navy
—— Upon
The Nickel and Copper Deposits
Of Sudbury, Ontario.
BUREAU OF ORDINANCE. Navy DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, Oct. 14th, 1890.
HON. B. F. TRACY, Secretary of the Navy, Washington, D.C.
Sir,—
In obedience to the Department's order of the 28th ultimo, we proceeded to Cleveland, Ohio, and on the afternoon of the Ist instant were received by the Board of Directors of the Canadian Copper Company. These gentlemen informed us that every facility would be afforded to us to see their proper— ties in Canada, and the plant, progress and processes at their mines.
Myr. 8S. J. Ritchie, one of the Directors, was selected by the Board te accompany us, and he subsequently instructed the manager of the works to freely answer all our questions concerning the mines and the operations of the company at the various points under his management, and during our visit we found every indication of the desire on the part of the management and its employees to show us the exact state of affairs.
Wednesday night we left Cleveland. Arrived at Sudbury Friday alternoon in time to examine the mining operations at
se
the Copper Clifl Mine.' Saturday we visited the roasting beds and the smelting works at Copper Cliff, and were shown the indications of the line of ore deposits extending from the Kyans to the McConnell mines.
The same evening we went to White Fish Station, on the Algoma branch ot the Canadian Pacific Railway, and the next day visited the deposits Crean hill range and the Vermillion mine, returning to Copper Cliff to spend the night.
Monday we went to the Naughton Station on the same line, and from there rode to and saw the company's property in Creighton township. Tuesday we visited the Stobie mine and the works of the Dominion Company, at the quarter section marked DuCharme on the map (enclosure No. 1), Sir Hussey Vivians Works at the Murray Mine and the Worthington Mine belonging to the Dominion Company at the point
called Crean Mine on the map above referred to
Next morning we started on our return via Sault Ste. Marie, visiting on the l0th inst, the shops of the Gates Iron Works and Fraser &Chalmers,manufacturers of mining machin ery at Chicago, thence to Cleveland, Ohio, where we were again present at meeting of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Copper Company, and on ihe 12th inst., returned to our regular stations.
Having thus briefly summarized our itinerary we have the honour to submit the following general observations upon the mining district of Sudbury, and a more detailed description of the special points we visited
The Sudbury Mining District.
The presence of extensive and promising tracts of mineral deposits in what is now called the Province of Ontario has long been known, and as early as 1846 a report was made to the Canadian Government stating this fact, but saying that owing to the difficulties of access and the cost of transportation working these deposits must be delayed until railw - were constructed and freightage to markets thereby reduced
Enclosure No. 2. A map published by the Canadian Pacific Railway Company shows the situation o! this districtand the lines of railway now finished, and it was not until the construction of this railroad that the great value of these deposits were even moderately estimated. Mr. S. J. Ritchie's relations to the Canadian Government were such that he could obtain advantageous terms, teok out applications covering a
territory of about 100,000 acres, extending in a Northeasterly direction from Crean mine to Stobie, and embracing a belt of territory about 25 miles long, and from 8 to 7 miles broad, within which the mineral deposits were reported to lie. Up: on a more careful examination of this district he selected first the territory shaded red from the Evans to the Stobie mine, paying the price fixed by the Canadian Government and there by acquiring the title, and suffering the remainder which he had pre empted to revert to the State. The Canadian Copper Corppany which had been chartered January 6, 1886, (Capital
$2,000,000, afterwards, August 8, 1889, increased to $2,500,000, under the laws of the State of Ohio, and granted by special Act of the Canadian Government all the rights that it would have acquired under a Canadian charter, subsequently purchased the tracts of land colored purple, green and yellow in Denison township; that colored red in 'Creighton, and the quarter section called Stobie and colored yellow on the map.
These in the opinion of the company, based upon reports of its surveyors and prospectors, cover all the vvofitable deposits in the district. All of the beds of ore seem to lie between the strata of granite on one side and diorite on the other, and as those formations generally, plainly appear on the surface, they have guided the company in its selection of territory, That the company has, however, secured all the deposits of ore in the vicinity is by no means clear to us; but we are fully convinced from the surface indications and the borings and shafts already sunk, that they have an amount of mineral which cannot be exhausted by this generation. The surface indications are found in the belt previously mentioned and although they seem in each bounded by the walls of granite and diorite, more careful examination of the country when itis opened out may discover other valuable deposits connecting those owned by this company,
The general character of this country and the neighborhood for hundreds of miles, is broken by rocky ranges from 100 to 600 feet high, the bare rocks cropping out in many cases and the rest covered by a thin soil, upon which were pine forests. Between the hills are marshy valleys and numerous lakes and streams capable of furnishing abundant water power. As yet there are no roads, excepting in the immediate vicinity of the railways, and the country accessible
only on foot, except where trails have been cut to several points.
ie
heasterly
a belt of es broad, lie. Up. sted first bie mine, And there rhich he n Copper (Capital 900,000, special t would tly purellow in and the the map. h Teports ofitable m to lie Pon the pear on ction of all the us; but and the ount of 1 The ntioned valls of country leposits
ighbor- S from 1 many h were iS and infant in the 2ssible everal
me
'
About 18 years ago forest fires swept the whole neighborhood, and the standing trunks of immense pines are sur rounded bya second growth, which in the valleys is so dense as to be scarcely passable, and, with the fallen trees, slippery rocks and marshy land, renders even a prospector''s task difficult.
The Canadian Gopper Company claim to have spent thousands of dollars in surveying aud prospecting, and as they had the right of selection, if is reasonable to suppose, that with the great capital at their disposal, they did not leave much to otheis. The properties of the same companies mentioned are at the extremities of the belt, and muy be only the fringe of the main body of deposits. From our examination they appear to be in extent and capability hardly one per cent. of that owned by the Canadian Copper Co
The Crean Mine at the 8. W. extremity has been worked out and abandoned, and the Worthington Mine near the same seems to be only a pocket.
The Dominion Co's. mine at the other extremity seems to be nearly worked out; and the Murray Mine but comparatively small, Should other deposits be not found outside of the belt mentioned, the Canadian Copper Company would have practi cally everything. The others claim, however, to own Jarge tracts of land to the north and northwest, but the existence of ores therein is disputed and seeins to be doubtful. Neither company claims to be doing any work beyond prospecting at any points we did not visit.
The character of the ores in this district is technically described in the paper written by Dr. E. D. Peters, who was for a time manager of the Canadian Copper Company, and is annexed. (Enclosure No. 2 )
It is important to notice from an economic point of view, that these ores can be smelted in their natural state, that is, they do not require the admixture of fluxing substances. The dead pine timber found in great abundance in the neighbor. hood and which can be delivered at the furnaces at $1.80 per cord, is a good fuel for roasting, though hard wood would be better, but owing to the fusible qualities of the ores, and
intermixed rock, it answers the purpose. Coke is then the only material that has to be brought from abroad. This is procured from Pitisburgh, and can be delivered at the works at $7.00 per ton.
general processes are : Ist.--Mining. 2nd. —Roasting. 3rd.—Smelting.
The points selected for miiuing are determined from surface indications, and by examination of the substrata by a diamond drill. This drill cuts a core from the rock through which it passes, thus furnishing material for analysis of the substrata.
The convenience of working and transportation are of course considered, Should the deposits of ore be in large quantities on a hill-side, it is simply blasted off. but as they more frequently dip under the surface, mining by a series of levels is less expensive. A shaft is run at an angle determined by boring a convenient depth, and then the ore "blasted. out ot a large chamber, the miners working around the walls and — q ceilings, standing on the mass already thrown down until the — q work on this Jevel is exhausted.
The shaft in the meantime is continued to another level and another chamber worked as before. Shaft mining is also much better adapted to the severe winter climate than surtace work and is alone sullicient reason for its adoption here
The mass of rock and ore thrown down in the chambers is broken into handling sizes by the miners, the good ore separated from the rock and low grades, loaded into trucks, and hoisted to the crusher at the top of the shaft. Passing through this, itis divided by seives into three sizes, and falls into bins respectively. Before and after crushing the '' gangue" (non ore breaking rock) is picked out as much as possible. p
The rock from the chambers and low grade orearedumped — ¢ into a heap at one side. A
h
2nd—Roasting. Roast beds are prepared by levelling a surface on the ground, which should be well drained and hard. Upon thisa thin layer of the "fines" is layed, then a layer of pine wood from one and one half to two feet in thickness, — ¢ according to the fusibility of the ores; then 'coarse " and f "raegving" islaid on toa depth of about seven feet, and the — ¢ whole covered over with fines to confine the heat. Fires are started and the mass burns from forty to seventy days, it is 1 then broken up and transported into bins near the smelting ] furnaces. 7
Syd —Roasting. The furnaces are, spesking generally, ' vertical recepticals, into which combustion started at the
ermined from substrata by a rock through inalysis of the
station are of re be in large but as thev by a series of rie determined blasted out of he walls and owh until the
another level 1ining is also - than surface on here
the chambers the good ore into trucks, aft. Passing es, and falls the gangue" possible.
'e are dumped
y levelling a ied and hard. hen a layer of in thickness, ocarse " and feet, and the rat. Fires are y days, it is the smelting
2 generally, farted at the
bottom is continued through successive layers of coke and ore, the mineral fusing and running off as matte at the bottom, and the feeding continued at the top, as the mass smelts down
Various qualities of ores are in bins at the level of the charge door of the furnace, and the successive charges of ores and coke are weighed and shoveled into the same. A cold blast at the bottom stimulates. the combustion, and as the mass is fused it runs into a fore hearth from which the slag is drawn off at short intervals through a tap hole near the top, and the matte at longer intervals from the bottom.
Upon the disposition of the means of handling the material through its various stages, avoiding handling to the greatest possible extent, depends to a considerable degree economic production.
Having thus generally noticed the characteristics of the district, and the processes employed, we beg leave to give a detailed description of the mines and ore deposits as follows :
The Canadian Copper Cliff Co. :
The Cooper Mine and vicinity,
The Evans ve j,
The Stobie aa
The Vermillion u
The deposits in Creighton tow ee The Dominion Mineral. Company
The Blezzerd Mine,
The Worthington Mine,
The Crean Mine.
The Copper Cliff mine is situated on a branch road, the property of the Canadian Copper Company, about a mile from Copper Clitf Station, about four miles from Sudbury on the Algoma branch of the Canadian Pacific Railway, and was opened in the summer of 1886. The face of the hill about 60 feet high was blasted off and a shaft sunk at 45° into the earth. The mining is now on the fifth level, and the sixth about to be opened, the length of the shaft being about 600 feet; 56,534 tons of ore have been taken to the roast yard from this mine from the opening up to the Ist of October, 1890. At present about 180 tons of ore are crushed daily. There are no indications of decrease in the extent or richness of the ore. It does not appear in veins, but the entire mass seems ore of varying grades, with small quantities of rock intermixed. As the depth is increased the percentage of nickel in the ore somewhat increased with a corresponding decrease of copper.
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By
There is irregularity in the ore as to the proportions of the abovenamed minerals, one or the other predominating in spots ina way not to be predicted or accounted for.
The average amount of copper and nickel combined is about 8 per cent; six of copper and two of nickel. Specimens however, have been picked with copper running as high as 30 and nickel 15 per cent, but the presence of small de posits of abnormal richness can not be considered as indicative of the richness of the mine, as regularity promises greater extent of the deposits.
ane plant consists of a hoisting engine, with two drums and cables, one No, 5 Blake crusher, 15 inches x 9 inches aperture. with selves for sorting ore, capable of crushing about. 400 tons of the kind of ore taken from this mine in 24 hours. A steam pump and reservoir tor compressing air for the rock drills a small machine for making repairs, two boilers, furnishing about 80 horse power, which suffices to run all of the machinery, one steam pump used at the lower level of the mine, which condenses into the tank if pumps from: one small pump run by compressed air for filling this tank, end four rock drills, also run by aix. In addition are the ore trucks and utensils for blasting. breaking and handling the ore
Near this mine are the oflices of the company, and about 40 log houses for the employes and their families. The ore from the bins under the crusher drops into dumping ears upon the railroad track, which connects with the roast yard, This track runs up grade on to a trestle work about a mile long leading towards the smelting furnaces. On one side
of this trestle, the level of which is about J5 feet higher, the ground is levelled off tor the roast beds about 2,000 feet aloag the track and from 15 to 75 feet wide. the ore from the cars falls throveh a chute in hand barrows, by which it is distribut.- ed over the beds After roasting the ore is carried in hand barrows to a track running parallel to the other on the opposite side of the trestle, and on the level of the road beds This track leads to the smelting furnaces and the ore is dumped into the bins thereat. The present capacity of the roast yards is about 60.000 tons. This can be easily increased to 90,000 b preparing the ground near it at small expense, and indefinitely by lengthening the trestle, and cutting into the hill sides at no great expense
At the time of our visit about 35,000 tons of raw ore were in the roast yards The work in the yards is done by contract, and at present about 75 men are shiphoger The company pro.
ortions of the hating in spots
] combined jg el. Specimens yas high as 30 nl deposits of licative of the ater extent of
h two drums S xX 9 inches rushing about in 94 Hotere: for the rock boilers, furun all of the level of the S from: one lis tank, end the ore trucks he ore y, and about imilies. The to dumping th the roast rk about a On one side higher, the ) teet aloag in the cars is distribut. ed in hand the opposite beds This lumped inust yards is 90,000 by nudefinitely ill sides at
W ore were Y contract, npany pro.
1]
vides fuel. plant and tools, and the contract price is 20 cents per ton from bins and off cars on to the beds; and 80 cents per ton off beds into cars, and into bins at smelting furnace. Total from bins at the mines to bins at the furnace 50 cents per ton.
Working full power, the beds can be used about four times a year, that is, counting the times occupied in bedding, roasting and clearing the beds, it can hardly average less than three months. the full yearly capacity of the present yard 1s 240,000 tons. By additions that could be made in one month the yearly capacity could be ircreased to 300,000 tons,
All the roasting of the Canadian Copper Company done at this point.
In connection with the line of tracks from the main line, and roast yards are the smelting fur naces. The plant here consists of two Herreshoff Water Jacketed furnaces, with two complete sets of blowers, either of which has sufficient power to supply the blast for both furnaces.
The two levels of tracks are conveniently disposed for economical handling, the upper level dumping into the bins, on the level of the feeding platform, the bape bic ores, Taw 'fines' and "coke," and the lower he away the matte, loaded from whee it lies level with the platform of the cars.
The Herreshot! furnaces are an ate ican patent, and said to be the best used. One has reduced 187 tons ol the ore from these mines in one day, and the manager and furnace man said that, running without forcing, 135 tens could easily be reduced. English furnaces of the same size do not reduce more than 50 tons per diem.
The Manager and Chemist at the works said the average of the last month's production was that about 4 tons of ore pro duced one ton of matte. The directors say that the records of the oflice show that, since the smelting works were started about five tons of ore produced one ton of matte,
The ores from the three bins are smelted here, the Company having no other furnaces, and they are combined so as to smelt readily. One ton of coke is used for every ton of matte run off.
At the time of our visit only one furnace was running the other was repairing, the average daily production of matte for 25 tons. Mr. Ritchie said the Company These built in the desired
will be
the last month was 2 was contracting for ten furnaces of sianlar design. would be built in Canada, if they could be
time, if not, all or part from the United States. He said they
could be built, delivered and set up within six months.
The full capacity of the two furnaces per diem would be about 60 tons of matte. The matte averages about 17 per cent nickel and 25 per cent copper.
The daily output of nickel at this rate 10.2 tons, and for ten furnaces at the same rate 50-4)
There is at present ahout 6,500 tons of matte ready for delivery, and the ore on the roast beds will produce abort 6,000 tons more, containing 1105 and 1020 tons of nickel respectively.
To run one furnace the following men are required :—
One weigher, Two engineers, Two furnace men. Two slag wheelers, Two chargers,
One yard man
Total, ten men at an average pay of $1.80 per diem.
Attached to the furnaces isa well fitted laboratory with F. L.Sperry, chemist, in charge, and two assistants. Here each run of matte is analysed and assays made of ores as needed.
The whole disposition of the plant is well planned for working with economy, and it will be observed that the ores are handled but four times: Ist, into the cars from the mines 2nd. into the crusher, 3rd, off the roast-beds, 4th, into the furnace, at other operations it falls by gravity into or from the bins or cars.
To increase the plant, the company has purchased a Gates Crusher from the Gates Iron Works at Chicago, and it With its accessories, is now on the grounds ready to be set ap. It is the largest size they make (No, 8,) and with three appertures IS inches by 42 inches each and its capacity 1s stated in the catalogue of the makers 100 to 150 tons per hour, Mr. Gates, whom we saw in Chicago, stated that it would crush 200 tons of the friable ores, of Sudbury per hour. This will give a total per diem capacity at the Canadian Copper Company's mines of 6.000 tons.
The Vicinity Of The Copper Cliff Mine,
Starting from the hill into which the shaft of this mine is sunk, we rode over a range of hills to the point named on the map 'McConnell Mine," a distance along the range of about miles. On the hill just back of the shaft of the Copper
nS wk a
He said they
diem would be about 17 per
tons, and for
atte ready for produce abort tons of nickel
required ;—
ber diem. boratory with ts. Here each sas needed,
1 planned for that the ores 'om the mines 4th, into the fo or from the
purchased a Icago, and it to he set ap. ith three ap- 3 Capacity is ons per hour, lat it would 'hour. This dian Copper
Mine.
this mine is med on the re of about the Copper
Cliff Mine, borings have
run the plant. Cliff, about 400 tons maximum per diem, 32,817 tons of ore are
been made all finding good ores. One was sunk to a depth of 291 feet at 15 degrees from perpen:
dicular and the core extracted showed good ore for 226 along
this length. Following along the ridge, which we estimated was from 100 to 250 feet above the level of the valley at Copper Cliff and from 300 to 1,000 feet broad at base, the surface indications are continuous. At the Lady Macdonald Mine, and the McConnell Mine the hills of ore were most conspicuous and at places ofeach the surface had been blasted away to a depth of several feet where rich ore unaffected by exposure was found. The surface indications are so evident that no expert knowledge is needed to pick out the ore bearing rock, which is reddish brown, and quite friable, very different from the granite and diorite ranges which bound it. The assays of both the above
mines show rich ore, better than at Copper Cliff, and in the case of the Lady Macdonald, blasting at the top ofthe hill and about 150 feet lower at the small lake finds good ore, leading the prospectors to assert that the hill was a rich mass through out.
From this range to Stobie Mine, the land is lower and the country hardly passable. We are told that surface indications at various points connected these with the range of Stobie deposits three miles to the northeast. We did not attempt to ride through this country.
Specimens from the various points blasted out were procured on the spots, and can be analysed if the Department so directs.
The Evans Mine is situated about 14 miles 8. W. of Copper Cliff Station, near the Algoma Branch of tae C. P. R., and is connected therewith by a half mile of track owned by the company. It was opened in the summer of 1886, but work was not pressed, and in 1887 only a depth of 2) feet was reached. Now the shaft runs down to a second level of 186 feet from the collar of the shaft. The first level has been blasted to the surface, and a large pit about 90 feet deep and 200 feet in diameter is exposed. The sides appear to be for the greater part, ore, and no limit has yet been reached.
The mining plant here is practically the same as at the Copper Cliff. The hoisting machinery, however, is somewhat
heavier, and the steam power is provided by a battery of four
boilers, capacity of 22 O. H. P., of which two are suflicient to The crusher capacity is the same as at Copper
been taken from this mine to roast previous to October 1st
1890, At present about 180 tons are crushed daily. min The grade of the ore is not quite as high as at Copperf?Y
Clitl, and averages about 7 per cent. Some roasting has been & done here. but in future all the ores will be taken to the main roast yards. A short line about one half mile, connects with the main line and facilities for handling ores 1re the same as at Copper Clift
The Vicinity Of The Evans Mine.
A granite range between the hill now worked at Kelly Lake seems to bound the deposits in a south-westerly direction. The company owns the lots which are shaded by hatching in addition to those colored red on the map. Surface indications are found to the north connecting with the Copper Cliff range, aud the hill halfway between has prumising deposits ; thence across the valley to Copper Cliff are no surface indicatioas nor have any borings heen made, but it is thought that the
bed of ore connecting the two may be found at a moderate depth
The Stobie Mine is situated about three and one-half miles north of Sudbury. near a branch of the Canadian Pacific Railway built to serve this and the Blezzard mine, and connected therewith by a one fourth of mile of track owned by the Canadian Copper Co. It was opened during the summer of ISS7 by running twotunnels horizontally 100 feet into the hillside about 150 feet apart, both of which developed excellent ore. Since then m1 ane has been carried on by simply blasting off the face of the hill to about 50 ft. depth and 300 ft. across the face No limit to the deposit has yet been reached, 15,700 tons of ore having been carried from this mine to the roast vard up to October Ist, 1890. and the daily average at present is LLU tons
The mini ng pla it is about the same as at the vans mine, one Blake No. 6 crusher, drilling and hoisting machinery.
The blasted rock is broken up in the pit, loaded by hand into buckets which are dumped ito trucks, hoisted up an Inciine to the crusher, and thence passing to the bins.
The percentage of nickel and copper at this mine is r of the others. hardly averaging above 5
per cent,, but several pockets very rich in nickel have been worked,
arte Yess re smaller than eithe
The ore is remarkable for its fluxing qualities and forms
less fusible ore of the other
a valuable mixture to smelt the
gop
a October Ist "
pad Mines, and entirely obviates the necessity of the addition of Pega Coppeyany foreign fluxing substances. ting has bee, , The crushed ore is carried on cars to the roast yard at fe fo the main Gopper Cliff.
Il + bd hoa . THE VICINITY OF THE STOBIE MINE
ae Stobie is, in the opinion of the Canadian Copper Co,, the
LINE Horthwest limit of the valuable belt of ore dep sits passing
: Over the hill now worked which is about 0 feet high and 'ked at Kelly about 600 at the base and seems almost entirely a rly direction mass of ore, and over a valley a ridge is found extending ' hatching i to the southwest in the direction of the Lady Macdonaid mine. 'e Indications The range is almost bare of timber, and the deposit could be
er Cliff range easily seen We were told the length of the range was two Pm Be, (ae ; F Me
Sits; thence Miles, but we did not take time to go over the whole of it e Indications The height is estimated from 50 to 100 feet above the level of
tht that the the R.R.. at Stobie. and from 300 to 1,000 across the base of the & moderate Mounds forming the ridge
The Vermillion Mine And Vicinity.
ne-hal] : A eee ; : ail .
jan pitiles By this we mean that portion in Denison Township
ee ome shaded yellow and purp'e on the map. To reach it, it was "7. CON- necessary to ride over a trail from Whitefish Station as shown
Wned by the Into the hil).
by arrows on the map. After leaving the fork to which a cart might have passed, there was nothing but a path through
the woods, diflicult of access on horseback. the first surface
Se ck indications were at the commencement of the ridge sketched and 300 fk on the map where the trail turned to the lett. Here the 2 reache rf indications of ore were unmistakable, and Across the valley to nine to th the north of the small lake, was a large hill of the ore. AS Average ae Along this ridge we rode for nearly three miles following Se atl a continuous line of surface indications, the most important of ans mine which was Crean Hill. It is hard to estimate the extent of nerr. oy this deposit, the country was covered with undergrowth and iy he the ascents and descents over the ridges were precipitous. We tad ms re should judge, however. that the base of the ridge averaged at van least 500 feet, and that the hillocks were trom 150 to 300 feet cae high, the surface showing the evident appearance of ore- Mine ig bearing rock. above 5 Crean Hill was stated by the guide to be 300 feet above ave been the level of the lake near by. and we should jndge it not overestimated. The base of the mound was over 1200 feet, Ms forms A sample of ore was taken in our presence, from the other unbroken surface which assayed 26 per cent copper and one
of nickel.
Passing down from this ridge we came to avalley between it and the nickel hill on the map marked 'Gold Mine." At the upper end of this a halt mile from the lake is the Vermillion mine This was worked by a company for gold, a shaft sunk io about 60 feet and then abandoned. We found tie shaft filled with water. Here and along the trail to the fork in the road quartz crops out at intervals with indications of gold. An Arsenside of Platinum, a metal heretofore unknown, has been found here. was brought to the attention of the metallurgists by Mr. Sperry and named 'Sperry: lite.' It is found by washing the sand, and the assays of the sand in this valley have shown as high as 70 ounces of platinum per ton. The extent and value of this was not realized by Mr. Ritchie previous to this visit, and his observation at this time will probably lead to the development of this tract.
At the top of the hill on the other side of this valley a shaft had been sunk from which a quantity of ore extremely rich in nickel had been taken, Specimens have assayed up to 40 per cent. of this material. From two heaps of several hundred tons each a number of specimens were taken and sent to the Department as samples. They will probably be found to contain a high percentage of nickel. Whether the limit of this pocket had been reached we cannot say. The man living near in charge of the place and the prospector with us said not. The distance from the railroad and impossibility of transport may be the reason of not previously developing a mine which promises so well. On our return to Whitefish Station we met a Mr. Ahn, who is setting up assaying works in the neighborhood, who came to see Mr. Ritchie regarding the richness of the valley near the Vermillion mine. This tract was not purchased by the Canadian Copper Co. until this year, though they claim to have had previously a part ownership.
The Deposits In Creighton Township.
These we reached from the railway above Naughton Station by a ride of live miles through an almost inaccessible country.
The size of the deposit is far more striking than any we visited. It is a mound ofthe general dimensions shown in this sketch, the dimensions of which are estimated. The height of tho mound is taken from the level of a body of water as indicated on the map. The hill, over the greater part of which we rode, seems to he entirely ore bearing rock, Mr.
Ritchie claims it to be the largest visible body of ore known He had scarcely seen it before and had no idea of its extent, He has alrcady given orders to cut a road into it immediately, and to survey for a railway line to be rmn from Copper Cliff, or a convenient point, on the Algoma branch of the Canadien Pacific Railway. No assays have been made of the ore of this deposit, and we can only say that the indications of an Immense deposit were more striking here than at any other point.
This property was acquired by this company in 1886 and 7.
The Dominion Mineral Company.
The Blezard Mine. This. the principal mine of the com. pany, is situated on a branch built by the Canadian Pacifie Railway, and owned by it, in the quarter section marked "DuCharmb" on the map, and colored yellow. It is about four and one-half miles north of Sudbury, and it is the northern extreme now worked or known to usto exis!. The Canadian Copper Company claim to have had this property at their option for two vears, and to have rejected it as not worth acquiring. We have read a report made by this Company by Mr. J. D. Evans, a surveyor and at present the manager of the Cana. dian Copper Company's works, who appeared a most efficient and trustworthy man, in which he states that he did not consider the property worth working. Three shafts are sunk into the hill vertically, about a hundred fect apart. The main one is sunk about 90 feet, and the chambers worked from this level. They extend for about 200 feet in each direction, and the manager said that since July 15, 1889, 45,000 tons of the ore had been taken out. The rumors in the neighborhood are that the mine had been worked out, but they were from competitive sources. The chambers seem well cleaned from ore, and though lighted by electricity, we could see but few evidences of active mining. Mr. Evans said that the floor of the chamber was rock. The manager claimed a daily' product of 180 tons of ore; that if took from 9 to 12 to make 5 of matte and that this averaged from 20 to 30 per cent nickel and from 12 to 15 per cent copper.
The hill which was being worked was about 100 feet high and about 500 feet in diameter. We saw no evidence of other deposits near, and the manager claimed none. The plant' is excellent, and copied after that of the Copper Cliff mine in the
Is
selection of machinery. One Blake No. 5 crusher, and rock drilling and pumping machinery of the same pattern as before mentioned—the whole rather better installed than at the Copper Cliff Mine. Tae roast beds, however, were placed all about the grounds and could not be so economically handled. We counted 26 heaps in all and estimated there was about 13,00) tons of ore upon them.
In the smelting works is one furnace similar to those at the Canadian Copper Company's works, with similar accessories. They had not more than ten tons of matte on hand, in two heaps. Which they claimed to assay 30 and 33 per cent of nickel. We procured samples from each pile which can be assayed if the Department directs. The manager claimed that the company owns 5,000 acres of land upon which were 9 places they con'emplated working, 6 for copper and 38 for nickel. He spoke of the Worthington Mine as being the richest, and gave us a sample of ore which he claimed would assay 40 per cent nickel. He said that one shaft had been sunk 72 feet (Crean Mine) one 25 feet (W orthingtouw Mine) and at four other places cross-cuts had been blasted Although the deposits at Crean Mine as shown on the map had been represented to us as worthless owing to his representations we visited them
The Worthington Mine is situated on the Algoma branch of the Canadian Pacilic Railroad, about 7 miles west of White lish Station. We found a mound abont 50 feet high and 50 in diameter with a small shaft sunk in the middle about 25 feet deep. From it had been taken a few tons of ore, which appeared quite rich in nickel. The man in charge, however, said it appeared to be only a pocket and that the end had been probably reached. He mentioned one very fine specimen of ore,
half of which he had sent to the principal office, and showed us the other half of the piece we had in our possession, As the property is alongside a railroad, now seven years in active operation, it seems reasonable to suppose that 1t does not pay to work.
The Crean Mine is within a few hundred feet of the Worthington. The shaft was sunk by previous owners to a depth of about 70 feet, and was abandoned as unprofitable. No work has been done on it since.
The Murray Mine is situated on the main line of the Canadian Pacific Railroad, two and one half miles N.W. of Sudbury. Mr. Ritchie claims that this mine was also at the
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option of the Canadian Copper Co., and rejected. The railway cuts through the deposits. On the left side is a hill about 75 feet above the track and extending about 300 feet perpendicular to and 150 feet along the same. "This embraces all the deposit claimed on this side of the railroad. On the other is a mound about 15 feet high, and extending 100 feet perpendicular to and 70 feet along the track. Both of these are evidently or ore bearing rock. Beyond the mound on the north side of the track, across the marsh about 100 feet wide, another small deposit was visible, which the manager claimed extended to the N.E. for miles, he knew not how many. They were making no preparation to work these latter deposits and there existence is disputed The manager says another Company owns the section north of them, but beyond that they owned a large territory.
There is one shaft sunk in the hill on the south side of the track toa depth of 60 feet, and from this they are taking small quantities of ore, which is handled in hand-barrows. They have a small crusher of not over 75 tons capacity per diem. The furnac 2 ls of the English Bee the same as used in the company's works at Swansea, England. I[t can reduce about 40 tons of ore per diem, and has been in operation about three weeks. Anothersimilar but larger furnace is building. The works are not economically planned for working on an extensive scale.
Eight thousand tons of ore have been mined in the last year and a half since the mine was opened. The ore runs about two per cent of copper and nickel.
The matters 8 per cent nickel and4 per cent copper. The manager said he had orders to mine 40,000 tons next year The place cannot in any way be considered as a competitor of the Canadian Copper Company.
General Summary.
Canadian Copper Company. Dominion. Viviants.
Acres ownedknown tous. 18,000 480 820 Additional claimed 5,000 4,000 Amount of ore taken from
mines to October Ist 105,000 45,000 8,000 Daily furnace capacity,
Estimate of tons of ore
above surface of ground in deposits seen by us 650,000,000 2,500.000 240,000
We visited the Fraser and Chalmers Co., and the Gates Iron Works in Chicago, where the various statements concerning the capacity of the plant and embodied in this report were verified.
Very respectfully, WM. M. FOLGER, Commander U.S. Navy, b. H. BUCKINGHAM, Lieutenant U.S Navy.