Reprint of a report on the origin, geological relations and composition of the nickel and copper deposits of the Sudbury mining district, Ontario, Canada [microform]

Barlow, Alfred E. (Alfred Ernest) · 1907 · Historical

Sm,—I beg to transmit, herewith, my revised report on the Origin, Geological Relations and Composition of the Nickel and Copper Deposits of Sudbury, Ontario

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Geological Survey Of Canada

A. P. Low, Deputy Head And Director Reprin" Of A Report

Origin, Geological Relations And Composition

Nickel And Copper Deposits

Sudbury Mining District

Ontario, Canada

ALFRED ERNEST BARLOW, M.A., D.Sc.

Ottawa

Printed By S. E. Dawson, Printer To The King'S Most Excellent Majesty

CA NADA NATIONAL CBR ALY BIBLIOTHEQUE NATION aif

Government Publications Collection

Ces Publications Du Gouveknement

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Geological Survey Of Canada

4. P. Low, Deputy Hbad And Director

Reprint Of A Report

Origin, Geological Relations And Composition

Of The

Nickel And Copper Deposits

Of The

Sudbury Mining District

Ontario, Canada

ALFRED ERNEST BARLOW, M.A., D.Sc.

Bee

OTTAWA PRINTED BY 8S. E. DAWSON, PRINTER TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY

No, 961

Deae. 1985

I gut

To A. P. Low, Esq., Director, Geological Survey of Canada.

Sm,—I beg to transmit, herewith, my revised report on the Origin, Geological Relations and Composition of the Nickel and Copper Deposits of Sudbury, Ontario, my original report of 1904 having run out of print. This report includes brief references to the character and extent of all the more important nickel deposits of the world, with a general statement of their production and methods of _.elting and refining. Details of the mining, smelting and refining operations of the Sudbury ores are furnished, as well as complete statistical tables of production, prices, uses and composition of the nickel of commerce. It is believed that the report will serve to bring together in one volume all of the more valuable and critica) original investigations in regard to these immense and apparently inexhaustible deposits.

Canada has realized the true importance and value of these mines and has, at last, taken her position, from which she will not recede, of being the largest producer of nickel in the world.

I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant,

ALFRED ERNEST BARLOW. Geotoaica, Survey Orrice,

Orrawa, January, 1907,

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THE NICKEL AND COFVER DEPOSi ss SUDBURY, ONTARIO.

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F*-.: m years having elapsed since the appearance of the first off ix, . d detailed account of these famous ore bodies, (') coupled wi b+ fact of a renewed and even increased interest and activity in i.e mining of nickel, marked the time as most opportune when another attempt should be made to arrive at a more accurate and complete understanding of the true nature and extent of these deposits which have proved such a valuable asset to Canada, Besides, the first edition of the map of the Sudbury Mining district, published in 1891, to accompany a report by Dr. Robert Bell on the geology of this area (,), had nearly all been distributed, and this in spite of the fact that the Bureau of Mines of Ontario had on several occasions issued special editions of practically the same geological map to accompany the Annual Reports of their department, as, for instance, in the years 1802 and 1600. In addition it was felt that although the general

accuracy and uscfulness of this map had never been questioned it was lacking in certain details which are now known to bo of the first importance, and which are most essential for a proper interpretation and judgment of these deposits. Thus, on the first map, the intrusive mass with which the Chicago and Victoria mines occur is entirely separated from a band of similar rock, along the southern borders of which the Gertrude, Creighton and North Star deposits are situated, whereas it has now been ascertained that all of these properties are developed along the southern boundary of one large and continuous band, constituting the southern or principal belt of the nickel bearing eruptive. Again, on this first map, no distinction is drawn between the masses or belts of nickel bearing norite, and certain older horn-

(1) Ann. Rep, Geol. Ser. Can., Vol. a part 8, 1890-91, pp. 122-138. (2) Ann. Rep. Geol. Sur. Can, Vol. V., part F 1890-91, pp. 1-96.

6 Geoluwival Survey Of Canada

blende porphyrites, diorites and green schists, which, although closely related to, and often ressembling the norite, are altogether barren of deposits of the valuable sulphide material. This resemblance is particularly striking when, as is frequently the case, both have undergone more or less pronounced metamorphism. It is, therefore, not surprising that in the first instance they were confounded and mapped together. Moreover, the presence of the-norite as a distinct geological unit was not suspected until long after this first work was completed, the associated greenstones being considered as portions of the norite which had been metamorphosed by the intrusion of the younger granite masses. Even the Bureau of Mines' map of 1902, which should have furnished the latest information in regard to this area, made no attempt whatever either to correct the more glaring inaccuracies in the geological boundaries, or to trace out the important line of separation between the nickel bearing eruptive proper and the closely related, though barren greenstones,

In undertaking this new work it was felt that by confining operations as closely as possible to the area characterized by the presence of the sulphide bearing norite and other kindred eruptives a more accurate knowledge would be obtained of the mineralogical composition, structure and age relations of the various rock masses, while at the same time the boundaries between the several formations could be drawn with a much greater degree of precision.

Two map sheets have been prepared to accompany this report, called respectively the ' Victoria Mines' and 'Sudbury' maps, each on a scale of one mile to an inch. The former covers an area of 220 and the latter 210 square miles, making a total of 480 square miles. The principal new work on the Victoria mines map has been the outlining of the two smaller bands of norite south of the Canadian Pacific railway. One of these, crossing the southeast corner of Drury, extends completely across the southern part of the township of Denison. This band, which comes to an end east of the Vermilion river, contains the Worthington, Mitchener and Totten mines. The first mentioned of these mines is famous as having produced the richest nickel ore in the district. On the other band, which forms the prominent ridge to the south of McCharles and Simon lakes on the Whitefish Indian reserve, no deposit of any economic importance has been found. The boundaries of the intrusive mass of younger granite which extends across the northern and central parts of Graham township, and thence into Snider and Waters townships, have also been outlined with considerable care. It is to be regretted that time did not permit the separation of the norite and the older greenstones and schists, but the geological work done in 1901 was

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Introduction 7

intended to cover the whole of the southern belt in one season, and at the time it was considered more important to ascertain definitely the continuity or otherwise of the southern or main nickel range. The main mass of the norite, therefore, which runs northeast from the Victoria mines, was followed through the northern part of the township of Denison, and thence across the Vermilion river into the southern part of the township of Creighton, thus making connexion with the other mass of similar basic intrusive rocks which had been shown on geological maps previously issued. With the exception of a somewhat critical examination of some of the outcrops of the peculiar differentiation produet, or 'micropegmatite' phase of the norite, exposed on the shores of Skill and Fairbank lakes, no new work has been done in the northwestern and western parts of this area, and the outlines of the formations are reproduced from the old geological map.

The geology of the region compriged in the Sudbury map sheet has all been revised, with special attention to tracing out the boundaries of the various masses of norite and separating this nickel bearing eruptive from the older greenstones. This map will serve to show in a very emphatic manner the intimate association of this peculiar eruptive, and the various nickel deposits, and the invariable development of the latter along the line of junction between this and the neighbouring rocks. In addition to these two map sheets, which exhibit on an adequate scale not only the general geological features, but also the relative position of all the more important mines, there are three other maps, each on a scale of 400 feet to an inch, which may be referred to as mining geological plaas. These have been prepared with more care, and all details of topography, buildings, openings, &c., have been laid down as accurately as possible from surveys made by means of the transit and chain. They are expected to be of especial value to the individual companies whose properties they represent, but at the same time they will illustrate in detail many of the characteristic features of association, which most of these deposits possess in common with one another. The two sheets showing the district in the vicinity of the International Nickel Company's mines at Copper Cliff, and extending from Kelley lake on the south to the Lady Violet mine on the north, cover an area of about nine square miles. The third map sheet, which shows the geology in the neighbourhood of the Murray and Elsie mines, as well as the position of the various mining buildings, covers an area of nearly two square miles. The following bulletin is based mainly on the field work carried on during the seasons of 1901 and 1902. A short account of what was accomplished each year has already appeared in the Sum-

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8 Geological Survey Of Canada

mary Reports of the Geological Survey Department.(1) In addition to this and other information which has appeared from time to time in the official publications of the Geological Survey Department and the Bureau of Mines of Ontario, certain details of original investigation, which throw much additional light on the origin and association of these deposits, have appeared in various scientific periodicals, many of which are not very easy of access to the ordinary reader. It has been the purpose of the writer, in the preparation of the following report, to bring together and make use of much of this widely scattered information, and by thus supplementing his own, render the present publication of wider application and greater service to the

public.

in carrying out the field work the author was materially aided by Dr. Ludwig Mond, of London, England, under an agreement by which he was partially relieved from his duties on the Survey, during the six months from July 1 to December 81, 1901.

Much of the accuracy which the accompanying maps are believed to possess is due to the efforts of Mr. James White, Dominion Geographer, who kindly undertook the direction of the surveys necessary for a detailed mapping on a large scale of the area examined. This included in 1901 a traverse, by means of transit and steel band chain,

'of the main line of the Canadian Pacific Railway, from Wanapitei

station to the northern boundary of the township of Dowling, a short distance northwest of Onaping station. The 'Sault' branch was similarly surveyed from Sudbury Junction as far west as Worthington station. Connexion was made with the observatory at Rayside, occupied by Astronomer O. J. Klotz. The position of this temporary observatory, in the township of Rayside, is stated by Mr. Klotz to be 606 feet west of the line between lots 2 and 8, in con. 1, and 441 feet north of the centre line of the Canadian Pacific railway. Its at.ronomical position, as determined by Mr. Klotz, is Long. 81°, 05', 38" W. and Lat. 46°, 32,' 47" N. This position was accepted and the projection of the map framed in accordance therewith. In 1902, Mr. White carried on similar detailed surveying necessary for the preparation of the two large scale map sheets of the area in the vicinity of the International Nickel Company's mines at Copper Cliff.

In the whole of this work the author had the advantage of the zealous and able assistance of Mr. O. E. Leroy, M. A. Sc., formerly Demonstrator in Geology at McGill University, Montreal, and this opportunity is taken to express his keen appreciation of Mr. Leroy's untiring efforts to promote, in every way, the objects of the work.

(1) Sum. Rep. Geol. Sur. Can. (1901) pp. 141-145, (1902) pp. 252-267.

Previous Examinations And Descriptions 9

By kind permission of Dr. J. B. Porter, and with the approval of the University authorities, the magnetic separation of these ores was carried on in the mining laboratories of McGill University by Mr. W. M. Ogilvie, B.A. Se.

Most of the assays and analyses are the work of Mr. Donald Locke, a graduate of the School of Mines, Freiberg, Germany, who for a short time was attach.d to this department as metallurgist and assayer,

The author desires to express thanks for information and assistance to Dr. Ludwig Mond, Dr. Bernhard Mohr and other officials of the Mond Nickel Company; to President A. P. Turner, Captain Lawson and other officers of the International Nickel Company, resident at Copper Cliff, Ont.; to the representatives of the Lake Superior Power Company, Great Lakes Copper Company and H. H. Vivian and Company, who were stationed in the district. It would be difficult to mention by name all those who, either with information or otherwise, have assisted in the object of these investigations, but the author would like in this connexion to express his deep gratitude to the residents of Sudbury, Copper Cliff and Victoria Mines, who showed him the greatest kindness and consideration during his sojourn in their midst.

Previous EXAMINATIONS AND DESORIPTIONS.

The literature in regard to the nickel and copper deposits of the Sudbury mining district has already reached such large proportions that it seems advisable in passing to make brief mention of some of the principal publications which show evidence of original research, the results of which have added materially to our knowledge of the nature of the occurrences of these immense ore bodies. These deposits of pyrrhotite, with their unusually high content of nickel, and intimately associated chalcopyrite, are of importance, not only from the - economic standpoint, but also from the point of view of science, as having furnished such strong presumptive evidence for regarding these, and similarly related deposits, as of igneous origin, and due to processes of differentiation in the original magma, from which they and the associated eruptive rocks have solidified.

The discovery of nickel at the Wallace mine in 1846,(1) although creating some excitement at the time, was soon forgotten, as well as the prediction which has since been amply verified, that deposits of both nickel and cobalt of economic importance would yet be located

8 a Rep. of Progress, Geol, Sur. Can., 1848-49, ; 61-63; Geol. of Can, p.

10 Geological Survey Of Canada

in this region. Attention was again drawn to the subject by the finding in 1856(1) of nickel and copper on Salter's meridian line, a little over six miles north of Whitefish lake, and less than half a mile southwest of the main pit of the present celebrated Oreighton mine, probably the largest deposit of nickeliferous pyrrhotite in the world. This wes again Icst sight of, or the discovery considered of no importance, perhaps because of the meagre information in regard to its occurrence, but more likely on account of the wild and inaccessible nature of the district in which the deposit had been found. The building of the Canadian Pacific railway quickly changed these conditions, and in less than ten years from the first opening of this means of access to the district all the mines which are at present working had been located.

The first statistics which were published concerning these deposits related to the export of copper ore in 1886, amounting to 8,307 tons, with a declared customs value of $16,404. () In 1887, this quantity had decreased to 567 tons, valued at $3,416. The disesvory of nickel in the ore about this time decided the Canadian Copper Company to install the neceseary part for the production of nickel and copper matte, and in the preparation for this and other mining development work no exports are recorded from this district in 1888.

In October, 1887, Mr. J. H. Collins visited the Sudbury region to examine into the extent and economic possibilities of the so-called copper mines. On June 6th, 1888, he read a paper before the Geological Society of London, ' On the Sudbury Copper Deposits, in which he embodied the resulte of these examinations, which, however, seem to have been restricted mainly to the area in the immediate vicinity of the Copper Cliff and Stobie mines. 'An abstract of this paper was afterwards published, () accompanied by two cross sections of the mines above menticned, showing the geological association and position of these deposits. The author considers the main ore bodies to have been the result of secondary action, the sulphides occupying fissures along certain lines of weakness, produced by the intrusion of igneous material. In the discussion that followed Mr. Attwood stated his conviction that the diorites had brought up the metals. At the end of the paper a note is added bearing the date of October 22nd, 1888, that the ore of the Evans mine contains Copper, 3 per cent; Nickel, 3°5 per cent; Iron, 40 per cent; Sulphur, 24 per cent; Rock, 29-5 per cent.

SS SSS ree

(1) Rep. of Progress, Geol. Sur. Can. 1853-56, pp. 180-181.

(2) Ann. Rep. Geo. Sur. Can., 1886, Part 8, p. 25.

(3) Ann. Rep. Geo. Sur. Can., 1887-88, Part 8, p. 21

(4) Quart. Jour. Geol. Soc. Lon., Vol. XLIV., 1888. pp. 84-838.

PREVIOUS EXAMINATIONS AND DESCRIPTIONS l1

In October, 1888, Mr. Francis L. Sperry, then chemist to the Canadian Copper Company, sent a small quantity of what seemed a remarkable mineral to Professor H. L. Wells, of the Sheffield ' :ientific School at New Haven, Conn. A few tests sufficed to show that the substance was essentially an arsenide of platinum. Several ounces of this mineral had been obtained in milling certain loose material (gossan), associcted with the sulphides at the Vermilion mine in the township of De. ison. A complete statement of facts telative to its composition, yaysical characters and crystallographic behaviour, was prepared by Profs. Wells and Penfield, who proposed the name 'sperrylite' for this new mineral in honour of its discoverer. (1)

About the same time Profs. Clarke and Catlett of Washington obtained through two different channels certain samples of nickel ores taken from the Vermilion mine, belonging to the Canadian Copper Company. From one source they obtained two masses of sulphides to be examined for nickel.and copper, from the other came similar sulphides, together with a series of soil and gravel-like material (gossan), seven samples in all. In the latter case an examination for platinum was requested, and in five of the samples above mentioned it was found the gravel yielded 74-85 ozs. of metals of the platinum group to the ton of 2,000 pounds. The sulphide ores were all of a similar character. They consisted of raised masses, in which a grey, readily tarnishing substance was predominant, with some chalcopyrite, possibly some pyrite, and a very little quartz. An analysis of carefully selected material of the nickel mineral showed its formula to conform in general with that of polydymite, which had previously been described by Laspeyres from Griinau, Westphalia, of which it is evidently a ferriferous variety.

At the Buffalo meeting of the American Institute of Mining Engineers, w. H. Merritt, Toronto, contributed a paper on ' The Minerals of Ontario and their Development,' in which he includes a brief description of the Sudbury deposits.(?)

In the Summary Report of the Geological Survey for 1888 Dr. Bell mentions that 'the modes of occurrence and the geological relations of the economic minerals ef the districts examined (between Lake Huron and Montreal river) were carefully studied. The metals which give most promise are the copper and nickel deposits which

(1) Amer. Jour. Sc., Vol. XXXVII., 1889, pp. 67-73; aleo Zeit. fiir Kryst.

Vol. XY., pp. 285 and 290-261, (2) +. Jour. Sc, Vol. XXXVII., 1889, pp. 372-374. (8. + Amer. Inst. Min. Eng. Vol., XVII., 1888-89, pp. 293-300, (® . . Rep. Geol, Sur. Can., 1887-8, p. 79 A.

12 Ghological Survey Of Canada

have been worked for the last three years near Sudbury.' Again, in the report for 1889, Dr. Bell, (1) after a brief sketch of the geology of the area included in the Sudbury map sheet, gives a few notes on the character and mode of occurrence of these deposits, as also the

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At the Ottawa meeting of the American Institute of Mining Engineers, held in October, 1889, Dr. E. D. Peters, who had charge of the operations at the Canadian Copper Company's mines near Sudbury, read a paper 'On the Sudbury Ore Deposits.' (2) He opens with a short and very general stqtement of the geological conditions, makes a passing mention of the two principal sulphides which constitute these deposits, and devotes the rest of his paper to a description of the equipment and methods of mining and metallurgy pursued by the company of which he was the manager.

In 1890, as one of the Royal Commissioners to inquire into the mineral resources of Ontario, Dr. Robert Bell, of the Geological Survey of Canada, in treating of the 'Geology of Ontario with Special Reference to Economic Minerals, devotes some attention to the nickel and copper deposits of the area in the vicinity of Sudbury. (8) :

Ir. 1891 Dr. Bell described in greater detail the nature and extent of these deposits and also their geological relations, giving the results of the field work of the Geological Survey in this area during the three years 1888-900, Accompanying the same volume the first geological map of the district appeared, showing in this graphic way the limits of the different formations or subdivisions of these old rocks, over an area of 3,456 square miles. This map, although faulty and inaccurate in places, has been the basis of all subsequent geological work undertaken in this district, although it is now superseded in certain areas by the maps lately published by the Bu. :au of Mines

(1) Ann. Rep. Geol. Sur, Can., 1888-89, pp. 29-32 A.

(2) Trans. 4c). Inst. Min, Eng., Vol. XVIIJ. (1889), pp. 278-289.

(3) Min. Res. of Ont. 1890, p. 24; also pp. 434-435; also Ann. Rep. Bur. of Mines, Ont. 1891, pp. 88-90.

(4) Ann. Rep. Geol. Sur. Cen., Vol. V., Part F., pp. 1-95; also Bull. Geo. Soc. Am., Vol. II., 1891, pp. 126-137,

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Previous Examinations / Od Descriptions 18

of C-* 'ns, and those issued to accompany the present bulletin. The imperte. ... ns of these latest maps will also in turn hecome apparent as the region is cleared .nd opened up and more detailed information in regard to the distribution of the various rock masses is thus possible,

On March 6th, 1891, (') the author of the present bulletin read a paper before the Logan Club of Ottawa 'On the Nickel and Copper Deposits of Sudbury,' which was published in June of the same year, in which appears a very definite statement affirming an igneous origin (7) for these masses of sulphide material, in the following words :—

'The ores and the associated diabase were, therefore, in all probability simultaneously introduced in a molten condition, the particles of pyritous matter aggregating themselves together in obedience to the law of mutual attraction.' In the same paper the author makes the following significant statement, which has since been proved by means of the magnetic separation of the ore:— ' The nickel is usually spoken of as replacing an equal quantity of iron in the pyrrhctite, but the discovery of undoubted crystals of millerite or sulphide of nickel, 150 feet below the surface at Copper Cliff mine, as well as the more recent recognition of polydymite, a ferriferous sulphide of nickel, at the Vermilion mine, in the township of Denison, seem to justify the assumption, that in the more highly nickeliferous deposits of the region at least, the nickel is also present as a sulphide, disseminated through the ore masses like the iron and copper.' In 1891 Mr. T. L. Walker, then chemist at the Murray mine, obtained 30 per cont of nickel in some bright cleavable fragments of a mineral which occurred in the form of more or less rounded patches in the ordinary nickeliferous pyrrhotite at the Worthington mine. The writer, who had provided Mr. Walker with these samples, suggested the advisability of a' complete analysis of as pure material as could be selected. It is to be regretted for Walker's sake, so far as priority in the first recognition of pentlandite in this district is concerned, that the present writer, in publishing the results of this first analysis, (?) merely stated his own belief that these peculiar nodular masses probably represented a mixture in which millerite was the most prominent constituent, omitting to make mention of the fact that the chemist had stated his belief that the material was almost pure ' Eisennickelkies,'

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a) Naturalist, June, 191,, pp. 1-20; also Ann. Rep. Geol. Sur. Can., Vol. V., Part 8., 1890-91, Pp. 122-138, ay ars paper by Dr. Robert Bell on 'The Nickel and Copper Deposits - Soeer district, Canada,' Bull, Geol. Socy. of Am., Vol. II., 1891, (3) Ann. Rep. Geol. Sur. Can., 1890-91, Part SS., pp. 116-117.

4 Grological Survey Of Canada

the German synomym for pentlandite. At this time it was considered of more importance to emphasize the fact, which had grown beyond a conviction, that the nickel was undoubtedly present in these ore bodies as a distinct sulphide, mechanically intermixed and probably separable, and not as replacing portion of the iron in the pyrrhotite. It was even considered probable that several nickel sulphides, and not one alone, contributed to the unusual enrichment of these ores.

The report of the Division of Mineral Statistics and Mines of the Geological Survey for 1890, although not published until the following year, contained the first statistics showing the production and export of nickel and copper matte from the Sudbury district. This was likewise accompanied by a somewhat detailed description of the deposits, to whivh attention has already been drawn. (1) Previous to this, however, in the report (?) of the same department for 1889, mention is made of the production of nickel in Canada, but the tigures of production then supplied were only used in the summary of production. This course was necessary at the time, as the figures then available represented the production of only one company, who gave the figures on the understanding that they were only to be used in the compilation of totals.

In the first report of the Ontario Bureau of Mines for 1891, then just organized, considerable space is devoted not only to the statisti of production of nickel and copper matte, but also to various details regarding the geological relationship of the ores, the methods of mining and metallurgy, as well as the use and value of nickel. It also contains the first of the annual reports of the inspectrr of mines, which each year since has contained an epitomized statement of the progress of mining and smelting in this atea,

In 1891, Mons. J. Garnier, () who had become famous as the discoverer of the New Caledonia nickel deposits, visited Canada, and on his return to Paris furnished an account of his examination in a paper entitled, 'Mines de Nickel, Cuivre et Platine du District de Sudbury, Canada.' :

In 1892, Dr. S. .1. Emmons, of Youngwood, Penn., and President of the Emmons Metal Company, announced the discovery of three new nickel minerals from the Sudbury district, for which he proposed the names Folgerite, Blueite and Whartonite. (4) The 'substances

(1) Ann. Rep. Geol. Surv. Can., 1890-91, Part 8., pp. 121-143.

(2) Amn. Rep. Geol. Surv. Can., 1888-89, Part S., 1889, pp. 5 and 123,

(3) Bem. Soc. des Ing. Civils, Paris, 1891.

(4) Jour. Am. Chem. Soc., Vol. XIV., No. 7; also Ann. Rep. Bur. of Mines, Ont. 1892, pp. 167-170

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Previous Examinations And Descriptions 15

thus named were stated to be sulphides of iron and nickel, the proportion of the' latter metal varying from 3°76 per cent in blueite to 8520 per cent in folgerite. All authorities, however, agreed that none of these are definite mineral species, being mixtures of different sulphides. Thus folgexite is regarded as impure pentlandite, blueite is a nickeliferous pyrite, and whartonite a m'xture. A perusal of Dr. Emmons' methods' of analysis, and ths variability of his results are sufficient proofs that none of these names which he proposes should receive a place in mineralogical literature. About the same time Dr. Emmons conducted some rather crude and evidently hurried experiments in regard to the separation of the components of the pytthotite by means of magnetism, but the results are far from satisfactory. The material on which the trials were made came from both the Gap mine, Pa., and Sudbury, Ont.

In 1892, Mons. David Levat, formerly Director-General of the Société de Nickel, prepared a memoir on the production and uses of nickel and its alloys, entitled 'Progrés de la Métallurgie du Nickel,' (?) an abstract from which is translated and printed in the report of the Bureau of Mines of Ontavio. (2) Besides a description of the metallurgical treatment of the Sudbury ores he institutes a comparison between these and the New Caledonia ores, giving all necessary details in regard to these latter, their composition, metallurgy, transportation, mining operations, and concludes with certain particulars relating to the composition of the nickel of commerce, its alloys, and statistics of production.

During the summer of 1890 the late Baron von Foullon, of the Geological Survey of Austria, spent a few weeks in the district, directing his attention chiefly to the determination cf the relative ages of the different rocks. His collection of rocks for future study contained a specimen obtained from one of the detached blocks of material which had been blasted out to make room for the foundations of the smelter at the Murray mines. Examination of thin sections of this specimen under the microscope revealed for the first time the identity of what was evidently a typical and unaltered representative of the nickel bearing eruptive, showing it to contain, besides the plagioclase, strongly pleochroic hypidimorphi. individuals of hypersthene, together with a smaller amount of diallage, both of these last mentioned minerals being often bordered with hornblende. The rock thus evidently belonged to the general type of gabbros, which by the

(1) Jour. Am. Chem. Soc., Vol. XIV., No. 10; aleo Ann. Rep. Bur. of Mines, Ont., 1802, pp. 163-166.

(2) Ann. des Mines, Paris, 1892, pp. 141-204. (3) Ann. Rep. Bur. of Mines, Ont., 1892, pp. 149-162.

16 Grological Survey Of Canada

abundance of the hypersthene is related to the norites. (1) This waa the first recognition of the true character of the eruptive with which the nickel deposits are so intimately ssociated, although the late

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tion of the field relations furnished him,

In 1898, Prof. 8. L. Penfield recognized and described for the first

In the same year, David H. Browne, chemist of the Canadian Copper Company, challenged the accuracy of Dr. Emmon's magnetic work, as also the conclusions based thereon, so far at least the material from Sudvury is concerned. At tho same time he published the details of certain personal experiments in connexion with the magnetiy separation of the ores from the Copper Cliff, Evans and Stobie mines. The ore was first handpicked and then crushed to various degrees of fineness. By means of these trials he succeeded in dividing the material thus prepared into a magnetic and non-magnetic product, the analysis of the latter showing a close resemblance to the pentlandite described by Penfield.

In June, 1898, T. L. Walker (7) visited the Vermilion mine and procured some additional material similar to that in which Wells and

(1) " Ueber einige Nickelrsvorkommen," Jahr, 4. k-k. geol. Reichsanstadt, Vol. XLII, pp. 223-810, Vienne, 1892.

(2) Ann. Rep. Geol. Surv. Can., '1800-91, Part F, p. 77.

(8) 'The Rocks of Clear lake near Sudbury,' Can. Rec. Sc., Vol. Ves 1892-93, pp. 343-346. i

(4) Am, Jour. Sc. Vol. XLV., 1893, pp. 498-494.

(5) Am. Jour, Sc., Vol. XLV., 1898, pp. 494-497.

(6) Eng. and Min. Jour. Dec, 2nd, 1893, Vol. LVI., pp. 565-566,

(7) Am. Jour. Sc., Vol. I., 1896. pp. 110-112,

2 rata Saas atti nt wissen seemed ange om ce

e: Se kere seeks

abe ms &

E

were

Previous Examinations And Descriptions 17

Penfield had first discovered sperryl'te, The evidence of these new specimens of this comparatively rare mineral enabled him to publish further details in regard to its erystallographic behaviour. After critical examination of the associated sulphides he concludes that this sperrylite is associated with the chalcopyrite, and not with the pyrrhotite, and that accordingly nickel mattes from mines low in copper contain very little platinum, while thu: 2 richer in copper afford a matte pro~ortionately richer in platinum. He mentions the fact, however, that the polydymite of Clarke and Catlett contains from 0-006 per cent to 3-024 per cent of platinum. (")

In April, 1893, Prof. WY'. ¥.. Goodwin (?) announced the discovery of a highly nickeliferous pyrite, occurring at the Murray mine, and published an analysis of this somewhat unusual association, 'Lae material, however, on which the examination was conducted, was mas sive and somewhat decomposed. A little later, however, T, L. Walker secured several specimene showing druscs of smai! ' cubic crystals. These were found associated with marcisi taining no nickel or cobalt) magnetite, galena, chalcopy: nickelifar us pyrrhotite. An analysis of this new and fresh : was ma. . nd the conclusion reached that the specimens rep true nickeliferous pyrite, in which the isomorphous elener= and nickel, replaced ench other in varying proportions. (8)

During the summer and fell of 1893, E. Renshaw Bush, pursuing professional woik, visited some of the more imp aut deposits, afterwards publishing his observations in a paper ~alled 'The Sudbury Nickel region.'

On December 4th, 1893, Philip Argall, of Denver, Col., presented a paper to the Colorado Scientific Society on ' Nickel, the Occur rence, Geological Distribution and Genesis of its Ore Depowits.' This author gives a short but rather complete statement of the haracter, composition and distribution of the three groups of the ores af aicke! —arsenides, sulphides and silicates—and makes special mention of the main features and importance of the Sudbury ore "posite (©

On January 12th, 1894, Dr. Frank D. Adams, of atreal, mitted a paper to the General Mining Association of the Province of Quebec, 'On the Igneous Origin of certain Ore Deposits.' In th

(1) Bull, U. 8. G. 8., No. 64, p. 21. (2) Can. Rec. Sc., Vol. V., 1892-93, pp. 346-347. (3) Am, Jour, Sc., XLVII., April, 1904, pp. 312-314. (4) Eng. and Min. Jour., March 17, 1894, Vol. LVII., pp. 245-244 (5) Proc. Col. Sc. Soc., Vol. IV., 1891-93, pp. 396-421. 4187—2

bearing eruptive, but also of the associated greenstones and the clustic rocks of the Huronian, making brief mention of :he mineralogical

tite,' classed on previous geological maps as belonging to the Laurentian, 'which it resembles, is really a differentiation phase of tho prevailing norite. The later dikes of olivine diabase are also describ. in considerable detail. The whole publication may be characteri:.:, in brief, as the most complete statement in regard to the geviogy and petrography cf the district, which had yet appeared.

In 1900, J. Watson Bain prepared ' A Sketch of the Nicke} Industry, which treats of the source and production of nickel ores, the metallurgy of both the New Caledonia 977 Sudbury products, con-

(1) Can. Min. Review, February, 1894. (2) Min. Industry, Vol. IV., 1895, pp. 755-766. (8) Quart. Jour, Geol. Soc. Lon., Vol. LVIII., (1897), pp. 40-66.

le en nein Pmt RR:

Previous Examinations And Descriptions 19

cluding with a brief statement of th. on:position and uses of nickel.

In 1901, and again in 1908, the writer gives certain preliminary information in regard to the geology and petrography of the Sudbury district.

In the summer of 1902, Profs. Victor Goldschmidt and William

In 1902, ©. W. Dickson, (1861 Exhibition Scholar from Queen's University, Kingston, and doing post-graduate work at the School of Mines, Columbia University, New York) succeeded in separating

obtained by Walker, some years previously, to which reference has already been made, and also accords with the views of Prof. Vogt, from analyses of the various ores from the Norwegian nickeliferous pyrrhotite deposits.(*)

At the meeting of the American Institute of Mining Engineers, held in Albany in February, 1908, Mr. Chas. W. Dickson, to whom reference has already been made, submitted a paper entitled 'The Ore Deposits of Sudbury, Ontario.' The information thus published was also presented in the form of a thesis, to obtain the degree of 7h. D. at Columbia University, New York city. (s)

This publication marks a decidedly new departure, not only in the methods of research adopted, but also in the results sought to be obtained, and if the conclusions reached seem new and startling, and

(1) Ann. Rep. Bur. of Mines, Ont., 1900, pp. 213-224.

(2) Ann. Rep, Bur. of Mines, Ont., 1901, pp. 206-208.

(8) Sum. Rep. Geol. Surv. Can., 1901, pp. 141-145.

(4) Sum. Rep. Geol. Surv. Can., 1902, pp. 262-267.

(5) Amer. Jour. 8c., Vol. XV., 1908, pp. 450-458.

(6) Amer. Jour. Sc., Vol. XV., 1908, pp. 137-139.

(7) Zeit fir Prak. Geol., Aug., 1908, pp. 268-260.

(8) Trans. Am. Inst. Min. Eng. (Albany Meeting) February, 1903, 65 pp. 4187—25

20 Geological Survey Of Canada

at variance with many of the preconceived notions entertained in regard to the composition and origin of these ore bodies, the author must be given the credit for having weighed all the evidence and exhausted every means to prove the validity of his conclusions,

Mr. Dickson mentions that one of the purposes of his investigation has been to ascertain whether the nickel and cobalt replace the iron isomorphously in the Sudbury pyrrhotite. Another purpose has been to-try to find a definite formula for the sulphide of this district, with the idea of comparing it with similar minerals from other localities, The thesis is divided into two main portions, as follows:—I. The relation of nickel to pyrrhotite, and II. Genesis of the Sudbury ores.

The former of these twa parts of Mr. Dickson's paper deals, in the first place, with a general statement of the Sudbury nickel region. This is followed by a summary oi the composition and origin of pyrrhotite, to which is added a table, showing the percentage of nickel and cobalt in this mineral. Then succeeds a brief description of the Sudbury pyrrhotites, with tables indicating the percentage of nickel, cobalt and copper, not only in the ore of the principal mines, but also the average composition of some of the resulting mattes.

Mr. Dickson then discusses the methods pursued, and the results of his investigation into the magnetic separation of the pyrrhotite, and as a resu't of these experiments he concludes that all of the nickel, in the Sudbury ores at least, occurs as a separate mineral, and that in this district there does not exist a true nickeliferous pyrrhotite, in the sense that the nickel isomorphously replaces part of the iron in that mineral. In the second part of the paper he adduces strong evidence in support of his opinion that all of the Sudbury ore deposits are of essentially and predominantly secondary origin. The evidence adduced is derived not only from a study of the larger field occurrences of the deposits and associated rocks, but also finds abundant support in the relations between the ores and rock minerals, as seen under the microscope.

A comparison is made of these Sudbury deposits with those of Rossland, B.C., and Ducktown, Tenn., which are stated to show many remarkable and essential points of similarity, and concerning whose secondary origin there can be no doubt.

In 1908, Dr. A. P. Coleman published his account of 'The Sudbury Nickel Deposits,' (1) giving the results of the field operations undertaken at the instance of the Bureau of Mines of Ontario, in the summer of 1902. This is, doubtless, the most comprehensive and satisfactory description of these deposits which has yet appeared.

(1) Ann. Rep. Bur. of Mines, Ont., 1908, pp. 2385-290.

ie a ata a a ala tatu Pte ree

tained in 1 author ence and ons,

stigation the iron

The Sudperations '0, in the sive and appeared.

History Of Development 21

The work is copiously illustrated with photographs of the different mines and buildings, together with several small maps showing the progress of the surface work, and the disposition of the various openings and mining buildings. It is also accompanied by two coloured geological maps, representative of the area in the vicinity of Copper Cliff and Stobie mines. It is not considered necessary in this connexion to summarize the results of this work, as the publication is of such recent date, and readily available to any one who desires to take advantage of this information; and no one interested in the geological and petrographical problems involved should be without it. In 1903, Dr. Coleman continued this work, directing his attention to the mapping out in detail of the outline of the Northern nickel range, in order to determine its connexion or otherwise with the Southern or Main range.

It is proposed, that, during the coming season, Dr. Coleman will again continue this work, with the intention of ultimately publishing a monograph, which will contain, in succinct form, all essential information in regard to these deposits which have figured so largely in the mining industrial development of Canada.

History of DEVELOPMENT.

The presence of large deposits of nickel and copper in the vicinity of the town of Sudbury, and close to the boundary between the Districts of Algoma and Nipissing, in Northern Ontario, has, for many years, attracted world-wide attention, in the first place on account of their immense and apparently inexhaustible character, but latterly because of the much more extended use of nickel, especially as an alloy with steel, to improve the qualities of the latter. The recent agitation for the imposition of an export duty on nickel ore and matte has, at least, resulted in drawing public attention to the fact that Canada has, for some time past, been one of the two' eat sources of nickel in the world, and at the present day produces more than half of the world's consumption of this metal. The history of the development of nickel mining in this region is inseparably bound up with that of copper, for the two minerals are always present in such intimate association with one another, that, in abstracting their metallic contents, they are subjected to'the same metallurgical processes.

The existence of workable deposits of copper in this region was a fact that had long been known, and as far back as 1770 a company

Poe INCARE eT emeyseane

: ' ;

29 Geological Survey Of Canada

themselves amply sufficient causes, if none other existed, to render these first attempts abortive. However, in 1846, owing to the activity in prospecting and locating mineral lands on the southern shore of Lake Superior, and a favourable report by Mr. W. E. Logan, then newly appointed Provincial Geologist, some enterprising Canadians banded themselves together into two associations called 'The Montreal Mining Company, and The Upper Canada Mining Company,' The former company purchased, umongst others, what was then known as 'The Bruce Mines .::1tion, and, on account of the apparent richness of the deposit, decided to commence active work at this locality, while the Upper Canada Company proceeded to develop and work what was known as the ' Wallace mine,' near the mouth of the Whitefish river, on Lake Huron. The Wallace mine was the choice of a number of locations, owned by the same company, on the north shore of Lake Huron, and was selected on account of its promising charac':r and proximity to civilization. It is chiefly remarke*le as haviug; been the first place in Canada in which the presence of nickel was detected. After sinking a shaft to the depth of between 60 and 90 feet, and the opening up of a few pits 'to test the size of the deposit, all work was abandoned and has not been resumed since, as the quantity of ore encountered in these operations did not seem to warrant any further expenditure.

In his report for 1856, Mr. Alex Murray (1) thus refers to certain outcrops of sulphide bearing rocks which were long afterwards shown to be the southwestern extension of the now famous Creighton Nickel mine. 'At the fifth mile a dingy green magnetic trap, with a large amount of iron pyrites, forms a ridge, and that rock with syenite continues in a succession of ridges to the seventh mile, beyond which the country becomes low and marshy. Previous to my visit to Whitefish lake I had been informed by Mr. Salter that local attraction of 'he magnet had been observed by himself, while he was engaged 1: xunning the meridian line, and he expressed it to be his opinion that the presence of a large body of iron ore was the immediate cause. When, therefore, I came to the part indicated by Mr. Salter I made a very careful examination, not only in the direction of the meridian line, but for a considerable distance on each side of it, and the result of my examination was that the local attraction, which I found exactly

Rtca

(1) Rep. Geol. Surv. Can., 1853-56, pp. 180-181,

History Of Development 23

as described by Mr. Salter, was owing to the presence of an immense mass of magnetic trap.

'The compass was found, while traversing these trap ridges, to be deflected from its true bearing upwards of ten degrees at several parts, and in one place it showed a variation of fifteen degrees west of the true meridian, or about twelve degrees from the true magnetic north. Specimens of this trap have beon given to Mr. Hunt for analysis, and the result of his investigations shows that it contains magnetic iron ore and magnetic iron pyrites, generally disseminated through the rock, the former in very small grains; titaniferous iron was found in association with the mag.etic ore, and a small quantity of nickel and copper with the pyrites. It was remarked that, notwithstanding the powerful influence of this magnetic mass in causing @ general local attraction, the contact of fragments of it with the compass, although producing a slight effect, rarely occasioned any remarkable agitation of the needle.'

The line referred to in the above description was what was once known as 'Salter's Meridian line? and the exact position of these outcrops of mineralized 'trap, on the line, is in the first concession, on the boundary between Snider and Creighton townships. It can thus be seen, that even at this early period of its history the officers of the Geological Survey were aware of the existence of nickel in this region, and had pointed out the probability that workable deposits would be found. (?)

Years passed by, and the inaccessible nature of the country deterred prospectors from making any very detailed exploration or examination, so that it was not until 1888, when the Canadian Pacific railway was in course of construction, that the first discoveries of any vonsequence were made, since which time the whole belt characterized by the presence of the Huronian rocks in the Sudbury district has been overrun with eager prospectors and miners.

A not infrequent accident in newly settled districts led to the first important discovery. Judge McNaughton, late Stipendiary Magistrate at Sudbury, had been lost in the woods to the west of the town, and a diligent search was at once instituted for him. A party consisting of Dr. Howey and two others found the judge soated on the small eminence which then marked the site of what is now known as the Murray mine. Dr. Howey's natural curiosity and geological turn of mind are well known to all his friends, and it is not surprising. therefore, that having overcome his anxiety on the Judge's account, he should turn his attention to the neighbouring rocks. Looking

(1) Rep. Geo. Sur. Can., 1848-49, p. 63.

24 Geological Survey Of Canada

down at the knoll which had served as a resting place for the tire: wanderer, he noticed that the rock composing it contained abundan' impregnations of what appeared to be a valuable ore of copper. More critical examination still convinced him that ne had discovered 1 mine, and hastily securing some representative samples he exhibited them to Drs. Girdwood and Selwyn, who happened to be in the neigh: bourhood, and either of whom he considered fully competent to pro: nounce with authority as to the economic value or possibilities of his find. Dr. Girdwoe4, it may be remarked, was, at the time, one of the chief medical advisers of the Canadian Pacific railway, and a well

order to obtain the necessary transportation facilities, enabling him to make a geological reconnaissance of the area in the vicinity of the railway. To Dr. Howey's surprise they informed him that the pyrthotite which formed sucly a large proportion of his samples was practically valueless, that the only metal of importance which might be present in such mineral was nickel, and that past experience with similar ores in Canada and elsewhere had taught them that this was always present in such small amount as not to permit of its profitable extraction. Turning their attextion to the chalcopyrite, which was also represented in his samples, both these gentlemen agreed that although it was a valuable ore of copper the mineral was not present 'n sufficient quantity to pay for working. Thoroughly convinced of the soundness of their advice, but disappointed at the unexpected result, Dr. Howey tvok no further action in the matter, ridiculing in a quiet way the earnest and persistent efforts of others to interest capital in the immense economic possibilities of this and similar deposits afterwards found. One can imagine his chagrin, therefore, and sympathize with his mortification, when subsequent development demonstrated that both these gentlemen, whose scientific attainments could not be called in question, had been rather hasty in their judgment, although from a wide experience with the composition of pyrrhotites in general they had been right in thus expressing their opinion.

Early in 1884, the Canadian Pacific railway made a cutting for their maia line t_cough this small hill (Murray mine), about miles northwest of Sudbury, and on July 12th of the same year Dr. Selwyn made a careful examination of 'he location, and stated to the writer, some years afterwards, that he had pronounced the lode to be one of the most promising he had yet seen in Canada. No such opinion, however, was ever published, although it is iuite possible that

Og EE ge emg

sequent scientific hasty in omposipressing

ing for ear Dr. d to the le to be th opin- "le that

History Of Development 25

the greater facility of examination caused by the cutting for the railway, and the massiveness of the deposit thus exposed, reversed his previous judgment of the ore body in question. (1)

Other discoveries soon followed, and the McConnell, Lady Macdonald, Stobie, Blezard, Copper Cliff and Evans mines were all located. At first the wildest notions were entertained as to the extent of these deposits, and the most exaggerated reports circulated as to their value. It was even confidently asserted that these were immensely important discoveries, and would revolutionize the whole copper trade and render other mines then in operation quite unremunerative. Rounded hills of gossan, indicating the presence of the more solid and unaltered ore beneath, occur at intervals for miles in a southwesterly direction, conforming rudely to the strike of the stratified or foliated rocks in the vicinity. This circumstance is all that seems to have justified the early discoverers in describing the deposits as veritable mountains of solid ore, many miles in extent and hundreds of feet thick. During the interval which has elapsed since the first discovery was made prospectors have not been idle, and their efforts have been rewarded by the location of three large belts or masses of the sulphide bearing norite. Until lately these have been considered as entirely separate and distinct from one another, but the later geological work is tending to prove their connexion as one continuous ellipsoidal band, the central portion of which is now occupied by tufaceous slates and sandstones, coloured provisionally as of Cambrian age.

Th of the development of mining in the Sudbury district is, in the .t of the Canadian Copper Company, for it was the first combination . £ capital which seriously undertook the business of mining in this area, while, at the same time, having the distinction of being the only corporation which has continued its operations without serious interruption, from the commencement until the present time.

1. A specimen collected at the time by Dr. Selwyn from the cutting on the railway at the Murray mine was examined by Dr. Hoffmann who says 'It consisted of magnetic-pyrites and copper-pyrites, in association with a dark grey fine-grained diorite and a greyish green chloritic schist; a few of the frag~ents were, in parts, coated with hydrated peroxide of iron. Some specimens of the magnetic-pyrites from this deposit contained numerous flakes of molybdenite. It was found to contain after drying at 100°C,, (Hygroscopic water—0°85 per cent.)

Iron.. 27°36 Canner Patt eS! ats Dae Et Sel ee ee ee eee i. SSS SS SS Se Insoluble matter (gangue).. .. .. 1. 2 ss es oe oe oe 86°63 BONG rs xc on 00. cu ceca cst ae oe ds 0a 00 400s. MORO CrRCEE. Silver.. .. . + ++ -8°187 oz, to the ton of 2,000 Ibs.

(Ann. Rep. Geol. Surv. Can., Vol. I., 1885, Part M, pp. 19-21.)

26 Geological Survey Of Canada

the opened and some 'Company waa formed, with subscribed Si paid-up capital of $2,000,000, which was after ards increased to $2,500,000, to operate the Copper Cliff, Stobie and Evans mines.

On May ist, 1886, work was started in earnest at the Copper Clift mine, near the north end of lot 12, con. Tl, of McKim township, and the first shipments of ore made from the district were obtained from

ut Copper CHE, ot ginelter was blown in on Deoomber 34, Mt) being augmented under the same roof by & second blast furnace, which was started on September 4, 1889. During 1896 and 1897 diamond drill exploratory work was undertaken in connexion with

deposit at No. 2, there was apparently no very large or continuous

completely dismantled. About the same time what is now the largest open pit of the whole group of the Copper Cliff mines (No. 2) was started in earnest, soon supplying a very large quantity of ore, which, however, contains 4 considerable admixture of rocky matter. The Evans mine, although with some rather serious interruptions, continued to furnish ore until late in the fall of 1899, when it closed down, and to all appearances has been permanently abandoned. The

(No. 8), situateu - little over a mile southwest of the Stobie mine, on lot 6, con. VI, of the township of McKim, and early in 1900 this was added to the list of producing mines. During 1899, and succeeding seasons, many of the openings northwest of No. 2 mine, as well as some of the pits and shafts known as the Clarabelle group of

HISTORY OF DEVELOPMENT a7

mines, were being operated at one time or another, and added mate-

rially to the reserves of ore, but all of these were shut down in the spring of 1902, when the business of the company was being curtailed, pending reorganization and consolidation of the various interests. In July, 1900, the work of stripping at the Creighton mine was begun, and in August of the following year ore was shipped for the first

.time to the roast yards at Oopper Cliff. The Creighton mine is un-

doubtedly the largest mine in the district of which we at present have knowledge, and from the very beginning of operations has produced very large quantities of the almost pure sulphides, with little or no rocky admixture. It is especially valuable as carrying a high percentage of nickel, with a very much smalier proportion of copper. The mine is situated on the north half of lot 10, concession I, of the township of Snider, about six miles in a straight line west of Copper' Cliff station. The ore, when mined, is carried on cars over the Manitoulin and North Shore railway, on the north side of which the mine is located, to Clarabelle junction, where connexion is made with the railway owned by the Canadian Copper Company. Before the opening of the Creighton mine the Stobie had the distinction of having supplied the largest quantity of ore of all the Canadian Copper Comrany's mines, and, with the exception of some minor stoppages, this mine was in continuous operation from the date of its opening, ir. 1886, until November, 1 1, when it closed down and has remained so ever since. The reas 'or this cessation of operations does not appear to be that the end of the deposit has been reached, but because the quality of ore which it supplies is not needed in the present smelting operations. The Creighton mine is at present the main source of supply, and this mine with its equipment allows for a production of between 500 and 600 tons of ore per day, and Dr. Coleman is authority for the statement that for some time in 1902 the output from this mine alone reached 17,000 tons per month. The old or original Copper Cliff still continues to supply about 1,000 tons of ore per month, obtained mainly from the 13th and 14th !evels, the latter workings being 1,052 feet below the surface; but even at this depth the ore body shows no serious diminution, either in size or richness, No. 2 mine and the Frood (No. 3) complete the list of mines from which at present the supply of ore is drawn. The mines of this company not in use at present must not all be considered as having been permanently abandoned, but the openings now utilized produce an ample supply of the sulphide material of Ge various grades suitable for smelting.

This activity in mining at Copper Cliff, and the steady increase in the production of ore, necessitated constant additions to the smelt-

acne agama tat, He

Hi.

28 : Geological Survey Of Canada

ing equipment, as well as the erection of new and suitable buildings for the accommodation of the new blast furnaces. We thus 'ind, that

sutirely new structure, known as the West Smelter, was built in 1800. At first this building had room for only four furnaces, but this was enlarged, and the furnace capacity doubled. The site chosen dur th' new building was on the slope of the hill sbout 900 feet vautheast of the No. 9 mine rock hruse, the dep valley to the south providing a convenient and ample dumping ground for the slag. After the inauguration of this smelter the one at the east end of the works was gradually abandoned, and the whole plant has been removed to the site of the new building. The work doue at this

tion of a low grade matte known as 'split matte.'

Thus, several of the furnaces at this smelter were being mployed in producing this matte from June, 1902, until the end of the youl: In addition two of the furnaces have been engaged from time to time making experiments in the way of smelting the ore pyritically. Tie hoped, by thie method, to reduce the coke to 8 or 4 per cont of the charge, by using hot blast and an oxidizing atmosphere in the blast furnace, and utilizing the heat developed by the burning of the sulphur and iron of the ore, for the smelting. In the fall of 1900 'he plant of the Ontario Smelting Works was installec by the Orford

Copper Company. The works, as completed, are designed to further refine the first or lower grade matte, produced by the blast furnaces of the Canadian Copper Company, using as a flux the siliceous ore from the Massey Copper mine.

Perhaps, the most important event in the development of the nickel industry, either in this district or elsewhere, occurred in April, 1902, when, after negotiation covering & period of several months, the International Nickel Company was organized under the laws of the State of New Jersey, to consolidate and control the nickel production of the world. The following properties were included in the new organization :—The Canadian Copper Company; the Orford Copper Company, with reduction works at Bayonne, N.J.; the Anglo- American Iron Company, and the Vermilion Mining Company, in Canada; the American Nickel Works, in Camden, N.J.; the Nickel Corporation, Limited, and the Société Miniére Caledonienne, in New Caledonia. During 1902 and 1908 mining operations were considerably curtailed, except in the case of the Creighton mine, where the

ar GMB ICC PYewTL Weeea) car ae, oe

but has succeeded in revealing the presence of considerable bodies of ore whose presence had not been suspected.

Such, in brief, is the record of the principal events in the development of the mining and metallurgical operations of this pioneer company, in the nickel industry in Canada. From the start their work has always been characterized by energetic and business-like methods, and if at the present time they seem to have gained control vf more than their fair share of the available nickel bearing area, which likewise includes many of the mines producing the largest supplies of high grade nickel ore, the result must not be attributed to chance or a series of fortunate circumstances, but is rather the strongest evidence of the keen business foresight of the originators of the enterprise, and an abiding faith in the permanence of the nickel mining in this district.

It must not, however, be assumed that all of the available or even important deposits of nickel-copper sulphides have passed under the control of the International Nickel Company, for besides the Victoria mines of the hfond Nickel Company, which still contain a very large reserve of high grade ore, there are many others throughout the district which are capable of economic development as more or less permanent mines. Suspension of operations, so often recorded in tho history of the mining development of the district, does not in all or even a majority of cases imply a failure in the ore supply, but is oftener to be attributed to a waste of capital, owing to lack of business judgment, and the need of a technical knowledge of the difficulties to be encountered in both the mining and smelting departments. Moreover, many of the deposits have been condemned because they failed to give a proper return for the capital invested, when all that was available of the latter was utilized in costly experiments to discover new methods of smelting or refining. Past experience in this district has shown that success and permanency in the mining and smelting operations of any company can only be secured by the possession of large reserves of ore, preferably obtained from different mines or deposits. In this way not only is a constant supply of ore assured, but diversity in composition is possible, thus enabling a judicious selection of the different grades, whose mixture in the proper proportions promotes successful and economic smelting.

In addition to the deposits which are still available along the

as mines. The lack : prevented any deep miaing work being done, but the surface indications and geological wnditions are entirely favourable to the exist-

Henry H. Vivian & Oo.

The mine is situated on the north half of lot 11, con. V, of McKim township. All the necessary machinery, buildings and other adjuncts wore installed, and preparations made for carrying on the business of mining on an extensive scale.

The first blast furnace at the Murray mine was blown in about the end of September, 1890, and put to work on some ore which heat been previously roasted. The general practice followed by this company in their smelting operations consisted in the production of a comparatively low grade blast furnace matte (averaging 9°4 per cent nickel and 4:7 per cent copper), thus preventing an undue loss of the metals in the slag, and subsequently bessermerizing this into a second or higher grade matte (averaging nearly 75 per cent of the combined metals, or about 49 per cent nickel and 26 per cent copper). For this second concentration of the metallic contents the Vivians were the first to make use of the Manchés furnace converter, in 1891. Mining and smelting operations were continued, although with some minor interruptions, from 1889 until 1894, when the works were finally closed down. Between August, 1896, and January, 1897, how-

History Of Development 81

ever, the smelter was engaged in producing matte from about 6,000 tons of ore which had been roasted by the Vivians. This product was to Mr. Joseph Wharton, of Camden, N.J., to whom it had

from the very beginning of the business of nickel mining, and were of that nature which re-

that from the very outset a seeming lack of energy, and often even of ordinary business ability, on the part of those who had control of

poration, the Canadian Copper Company. This war evident in almost every department of the work, and the apparent lack of technical knowledge and business capacity on the part of this firm, from whom so much had been expected, could not be very well understood by the ordinary observer. On the other hand, the management entrusted with the conduct of affairs at the mine complained of want of interest and attention on the part of the authorities in England, but, whatever the real cause, or combination of causes ,the enterprise was not attended with the success anticipated, and which should have been reasunably expected. The final decision of the company to close down and withdraw from the business of mining in Canada, came as a distinct shock to all those who were interested in seeing the permanency of the nickel mining established. The failure of these operations must not, therefore, be attributed, as some have supposed, to the diminution in depth of the ore body or to abundant rocky admixture, although these, no doubt, contributed to a certain extent to bring about the undesirable result. It seems altogether reasonable to suppose that a considerable quantity of ore is still present, both in the lower levels of the mine, as well as below these workings at depths

ever, undertaken at this locality consisted chiefly of stripping, the sinking of trial shafts, and other preliminary development work. A blacksmith's shop and some temporary residences were the only (-buildings erected.

Some rather extensive diamond: drill exploration work was subsequently undertaken by order of the Board of Directors in England, at both the Murray and Lady Violet mines, but, unfortunately, the different sites for the drill, as wéll ag the angles of inclination and direction of the bore holes, were determined by some of these same directors in England, whose only means of guidanco in this section seems to have been maps of the two properties in question, but without any very extended personal knowledge of the actual geological conditions prevailing at these places. As might have been expected, from operations carried on under such adverse conditions, no impor tant ore bodies were encountered, nor was any information of material value obtained, which might be of assistance either to the owners or to any prospective buyer. The diamond drill used belonged to the Ontario government, and was leased to the Vivians under the usual conditions of working in 1898. Boring was begun on the 2nd of December, 1898, and the work continued until the 16th of June, 1899, the number of days of actual boring beiug 212, of 10 hours each, In all, eight holes were put down, having an aggregate depth of 1,146 feet, which cost on an average $2.65 per foot.

Since the abandon:nent of actual mining the property has been under the charge of Mr. G. H. Behema, who has been continuously employed looking after the various buildings and machinery, while a pump has kept most of the levels comparativety free from water.

Dominion Mineral Company.

The Dominion Mineral Company commenced mining operations in the summer of 1899, on a deposit of nickel and copper ore known

@ "Ann. Rep. Bur. of Mines, Ont., 1901, pp. 53 and 55.

is situated at a station of the same name, on the Sault branch of the Canadian Pacific railway, twenty-five miles west of Sudbury. The mine itself, consisting of two shafts. lies close to the line between lots 1 and 2, con. II, of the township of Drury. It was discovered at the time of the construction of this branch ,by Mr. James Worth-

ington, one of the railway contractors. Actual mining was started on this prop.rty in the summer of 1890, and continued without much interruption until the middle of September, 1894, when operations ceased, and with the exception of a short time in 1902, when the mine was pumped out for purposes of inspec'ion, no work of any consequence has since been done. From the two shafts, one of which reached a depth of 100 feet, and the other 175 feet below the surface, as well as from two adjoining stopes and connecting levels, a considerable amount of unusually high grade ore was obtained, which has been estimated by Dr. Coleman at 25,000 tons. The pyrrhotite occur ring at this mine is often phenomenally high in nickel, chiefly owing to abundantly dissemi ated pentlandite, and the first recognition of this mineral in the district was by Dr. T. L. Walker, in the ore procured from this mine by the writer in 1891, and to which reference has already been made. The analysis ot pentlandite by Walker showed 30 per cent nickel, but an examination of some large masses of ore obtained at a depth of 85 feet below the surface, and consisting of pyrrhotite with a considerable proportion of pentlandite, which could be readily discerned, showed 17°48 per cent nickel. In 1891.8 shipment of raw ore was made from this mine of 123 tons, which contained 10 per cent nickel and 3 per cent copper. Large masses of 4187—8

iy

84 Geological Survey Of Canada

practically pure chalcopyrite were also obtained, and a considérable quantity of such ore is stated by Manager Attwood to have been shipped, assaying 18 per cent copper and 2°5 per cent nickel.

In the fall of 1895 some development work was done by this same company, at the Cameron mine, on lot 7, con. 1, of Blezard township, nearly two miles southwest of the Blezard mine. A shaft was sunk a distance of 65 feet with a drift 66 feet in length. The real reason for the cessation of work at bot' the Worthington and Blezard mines is very difficult to ascerta's, bed business management was re sponsible in large part for aany of their dif: clties during these mining operations. Individu :! m.mbers of th: company state that the present idleness of these vroverties is bec \use no decision satisfactory to all parties can be d by the poard of directors, so that working under these conditions is impossible, and they would be inclined to sell.

Some of the other companies who carried on mining, and in some cases smelting, operations for a time, shortly after the recognition of this area as a mining district, deserve a passing mention in this connexion.

One of these, the Algoma Nickel Company, in 1891, under an option secured from the owners of the property, sank four shafts varying in depths 'rom 12 to 85 feet and aggregating 84 feet in all, besides some smaller openings or test pits on lot 11, con. V, of the township of Lorne. No large body of ore was, however, met with as a result of this development work, the sulphides apparently occurring as unusually rich impregnations, which, if continuous, might prove an economic possibility. These sulphides occur in connexion with what is seemingly the southwestern extension of the same mass or band of norite on which the Worthington and Mitchener mines are situated. Work was abandoned, leaving ore piles aggregating about 500 tons in weight. Assays of an average sample in the laboratory of the Survey showed 1-95 per cent nickel, with traces of cobalt.

The Drury Nickel Company purchased the deposit known as the Chicago or Travers mine in 1890, and began active mining in February, 1891. This mine is situated on lot 3, con. V, of the township of Drury, about 5 miles north of Worthington station, on the Sault branch of the Canadian Pacific railway. Most of the ore was mined by means of open cuts, one of which had a depth of 30 feet, length 60 feet and width 30 feet, from the bottom of which a shaft 8 by 12 feet was sunk to a depth of 60 feet. Another open pit measured 40 feet in length, 80 feet in width and 80 feet in depth. From these openings 8,500 tons of ore were obtained, and reduvzed to matte in a waterjacketed furnace capable of treating 60 tons in 24 hours. A roast-

History Of Deve.Opment 85

yard Was prepared, suitable buildings erected, and the plant installed necessary for permanent mining, but in spite of all this the mine closed down in 1892. In 1893, after lying idle for nearly a year, some additional mining and smelting was undertaken, but this was also soon abandoned. On May 20, 1896, work was again resumed, the company being organized under the name of the Trill Nickel Mining and Manufacturing Company, and the deposit itself was rechristened the Inez mine. An elevated tramway, 43 miles long, was built from Worthington station, for conveying supplies to the mine, and the product of the mine, in turn, to the station. It was possible, by means of this tramway, for a single horse to haul two cars, each containing two tons, and to make two round trips,each way daily. Mining and smelting continted briskly again, for a while, but before August, 1897, work was again stopped, and has not since been resumed.

From time to time mention is made of the 'Big Levack proper: ties" thus referring to certain deposits of nickeliferous pyrrhotite which were discovered early in the history of the district in the township of Levack, but none of which have been sufficiently developed to be dignified by the name of 'mine.' From time to time, however, considerable work has been done and examinations mad~ with a view to possible purchase, but for various reasons the properties are now (1901) lying idle and without any present prospect of being opened up in the near future. The deposits in question are situated along the northern junction of what has sometimes been called the Windy Lake eruptive or Middle Belt of the nickel bearing norite, although it is possible that this is a portion of the huge ellipsoidal band, and the southwestern continuation of the Northern Nickel range. The surface indications are undoubtedly among the best in the district, and the development work so far undertaken has exposed a very large amount of almost pure nickeliferous pyrrhotite, with little or no rocky admixture. The ore-body has the additional advantage that chalcopyrite forms only a comparatively small proportion of the whole. The first, and probably the most extensive mining exploration work in connexion with these properties, was undertaken in 1891, and a report made by Mr. A. Merry, of H. H. Vivian and Company, for the owners of the property. This work consisted of extensive stripping, and the removal of portions of the overlying drift material, the opening up of numerous cross cuts, trenches and test pits. The average assay of a number of typical samples, made by Mr. Merry, showed the presence of 3°86 per cent of nickel in the pyrrhotite, with 0°81 per cent of copper. Assays made in the laboratory of the Survey show the nickel to vary from 1°96 to 4°18 per cent, the lower figure containing considerable gangue, while the higher results were

4187—33

f

43%

f

36 Geological Survey Of Canada

obtained from the solid, coarse-grained pyrrhotite. Early in' 1901 some of these locations were examined by means of diamond drill exploration, under option by the Mond Nickel Company, but to the disappointment of all who were concerned in the welfare of the district this company decided to abandon their option, and the property was again thrown on the market. It is manifestly unwise, as a rule, to condemn as worthless the testimony afforded by diamond drill exploration, especially when such work is under the superintendence of men thoroughly experienced in the mode of occurrence of the class of deposit to be tested, but an inspection of the work performed at this time seems thoroughly convincing that much of what was done added very little, if any, information to what we already possessed in regard to these deposits, or than can be secured without such costly assistance. We are, therefore, still in the dark as to whether or not there are any large or continuous bodies of ore at these places, and if the former, as to their most likely disposition. All geologists who have visited these deposits, and especially those who have had wide experience in the district, are agreed that large and valuable orebodies are likely to occur at this place. The rock is the usual norite, with which all the other mines of the district are associated, while the contact is well and sharply defined, and the differentiation pronounced. The area covered by the nickel bearing norite is very large, and no other deposits have been found in connexion with this eruptive. The angle of dip to the southeast is unusually low for the district, and this fact has to a large extent prevented its successful exploration. The development work, as well as the borings undertaken by the diamond drill, seem to incline the casual observer to the conclusion that the deposit is a ' pancake' and has no great depth or permanence. A careful study of the attitude of the outcrops of rock, as well as their surfs outline in the immediate vicinity of the sites chosen for drill: 'ses, is convincing that no deep deposit need be expected in the. ': y, while, on the other hand, it seems reasonable that the main + , of the sulphides is concealed beneath the drift, at the base of the hill, where no trials whatever have been made, A shaft sunk here and continued with the granite-gneiss as a footwi: with drifts outward towards the main mass of the norite, would now definitely and finally not only if any large and continuous orebody is present along this line of junction, but at the same time would secure a considerable amount of ore, which could afterwards be used.

In 1891, a shaft was started on the Davis property, known as the Sheppard or Beatrice 'ne. This deposit is situated along the northeastern extension 01 we same line of junction as 'the Blezard mine,

. would us ore- e time wards

as the . north- 1 mine,

History Of Development 87

between the norite and greenstone. It is on lot 1, con. ITI, of Blezard township, nearly two miles northeast of the Blezard mine, with which it is connected by wagon road. The shaft, 10 by 12 feet, was sunk to the depth of 100 fect, with three small drifts, aggregating 34 feet. Work, however, was not continued after April, 1893.

In the same year, (1891), a shaft was sunk and considerable development work dune by the Emmons Metal Company, on the property afterwards known as the Macdonell or Gersdorffite mine, situated in the southeast corner of lot 12, con. III, of the township of Denison, and about one mile and a half northzast of Worthington station. This locality is remarkable as having furnished the first specimens of the rich nickel minerals, niccolite and gersdorfiite, in the district, but as no large body of ore was discovered mining operations soon came to an end.

In 1894, the deposit known as the Trillabelle mine was opened, and a shaft 60 feet in depth sunk on the deposit. Thi mine is situated on lots 10 and 11, con. ITI, of the township of Trill, and is connected by wagon road, by way of the Inez or ~~avers mine, with Worthington station, which is about 13 miles distant.

In 1898, the deposit which was named the Kirkwood mine, situated on lot 8, con. III, of the township of Garson, at the southern edge of the main or southern belt of norite, along the same line of junction as the Blezard and Beatrice mines, was opened. Three shafts were sunk, the deepest of which was rather less than 50 feet. A substantial rock house and other suitable mining buildings were erected, but for lack of sufficient capital the work has not proceeded further,

On October 5, 1899, the Great Lakes Copper Company was organized, and purchased the property known as the Mount Nickel mine, comprising lots 5 and 6, con. II, of the township of Blezard. They also purchased what was known as the ' Trill Property,' consisting of lots 9 and 10 in cons. III and IV, of the township of Trill, in the district of Algoma. The Mor:r.t Nickel mine was chosen as the scene of the first mining operations, and this deposit was developed by means of two open cuts and a shaft, which eventually reached a depth of about 165 feet, with certain levels and drifts, from all of which considerable ore was obtained. It is also stated that diamond drill explorations subsequently undertaken revealed the presence of a good supply of ore. The mine was equipped with all the machinery and other appliances for carrying on extensive mining operations. The smelting works were built from original designs by Anton Graf of Vienna, and it was proposed to produce high grade matte at one operation from ores which had received no previous roasting. This

—)

iy

38 Geological Survey Of Canada

method of smelting failed, and in May, 1901, all operations ceased, and have not been res::med since.

In the latter part of 1899 it was announced that a strong company, under the title of the Hoepfner Refining Company, with a capital of $10,000,000, had been formed in Hamilton, to refine nickelcopper mattes and zinc ores. These metals were to be recovered by electrolytic methods discovered by Dr. Carl Hoepfner. The Nickel Copper Company, of Hamilton, also organized about the same time, were to furnish the necessary supply of nickel-copper matte. Unfortunately, however, Dr. Hoepfner was uaable to so perfect his methods as to permit of its economic arylication on a large scale and the Nickel Copper Company took the matter of experimenting into cheir own hands. The services of Mr. Hans A. Frasch were obtained, who devised what is known as the 'Frasch Process.' This method likewise, although possible under ordinary conditions of laboratory practice, as was demonstrated at a public exhibition held on September 3, 1900, was not capable of commercial application. The operations of the Nickel Copper Company came to an end in 1901, owirg to the complete failure of the new self-roasting plant erected near Worthington station.

Laxe Superior Power Company.

For some time after the opening of the pulp mills at Sault Ste. Marie the Lake Superior Power Company were content to manufacture mechanical pulp, but discovering that there was a large and growing demand for sulphide pulp it was decided t at once enter upon its manufacture. The proximity of the sulphide deposits at Sudbury suggested that the suiphur which was necessary for the production of this pulp might be most profitably extracted from these ores, and at the same time yield a by-product of very great value. The preliminary experiments with the nickeliferous pyrrhotite were convincing that sv'ficient sulphur dioxide could be procured from this mineral by roasting, while at the same time the roasted ore or residue, consisting essentially of a mixture of iron and nickel with only a comparatively small percentage of sulphur, could be mixed with lime and charcoal and smelted in electric furnaces to ferronickel. It was intended at the time to employ this alloy in large quantities. An inspection of all the available deposits of nickeliferous pyrrhotite seemed to indicate that the property afterwards known as the Gertrude mine was peculiar'y adapted to meet the necessities of the case in hand. In 1899, therefore, the Lake Superior Power

ate manta i i a

ult Ste. irge and ce enter sits at the promm these at value. ite were ed from d ore or kel with e mixed to ferroin large ickeliferis known scessities r Power

Lake Superior Power Company 39

Company purchased this mine, and immediately proceeded to develop the deposits which were situated on the S. 3 of lots 3, 4 and 5, of con. J, of the township of Creighton, a little over twelve miles west of Sudbury. The preliminary exuminations and first development work showed an unusual predominance of a high grade nickeliferous pyrrhotite, with comparatively little of the objectionable copper in the form of intermixed chalcopyrite. As mining operations proceeded, however, more chalcopyrite was encountered, and the deposit gradually assumed the usual characteristics of those elsewhere in the district, and the copper contents assumed too large a proportion to permit of 'the successful carrying on of the first proposal. Repeated experiments were made with many carloads of raw material shipped to the works at the Sault for this purpose, but it was finally decided to adopt the ordinary process of smelting in use elsewhere throughout the district, producing a blast furnace matte averaging about 29 per cent of the combined metals, the proportion of nickel being about double that of the copper.

In 1900, the development of the Gertrude mine was continued, but the want of transportation facilities greatly hampered these operations. Two shafts were sunk, one attaining a depth of 120 feet, and the other of 80 feet, with several levels and drifts. In the spring of 1901 the Manitoulin and North Shore railway reached this mine, and work was conducted much more energetically. Roast yards were prepared, and the erection of a smelter commenced. In July of that year the Elsie mine, on the S. half of lot 12, con. V, of McKim, and about half a mile southwest of the Murray mine, was opened up. The ore was shipped in 50-ton steel cars to the roast yards at the Gertrude mine, and the first shipment of ore was made to this place on the 26th of October, 1901, on the completion of the switch , which connects the deposit with the main line of the MW ..itoulin and North Shore railway. The smelter at the Gertrude mine was finished in June, 1902, and afterwards ran steadily throughout the year, converting 100 to 160 tons daily into standard matte. In November, 1902, all work was suspended at the "si ine, to permit of the needed removal of some of the mining bui: . 3s, whose safety was threatened by a continuance of the mining \.urk. Later, in 1903, the whole of the mining operations in the Sudbury district shared the same fate in common with the other industries operated by the same company at the time of their failure.

Monp Nicket Company.

' In 1889, Dr. Ludwig Mond, F.R.S., in collaboration with Dr. Carl Langer, while carrying on certain experiments for determining

/ + ji

40 Geological Survey Of Canada

a suitable method for eliminating the carbon monoxide gases containing hydrogen, made certain observations which eventually resulted in the discovery of what has since been known as the Mond or carbon-monoxide process, for separating metallic nickel from copper, &c. In this process there were many technical difficulties to be overcome, so that, although a patent was applied for on the 12th of August, 1890, it was some years before it had reached such a stage as demonstrated its possibilities of commercial success. In 1892, an experimental plant, on a large scale, was erected at Smethwick, near Birmingham, England, and after several years of patient work, during which 'ime the plant had to be several times remodelled in order to meet all the requirements of this somewhat delicate process, it gradually assur~xd its present shape. In 1898, it had reached such a state of perfection as to afford the most convincing proof that the process was able, not only to compete successfully in regard to cost of operation, but at the same time the metallic nickel produced showed, on analysis, a higher degree of purity than had yet been possible by any other known process.

The success of the method being thus assured, Dr, Mond began at once to make inquiries, with a view to obtaining an unfailing supply of nickel ore. Experiments conducted on the nickel and copper sulphide ores seemed convincing that such were peculiarly suited to treatment by the Mond process, so that it was decided to buy one cr more of the best locations which were then available in the Sudbury mining district. At this time, and for some years previously, it was a matter of common gossip throughout this area that the McConnell mine or property, in the township of Denison, was one of the largest deposits of high grade ore which had yet been found, and attention was, therefore, directed to it with a view to possible purchase. After some negotiations, and a thorough investigation of the merits of these deposits, Dr. Mond decided to acquire these properties, and accordingly, in the summer of 1899, the necessary transfer was made. These mining locations had been under development for some time by their former owner, Mr. Rinaldo McConnell, and at the time they were sold to Dr. Mond explorations were being carried on by means of the Ontario government diamond drill, with a view to determining more definitely the position and extent of the various ore-bodies. The change in ownership, however, did not affect the progress of the work, which began on July 10, and finished on November 21, 1899. In this time seven holes were bored, the aggregate number of feet being 994, at an average cost of $1.75 per foot. In addition, two other drills owned by Dr. Mond were engaged more or less continuously during this and the two succeeding years, investigating these and other min-

Mond Nickel Company 41

ing locations, in which Dr. Mond was interested. The main shaft and mining buildings of what were henceforth to be known as the Victoria mines are situated on the north half of lot 8, con. IV, of the township of Denison, while the smelter, offices and official residences were built on the north half of lot 8, con. II, of the same township, close to the 'Sault' branch of the Canadian Pacific railway, and a little over two miles south of the main openings.

Beginning in 1899 the work of opening up these deposits proceeded as rapidly as circumstances permitted. Extensive stripping of the deposits and other preliminary development work was undertaken ; roads were opened up; a roast yard was levelled and otherwise prepared, and the necessary timbers secured for the numerous extensive structures contemplated.

During 1900 this work was continued, special attention being given to equipping the mines and smelter, the site of the latter being chosen close to Fairbank creek, on the Sault branch, 22 miles west of Sudbury. An aerial tramway, 11,000 feet in length, was installed by the Trenton Iron Co., of Trenton, N.J., to convey the ore from the rock house at the mines to the roast yard, which was first located close to the smelter.

On the 16th of October, 1900, the Mond Nickel Company, Limited, of London, Eng., was a: 'horized, by license of the Lieutenant-Governor, to carry on busir ss in Ontario. The incorporation of this company, with a capital vi £600,000, was for the purpose of acquiring all the above property, plants, patents, and smelters belonging to Dr. Ludwig Mond in the Sudbury district.

Plant of the most modern type, for roasting, smelting, and bessemerizing the ore, was erected at Victoria Mines, under the direction of Mr. Hiram W. Hixon, formerly of the Anaconda Company, this equipment being the most complete and conveniently arranged which had up to that time been installed in the district. In addition sub-- stantial offices and tasteful dwellings, with all modern conveniences, such as water and electric light, have been erected for the accommodation of the staff and their families, and the site of pre-existing swamps and rocky hummocks was quickly filled in, levelled and transformed into an important village and business centre,

Early in 1901 the mine was in complete working order, and begining with February ore was regularly raised and transported by means of the aerial tramway to the roast yard. The smelter shortly afterwards commenced to turn out matte, by the Bessemer process, this product averaging about 80 per: cent of combined nickel and copper, the former metal being usually present a little in excess. On 1st July, 1901, the head house or landing station at the roast yard was

village had been a source of annoyance and ineonvenience to the residents, who, during certain conditione of wind and weather, suf-

being much more spacious and suit: able in every way than the roast yard it was proposed to abandon. During the wi' 'er of 1901 and 1902 the operations of this com pany, at the Vic' a mines, were greatly curtailed, but the comple tion of the reuui: works in England, and the beginning of opera tions on a large scale at these works in April, 1902, gave a freak impetus to all departments of mining activity. During the summe: of 1902 the North Star mine, situated on lot 9, cons. II and IIT, o the township of Snider, and the Little Stobie mine, on the north hal: of lot 6, con. I, of the township of Blezard, were worked by this com pany. The ore, amounting to 4,724 tons obtained from the Nort] Star, and 1,584 tons from the Little Stobie, was shipped to the Vic toria mines for treatment. The bessemerized matte, as quickly @ produced by the smelting works at Victoria mines, was shipped t Clydach, near Swansea, in Wales, where extensive works had bee built for its treatment, calculated for an annual production of fror 1,000 to 1,500 tons of metallic nickel, and 4,000 to 6,000 tons of cor per sulphate. These works have been so designed as to render futur extension easy and economical. The property at Clydach, includin about 33 acres, on which the works are erected, has a frontage on th Swansea Valley canal, giving easy access to the port of Swansea, an is connected by a siding to the Midland railway. After a year steady production from both mines and smelter all activity cease in December, 1902, and although most of the higher officials we retained in office, no mining work of any consequence was undertake until early in the spring of 1908, when work was again resumed ar continued until November of the same year, when operations we! again discontinued. It is currently reported that the real reason f these frequent interruptions in the mining operations was due to ce tain defects in the plant at the Clydach refining works, and it is als rumoured that after recent breakdown in the plant there were ov twenty cases of poisoning from the escaping gas, which resulted several fatalities. It is confidently expected that a remedy will sox

:

Mond Nickel Company 43

be found for this serious condition of affairs, and that the necessary alterations in the plant will again permit of its operation on an extensive scale, thus insuring a resumption of work at :'e Victoria mines.

The hictory of the development of mining in the Sudbury district has not, therefore, been an unbroken record of brilliant successes, but often quite the reverse has been the rule, and as may be noticed in the preceding pages the number of companies who for different lengths of time have operated in this area already constitute a formidable list. These failures, and the ca which have operated to bring about this untoward result, acer atte to bring into strong relief the gallant and successful struggles of the only company which has been able to surmount the various difficulties tc which the other organizations have successively succumbed; at the same time strengthening the belief that the crisis has been passed, and tho industry has at last been established on a firm and permanent basis.. It is true that certain details in regard to the extraction of the nickel ore still in the experimental stage in order to determine, if possible, a more economical method, but there is no doubt whatever that the business of the mining and smelting of nickel is not only in a satisfactory condition but has reached such phenomenal dimensions that operations in other countries have, in consewence, been dither greatly curtailed, or have ceased altogether, so that at the present time the supremacy of the Sudbury mining district as the world's greatest producer of nickel is unquestioned.

It may be well, in passing, to state some of the reasons which have contributed to the failures which have been so frequently recorded in connexion with the establishment of the Sudbury nickel industry. For some time after the beginning of mining work in this region the world's annual consumption of nickel did not exceed 700 or 800 tons of the pure metal, which amount could readily be produced by any one of the three companies then operating in the district. The demand for nickel was, therefore, so small and uncertain, that before the discovery was made of its advantageous employment as an alloy with steel, especially in the manufacture of armour plate, no great future seemed assured for the nickel industry, and even with this distinction in its favour no very marked increase in the demand for nickel could be noticed, and it took a number of years more before the consumption had increased to 1,500 tons per annum. By the time, however, this latter figure had been reached, it was certain that a constant and ever increasing demand for nickel was assured, on account of its general use in all kinds of steel where strength combined with lightness were the important factors. At the present time the consumption of nickel exceeds 10,000 tons per annum, and ex-

44 Geological Survey Of Canada

haustive experiments now being undertaken, under the auspices o! the International Nickel Company, are . ted, on the best suthority to give strong evidence of the superior: .y of nickel steel in bridg building, so that a much larger demand for nickel can be looked fo in the immediate future. In addition, the Penns; 'Ivauia railway to use nickel steel rails, and the award of tract for 9,000 tons of the same to carry 3°60 per

vast and progressive corporation, will no doubt give a fresh stimulu to the demand. The only anxiety which now exists, and which ha often been urged against any large'employment of nickel steel, relate to the sources of supply, and to the possible exhaustion of the nick deposits now known to exist. All authorities are, however, in sul stantial agreement that the supply of high grade nickel ore containe in the Canadian deposits is practically unlimited, and at least ampl sufficient for many years to come to supply the requirements of eve much more extensive smelting operations than are now carried on i the Sudbury district. Besides, a demand for larger quantities nickel will stimulate prospecting, not only in this region, but also i areas of similar crystalline rocks to be opened up in a very sho time by the Grand Trunk Pacific and its branches, as well as by tt Timiskaming and Northern Ontario railway, with the probable resu that many more new deposits will be discovered.

Another fact which has contributed to a considerable extent bring about the failure of some of the Sudbury mining concerns w the assumption by interested parties that each individual deposit : which they had the good fortune to obtain possession was a mil capable of producing a permanent and unlimited supply of nickel o of the desired grade, the ore-body extending to unknown depths, at increasing both in quality and quantity with its downward extension With such confidence in the size, permanency and suitability f smelting operations of the ore-bodies, it is not surprising that ve often no special effort was made to obtain control of other availal sources of supply, which were sure to be needed when extensive a long continued refining operations were in progress.

A third cause, which perhaps assisted more than any other bring about the frequent suspension in mining and smelting ope! tions already recorded, was the lack of the necessary technical kno ledge and experience on the part of those who had the manageme of many of the organizations. The strong necessity of such inforn tion, in every department of mining and smelting, nee-is no spec explanation or emphasis, but it was more than ever required for t successful treatment of these particular sulphide ores. Thus, 80: of the companies engaged in mining in the vicinity of Sudbury s

th ee TERR SEE a

ability for y that very sr available tensive and

1y other to ting operanical knownanagement sh informa- : no special ired for the Thus, some udbury suc:

GENERAL PHYSICAL PERATURES ih

in reaching the stage of producing matte, but even these were to sell this unfinished product to the various refiners, at prices came far from realizing their expectations in this refiners were accused of reaping all the profits, which have been shared with the producers, so that, vory early in history of the region, it was patent to every one that to share in full benefits of the industry the same individuals or company le of the operations necessary to manufacture

finished product. Acting ou this knowledge, therefore, many of corporations engaged what was considered the most expert metallurgical advice, and numerous experiments were undertaken to deter-

Here

FIFE : é

Genera Puysican Features.

The expression 'Sudbury Mining district' was applied as a term of convenient reference, soon after the discovery of these valuable mineral deposits, to designate that particular tract of country immediately surrounding and tributary to the town of Sudbury. It must not, therefore, be confounded with other areas of Northern Ontario to which the term 'district' has been applied, and which have been thus set apart, with definite boundaries, for electoral and other purposes. Roughly speaking it may be described as extending from Wanapitei lake and river, on the east, to Onaping and Worthington stations on the west. On the north it may be considered as embracing the recently discovered iron deposits in Hutton township, while southward the commencement of the Laurentian gneiss is believed to limit important mineral discoveries in that direction.

The town of Sudbury is a creation of the Canadian Pacific railway, coming into existence at the time of its construction in 1882, and increasing in importance by reason of its being chosen as the junction point for the branch line to Sault Ste, Marie. It is distant on the main or transcontinental line of this railway 442-7 miles from

46 Geological Survey Of Canada

Montreal, and 899°4 miles from Ottawa, the capital of the Dominion of Canada.

The area in which workable deposits of nickel an' copper are now known to occur extends from the southeast corner of Snider township (Evans mine), northwest to the central part of the township of Levack, a distance of about 20 miles; in a northeasterly direction it reaches from the township of Druy to Wanapitei lake, a distance of

lots of the more recent form adopted by the Crown Lands Depart ment of Ontario. With few exceptions each of these township measures six miles square, the area thus embraced being thirty-si square miles. Each township is divided into six concessions by eas

while the concessions themselves are divided into twelve lots, by tru north and south lines, which carry the ordinary Arabic figures, nun bered from east to west. Each lot, therefore, measures one mile fro north to south, and half a mile from east to west, thus containing

although in some cases, no allowance having been made for the co vergence of meridians, considerable error and confusion have resulte Sometimes the surveys of these townships have not been done as car fully or accurately as might be desired, and in more than one i stance, two or even more approximately parallel lines were foun within short distances of one another, evidently intended for a sing boundary, each connecting with separate posts designed to mark t same point. Over the larger part of the district repeated forest fi1 have destroyed all traces of many of these lines, and the limit posts, except where an occasional one happened to be located in swamp, have been burnt, 80 that it is usually exceedingly difficu ahd sometimes impossible, to locate these original boundaries. The general character ot the country may, perhaps, be best scribed as that of an uneven or undulating rocky plain, with a gen slope towards the south and southwest. In detail the surface of

for a single o mark the forest fires he limiting cated in & ly difficult, aries.

be best death a gentle rface of the

General Physical Peratures 47

plain is far from uniform, consisting of a rapid succession of more

a considerable extent by subsequent glacial action, which removed the softer decomposed material from the higher levels to be deposited elsewhere in the neighbouring

8 considerably removed to the southwest. The scouring action of the vast glacier is everywhere apparent in the smooth well-rounded hills, while in most cases the exposed rock surfaces still preserve the glacial grooves and strim. Although the country is exceedingly rocky and uneven there are no very prominent hill features, the highest seldom attaining a greater altitude than 150 feet above the neighbouring valleys, while elevations of 25 to 100 feet are far more common. The highest land in the district comprises a strip varying in width from 3 to 5 miles, and extending in a northeasterly direction from Denison to Garson townships, a distance of over 80 miles. This is underlaid for the most part by the nickel-bearing and associated eruptives, although some areas of highly altered quartzites contribute to this unusual elevation. One of the highest hills in this rocky belt is situated immediately south of the Elsie mine. Barometrical observation correlated with the known elevation at the intersection of the Elsie Mine branch with the M. & N. 8. railway show this to have an altitude of 1,120 feet above the sea. Starting from Sudbury, which has an elevation of 850 feet, the Canadian Pacific railway ascends a series of steep grades for a distance of 83 miles before the summit is reached at an altitude of 992 feet; while an equal distance farther, at Azilda station, this elevation is decreased to 881 feet above the sea, The Manitoulin and North Shore Railway Company, on the other hand, have built a portion of this road a little over twelve miles in length, and have located it to Victoria Mines and beyond, the line running through this hilly district for the whole distance. Starting from Sudbury, which, as stated, has an elevation of 850 feat, the grade rises to 919 feet at Clarabelle junction, and farther to 959 feet at Elsie junction. The summit is reached about 8 miles west of Sudbury, where the level of the rail is 986 feet, falling again to 965 feet above the sea, at the end of the profile 127 miles from Sudbury, close to the Gertrude mine. To the northwest of this hilly tract the land becomes tolerably level, forming a plain with an average elevation of nearly 880 feet above the sea. This flat belt of country has a general width of

48 Geological Survey Of Canada

about six miles, and stretches from the vicinity of Vermilion lake, in Fairbank township, almost to Wanapitei lake, a distance of over 30 miles. The whole of this area is evidently underlaid by the slates

This drift is composed of a well stratified grey clay, unencumbered for the most part by boulders, and is seemingly well adapted for all purposes of agriculture. Roads have been opened .and large clearances made over most of this level district, the various barns and buildings - - ted giving strong evidence of the prosperity of this farming commu. %y.

To the south, and southeast of the hilly stretch already mentioned, a somewhat irregular shaped and comparatively narrow valley extends from the vicinity of the Worthington mine almost to Wanapitei lake, where it connects to the north and west with the extensive plain just described. The continuity of this comparatively level tract of country is broken at certain intervals, as for instance near the crossing of the Whitefish river, but the whole flat may be considered as belonging to one valley, with a gentle though perceptible slope towards the southwest. In the township of McKim this fat has an average general elevation of about 845 feet above the sea. From Sudbury, in a southwesterly direction, this comparatively level belt has been utilized in the location of the 'Sault Branch' of the Canadian Pacific railway, while, in addition, advantage has been taken of the even surface in erecting most of the buildings included jn the towns of Sudbury and Copper Cliff. In the township of McKim the surface of this flat is sometimes broken by small rocky hills, and the considerable areas that are available have been cleared and are now under cultivation . with gratifying results, especially during those years when the roasting of the ores at the mines is not proceeding too briskly.

Throughout McKim, and the area to the southwest of this town: ship, the soil is a fine silty clay, well stratified; but to the northwest in the township of Garson and beyond the limits of the Sudbur; sheet, in the township of Falconbridge, this is replaced by a coarse yellow sand, with gravel in certain places, the whole forming a ligh and rather poor soil, although some portions of it are now being user for farming purposes.

To the east and southeast of Sudbury the district is, for the mos part, exceedingly rough and hilly, this area being characterized by th

General Physical Features 49

presence of quartzite, with large and irregular intrusive masses of ite, and only occasional limited flats are available for

Perhaps one of the most interesting physical features presented by this district is the narrow valley formed by the weathering of the i dike, near the Murray mine, This dike, which is about

feet wide at this point, and intruded through a mass of granite,

:

main mass or belt of norite is likewise one of low relief, in contrast with the other igneous rocks, with very small gently rounded hills, this variety of rock evidently offering no very effectual resistance to decomposition. The district, as a whole, is not as abundantly supplied with lakes as many other areas of similar Archwan rocks, but several fairly large and beautiful lakes occur, and nearly all are supplied with good clear water. The shores and islands of Ramsay or Lost lake are occupied by the summer residences of many of the inhabitants of Sudbury, while its pure clear water is used to supply the large water tank, erected for the water works on one of the rocky hills east of the town. The highest lake in the area is Garson lake, which is 928 feet above the sea; while the lowest is McCharles lake, an expansion of the Vermilion river, which has an altitude above the sea of 760 feet.

The drainage of this district is effected through three important and well known streams, the Wanapitei, Spanish and Vermilion rivers, the whole of the water eventually reaching Georgian bay and Lake Huron through these channels. The Vermilion river with its tributaries, the Whitefish branch, Levey river, and Whitson and Fairbank creeks, empties the water of nearly the whole of the area included in the two map-sheets. The Vermilion river is itself a branch of the Spanish river, joining this stream near the boundary between Merritt and Foster townships, about ten miles southeast of the corner of the Victoria mines map. A portion of the Spanish river, known

4187—4

60 Geological Survey Of Canada

as the 'Great Bend, crosses the corner of this map-sheet, receivit in this distance the whole of the drainage of the township of Drur and the western part of Denison township. The branches of tl Wanapitei river are limited to the eastern parts of Garson and Neel townships. The whole area was once covered with a dense forest, but repeat fires have destroyed nearly the whole of this original growth, bd even the tall rampikes, which often alone remain as the cilent w nesses of the havoc wrought by the fire fiend, have themselves be gradually cut down to aid in kindling the heaps of roasted Occasional small areas, as for instance in the northern part

almost impenetrable thickets. :

The district, as a whole, cannot be said to be suitable for ay culture, and must rely for its ultimate import-uce on the devel ment of its mineral resources. The proximity oi the mines furnish a good market, so that every flat is being utilized for purposes farming.

Geology.

The rocks of the Sudbury mining district, arranged in the bable order of their geological age, may be stated as follows, ascending order. :

4. Lower Huronian. No rocks of this age are at present know the nickel bearing area, but this period is represented, in part, by banded siliceous magnetites and associated rocks of the township: Hutton and Wissner.

3. Upper Huronian, (A) Diorites, hornblende-porphyrites green schists. (B) Conglomerates, greywackes and quartzites norite and diorite (Worthington mine belt, and areas southeas Evans mine and east of Sudbury).

3. Laurentian. Granite and diorite-gneiss near Wanapitei sta

4. Upper Huronian? Tufts, feldspathic sandstones and 6 classified provisionally on previous geological maps as of Camb age.

gles 4 ee TE

Hii rive

& s

. follows, in

nt known in part, by the townships of

phyrites and artzites (C) southeast of

apitei station. s and slates of Cambrian

General Geology 61

5. Post. Huronian. A. Granites. B. Nickel beari: active of the main belt (quartz-hypersthene-gabbro or norite, dio. , with their peculiar differentiation product, micropegmatite). ©. Dikes of olivine diabase.

6. Pleistocene. Clays and sands.

The geological history of the nickel mining a*ea proper, or that portion of the Sudbury district which is included in the accompanying map-sheets, began in very ancient times, and most of the rocks now exposed are regarded as representative of what is known .1¢ Huronian period, being thus the oldest with which geologists are at present familiar. The detailed examination and study of these rocks have furnished abundant evidence of the almost unexampled volcanic activity then prevailing, caused largely, no doubt, by the instability of the earth's crust at this early period of its history. These rocks are essentially of pyroclastic origin, consisting mainly of tuffs of both acid and basic types, intimately associated with more or less altered basic eruptives, some of which still retain much of their original massive character, although by far the larger proportion have undergone such profound deformation and metamorphism that it 's exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, even with the assistance of tho microscope, to make any very definite or accurate statement in regard to their original composition and structure. Some of these eruptives are, however, probably of laccolithic origin and intruded along the planes of bedding of the enclosing clastic rocks, while many of the porphyrites and obscurely amygdaloidal forms doubtless represent surface flows of lava which have been very much altered and decomposed.

With the establishment of ~-nditions of more stable equilibrium came a time when the higher elevations were being subjected to the usual processes of degradation and erosion, with the transportation of the material thus detached to be deposited at the lower levels, forming the conglomerates, feldspathic sandstones and quarizites included in the above table as Upper Huronian. Even this period of comparative quiet was probably interrupted at intervals by a return of the volcanic activity, and some of the breccia-like material and certain of the interbedded greywackes may be the direct results of explosive action. Subsequent to' the formation of these rocks the huge batholiths of granite ard diorite-gneiss classified as Laurention, and occurring in the vic'nity of Wanapitei station, were intruded into the highest or quartz'te member of the Upper Huronian. Later than these quartzites, and pussibly also later than the Laurentian gneiss, certain masses of notrite .-4 diorite, among which may

4187—45

52 Ghological Survey Of Canada

be mentioned the belt on which the Worthington mine is located, wer intruded. This Worthington mine band of norite, as aay be seen b a reference to the map, extends across the southern part of the tow: ship of Denison, forming a conspicuous rap-2 of hills a short dit tance south of the Canadian Pacific ruiiway. The band of simil igneous material which forms the high lands to the south of M Charles lake is of the same age, as also its probable continuation i the large belt of norite and diorite, which crosses the country to tl southeast of the Evans mine. This same band of intrusive rock coi tinues with unb: ken continuity northeast, forming a considerab area of exceedingly rough country east of Sudbury, and north of 1 Canadian Pacific railway, besides covering a considerable portion the northern and central parts of Neelon township.

The age of the tuffs, feldspathic sandstones and slates hither classified provisionally as of Cambrian age, and so coloured on previous geological maps, is still a matter of considerable doubt, much more detailed work and critical examination of the area chars terized by the presence of these rocks will be necessary before this ¢ be satisfactorily settled. They apparently form a synclinal basi resting against the micropegmatite phase of the nickel bearing ert tive, and a study of several of the localities where the junction tween these rocks is exposed lends some support to the belief th the micropegmatite is intrusive through the tuff or breccia. On other hand, it seems reasonable to suppose that all of these rocks : very intimately associated in regard to their time and manner

genesis.

The granites, usually referred to as ' younger,' are decidedly so, reference to the older diorites, porphyrites and green schists, anc rock which may be called a breccia, formed by an exceedingly in cate intrusion of dikes and masses of granite material through th basic rocks, covers considerable areas throughout this district; wl even the main mass of the granite batholith frequently contains bedded fragments and masses of all sizes and shapes of these ol greenstones.

The nickel bearing eruptive, which in its fresh condition is 1 referred to as a quartz-hypersthene-gabbro or norite, is decidely 1: than, and intrusive through, the green schists and associated diori The relations between the so-called 'younger' granite is much n complex and anomalous. For the most part, the nickel bearing e1 tive has cooled against the granite, as may be seen at the junc between these two rocks, on the west side of the large pit know1 the No. 2 mine at Copper Cliff. Here the norite is distinctly f in grain at the immediate point of contact, this rock growing vie

ured on all

contains em- : these older

ition is now lecidely later ated diorites. 3 much more yearing erupthe junction pit known as stinctly finer owing visibly

Upper Huronian 53

coarser farther away from the line of junction. This cooling of the norite against the granite, and the production of a finer-grained or chilled selvage, is especially well seen in the vicinity of the openings made by the Vivians on lot 9, concession VI, of McKim township. On the other hand, in some localities, certain dikes or apophyses of the granite seem to penetrate the norite, as may be noticed along the line of junction to the northwest of No. 2 mine, at Copper Cliff; while the intrusive nature of the granite, and its apparently later age in relation to the norite, is quite marked to the north of Clarabelle lake, where the line of junction between the two rocks is well exposed for a considerable distance. Besides, near the Creighton mine, the granite becomes decidedly more basic in the vicinity of the norite, and a certain zone or brit is formed by the commingling of the material of both rocks, as a result of actual fusion. It has been suggested that the granite and norite may have been differentiates of the same magma, but a more reasonable explanation would seem to be that their periods of intrusion were so closely synchronous that they overlapped in their time of crystallization, and that the later secretions from the slower cooling granite magma forced or ate their way into the norite in certain places.

The olivine-diabase dikes cut through, and are, therefore, later than all the rocks with which they have been noticed in contact. Their mineralogical composition is essentially the same as the dikes of diabase-porphyrite in the Lake Superior district, which latter have been regarded as the channels by which the Keweenawan lavas reached the surface.

(2.) Upper Huronmn.

(A.) Greenstone Schists,

It has been the general practice in previous reports of this and other Archean areas to employ the somewhat vague and indefinite term ' greenstone,' the common field name for certain basic eruptive rocks, often more or less altered and deformed. In the present report this term has been retained as the most appropriate and convenient designation for certain very ancient basic intrusives, presenting every possible phase of :netamorphism and deformation. Under the general heading, ' greenstone schists,' are included several varieties of diorite, porphyrite, hornblende and chlorite schists. They are undoubtedly the oldest rocks with which we have at present any acquaintance in the district. Their usual occurrence in intimate association with the more massive and uniform norite, in addition to their general lithological appearance and behaviour, especially the more massive types,

54 Geological Survey Of Canada

were the main reasons for grouping these rocks together, under the seme colour designation, on all the earlier geological maps. In these

altered representatives of the more massive norites, the latter, by some' fortunate circumstance or series of circumstances, having

The least altered representatives of these older diorites, or more massive varieties of the older greenstones, can with difficulty be distinguished from the prevailing type of diorite (altered norite), with which the nickel and copper deposits occur, and it is impossible to resist the conclusion that both rocks have originated from precisely similar types. The difference in age, however, is quite evident from their field relations, and although both pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite occur in these earlier basic rocks, no deposits of economic importance have been found in association with them at any great distance from

rather than greyish or blackish in colour. Most of the outcrops may be referred to as ' gabbro-diorite,' a name proposed by the late Prof. G. H. Williams for a diorite which gives unmistakeable evidence in the hornblende of its derivation from pyroxene, origin"lly present. Some exposures exhibit the ophitic or interlacing structure characteristic of diabase, which is v'ten discernible either to the unsided eye, or with the assistance of : ordinary pocket lens, and the rock in which the structure is developed would be referred to as uralitic diabase.

Mineralogically, as represented by the thin sections examined under the microscope, the rock is now composed essentially of plagio-

occasionally has a pale brownish tint, the colouring matter (presumably very finely disseminated ilmenite), being rather unevenly dis-

chroie, compact variety, occurring in long, imperfectly developed prismatic forms. Occar:onally the fibrous or actinolitic variety is

66 Geological Survey Of Canada

represented, much paler in colour, and with less pronounced pleochroism. Many of the individuals of this mineral show the pale col-

Most of the individuals are surrounded by opaque greyish leucoxenc, or the more normal sphene, resulting from the alteration of the titaniferous iron ore. Apatite is usually present in small amount, occurring in the characteristic long, acicular, prismatic forms, which pierce all the other constituents of the rock. Pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite and

like masses, intimately associated with, and frequently embedded in the coloured constituents.

These diorites occur in all stages of decomposition, while still retaining much of their original massive character. A type illustrative of perhaps the extreme of this alteration is well represented by a hand specimen obtained from the tunnel in 'Lake Hill,' lot 8, con.

Tu

beste

'te show

pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite. The thin section shows that all of the hornblende and part of the biotite have been altered into green chlorite, which retains much of the strong pleochroism characteristic of the original minerals from which it has been derived. The ilmenite has been almost wholly converted to sphene, which occurs in irregular grains and crystals. Calcite is very abundant, and portions of the slide are made up of a rather coarse mosaic of quartz and calcite, with a smaller proportion of chlorite. As a rule, these old diorites are comparatively uniform in grain, but porphyritic varieties occur, and a good example of this phase was collected from certain small

definite or irregular phenocrysts of dark green, blende, embedded in a proportionately smaller amount of a compara-

[ E f

Another closely related :ock is tha aich is usually referred to as 'hornblende-porphyrite.' This tyr. ock is perhaps best illustrated by outcrops occurring to the sou. st of the Elsie miné, while the steep and prominent hill southeast of 'the office at the Murray mine, is almost wholly made up of this material. The groundmass is much finer in grain than in the porphyritic diorite just described, but the phenocrysts are usually considerably larger and more conspicuous, their deep green, almost black colour, with glistening cleavage planes, contrasting well with the fine-grained and lighter cooured matrix made up largely of hypersthene with some feldspar. Still nother closely related form, and one which may be included in the general class of the older and more massive greenstones, may perhaps be best described as a 'diorite-porphyrite.' The best examples of this type of rock were obtained from exposures outcropping a little north of the boundary between Graham and Creighton townships, on lot 2, con. I, of Creighton township. The hand specimen

58 Geological Survey Of Canada

shows a dark-green, rather schistose, dioritic rock, with ill-defin phono: ysts of plagioclase, some portions of which are of a pal yellowish-green i are re

or less advanced saussuritization. The iron ore present is mair ilmenite, for it may be seen undergoing alteration to /eucoxe A little quarts is present, and alsn an occasional scale of biotite. Very frequently these more massive types pass into foliated sch tose varieties, the structures being the direct result of pressure @ stretching, and all gradations may frequently be observed in 1 same rock exposure, from the massive gabbro-diorite, through dior schist, hornblende schist or amphibolite, to actinolite and chlor schist. The prevailing type of hornblende schist or amphibolite is

the formation of an interlocking mosaic of water-clear, usually ' striated plagioclase (albite!) and quarts.. Biotite is almost invaria present, and the iron ore is sometimes ilmenite, or highly titanifer magnetite, the grains of this mineral being bordered with sph In other instances the iron ore is simply magnetite, showing traces of alteration and this mineral is often present in large qu tity. Pyrrhotite, chaleopyrite and pyrite are sometimes dissemins through the rock in small grains, and in the vicinity of the bodies these sulphides are often abundantly present in this type rock. Some exposures of these rocks are made up almost entirely hornblende. The thin section of a specimen secured from Cry man mine, (lot 5, con. III, Garson) showed thia rock to be made of hornblende individuals closely compacted together, with no in vening feldspar or quartz. Magnetite is abundant, while pyrrhe

ereRgEE SE aiihie

of various sizes and shapes, but they are usually less than a quarter of an inch in diameter, and most of them are about the size of an ordinary pea. In certain instances some of the lerger of these areas seemed to be made up of a single imperfect phenocryst of plagioclase, but a study of the slides usually shows a mosaic made of several distinct interlocking grains of this mineral, together with a varying amount of quartz. The rock, at first sight, suggests an amygdaloid, with the amygdules or vesicles filled with this quartzo-feldspathic material, but a more reasonable explanation suggests their probable origin as small, more or less continuous veins of pegmatite which have become thus deformed and separated as a result of stretching. The structure is of rather frequent occurrence and characteristic of comparatively large areas of the amphibolite. Similar rocks have been noticed by Dr. Coleman as occurring in the vicinity of the Frood mine, while in the central part of the township of Graham the writer has collected several specimens from the N. 4 lot 8, con. III, and the N. $ lot 1, con. IV, of this township. The matrix in which these small eye-like forms are developed shows a fine-grained hornblende schist made up, in great part, of compact, dark-green, strongly pleochroic hornblende, together with a little biotite. In vhe specimen from the N. 3 lot 1, con. IV, of Graham, the quartz and feldspar of many of the 'augen' contain small scattered individuals of hornblende, zoisite and biotite.

SF Reggae date Pe Et Po ee EE ee ee Erte tatty PHT EEE Hetetid etai Lp i : He tant a i phisisis ij bs a i Lt HT

iH eee ete ie iH epee Hal uit Aleit (lial TE TTT MHI MURe He rita eLereLeLE

itl

Bu

Hues Phl:

ePebeee Lf

colour as the greenstone. All of these clastic rocks are greatly

:

Tel

being largely altered to sericite; biotite, chlorite and magnetite ilmenite are the most abundant minerals represented. Often tallisation has been so advanced that no traces of their detrital remain. The quartzites are of the usual feldspathic variety, the ponent grains only occasionally revealing traces of water action, structure, for the most part, being eminently interlocking,

at:

(2.) Uprzr Huromtan.

B. Conglomerates, Feldspathic Gandstones And Quartzites.

composition is well understood, their stratigraphical position has not been determined as satisfactorily as might be desired, as only a comparatively limited time could be spared from the work of examining and delimiting the more important eruptives directly associated with the ore bodies. The geological sueceseion, therefore, advocated in this report, is not based on an extended or critical study of the field relations of theese rocks, and much more exhaustive work will be necessary before a final and authoritative utterance is possible on this point. Some difficulties which presented themselves, during even the preliminary investigations wndertaken by the writer, may be mentioned briefly. In the first place all the rocks of the district have been greatly disturbed, so thet the originally horizontal strata are now tilted at very high angles, in some instances having assumed a vertical attitude, and, occasionally, having even been overturned as a result of the mechanical stresses to which they have been subjected. In some cases, and over extended areas, the rocks have been so metamorphosed that the planes of original sedimentation are more or less completely masked, or even destroyed altogether, thus rendering it very difficult, it not impossible, to interpret the true structure or stccession. In addition, the situation is further complicated, and a satisfactory explanation delayed, by rcuson of the frequent development of certain secondary structures due to intense and prolonged pressure and stretching. 'Ihe foliated, schistose or slaty structures, thus induced, are frequently mistaken for bedding planes, although usually

62 - Geological Survey Of Canada

forming considerable angles with them. Besides, the continuity of the areas of the clastic rocks is frequently broken by. the intrusion of irregular masses of igneous material, which not only greatly disturbed and obscured the original order of deposition, but divide these sedimentaries into a number of separate basins, whose satisfactory correlation can only be unravelled by much more detailed study than the present opportunity afforded the writer. At this stage, therefore, the succession favoured in this report is not offered without a certain degree of hesitation, although it is without doubt a much more complete and satisfactory classification than any which has yet been attempted. With the exception of one or two minor points it differs in no essential particular from the scheme offered by Dr. Coleman in his last report, (1) and we both agree in advancing the opinion, that the intrusion of the nickel bearing norite took place at a much later date than formerly supposed. It is confidently expected, however, that Dr. Coleman, as a result of the later work he is now conducting in the district, will decide many of the questions which are still a matter of opinion and conjecture, and the appearance of his monograph is accordingly awaited, with the expectation that this question of succession, especially, wili receive full and satisfactory treatment.

The oldest clastic rocks exposed in the vicinity of Sudbury are certain feldspathic sandstones or greywackes, frequently interbedded with, and passing by insensible gradations into feldspathic quartzites or arkoses, the latter, for the most part, being the later rocks, and usually forming the summit of the series. These rocks are evidently closely related, the main point of difference noticed consisting in the relatively coarse grain and large amount of quarts in the quartzites, with less of the finer-grained interstitial material, this being made up, for the most part, of the lighter coloured decomposition product sericite, while in the greywacke the texture is finer, and feldspar, not quartz, is the predominant constituent. Chlorite, with innumerable fine, disseminated particles of opaque matter, gives the prevailing dark colour to the rock. The quartzites, for the most part, occur in thick, massive beds, which are very uniform in mineralogical composition, while the greywackes are much more distinctly and evenly stratified, and certain shales and slates exposed in the district are evidently thinly bedded varieties of this rock. All intermediate stages, both ix composition and structure, may be noticed between these two types of tock, which, at the two extremes, are quite distinct and recognizable.

(1) Ann. Rep. Bur. of Mines, Ont., 1908, p. 298.

tele

iit

Upper Huronian 63

Comparatively large areas are characterized by the prevalence of one or other of these rocks.

Some of the greywackes are evidently of the nature of muddy sediments deposited in water, as a result of ordinary conditions of degradation and deposition, but tuffs constitute, by far, the larger part, representing the consolidation of what was originally volcanic ashes, being one of the results of the explosive action to which is due the presence, at the surface, of the great belts of greenstone. These have, in most cases, been sorted and re-arranged by tha action of water, but, in other instances, little or no trace of rounding action can be detected in the component grains, even in those types which have suffered little or no alteration. These rocks are usually of a darkgrey, purplish-brown, or greenish-grey colour. They are often evenly and very distinctly banded, in varying shades of grey. Jointing is frequent and also 'slaty cleavage. They are often faulted and shattered, and in the vicinity of the various greenstone masses are penetrated and altered by irregular tongues and masses of the basic igneous material. They are frequently porphyritic, and usually the phenocrysts are small, very thickly disseminated, and of a very palegreyish or whitish colour. For this reason the rock has been referred to, in the field, as 'rice rock.' These phenocrysts were probably andalusite or staurolite, but the skeleton-forms are now occupied by a confused aggregate of minute sericite scales and quartz. Other exposures show small yellowish-brown spots made up of rutile, while others again exhibit irregular phenocrysts of hornblende, now wholly replaced by chlorite. Thin sections, examined under the microscope, reveal a rock which has undergone rather extensive decomposition. It is usually made up very largely of feldspar, with a smaller proportion of quartz, in small, angular or slightly rounded fragments. These are surrounded by a net-work of sericite and chlorite scales, together with a considerable amount of opaque iron ore, The larger individuals, at least, have evidently been ilmenite, but are now almost completely altered to leucoxene. The darker bands are made up of more thickly disseminated, dust-like particles of iron ore, much of which at least is ilmenite. In the vicinity of the various eruptive masses, as well as in those masses which have been caught up in the greenstone, these rocks are very much altered, the various types having been deseribed as mica schists, felsites and phyllites. The rocks referred to as quartzites are massive, though usually distinctly stratified, of a pale-grey, reddish, yellowish-grey, or greenish-grey colour. They are intimately associated and often interbedded with the tufts or greywackes, so that it is frequently impossible to separate the two for purposes of mapping. Under the microscope the thin section

aes

napavatcecs pris ptt

g es ee :

ie f

64 Geological Survey Of Canada

exhibits a rock made up chiefly of quartz, with e somewhat smaller proportion of feldspar, most of which is unstriated, and, therefore, presumably orthoclase. Occasional grains of microline were noticed,

are. embedded.

The structure of the rock is for the most part interlocking, but some specimens show distinctly clastic structure, while, in most, the resemblance to well authenticated, recrystallized clastics is such 98 can hardly be mistaken.

A little over a mile northwest of Sudbury the Canadian Pacific railway crosses a belt of very highly altered feldspathic quartzite, the outerops of this rock forming a series of comparatively high and conspicuous. ridges. This band averages about half a mile in width, and extends with unbroken continuity from the vicinity of the Frood mine to Copper Cliff. Here, denudation has removed a considerable portion of these rocks, leaving only small areas such as that which outcrops ixamediately north of the old Copper Cliff mine. These rocks are again exposed to the west of the Ontario Smelting Works at Copper Clif, forming the high ridges, which with some minor breaks, extend in a southeasterly direction a little beyond the boundary between Waters and Graham townships. Areas of very similar rocks are showri on the map as occurring in the township of Denison, the largest mass covering a considerable tract north of the Vermilion mine. The microscopical examination of most of the thin sections, representative of this rock, throws little or no light on its origin, and the exposures might very readily be mapped as belonging to a biotite or hornblende granite, while the prescence of a breccia of autoclastic character at the junction between this and the greywackes to th southeast might easily be interpreted as indicating the intrusion o! a granitic rock through the greywacke.

These small, usually parallel, and seemingly dike-like forms o! quartzo-feldspathic material are in reality thin beds of arkose :aate rial, which, originally continuous, have been drawn out, broken anc separated during the pro-es of stretching, while the enclosing rocks having yielded more readily to deformation, give no evidence of auto clastic action. This quartzite is frequently ' blotched ' in the vicinit of the railway line, the spots or blotches of a pale-reddish or pinkisl colour being embedded in a network of greyish materie}, withou

Upper Huronian 65

however, any sharp or well-defined boundary between these two portions of the rock. It is made wp princ.pally of auartz, feldspar, biotite, muscovite and sometimes .orndlende, the last mentioned mineral being especially conspicuous in those exposures of the rock crossed

by the railway and wagon road to Azilda. This mineral occurs usually in long, slender prisms of a dark jreen colour, disposed at various angles to one another, and very evidently the product of secondary aetion.

The component minerals possess the irregular, interlocking outlines, with usually no suggestion of the rounding action of water, and, at first sight, has every resemblance to a granite or gneiss. An examination of the field cecurrences of this rock is, however, much more satisfactory than that of the thin section under the microscope. 'At times, a series of beds can be traced out, differing considerably in composition and texture, the whole occurring in the form of a synclinal basin, resting upon the greywackes. 'This quartzite represents the most advanced type of a recrystallized arkose for which the term 'regenerated granite' has been proposed. (1) In the Huronian, there are no very large areas of conglomerate, and the exact position of these rocks is still a matter of doubt, but it is hoped that future investigation will, at an early date, enable a precise statement of the stratigraphical position to be made. From the investigations wu." :c- taken by the writer, these conglomerates would appear to Ife 1. the base of a series, which, passing upwards into darker coloured feldspathic sandstones or greywackes, are in turn overlaid by feldspathic quartzites or arkoses which cover the larger portion of the southeastern part of the Sudvury map.

Such rocks are, as a rule, of a dark-grey colour, with disseminated, angular, subangular, or rounded fragments, chiefly of quartz, granite, diorite, &c. Thin sections exhibit a rock made up of fragments, chiefly of quartz, but also of orthoclase, plagioclase and microperthite. The most abundant composite fragments are granitite, composed mainly of microperthite and quartz, together with a little b:-- tite. All of the larger individuals are embedded in a matrix, madz up of much finer pieces of quartz and feldspar, together with biotite, sericite and a pale-green chlorite. Occasional grains of pyrite and also some of ilmenite occur. Excellent exposures of the last mentioned conglomerate may be seen along the line of the Cansdiar. Pacific railway, immediately east of Sudbury, and in the vici::', o the north shore of Ramsay lake. As usual, these conglomerates 9°. extremely local in their development, covering no very large extent

(1) Quart. Journ. Geol, Lon. Vol. LIII. (1897) p. 44. 4187—5

66 Geological Survey Of Canada

of country, and the area to the east of Sudbury is, by far, the largest covered by such coarse, detrital rocks. Exposures of a very similar rock ovcur on lot 7, con I, of the township of Denison, to the south of @ small lake, the conglomerate at this place underlying the

ite. :

Dr. Coleman mentions that, 'the most typical conglomerate in the region, however, extends as a much broken band from northeast to southwest, near Stobie mine, showing crowded pebbles and small boulders of more than half a dozen kinds, including granite, quartzite and several sorts of green schist, as well as greenstone.' The occurrence of these conglomerates and the character of their pebbles indicate a probable lack of conformity in the Huronian, and it is quite possible that thers is a lower and an upper series, the former made up of greenstones, schists, greywackes and highly altered quartzites (regenerated granites), overlaid unconformably by the conglomerates just mentioned, together with the overlying greywackes and feldspathic sandstones exposed in the southern part of the Victoria mines map, and the southeastern part of the Sudbury map. Besides these coarse detrital rocks, which are evidently consolidated shore deposits, there are certain pseudo-conglomerates or autoclastic rocks, formed, as already stated, as a result of pressure and deformation. These 'crush' conglomerates are especially abundant where the harder end more brittle quartzites come in contact with the schistose

Certain portions of the green schists, penetrated by granitic material, have likewise become autoclastic, through the stretching and rolling out of the rocks, while large portions of the

themselves have been broken, the fragments separated and recemented together by similar, though somewhat coarser material.

(2.) Upper Huronmun?

(0.) Older? Norites And Diorites.

Certain areas of gabbro and norite, with their derivative diorite occur, which have no direct or visible connexion with the main mass of the nickel bearing norite. Most of these intrusive masses exhibi' certain peculiarities of composition and structure, which all seem t possess in common, and by means of which they may usually be dis tinguished from the ordinary norite. The possesion of these charac teristics, as well as their prevailingly greater alteration, suggests probable difference in age, and the position assigned to them in th ee

(2) Ann. Rep. Bur. of Mines, Ont., 1903, pp. 239 and 200.

3 Upper Huronian 1—Older Norites And Diorites 67

table of the geological formations exposed in this district is believed to be a very close approximation to the truth. Most of these masses, at least, are distinctly younger than any of the clastic rocks, with

are, however, older than the olivine-diabase, for dikes of this latest rock in the area are seen to cut them in many places.

With the exception of the Worthington mine, no large or economically valuable deposits of nickel and copper have been found in connexion with them, although the Mitchener and Totten mines, situated in the township of Drury, were opened on masses of these minerals which were directly connected with the Worthington mine intrusive. Other deposits of these sulphides are known to occur at several points, as for instance on lot 12, con. III, of Neelon township; where the pyrrhotite was found to contain 3°10 per cent of nickel, and on the north half of lot 4, con. VI, of Neelon township, but, so far as known, none of these are of sufficient dimensions to form working mines under present conditions,

One of these belts of norite starts in the township of Drury, to the south of the Canadian Pacific railway, and extends across the southern part of the township of Denison, ending a short distance east of the Vermilion river. The small areas shown on the map, as occurring on lot 12, con. II and ITI, of Denison, are of the same rock. Another band forms the high land between Trout, Clear and Whitefish lakes on the southeast, and McCharles and Simon lakes on the northwest. The highest portion the ridge rises 220 feet above McCharles lake. The probable continuation of this band forms the higher hills northwest of Kelly lake, and with some minor brea''s, the ridges formed by the outcropping of these hard rocks extend: to the eastern end of Ramsay lake. To the north of the Canadian Pacific railway, and to the east of the town of Sudbury, the rock forms a series of exceedingly rugged and comparatively high hills, the highest of which rises over 1,000 feet above the sea. This mass of norite and diorite covers an area of about four square miles in this part of McKim and Neelon townships, sending off a long narrow arm, which crosses the sixth concession of the township of Neelon. The large irregular mass of similar igneous material, occurring in the eastern part of Neelon, and shown on the map as covering portions of the third, fourth and fifth concessions, is known to be directly connected with the same mass. With the exception of the

4187—63

68 Geological Survey Of Canada

mate association with, and probably intrusive through, the older and tuffs which make up the larger portion of the ares covered by the third and fourth concessions of Denison. These rocks

Similar areas of diorite rocks occur in the belt of older hornblende and tufaceous rocks which crosses the third and fourth concessions of Graham, to the south of the granite mass. Deposits of pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, pyrite and cobaltiferous arsenopyrite are known to occur ini connexion with these rocks, but they are not at present of econo-

importance.

In 'the field, outcrops of these older norites are pale-greenish, in contrast to the dark-greyish or black tones of the main mass of norite. They are, as a rule, finer in grain, eminently disbesic in texture and frequently show considerable masses of diorite pegmatite, or malachite, in this last respect differing from the ordinary norite, which is remarkably uniform in grain over the whole area. Under the microscope they contain less quartz, and the hornbiende is always actinolite, and not the compact variety common in the diorite derived from the norite of the main mass.

Fresh representatives of this apparently older norite are comparatively rare, and the writer's specimens, selected with every care, at widely separated localities, contain only two specimens in which the pyroxenes are sufficiently fresh to permit of their identification, and even in the slides from these specimens by far the greater portion of the original ferromagnesian constituents are represented by the usual secondary serpentine and actinolite.

One of the hand specimens of the least altered phase of the diorite, collected near the eastern extremity of the band of greenstone between Whitefish and Simon lakes, is a pale greenish, medium-textured, massive greenstone, with little or no evidence of having been subjected to dynamic metamorphism,

The thin section shows a hypersthene-gabbro or norite, the greater portion of which has undergone advanced chemical alteration or decomposition. For the most part it is now made up of plagioclase and a serpentine closely related, if not identical with bastite. The latter mineral is very evidently secondary, and occupies very approximately the same position as the original bisilicate material, from whose

Upper Huronian ?—Older Norites And Diorites 69

alteration it has resulted. Occasionally, limited areas show the original pyroxenic minerals, in various stages of the bastitic alteration. A faintly pleochroic hypersthene or enstatite and diallage are both present, and some of the individuals or grains of these minerals are, with difficulty, distinguishable from one another. Both minerals are very nearly colourless, but the double refraction of the hypersthene is weak, while the diallags,.on the contrary, shows brilliant chromatic polarization. .Both pyroxenes show a faint, though distinct pleochrcism, that possessed by the hypersthene being more decided. The index of refraction of the hypersthene is somewhat higher than that of the diallage, while the latter mineral shows frequent polysynthetic twinning. Both pyroxenes, however, decompose to tae same palegreenish, usually fibrous, but occasionally scaly bastite, often exhibiting brilliant polarization colours. In places, this bastite is being converted into a pale-greenish, feebly pleochroic, fibrous hornblende or actinolite, this uralitization being especially pronounced in the vicinity of the margins of the individuals. These bastitic areas contain very numerous, small, irregular scales and plates of a pale-brownish, apparently secondary biotite, and, in places, are crowded with small grains of secondary magnetite. The plagioclase, which, judging from the extinction angles, is labrador''te, has a marked poikilitic development, this mineral extinguishing simultaneously over large areas, which in the thin section are separate either partially or wholly by intervening bisilicate material. 'shis poikilitic effect is likewise noticeable in the hand specimen owing to the uniform reflection of light from th plagioclase individuals. Comparatively large, irregular grains of magnetite, probably titaniferous, are also distributed through the rock, while quartz occurs, filling up occasional interspaces between the tabular forms of feldspar.

Another specimen, representing a very fresh variety of this rock, was obtained from a small hill, west of a lumber road, on lot 11, con. VY, of Neelon. Dr. Coleman mentions the fact that a specimen of this rock from the hilltop east of the town of Sudbury is 'a typical norite made up essentially of faintly pleochroic enstatite or hypersthene and plagioclase, the latter somewhat lath-shaped.' (1)

A thin section from a specimen obtained from the large mass of this rock, occurring to the southeast of the Evans mine, shows a greatly altered variety of this norite. The original pyroxene minerals are wholly converted into an aggregate of pale-greenish, brilliantly polarizing scales and fibres of serncrtine, this, in turn, being converted, in certain instances, to ~'inuiite: Pale-coloured biotite is

(1) Ann. Rep. Bur. of Mines, Ont., 193. 1. 296.

with plagioclase,

forming the characteristic granophyre. The iron ore is ilmenite,

with borders of sphene. Apatite is abundant, in the usual slender, forms. ;

'Another thin section, taken from a specimen obtained on the north

ally occupies the irregular interspaces between the plagioclase laths. ses also examined under the microscope. The rock may be referred

lite; much of the plagioclase is rather clear and fresh, but some has undergone considerable saussuritization. A little brownish hornblende is present. Sphene, in irregular grains, with black opaque cores of ilmenite, epidote and soisite, are the principal other minerals noticed. i

The actinolite diorite and schist, with which the deposits at the Worthington, Mitchener, Totten and Macdonell or Gersdorffite mines are associated, are evidently highly altered forms of this norite. These deposits possess certain peculiarities in common with one another, which distinguish them from the other ore bodies connected with the main mass of the norite. Some of the rock collected at the Vermilion mine is possibly of the same type and age, but this was not definitely ascertained. As is evident from the foregoing, it is manifestly difficult, if not impossible, in all cases, to decide the question of the identity of every individual specimen of altered norite, or even the various separated masses, but in a broad way these two norites are distinct and separate from one another, and the criteria already mentioned for distinguishing them will usually be found sufficient.

b ORBVLEA

+

Mit

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casion- e laths. Neelon, referred xene is actino-

oF

it

Laurentian Gnbeisses 71

(8.) Lavaewtian Granite anp Dioerrn-annisses,

The rocks usually classified as Laurentian comprise a series of eruptive rocks, mainly of granitic and dioritic composition,

z

PEER fe

ety, usually of the well-formed individuals show the faces of the rhombic and icositetrahedron. Perhaps the most interesting mineral is cyanite, which is abundant in certain portions of the rock, occurring both in the micaceous and feldspathic bands. This mineral occurs in flat, blade-like crystals, with the prevailing bluish and colours. In the micaceous bands the colour is especially and of a beautiful azure tint, somewhat unevenly distributed cloud-like in its effect, the colour being often deepest in the centre of the crystals, gradually becoming colourless towards the margin. These crystals are arranged, for the most part, parallel to the foliation, but some individuals are disposed at considerable angles to this structure. Sillimanite or fibrolite is also occasionally present, especially on. slickensided or jointing planes, and shows abundant evidence of pressure and stretching. These gneisses are distinctly of eruptive origin, and their intrusion through the quartzites and other clastic rocks is everywhere apparent, where the line of junction is so exposed that the relationship between the two may be examined and ° studied.

i;

4. Upper Huronian (?) Cuastio Rocks.

The rocks, thus classified, occupy the large oval area situated immediately northwest of the main belt of the nickel bearing and kindred eruptives, and underlying the extensive clay plain which has already been described as so eminently suitable for agricultural purposes. As n result of the first geological examination. these rocks

"§

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t

Geological Survey Of Canada

"and copper deposits of this district, which was also read at this meeting.

The 1aterial submitted for examination consisted of two small hand specimens, collected at the lowest falls on the Onaping river, in the township of Dowling. Prof. Williams' description is so complete and satisfactory, that it may be quoted in this connexion.

'In a hand specimen, this rock presents a nearly black felsitic ae een an min oeaeetinasiaateaeaeeaeD

(1) Ann. Rep. Bur. of Mines, Ont., 1903, (illustration 52) pp. 288-289. (3) Ann. Rep. Geol. Surv., Can., Vol, V., 1890-91, Part F, pp. 74-76. (2) Bull. Geol. Soc. Am., Vol. II., 1891, pp. 74-76.

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in

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studies rnished

ektce HUE

Upper Huronian ?—Clastic Rocks 73

matrix, in which are embedded sharply angular or slightly rounded fragments, varying from 14 cm. in aiameter, downwards to ultramicroscopic dimensions. 'Thes: fragments are lighter in colour then the matrix, but differ considerably among themeslves in their tint, structure and composition, The majority resemble chalcedony in appearance, others are greenish, while some of the largest fragments are now replaced by a single calcite individual. Occasional emi! grains of clear vitreous quartz may also be detected, while specks of pyrrhotite are everywhere abundant. Many of the angular fragments show distinctly under the lens a flow or vesicular structure, which is still more apparent in a thin section of the rock when seen under the microscope. The fragments, even down to those of the smallest dimensions, have the angular form characteristic of glass sherds produced by explosive eruptions, with more or less coarsely vesicular structure. The flow structure is as perfectly marked by sinuous lines of globulites and microlites which terminate abruptly against the broken edge of the glass particle, as in the most recent vitrophyre. Minute spots of pyrrhotite are scattered throughout the section. The groundmass is of a dark colour, owing to the massing in it of minute black globulites, to whose nature the highest magnifying power gives no clue. Between crossed nicols it is seen to be made up largely of chalcedonic quartz, which has changed the easily destructible glees into a sort of jasper. Chlorite is also abundant, frequently arranged as a border of radiating scales around the edges of the fragments, so as to coat them green in the hand specimen, The larger grains are always a fine mosaic of interlocking quartz, but some of the smaller ores are composed of a unit individual of clear vitreous quartz. The only other minerals which could be identified in the section are calcite and a few grains of a glassy striated feldspar. The presence of this latter mineral is very noteworthy, as we should expect it to have disappeared during the vicissitudes through which this rock has passed.'

In other localities this breccia shows a greater diversity in the character of the larger fragments, and composite rocks made up largely of quartz and feldspar, either granite or recrystallized quartzite, frequently occur.' Plagioclase and quarts, usually in angular or sub-angular pieces, are very often represented, while epidote and hornblende, also mentioned by Dr. Coleman, are likewise present in the thin sections examined by the writer.

No complete chemical analysis has yet been made of the individual specimens examined by Prof. Williams, but Dr. Huffmann made a silica determination, showing it to contain 60°23 per cent. Dr. T. L. Walker, however, has made an analysis of a specimen of this breccia,

4 GROLOGICAL GURVEY OF (CANADA. ebtained from the north shore of Whitson lake, with the following

results: WOHisn8 SS Aa SS ae SMA iA PR ee Ae ae ee er er ere Sees SSA Sa IE a Saat imety ele ea ae a Sas eve ete ee

Various sulphides, chiefly pyrite, but sometimes also pyrrhotit and chalcopyrite, are often abundantly disseminated through thi rock, aad not a few miuing lvcations have been surveye intended to cover such deposits, which were regarded as possib! mines. One of the most promising of these, visited by Mr. Lero, was situated or the south half of lot 8, con. TV, of the township Dowling, and the specimens secured were handed to Dr. Hoffman ic assay. The hard. specimen shows a massive pyrrhotite, with whic is associated a little chalcopyrite and somewhat larger proportion of gangue. The pyrrhotite, whe. freed from the chalcopyrite an gangue, was found by Mr. F. G. \Yait (+) to contain 0-26 per cent nickel with a trace of cobalt. Resting upon this breccia or aggl merate are certain black bituminous shales, often with well develop. slaty cleavages, This rock is made up principally of minute fra, ments of quartz, with intervening scales of chlorite and sericite, ax abundantly disseminated, black, opaque particles of carbonaceous bituminous matter. These siates sometimes contain fissures occupis by anthraxolite or vein anthracite, and a large outcropping of sus material in the township of Balfour occasioned considerable excit ment some years ago. Samples of the surrounding rock, analyzed Dr. Ellis, showed 6-8 per cent of carbon in the shale. (?) The highe rocks in this series are certain grey sandstones and shales, the form frequently containing concretions, which weather more rapidly thi the matrix in which they are enclosed. Composite fragments c: often be recognized with the naked eye, and the rock then assum the character of a coarse grit. It is nade up principally of angu|

(1) Quart. Jour. Geol. Soo, Lon., Vol. LiIl., 1897, p. 45. (1) Ann. Rep. Geol. Surv. Can., Vol. XIII. Part R, p. 36. (2) Ann. Rep. Bur. of Mines, Ont., 1896, pp. 169-168.

aoe or en i

Post Huronian--Granite 7S

and eubanguler grains of quartz, embedded in a finer-grained bese, composed of feldspar, quarts, chlorite and mica. Zircon and tourmaline are also sometimes present. The dark colour of the rock is due to disseminations of innumerable, fine particles of opaqus material, especially abundant in the feldspar, and which are probably ilmenite.

narrow belt of intermediate composition between the granite or norite, Dr. Colemen states that 'on the whole, however, the impression is formed that the granitoid gneiss is older than the gabbro, the latter

presat exposed at the surface by denudatiun, has not evidently resalto? tom the consolidation of a body of magma, the product of one iin ghe act of platonic activity, but is rather the result, locally at least, 'j suvcrel guecessive fusions and re-cementations, before the whole

ves vetched its final or present condition. The evidence of such 'uccasive jorkods of intrusion is furnished by a study of the granite nies "1-4, for although over the larger part of the area the granite if vcvadly uniform in structure aad composition, certain locali- 'ica siiow father sudden changes in these respects, with occasionally # sharp dividing line, thus indicating an apparent difference in age. All attempts, however, to trace out this apparent line of subdivision in detail, over any extent of country, proved futile, and the conclusion was reached that the whole mass is very ie synchronous, and

(1) Ana. Rep. B Bur. of Mines, Ont., 1908, p.

°

16 Geological Survey Of Canada

that. no appreciable lapse of time in a geological sense has occurred between the several dates represented by these different phases of the granite. The rate of cooling, moreover, was extremely slow, much

more so in fact than the norite, so that it is possible that, in certain

instances, some portions may have been sufficiently consolidated to permit of the cooling against it of the norite, while in areas not far distant some of the latest acid secretions of the granite penetrated and altered the norite or gabbro. There are two main types of these granites, the difference between the two being essentially one of structure, and although intermediate varieties between the two extremes are known to occur, such phases are relatively unimportant and may be ignored for purposes of general description. These two varieties are at present believed to be very approximately, at least, of the same age. One type of rock which occupies by far the largest area of any of these acid eruptives is a very decided ' augen' or porphyritic granitite-gneiss. In places, this seems to pass into a finergrained and more massive type, with ill-defined or no foliation, thus resembling the second variety, the type of which, however, forms two smaller and separated batholiths 'occurring to the northeast of the main mass,

The coarser or ' augen' type presents such a strong resemblauce, in every respect, to certain gneissoid rocks occurring in the Laurentian, that it was indicated as part of this formation in the first geological map. It constitutes a well marked batholith, intrusive through the older green schists and diorites, which it has greatly dis turbed and altered, forming a belt to the south of the main mass of the sulphide bearing norite, and extending from the second lot in the township of Denison to a point a little e.at of the boundary betweer Snider and McKim townships, near the Copper Cliff mine. Th mass is thus about thirteen miles in length, with an average widt! varying from one to two miles. It forms a very striking and beauti ful rock, eminently suitable for building or ornamental purposes. I has been used in the building of the main office at Copper Cliff, a! also for mantles in the manager's house at Victoria Mines.

Under the microscope the thin section shows the rock to be mad up chiefly of microcline, orthoclase, albite, oligoclese, biotite an quartz, with epidete, sphene and apatite as accessory minerals an: calcite, epidote, zoisite, sericite and chlorite as secondary pro ducts of decomposition. The orthoclase and microcline sometime occur free, but, for the most part, are intergrown with the albit forming both microcline and orthoclase-microperthite. The quart is the usual granitic variety, frequently showing intense strai shadows and sometimes granulated into a fine interlocking mosaic

Post Huronian—Granite 77

feldspars of the rock, although like the quartz often much granulated, are comparatively fresh. Reddishbrown iron oxide has spread through the cracks, giving a cloudy or stained appearance to many of the grains. Much of the oligoclase has undergone considerable saussuritization, the resulting products being epidote, zoisite and sericite. It is usually stained a deep reddish-brown colour. The biotite is usually 'bleached' and has often undergone more or less complete chloritization. Sphene and epidote are often embedded in the biotite. Apatite is frequently present in the tsual acicular prisms, while occasionally a little calcite was noticed in thin sections.

The 'augen' are usually made up of a comparatively coarsegrained aggregate of microperthite or microcline, together with a much smaller proportion of quartz. More rarely, it is a single crystal of feldspar, often a Carlsbad twin, rarely, however, with sharp or well defined boundaries.

In the vicinity of the Oreighton mine the granite of the main batholith comes in immediate juxtaposition with the nickel bearing norite, while to the southwest in the vicinity of the Gertrude mine, as well as to the northeast from the North Star mine and beyond, considerable areas of the peculiar granite and greenstone breccia intervene between the two rocks. As has been stated, there is the clearest evidence at the Creighton mine of considerable reaction between the granite and norite, the former being often impregnated for a considerable distance from the contact with the nickel and copper bearing sulphides, while, in addition, certain portions of granite are unusually basic, presenting a rock of intermediate composition between the granite and norite, with deep flesh-red porphyritic individuals, often Carlsbad twins of orthoclase, microcline or microperthite, embedded in a groundmass made up principally of biotite, hornblende, epidote and sphene, the latter containing black opaque ores, presumably of ilmenite.

The finer-grained variety of granite is characteristic of two areas. The smaller one is situated immediately east of the Lady Violet mine, and extends a little north of the Manitoulin and North Shore railway, on the boundary between McKim and Snider townships. It vers a considerable portion of lot 1, con. IV, of the township of Snider.

The other and larger area extends from the min line of the Canadian Pacifie railway, a little southeast of the Murray mine, northeast to within a quarter of a mile of the Little Stobie mine. It thus constitutes an oval area, measuring about three miles in length, and averaging about three-quarters of a mile in width. A microscopical

78 Geological Survey Of Canada

on lot 1, con. IV, of Snider township. It has a general to the coarse ' augen' variety. This small mass measures about 850 feet long and from 150 to 600 feet wide.

About two miles west of the Murray mine, Walker mentions that the nickel bearing eruptive is cut by iwo separate intrusions of finegrained pinkish, biotite-granite, which send off apophyses into the surrounding greenstone. The wider of the intrusions is about 100 yards broad, while the smaller is less tham sixty yards. The microscope shows that quartz, orthoclase, plagioclase and biotite, are the chie! constituents. Considerable areas, in the vicinity of the line of junc tion between these granites and the older greenstones, are character ized by the presence of u breccia, made up-of an extremely intricat intrusioi. or penetration of the greenish seltistose rocks by dikes and irregular masses of granitic material. The chief alteration noticed in connexion with the greenstone is the development of biotite ai the expense of the original hornblende, and the replacement of ths plagioclase by a fine mosaic of secondary plagioclase, quartz and epi dote, the rock being thus a well formed mica or biotite schist. Subse quent differential movements have occasioned very considerable de formation, and some portions of the resultant rock mass represen very perfect and characteristic pseudo-conglomerates. Areas of ines breccias are often big enough to be shown on maps of ordinarily larg scale. They are especially noticeable east and southeast of the Ger trude mine, and betwen this and the Creighton mine, and some of th cuttings of the Manitoulin and North Shore railway, between thes two inines, have been made through hills of this breccia. It seems t occupy @ lenticular area, intervening between the norite and th granite, the widest part being a little over three-quarters of a mile while the length from northeast to southwest is about three mile: To the northeast, in the vicinity of the North Star mine and beyond as far as Clarabelle lake, considerable areas are underlaid by thi breccia, while in the neighbourhood of the Murray mine they ar especially noticeable and well developed. The manager's house 2 Copper Cliff is located on a rocky knoll, made up of this breccia, an

Tmckel Bearing Eruptive 19

a comparatively narrow band of this rock extends for a short distance in a southwesterly direction.

In addition, the main mass of the granite batholith contains frequent inclusions, often of large size, of these older greenstones and schists, the reason for their presence and occasional abundance being readily explained by Dr. Daly as due to 'stoping, as he terms the phenomenon of the detaching of portions of the original material overlying or enclosing a batholith, and the inclusion of such fragments in the mass of the original magma. (1)

(5.) Post Huron. (B.) NICKEL BEARING ERUPTIVE.

Soom after the discovery of these nickel and copper deposits it was remarked that all of the rich and extensive ore-bodies occurred in intimate connexion with certain basic eruptive rocks of medium texture, and which for convenience of description, and in the absence of more ptecise information, were usually referred to under the names of greenstone and diorite. The first published microscopical descriptions were all in substantial agreement, in regarding the prevailing type of the nickel bearing eruptive as made up essentially of plagiclase and hornblende, with a smaller proportion of biotite and quar z, while ilmenite and apatite, with variable quantities of pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite, were the usual accessory constituents. The rock was, therefore, regarded as an intrusive gabbro or diabase, which owing to subsequent metamorphism, had its pyroxenic components changed to secondery hornblende or uralite. Rocks quite like these had been studied in many regions, where they could be traced with certainty into basic eruptives of normal character, and it was confidently predicted by the late Prof. G. H. Williams, who was the first to make any detailed petrographical examination of these rocks, that 'specimens might be collected at some of these localities which would establish positively both the original form, andthe course of alteration of the present specimens.' (1)

Included in the same suite of specimens as the foregoing, all of which had been sent by Dr. Bell to Prof. Williams for identification and description, was one which had been collected near the Dominion mine, in the township of Blezard, but- which, in the hurry of a first examination, was regarded as occurring in the form of a dike. This rock, the-exceptional character of which was noted at tie time by

(1) Amer. Jour, Sc., Vol. XVI., 1903, p. 108. (1) Ann. Rep. Geol. Surv. Gan., Vol. V., 189-91, Part F, pp. 60-and@ 62.

80 Geological Survey Of Canada

Prof. Williams, and which was described as a 'quarte-hypersther gabbro with accessory biotite' was in reality a practically un tered representative of the nickel bearing eruptive, although its id tity as such was not suspected until some years afterwards. :

All of these first microscopical determinations, therefore, show

ment of such unusually large and rich deposits of sulphide mater 'At the same time, the field and prospectors' term of diorite was jus fied, us also the names proposed after more detailed microscopi examination, such as uralitic or gabbro-diorite, uralitic diabase,

It is to be regretted, therefore, that although great care was cised in the collection of these first or type specimens, attention ' directed chiefly to the selection of material in immediate associat with the ore-bodies, and the rocks thus obtained were in such vanced stages of decomposition that no very definite or precise in: mation was possible in regard to their original composition or t affinities. As a consequence of this the opinion prevails that whole of the eruptive in the vicinity of these nickel deposits is ¢ pletely altered, whereas the very opposite appears to be the case, most of the writer's collection of fresh and unaltered material obtained in the immediate vicinity of the various mines. In connexion it may be remarked thet some of these hand speci containing as much as from 5 to 10 per cont of the sulphides, undergone so little metamorphism as to permit of the positive ide fication of all the prevailing minerals, including hypersthene, er tite, diallage, olivine and labradorite.

In 1892 the late Baron von Foullon published the first determ tion of the nickel bearing eruptive occurring in the vicinity of Murray mine, showing it to be a gabbro, closely related to the no! his description being prepared after a study of material collect this locality in the summer of 1890. In 1898, Dr. A. P. Cole identified the eruptive of the Northern Nickel range 9s 9 g2 containing both diallage and hypersthene.

The true significance of these discoveries and isolated deserip was not, however, fully appreciated until the appearance of Walker's results, the issuing of this publication marking a very § advance in our knowledge regarding the origin and relationsh these sulphide deposits and their associated rocks. "

The nickel bearing eruptive, characteristic of the three main or ranges, may, for purposes of description, be considered unde! divisions.

"i> Aun. Rep. Geol. Surv. Can., Vol. V., 1890-91, Part F, pp. 77-78.

Nickel Bearing Eruptive 81

portion :—Including certain gabbroid rocks, chiefly, at -onenarent with their derivative diorites, with which

' micropegmatite,' by which this rock is now generally known.

The least altered phase of the basic portion of the eruptive is represented by what may be referred to as ' norite.' The rock is sometimes called a 'quartz hypersthene-gabbro,' but for general purposes the former name is preferred.

The microscopical examination shows the rock to be an eruptive cf rather exceptional character and interest. It belongs to the general family of gabbros, but with distinct traces, and, at times, well marked diabasic or ophitic structure. The prevalence and usual preponderance of hypersthene or enstatite show its close affinity with the norites, while it contains, what is very exceptional for such a rock type, an abundance of original quartz. In fact, many specimens could be secured which contain nearly as 1nuch quartz as an ordinary hornblende granite. In some instances, noticeably at the Copper Cliff mines, a large quantity of micropegmatite or granophyre is present, the feldspathic constituent of this graphic intergrowth being usually plagioclase. Exposures show a massive, medium to coarsegrained, dark-greyish, greenish-grey or brown rock, which is often almost black in colour on freshly broken surfaces. Scales of deep brown biotite are usually conspicuous, while the quartz is perhaps equally so, in very characteristic sapphire-blue or purplish grains, the colour which is often seen in the phenocrysts of quartz-porphyries.

These rocks do not offer any very effectual resistance to processes of decomposition and erosion, and, as a consequence, the area characterized by their presence is, gencrally, one of low relief.

Spheroidal weathering is characteristic, but not so pronounced as in the ease of the later dikes of the olivine-diabase.

The orthorhombrie pyroxene, either hypersthene or enstatite, shows a distinct approach to perfection of crystallographic outline, and, in many cases, was the first of the essential minerals to form. In occasional instances the hypersthene is unaccompanied by a monoclinic pyroxene, as in some of the specimens collected in the vicinity of the

ree main belts Blezard mine. It is often, by far, the most abundant of the coloured red under two constituents, as at the Murray mine, where the diallage is only occa-

sionally represented, while almost the whole rock mass is made up of Tae 2 hypersthene, in various stages of decomposition, the small and infre-

82 Geological Survey Of Canada

quent interspaces being occupied by plagioclase. The hypersthene i as a rule, rather faintly pleochroic, although specimens from 1 vicinity of the Blesard mine, and from a railway cutting about o

non-pleochroic, brilliantly polarizing, fibrous or scaly serpenti

hornblende.

The monoclinic pyroxene, which is usually present in subordin amount, is likewise frequently bordered by primary hornblende, ¢ thus the individuals of these two pyroxenes cannot be distinguish from one another in specimens which have undergone any advan decomposition. Sometimes, both pyroxenes show the presence of characteristic, minute, tabular interpositions or schillerization 1 ducts, but, as a rule, these are absent.

The diallage' is distinguished from the orthorhombic pyrox chiefly by the absence of pleochroism, its inclined extinction, frequent polysynthetic twinning, while it usually shows a lower in of refraction with higher double retraction. Olivine is present small amount in the norite obtained from the Little Stobie mine, ee most of it is altered to an aggregate of deep-coloured scaly ser} tine, talc and magnetite. Biotite is an almost invariable constitr and is usually rather abundant in large plates and is undoubted]; primary origin. The plagioclase is usually in broadly twinned, st lath-shaped or tubular crystals, whose frequent interlacing array ment produces the characteristic, rude, ophitic structure. Sep tions by means of Thoulet's heavy solution, as well as the extine angles, show that this plagioclase is labradorite. The presence innumerable, brown, dust-like inclusions, presumably of ilme! gives to the feldspar its prevailing dark colour.

Quartz and occasionally granophyre fill most of the irreg interspaces between the other constituents, although, in the n

istinguished ny advanced sence of the ization pro-

ic pyroxene inction, and , lower index s present in yie mine, but

he extinction presence of of ilmenite,

the irregular

in the norite

for grains of pyrrhotite were noticed completely enclosed by the iron ore, The sulphides occur, for the most part, intimately asao- i ith, and frequently embedded in the coloured constituents, in much the same way as the magnetite, from which they can only be distinguished by the difference in colour in reflected light. The pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite are often very intimately associated, so that they are extremely difficult of separation, even the smallest

agencies that such readily alterable minerals as hypersthene, enstatite, olivine and diallage are still plainly recognizable in such specimens. The sulphide material, in such cases, is often not subordinate in amount, but is so abundantly disseminated as io characterize the roek, and justify the name of ' pyrrhotite-norite' which is sometimes applied to it.

Although a considerable number of specimens were secured, representative of the comparatively unaltered norite, by far the larger proportion of the material collected consisted of a massive, usually coarse gabbro-diorite in various stages of alteration. Very few of these show even traces of dynamic metamorphism, and, as a rule, the ophitic structure, produced mainly by the interlacing arrangement of the plagioclase crystals, is quite undisturbed. The alteration is mainly due to hydrochemical agencies, and affects the pyroxenic minerals, decomposing these to a pale yellowish-green serpentine, sometimes of the ordinary type, but usually of the bastite variety. Actinolite also results from the alteration of the pyroxenes. The compact borders of primary hornblende often surrounding the original pyroxenes are evidently made up of much more stable material, not having been affected by any of these changes. The areas formerly occupied by the pyroxene are, therefore, replaced by bastite or actinolite, the Rornblende borders remaining unaffected, the individuals thus decomposed being referred to as uralite. No distinction can be drawn between grains which represent hypersthene or diallage,

as both of these minerals apparently decompose to closely related, if 4187—bh

Geological Survey Of Canada

a4 not identical, material. The labradorite is usually quite fresh, :n or broad blade-like forms, with a brownish colour of varying

pina. (1) Ann. Rep. Geol. Surv. Can., Vol. V., 1890-91, Part F, p. 78.

$$$

also in the dislocation of the feldspar individuals, and the abundant development of the fise interstitial quarts and feldspar.

On the first geological map this micropegmatite was included with, and coloured as, a part of the Laurentian, the reddish colour, gneissic structure, and general behaviour, being the main factors

which determined this classification.

The variation in the chemical composition, marking the transition from the norite to the micropegmatite, is well illustrated by a series of analyses made by Dr. T. L. Walker (#) from specimens obtained along the Blezard mine crossing. The specimens range from south to north, from I to V. Analysis Nc IV is by Mr. CO, B.

a

Sons SUS#E

—

aats

Rez

a annosor=

aalits: stk . pote! jepch bcbg

iJ

$ ouawiso8

SSS2eseax

Age

a bebetes

ore SBE bthcthed

28| cue seomiec 2882 SESEte

al 2s

ne &s we "8 Ss

t ! ' (1) Quart. Jour. Geol. Sec, Lon., Vol. LITT, February, 1897, p. 56.

Bg :

eri ad 4

HH ee PLt errr tee ha tal 7 hry eh att [ttbetere ety subeeretng Pye

sometimes over 100 feet in depth.

A seccnd important band of norite occupies an approxima intermediate position between the other two, and so may be refer to as the ' Middle Nickel range,' although it is likewise known as Levack Nickel range,' while Walker refers to it under the name the 'Windy Lake eruptive.' According to present information band starts about lot 12, con. III, of the township of Trill, exte north and northeast through this township into Cascaden,

aL? ne

cts with

napitei lake. tion, and, as and gravel

-& ro) Ls

fib 4

;

F iH EOF

sgt r

ing the southern half of lot 12, con. V , of Denison. From this point it has been traced continuously, in a northeast direction, for a distance of about thirty-five miles, as far as lot 8, con. III, of Garson, where the exposures pass under the extensive accumulation of drift material, At the Victoria mines the basic portion of the intrusive

less than a mile in width, but at the crossing of the Vermilion river this width is increased to one mile and three-quarters, while in the vicinity of the Creighton mine the norite is a little over two miles wide. Through the townships of Snider, McKim and Blezard the width of the norite is fairly uniform, averaging about one mile and a nalf, gradually becoming narrower until Garson township is reached, where the basic portion of the nickel bearing eruptive is scarcely half a mile in width.

On lot 2; con. IV, of the township of Snider, this main belt of norite sends off a narrow, dike-like extension or offset, in a southeasterly direction, on which are situated most of the mines of the Canadian Copper Company, at Copper Cliff. This band runs across the northeast end of Clarabelle lake, and crossing Lady Macdonald lake it runs with unbroken con ity as far.as No. 2 mine, where.

5989 - Fox

(716) 288

id : z

88 Geological Survey Of Canada

its further extension southward is covered up with drift. Mine 2, with its extensions to the north, mines No. 4, 5 and 6, are all

mediately associated with this narrow, dike-like form, while

Lady Violet mine is located at the eastern junction of the norite 1 the granite, a short distance northeast of the point where it joins main mass,

It is unnecessary to furnish similar details of the distributio: the micropegmatite or acid portion of the nickel bearing eruptive, the area underlaid by this rock is considerably in excess of the b portion, as shown on the map.

The famous old Copper Cliff mine is a veritable chimney of occurring in connexion with an isolated stock of norite, which ec in contact with feldspathic quartzites and green schist. The o ings in the vicinity of the Ontario Smelting Works belong to t separate masses of norite, which are surrounded by banded tuffs quartzite. It is difficult to obtain specimens from the small are norite on which the Evans mine is situated sufficiently free from sulphide material for purposes of examination.

The Little Stobie mine, Dominion, Davis property, Kirkwood Czyderman mines, are situated on the borders of the main bel norite with green schist. The Stobie and Frood mines occur in junction with comparatively small stocks or areas of norite, W are separated from one another. The Elsie mine occurs at the j tion between norite, on the one hand, and green schist and hornb] porphyrite, on the other. The Murray mine occurs at the junc between the granite and greenstone breccias and green schists o1 one hand, and the main band of norite on the other; while the Cameron mine, farther to the northeast, is found at the jun between the granite and the norite. The North Star and Creig mines occur at the junction between the granite and the norite.

The various openings known as the Gertrude mine are lo along the junction between the main band of norite and a br made up of the granite intrusive through the older greenstone schists. The main shaft of the Victoria mines is at the end small offset, connected with the main mass at the junction bet the norite and the older green schists. Without exception, a these immense bodies of sulphide material are situated at the. ir dirte contact between the intrusive norite and the older rock in a way as to indicate in the clearest manner their common origi!

(C.) Later Dikes Of Olivine Diabase.

The rock usually designated olivine diabase, and characterist what has been called the later dikes, is very uniform in min:

. Mine No. are all im- n, while the ¢ norite with 2 it joins the

istribution of eruptive, but of the basic

mney of ore, which comes . The openlong to three ded tuffs and small area of free from the

<irkwood and main belt of occur in connorite, which s at the juncid hornblende the junction schists on the while the old the junction ind Creighton e norite, e are located and a breccia reenstone and the end of a ction between eption, all of at the imme- + rock in such

non origin.

aracteristic of min tical

Later Dikes Of Olivine Diabase 89

composition and structure. Hand specimens show a rock which is darkgrey, greenish-grey, to almost black, with spheroidal rusty weathering, which is very characteristic. In many instances, exposures exhibit a rude basaltic structure and are frequently porphyritic, with phenocrysts. of yellowish or greenish labradorite, often an inch or even more in diameter. The alteration of these phenocrysts produces the mineral 'huronite,' so named by Thomson. These dikes possess well marked selvages of fine-grained, occasionally glassy material (tachylite), and present every gradation between basalt and diabase. The thin section of the fairly coarse rock shows a remarkably fresh olivine-diabase, made up chiefly of plagioclase, augite and olivine. The plagioclase is the principal constituent and is generally quite fresh and glassy, although occasionally somewhat turbid, as a result of incipient decomposition. Being the earliest constituent to crystallize, it is in idiomorphie, well twinned, tabular or lath-shaped crystals, which have a marked ophitic arrangement. The extinction angles clearly indicate labradorite. The twinning is according to the albite law, but a combination of the albite and pericline law is very common. Occasional individuals exhibit twinning according to the rarerbaveno law. The augite shows a very irregular or jagged outline, with characteristic imperfect or interrupted cleavages. It is reddish to violet brown in colour, and very distinctly pleochroic. The olivine occurs in more or less rounded, pale yellow grains, and sometimes fills in the spaces between the feldspar crystals. It is remarkably fresh, but occasionally shows decomposition to a deep green, compact serpentine (antigorite).

Apatite is very abundant, in the usual acicular prismatic forms, and the opaque constituent is probably ilmenite. Some of the thin sections are very instructive, especially as regards the order of crystallization of the various mineral constituents. Apatite was certainly the first to crystallize, as it occurs in sharp, well defined, elongated prisms which are embedded in, or pierce the other constituents. The lapradorite has, in most cases at least, crystallized before the augite, but its relation to the olivine is not quite so distinct. In some cases the olivine has the rounded outline it usually assumes when its crystallization is not interfered with, but often it may be found occupying the triangular interspaces between the feldspar laths, or sharply moulded upon them. It appears, therefore, that the period of the crystallization of the olivine certainly overlapped that of the labradorite, although, in general, the olivine is distinctly earlier. Most of the ilmenite, likewise, is earlier than the plagioclase, but occasional individuals contain c:ystals of olivine and plagivclase,

90 Geological Survey Of Canada

showing that some of the ilmenite formed after the olivine

A quantitative analysis of a specimen from the big dike near M ray mine gave Dr. Walker (') the following results:

$0 Se SSS ee Sa EO JP Siege Sate ey Se a WO. oS ee ee FO OMS ee eas Fp ae 3 9-61 Mgo. . 3-38 KO... 0-67 Na,0. . 3-40 Ti0,.. 3-62 P,O,. . 0-33 Ba0.. . 0-01 Cu0.. . trace. Nid 00275 Co0.. "fe Sy ee ee 00055 Saas ir ieeltiens Mie tee te ee ee OD 'rotal. . ee ee ee ee + 010078038 Bpecifie gravity... rarer pa)

These dikes of olivine-diabase are distinctly later in age than rest of the associated rocks. They cut the greenstone' "d associ micropegmatite, as well as the ore bodies themselr Lhey like cut the tuffs, breccias and quartzites, although one dike was not which did not reach the summit of the quartzites, but was co against the upper beds.

As a rule, most of these dikes are remarkably fresh and unalte and all of those mapped as occurring in the vicinity of the Mu mine are of this description. On the other hand, with the si exception of the large dike which runs in a northwest direction 1 the Ontario Smelting Works, all of the others are much altered decomposed, and thin sections prepared from these cannot be tinguished from the finer grained and mure basic, altered facie the norite. The boundaries between the bisilicates .ad plagio are not well defined, the latter containing scattered shreds and gt of hornblende and biotite. The plagioclase shows the same cloud arrangement of sub-microscopic inclusions, presumably of ilme' The hornblende is in small, strongly plechroic individuals, an

ee (1) Quart. Jour. Geol. Soc. Lon., February, 1897, p. 63.

8°01

nd associated they likewise . was noticed t was cooled

nd unaltered, the Murray th the single direction near 1 altered and innot be disred facies of d plagioclase is and grains me cloud-like

of ilmenite. luals, aad is

Minerals Of The Sudbury Mining Region 91

very abundant. Biotite is also abundant, while the ilmenite is largely represented by sphene. The ophitic structure stil] remains, but is not so pronounced. Most of the plagioclase is quite fresh, but some of it is altered to a saussuritic aggregate. Quartz is fairly abundant, filling in small, irregular interspaces between the other constituents. Small grains of sulphide material are also disseminated through the rock. The occurrence of such a rock in dike-like form, with the same mineralogical composition of the norite, indicates that these dikes, at least, are later and @ifferentiated portions of the norite representing the dying cfforts of the very pronounced and long continued vuleanism. The occasional presence of olivine in the norite of the Little Stobie mine, and the recognition of quartz in some of these later dikes, have supplied the links hitherto missing and necessary for a proper understanding of the relationship existing between these two rocks. As shown by Walker, in the analysis quoted of a fresh type, this olivine-diabase contains small quantities of copper, nickel, and cobalt, which the same author regards as original constituents of the olivine-diabase magma. The relations of these dikes to the various ore bodies through which they are intruded show distinctly that these latter had already attained their present dimensions at some time previous to the intrusion of the dikes. For the most part they have a fairly constant direction, but present frequent broad curves and occasional faults. Two of the largest dikes met with vary in width from 150 to 200 feet, and were traced with pract'cally unbroken continuity from the northwest corner of McKim township, southeast to Ramsay lake. There is no local enrichment whatever of the ore bodies in the vicinity of the dikes, as has frequently been surmised. The influence occasioned by their passage through these ore bodies is extremely local and very insignificant. In the vicinity of the Copper Cliff and Murray mines, and the drea intervoning, many of these dikes have been encountered, and it has been found possible over this limited area to accurately determine and map their dimensions and direction, and alibough the prevailing direction is perhaps northwest and southeast, many of them occupy fissures with courses very widely divergent.

Minerats AssocuaTep with THE NioKEL AND CopPER OF THE Supsury Minine Region.

Pyrrhotite And Chaloopyrite.

. ore bodies, with which the nickel and copper are immediately associated, consist essentially of pyrrhotite (Fe, 8,) which is by far the most predominant constituent, and chalcopyrite (Cu Fe §,) usually

92 Gkological Survey Of Canada

in much smaller amount, and a varying proportion of gangue, sisting mainly of the associated eruptive or its constituent silic The nickel present in the ore bodies is not, as so many have supp an essential constituent of the pyrrhotite, isomorphously repl: an equivalent amount of iron, but is mainly present, at least distinct and magnetically separable nickel-iron-sulphide know pentlandite. This mineral is, as a rule, very intin \tely assoc with the pyrrhotite, but occasional hand specimens from the levels of the old Copper Cliff mine show a rather intimate as tion of nearly nure pentlandite and chalcopyrite. The pyrrl and chalcopyrite will be described more fully in that portion o bulletin dealing with the composition of the ore bodies.

Pentlandite.

This mineral is usually very intimately associated with the py tite, and is so finely disseminated through the mass of this mi chat a separation can only be effected by very fine grinding. Th pentlandite itself is feebly magnetic, and in finely powdered fo: attracted by an ordinary hand magnet, advantage is taken of the difference in the magnetism of these two minerals to effect separation. It requires repeated trials to eliminate the last trac the pyrrhotite, but this has been successfully done by Pet Browne and Dickson, and their analyses which are quoted gi' necessary details of the chemical composition of this mineral, ing it to be very uniform over the whole district. It is essen the same as the original pentlandite (eisennickelkies), analyz Scheerer, but contains more nickel, and less iron and sulphur. § times, as at the Worthington mine, it occurs in tolerably large p which can be readily di:tinguirhed from the enclosing pyrrhotit even these contain a considerable amount of disseminated pyrrh so that material thus secured surely assays over 30 per ce nickel. The mineral is very abundant at the Creighton mine can be readily recognized on account of its perfectly developed, hedral parting. It is somewhat paler in colour than the pyrtl varying from steel-grey to silver-white, and almost invariably t with flat surfaces, which are planes of parting, parallel to the hedron. The mineral, however, in freshly broken material, ¢ readily be distinguished from the equally fresh pyrrhotite, espe if the planes of parting are imperfectly developed. Exposure weather brings about a rapid change in colour to a peculiar bronze yellow, which is very characteristic and quite distinct

the pyrrhotite.

th the pyrrho- f this mineral ding. Though dered form is sn of the great to effect their last traces . by Penfield, uoted give all mineral, show- , is essentially ), analyzed by iphur. Somely large pieces, pyrrhotite, but ted pyrrhotite, 0 per cent of ton mine, and eveloped, octathe pyrvhotite, rariably breaks el to the octaaterial, cannot tite, especially exposure to the peculiar pale

distinct from

Minerals Of The Sudbury Mining Region 93

The material obtained by Penfield was crushed and sifted to a grain of from 1-2 mm. in diameter, and the pyrrhotite was extracted by means of an ordinary magnet. 'The pentlandite, for analysis, was further carefully selected by hand-picking.

Similar, preliminary, cureful preparation of material was used by Mr. C. W. Dickson The following are the analyses:—No. 1 (Penfield); 2-4, (Dickson); 5-9, (Browne) Analyses 5-7 inclusive, are stated to contain some pyrrhotite as fine dust. Analyses 10 and 11, are by Scheerer of the pentlandite from Lillehammer. Analysis No. 2, is from Creighton mine; No. 3, Worthington mine; No. 4, Frood mine; No. 5, Copper Clif mine; No. €, Stobie mine; No. 7, Evans mine; No. 8, Copper Cliff mine (hand-picked); No. 9, Evans mine (hand-picked).

8°35 21:07

90°42 98°56 95°95 99°17 99 20 98°60 99°50 98°80 98°05 96°65 99-70

The ratios in Prof. Penfield's analysis are S- (Fe + Ni)==1-044: 1-047, almost 1: 1, or that of a normal sulphide (Ni+Fe) S. The ratio of the Fe: Ni is 1: 1-32, while in that from Lillehammer, it is

about 2: 1. Dickson remarks that the ratio of the ( Ni+Fe): § varies from 10°91 to 11°07: 10, and points out that this ratio 11: 10 is not accidental, but constant for all analyses of pure material. He, therefore, suggests that the formla for this mineral be written (Fe+Ni)11 Sio which seems rather clumsy and an unnecessary refinement of expression of material, which, even when every precaution is taken, is still not absolutely pure. The formula of the Lillehammer pentlandite is given as 2 Fe S+Ni 8S. The ratio of nickel to cobalt in the Sudbury pentlandite varies, running from 40 to 42: 1, is worthy of remark, as this proportion is almost identical with that found in the ore bodies.

A magnetic separation of the nearly pure sulphides forming the ore from the Creighton mine was made by means of the Wetherill separator, the material thus used being crushed to different degrees of fineness, and graded by means of sieves, The original product showed an assay value of 1.20 per cent of copper, and 4.87 per cent of nickel, with 2.49 per cent of insoluble matter. The very fine material gave the cleanest separation, and some of that which passed through a

(1) Amer, Jour. Sc. (3rd Series) Vol. XLV., 1898, pp. 493-494.

(2) Trans. Amer. Inst. Min. Eng. Albany Meeting. February 1903. (3) Eng. and Min. Jour., December 2nd, 1893, Vol. LVI., 7°66. (4) Dana, System of Mineralogy, 6th Ed., 1892, p. 65.

94 Geological Survey Of Canada

100-mesh sieve, was divided into three products which may be tinguished from one another as strongly magnetic, feebly-magne and non-magnetic. The feebly magnetic product showed the sence of 80.41 per cent of nickel, and the non-magnetic 30.36 cent of nickel. A complete analysis, and an adjustment of the v: ous constituents, showed that the feebly magnetic portion consis of chaleopyrite and pentlandite, in the proportion of 1; 21, while non-magnetic product showed these same materials present in proportion of 1: 7.

Pyrite.

A sulphide which presents all the ordinary physical characters pyrite, such as hardness, specific gravity, colour, lustre, and m netism, is by no means uncommon in most of these deposits, and generally be found when a special search is made for this mine Large cubical crystals of pyrite are mentivred by Dr. Coleman, as occurring in fissures, with quartz and calcite, at the Elsie m but the assay of one of these showed no nickel. Dickson ment the fact that a number of his samples from the Copper Cliff n were associated with secondary quartz, calcite and millerite. Py was also noticed occurring with pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite and dan: at the Century Copper mine on the north half of lot 4, con. IV the township of Graham. A determination by Mr. F. G. Wait of Geological Survey showed 0-49 per cent of nickel, with a trac cobalt. Dr. Walker (2) found what he regards as a true nickelife variety at the Murray mine; and has published a full description analysis of the specimen. The following is the analysis under 1, if the mineral be considered as pyrite, in which part of the iro replaced isomorphously by nickel, the explanation is given wu: TI and I'l. E

Nickel 4:34 Nickel 7 "Nis, Tron 39°70 Sulphur 49°31 44°53 a F 2 ' Sulphur 49°41 Tron so-70{ 58°%6 Moisture '10 Oxygen (calculated). .28 Fe,0,

Copper traces Water... .. 0 eee eee ce cee- Insoluble 5°76 Insoluble 0eeeeeeeeees Arsenic none

fag ee

(1) Ann. Rep. Bur. of Mines, Ont. 1908, p. 281. (2) Amer, Jour. Sc., Vol. XLVIL., 8rd Series, April 1894, pp. 812-31:

scription and under 1, and f the iron is given under

iS, 9:12 7S, 83°49 'e,0, 1:02

5:76

pp. 312-314.,

Minerals Of The Sudbury Mining Regio;. 95

A peculiar greyish-green, bronze-coloured, non-magnetic mineral was found by Mr. McVittie on the location whore the Gertrude mine now is. The mineral occurred massive, witn small crystals of magnetite, and specks of chalcopyrite disseminated through it, in a streak about six inches wide, adjoining the granite. An analysis of the mineral, after removing the magnetite, gave Mr. Mickle (1) the following results under I, while under II is given the proportions, omitting the insoluble matter and recalculating to 100.

Mr. Mickle regards this as an aggregate made up of pyrite, millerite and chalcopyrite, the composition, as given above, practically agreeing with such a mixture. A very similar compound is found at the old Beatrice mine (Davis property), on lot 1, con. III, of the township of blezard. After an analysis of this material, Dr. Emmons decided that the mineral was a new nickel-iron-sulphide, and proposed for it the name ' Whartonite.' The mineral is not homogeneous and is very evidently a mixture. It has a peculiar bronzeyellow colour, is cellular, the cavities being lined with minute crystals, with a: intermediate, finely granular material. It was usually referred to by the miners as ' matte,' on account of the resemblance to this - tifcial product. The chemical analysis by Emmons showed it i 'l):

"Qi:

ae ee ee ee a WMMNNUER ase s-

if SSS

(1) Ann. Rep. Bur. of Mines, Ont., 1903, p. 282.

(2) Ann. Rep. Bur. of Mines, Ont,. 1892, p. 170.

(1) Ann. Rep. Bur. of Mines, Ont., 1892, p. 170; also Jour. Am. Chem. Soc., Vol. XIV., No. 7.

96 Geological Survey Of Canada

Marcasite.

The mineral thus designated is distinguished from pyrite , ch by its silver white colour, which even weathering only dec slightly to a very ¢2', bronze-yellow. Samples of such mat submitted to Prof. Penfield by Mr. C. W. Dickson, were consi: by him as massive marcasite, 'iue analyses conform t 'e for FeSe and show the presence of from 2 to 4 per cent of nickel, bably as pentlandite. Dr. Walker mentions the occurrence of casite in the midst of the usual sulphides at the Murray mine assays of this material failed to show the presence of any n Perhaps the most noted specimens which may be included unde: name are those for which the name 'blueite' was proposed by 8. HH. Emmons ('). The mineral has a metallic, somewhat lustre, while the colour is pale olive-grey inclining to bronze. type specimens came from the Gersdorflite mine (lot 12, con. Denison), which, at the time, was worked under option by the mons Metal Company. The mineral also occurs on the lot t south (lot 12, con. IT), as well as at the Totten mine (lot 1, co Drury), ar at the Worthington mine (lot 2, con. II, Drury). Emmons' analysis showed the presence of 3-5 per cent of nickel 88-8 per cent of iron, and 5-4 per cent of insoluble matter, bu sulphur 52:3 per cent, calculated by difference. is evidently too At the Gersdorffite mine the nickeliferous ma. sasite occurs in ciation with niccolite, gersdorffite, pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite, small quartz vein cutting a hornblende schist.

At the Worthington and the Totten mines this very white : ore occurs in the form of circular or oval patches, which are conspicuous, embedded in the pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, and asso with rocky matter. An assay of a specimen from the Worthi mine, by T. L. Walker, showed the presence of 4°5 per cent of t A specimen was also sent to Prof. F. W. Clarke, chief chem. U.S. Geological Survey, and an analysis of this ore was ma Dr. F. W. Hillebrand, his results being reported as follows: (?

oo SS ee ee Se ee ee Wishes. cc ts ee Manganese. . ; SSS O"% Gulshan a ee Co ST St Sees Sr ae eee eS Carbonic: acid: 260s cee ee tees FMD

Ont., 1892, p. 168. (2) Ann. Rep. Geol. Surv. Can., Vol. V., 1890-91, Part SS, p. 116. t Calculated on the supposition that all the calcium exists as car!

pyrite , chiefly only deepens uch material, 're considered '+e formula yf nickel, prorence of marry mine, but f any nickel. led under this opposed by Dr. ymewhat silky bronze. The 12, con. ITT, n by the Emthe lot to the (lot 1, con. IT, Drury). Dr. of nickel with 1atter, but the ently too high. ecurs in ascolecopyrite, in a

y white nickel which are very and associsted e Worthington cent of nickei. chem. ' the was made by lows: (2)

4°57

45°11

0°95

1°49f

p. Bur. of Mines,

p. 116.

ts as carbonate.

Minerals Of The Sudbury Mining Region

[SS Se SS Se (2 2. 3) year oreo Water combined.. .. .. 0... 0. se ee ee tl

A consideration of the above ans\;sis shows that it agrees very closely with the assumption that tho nickel is present in the form of pentlandite disseminated through the marcasite. Prof. Clarke, in his letter, states: 'It seems to me that the material is a mixture, not a definite species. Your Sudbury minerals deserve an exhaustive study, and the wo: would be well repaid.'

The simple or normal sulpmide of nickel is occasionally met with in some of the mines, and may be the source of some of the nickel of these deposits. Agreeably with its formula NiS, this mineral should contain, when pure, 85-3 per cent of sulphur and 64°7 per cent of nickel. Undoubted slender crystals of millerite were found at the Copper Cliff mine, in workings 150 feet below the surface. Another specimen containing this mineral, associated with pyrrhotite, was obtained at the Beatrice mine, on lot 1, con. III, of Blezard township. Dickson mentione having found 'small bunches of hair-like crystals of this mineral, in the cavities of some radiating pyrite, mixed with calcite.' He regards th~ millerite as undoubtedly secondary, and probably derived from pre-existing pentlandite.

POLYDY MITE. This mineral in association with chalcopyrite, chalcocite, pyrrhotite and pyrite at the Vermillion mine, lots 5 and 6, con. IV, of the township of Denison. It is steel-grey, massive, and exceedingly alterable in the air. It has a specific gravity of 4.5. An analysis of carefully selected material gave Clarke and Catlett the results undor T, A good sample of the Vermilion ore, analyzed by Mr. Browne, after deducting 1-5 per cent of silica, gave the results under IT, evidently impure polydymite.

Sc

(1) Amer. Jour. Sc., Vol. XXXVII., 1889, pp. 372-374. (2) Eng. and Min. Jour., Dec. %, 1893, Vol. LVI., p. 566. 4187—7

08 Gbological Survey Of Canada

1 ul Withthvcc cc tc cc cece cone BS 86°85 SSS SSS eS. 18°70 ee ree 38:43 . SSS 4°47 Bilica.. ee ee @@ #e@ #@8 © #8 68 1-03 eee

Totals... ee ee ee oe 8 oe 90-07 08°46

These figures give approximately the formula Nis FeSs. 1 cobalt nor arsenic could be detected. If we deduct silica, t with the copper reckoned as admixed chalcopyrite, end recs the remainder of the analysis under I, to 100, we get the fo! figures :

Bulger... occ: ca 00 ct cece se ce eee

Total.. oe @©@ @8 © ©e © © © 8H Oe Fe 100-00

In short, the mineral has the composition of NisSs with abo quarter of the nickel replaced by the iron, which agrees wit peyres' polydymite, of which it is doubtless a ferriferous ' The polydyn-ite from which the above was selected came from in which en average of 85°89 per cent of nickel and 5°20 per copper had previously been found.

A specimen of the so-called polydymite was presented writer by Mr. F. L. Sperry, at one time chemist of the Os Copper Co. Thc mineral at the time was known to be impu was the best sample which could be secured for the Museun material was mainly polydymite, in a gangue composed of and small quantities of quartz. Carefully selected material— however, it was found still contained a little intermixed gang chalcopyrite—was found by Mr. R. A. A. Johnston to contact per cent of nickel with no cobalt.

Sperrylite.

Sperrylite was first found at the Vermilion mine in the go loose material, and was named after Mr. Francis L. Sperry C. ©. Co. hs -rofs. Horace L. Wells and S. L. Penfield, Sheffield 8° School, who examined and described th species (1). 'Lhe material as received consisted of a heavy, b

(1) Amer, Jour. Se., Vol. XXXVII., 1889, pp. 67-63.

ixed gangue and to contain 40°80

in the gossan or Sperry of the Penfield, of the cribed this new heavy, brilliant

Minerals Of Tiim Sudbury Mining Region 89

sand, composed largely of the sperrylite, but intermixed with this a considerable number of fragments of chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite and some silicates could be seen. After the material ws purified it was found to contain some transparent grains which proved on examination to be oxide of tin or cassiterite (8nOn). Sperrylite is isometric, simple

the cube and octahedron. Hardness is between six and seven, as it scratches feldspar, but not quarts. The specifie ¢ -vity is 10-602, The crystals have no distinct cleavage, but are vury brittle, and break with an irregular, probably conchoidal fracture. The chemical composition, according to the mean of two analyses, was as follows :—

SSS SS SS 0:50 Platinum.. .. . $63 6E eS 62°67 Cassiterite or oxide of tin.. 4°69 The composition is, therefore, represented by the formula PtAse, a small portion of the platinum and arsenic being replaced respectively by rhodium and antimony. The colour of the mineral was nearly tin-white, or about the same as metallic platinum, The fine powder is black, Nearly all the grains showed brilliant, crystal faces, though most of the crystals were fragmentary in siv0, usually 40 to Ysooth of an inch in diameter. The presence of an appreciable amount of iridium was expe a

g

Professor Wells, but careful search failed to reveal evon traces . this element.

Sperrylite is regarded as the source of the metals of iw platinum group, which are invariably present in ap. 'viable atav.-n's in the matte, assays of the Copper Cliff a>i '"ictoria m:v-s mattes

(1) Amer. Jour. Se., Vol. I., 1896. p. 112. 4187—73

100 Geological Survey Of Canada

analysis of the bessemer matte from the Murray mine the prese of iridium and osmium is noted in almost equal amounts, but Prof. Wells' analysis, as noted above, these metals were not deicc Bavon von Foullon concludes from the absence of these elem that there is another mineral present, which contains the iridi but although this is possible Dr. Walker considers that a more lil explanation is that, in some cases, part of the platinum in sperr; is replaced by the elements iridium and osmium.

Nicoolite.

This mineral, in intimate association with gersdorffite and ' variable quantities of intermixed pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite and py has been found in connexion with the occurrence of two s ' stocks' or intrusions of quartz-mica-diorite (altered norite), in township of Denison. This diorite forms two small hills, which above the surrounding country, which is underlaid by the : variety of the tuffs or greywackes, these rocks surrounding divrite on all sides. One of these masses, known as the McConne Gersdorffite mine, is situated in the southeastern corner of lot con. III, of Denison, while the other, constituting what is know the Hiram Robinson property, is on the northeastern corner of west half of lot 12, con. II, of the same township. The cou rock in the immediate vicinity is usually a more or less schi diorite or hornblende schist, produced by the shearing of tlie massive diorite, of which most of the hill is composed. The ro made up, chiefly, of irregular crystals of hornblende closely a gated together, the few and small remaining interspaces occupied by quartz and plagioclase. At the Gersdorflite mine, which the first and finest specimens of this mineral and the as ated gersdorffite were obtained, they occur in a small vein, inte ated with a chloritic actinolite schist, at the north side of the area of diorite shown on the map. Tae vein consists main! quartz with a very small amount of feldspar and calcite, with g and small disseminated masses of the sulphides already menti the most abundant and conspicuous being the niccolite and espe the gersdorffite. No analysis of the niccolite was made. This, pure, is represented by the formula NiAs=arsenic 56°1, 1 43-9=100-0. It usually contains a little iron and cobalt, sulphur, while sometimes part of the arsenic is replaced by anti The mineral occurs massive, and the peculiar pale, copper r quite distinctive. A sample containing niccolite and gersdorffit submitted by the writer to Mr. T. L. Walker who found ther

sts mainly of e, with grains dy mentioned, and especially This, when

56:1, nickel

cobalt, also by antimony. copper red is ersdorffite was und them too

Minerals Of The Sudbury Mining Region 101

intimately associated to separate for analysis. He, therefore,, made an Se a which resulted as follows; (1) Nickel. . Ee a aS eee eeee O66 Sulphur... Sisto ater a ee WORE oo nek oc Sa ve we 0% 43-00-00 3600

Gersdorffite.

This mineral was first recognized in a small sample brought to the Geological Museum, in 1891, by Mr. Eagleson, who had obtained the specimen from Mr. Dan. O'Connor, of Sudbury, the owner of the Gersdorffite mine, where it had been found. The particulars of the association of the mineral have already been described under niccolite. When pure the mineral is essentially a sulph-arsenide of nickel, with the formula NiAsS or NiSe, NiAse=sulphur 19:3, arsenic 45°8, nickel 35°4= 100-0. Iron replaces the nickel, often in considerable amount, also sometimes cobalt. The following is the description of the specimen collected by the writer in 1891, prepared by Dr. Hoffmann and Mr. R. A. A. Johnston. (2)

Structure, for the most part lamellar, but occasionally granular, a few minute, fairly well developed crystals exhibiting the forms of the octahedron and cubo-octahedron, with the faces of the octahedron predominating, were also observed. Colour, steel-grey, here and there tarnished blackish. Specific gravity (after correction for a little included quartz) at 15°5° C., 6-231.

The material upon which the analysis was conducted, although selected with all possible care, and, so far as could be seen, apparently pure, nevertheless contained, it was subsequently found, a very appreciable amount of quartz. Its analysis afforded Mr. R. A. A. Johnston the results given under I. Deducting the gangue (silica), and recal-

(1) Ann. Rep. Geol. Surv. of Can., Vol. V., 1890-91, Part 8S, p. 118. (2) Ann. Rep. Geol. Surv. of 'Can., Vol. V., 1890-91, Part 'R p. 22,

102 Geo.Ogical 'Survey Of Canada

culating the remaining constituents to one hundred parts, we © the figures given under IT. I Ir Arsenic... .. 6 oe ce ee oe oe 40°81 46-96 Sulphur... .. .. 14°34 16°71

Wiek@hs.s is ics sees + 0s 00 26-82 a ae ees 1: 7-90 UNE Sts as et a ee 2:01 I. ee Se 0:09 0°10 Gangue (quartz).. .. .. .. .. 18°55

Wotelic. cv cee it OER 100-00

This mineral had not previously been identified as occurri: Cenada.

Morenosite.

This mineral, which is also known as ' Nickel vitriol' is a hy nickel sulphate (Ni SO4+7 H20) sulphur trioxide 28°5, protoxide 26-6, water 44'9== 100-0. 'It occurs as a greenish: and pale apple green incrustation on associated gersdorffite, nic chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite at the McConnell or Gersdorfiite (lot 12, con. III, of Denison); also, but more sparsely, as a gre white incrustation on some of the nickeliferous ore of the Wor ton mine (lot 2, con. II, Drury).' (+) It has also been noticed Wallace mine on Lake Huron.

Annabergite,.

Some specimens of gersdorffite, which had been in the drawer! mineral cabinet for about a couple of years, were found t¢ undergone a partial decor-position, with the formation of by nickel arsenate. The material which came from the Gers mine, (lot 12, con. III, Denison), consisted of gersdorfiite, 1 few scattered particles of chalcopyrite. The nickel arsenate, occurred both lining and filling cavities in the gersdorffite was, former case, in the form of botryoidal, globular, or mammillary of a greenish-yellow colour, pale grass-green, and honey-yel brownich colours, and exteriorly of a sub-vitreous lustre, whil: filling the cavities was compact and amorphous, texture colloi: greenish-yellow colour and waxy lustre, also occasionally, bu rarely, earthy, chalk-like and dull. (2)

(1) Ann. Rep. Geol. Sur. Can., Vol. VI., 1892-93, Part 1, p. 27. (2) Ann. Rep. Geol. Sur. Can., Vol. VI., 1892-93, Part R, p. 27.

rts, we obtain

1 noticed at.the

he drawers of a found to have ion of hydrous he Gersdorfiite dorffite, with a arsenate, which ffite was, in the mmillary crusts money-yellow to tre, whilst that ire colloid, of a nally, but more

p. 27. R, p. 27.

MINERALS OF THE SUDBURY MINING REGION 108 DANAITE (COBALTIFEROUS ARSENOPYRITR).

This mineral is a sulph-arsenide of iron (FrAs 8), with part of the iron replaced by cobalt. Agzeeably with the formula given above it should contain, theoretically, arsenic 46-0, sulphur 19-7, iron 84°8= 100-0. It is not abundant in the Sudbury district, and has only been recognized as occurring in two localities, and in both of these places it is found in association with the older diorites and hornblende schists. The first place in which it was found was on the north half of lot 6, con. III, of the township of Graham, this lot forming a portion of what is known as the Russell location or property.

The mineral is massive, with a steel-grey colour. Intermixed with it were small quantities of white, translucent quartz, some pyrrhotite, a little galena and a trifling amount of chalcopyrite. The specific gravity at 15°5° CO. 5-988,

An analysis by R. A. A. Johnston'(2), of carefully selected material, is given under I. Deducting the gangue of silica, and recaleulating to 100 we obtain the results under IT.

i ee hee ae ae WON Ba

Gangue (quartz).. SS

This mineral also occurs in considerable quantity on the north 3 lot 4, con. IV, of the township of Graham, at a deposit which was being

worked for copper, and known as the "century Copper mine. It is

present in intimate association with pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite and pyrite, abundantly disseminated through a hornblende and biotite schist ,and also through a pale greyish quartzite, which is embedded in the hornblende schist.

Smaltite.

This mineral, so far as known, is rare in the Sudbury district, although it occurs in large masses in the Timagami region, to the

a (2) Ann. Rep. Geol. Sur. Can, Vol. V., 1890-91, Part R, p. 19. 3

104 Ghological Survey Of Canada

northeast. It is a cobalt diarsenide, OoAse= arsenic 71-8, 28-3==100-0, This mineral was observed by Mr. E. B. Kenri: the Geological Survey of Canada, in the form of minute cry with well marked octahedral cleavage, in association with chal rite, from the township of McKim. (')

Galena.

This mineral has been found at all the mines, wherever search made for it.. It is the common sulphide of lead PbS sulphur lead 86°6==100-0; usually contains a little silver. It gen occurs in thin seams penetrating the other sulphides. It may source of much of the silver found in all the mattes produced the Sudbury ores. It shows the usually bright lead-grey colour distinct cubical cleavage. No analysis was made of this mine immediate association with the ore bodies.

Chalococite.

This mineral, also known as copper glance, has only been des as occurring at Vermilion mine, in Denison township. Its o ence at this place is noticed by Mr. Johnston, in a specimen was given to the writer by Mr. F. L. Sperry. This specimen con chalcocite and chalcopyrite, through which was disseminated polydymite. Some of the fragments were coated with green bonat; of copper. Mr. Johnston found that the specimen cont 9-40 per cent of nickel with no cobalt. No chemical analysis chaleocite was made.

Bornite,

This mineral is mentioned as occasionally seen by Mr. Dickson. Some of the chalcopyrite obtained at the Vermilion which was greatly weathered, has a general resemblance to this eral. No undoubted bornite was, however, noticed by the write

Magnetite.

This mineral is an invariable constituent of the norite, : always more or less titaniferous. It is gen2rally disseminate minute grains through the ore bodies, but, as a rule, in very. dinate amounts. Occasionally, small masses of titaniferous n tite are associated with the pyrrhotite, and an anslysis of s

(1) Ann. Rep. Geol. Sur. Can., 1886, Part I, p. 13.

isseminated in

in very subor-

iferous magne- : ysis of such a &

Minerals Of The Sudbury Mining Region 106

mass, from the Murray mine, gave Dr. Walker, (1) 18-34 per cent of titanic acid. The largest mass yet noticed was recovered from the workings of the Clarabelle mine, where, according to Capt. McArthur, about five tons were found enclosed in the sulphides. This magnetite is readily attracted by the magnet, and contains grains uf me silicate. (

Cassiterite.

The purified material from which the analysis of sperrylite was made by Professor Wells, of Yale University, contained, as stated, 24°6 per cent of oxide of tin, in the form of minute transparent grains. Thee were carefully examined and pronounced to belong to the species cassiterite.

Native Copper.

Dendritic or leaf-like forms are ocasionally met with, as at the Vermilion mine where a few specimens of chloritic schist were obtained, showing native copper developed along the planes of cleavage. L. P. Silver has a specimen of the diorite, obtained from the twelfth level of the Copper Cliff mine, showing a good deposit of leaf copper, which he considers must have been formed by the reduction of the chalcopyrite, by reducing solutions leaching through the rock. (8)

Native Gold.

Samples of the ore obtained from the Vermilion mine contain appreciable quantities of native gold, and specimens may be obtained from this mine showing abundantly disseminated grains and strings of gold, often of large size. All of the mattes produced from the Sudbury ores contain gold, the percentages of this metal varying in the bessemer matte from strong traces to 0-3 oz. per ton. The average amount would be about 0-15 oz. of gold per ton, although Silver reports having found 0-75 oz. of gold in a matte which contained 89-64 per cent. of nickel and cobalt, and 42-75 per cent of copper.

(1) Quart. Jour. Geol. Soc. Lon. Vol. LIII., Feby., 1897, p. 52. (2) Ann. Rep. Bur. of Mines, Ont., 1903, p. 281.

(3) Jour. Can. Min. Inst., Vol. V., 1902, p. 536.

(4) Jour. Can. Min. Inst., Vol. V., 1902, 534.

106 Geological Survey Of Canada Graphite.

Dr. Coleman(s) reports having found a few scales of graphit the country rock occurring on the dump at the Lady Macde mine.

Cubanite.

David H. Browne,(*) for some time chemist to the Oans Copper Company, at Copper Cliff, found this mineral, which is r sented by the formula Cu FeaSs4= sulphur 35-4, copper 23-3, 41:3==100°0, in the roest heaps, being one of ke products fo during the roasting.

In addition to the above mineral varieties mention may be of the fact that quarts, calcite, dolomite and ankerite are four association with the massive sulphides, but these minerals are tively very unimportant, and even at such deposits as che Vic mines considerable quartz has to be added to the furnace charg account of the basicity of the associated rocks. Nearly all o gangue occurs as intermixed norite or diorite.

Composition of the ore-bodies.

The ore bodies with which the nickel and copper are immed associated consist essentially of a mixture of sulphides, in pyrthotite (FesSe), is, by far, the predominant constituent; cl pyrite is almost invariably present, and usually in consid amount, although proportionately much less than the pyrrhotit has been conclusively proved by means of the magnetic separ: carried on by Browne, Dickson, and the writer that the nicke ser.t in these ores is all contained in the pentlandite, althoug first mentioned authority is still inclined to the belief that the amount retained by the magnetic portion or pyrrhotite proper ' in part, at least, as an essential constituent of the pyrrhotite. pentlandite is usually very finely and uniformly distributed thr out the whole mass, although in certain mines, as the Creij Copper Cliff, Evans, and very noticeably the Worthington mi gears in spots and patches, often as much as half an inch to ar or even more, in diameter, of fairly pure material. The re abundance of this nickel-iron-sulphide determines the richie otherwise, of the containing deposit. Pyrite also contributes formation of these deposits, and much of it is nickeliferous. P

(2) Ann. Rep. Bur. of Mines, Ont., 1908, p. 284. (3) Ann. Rep. Bur. of Mines, Ont., 1908, p. 284.

f graphite in ly Macdonald

the Canadian hich is repreyer 23-3, iron ducts formed

may be made are found in seals are rela- 3 che Victoria ca charges on rly all of the

'e immediately ides, in which tuent; chalco- 2 considerable pyrthotite. It tic separations the nickel pre- ' although the that the small proper occurs rrhotite. This buted throughthe Creighton, ngton mine, it nch to an inch,

The relative 1e richness, or tributes to the erous. Present

, sd

Minerals Of The Sudbury Mining Region

landite as the source of the nickel. Certain other sulphides of nickel already mentioned and described also contribute to the unusual rich-

present. The percentage of such intermixed rocky matter is sometimes unusually large, as in certain portions of the Elsie and Murray mines where material has been used in large amount, which consists of sulphides and rock in about equal proportion, while, in other instances, as at.the Creighton and:Victoria mines, the sulphides are so pure and massive that large quantities of associated norite have to be added to the furnace charge to act as a flux. Magnetite, and certain of the silicates peculiar to the norite, usually more or less decomposed, such as hornblende, actinolite, serpentine or chlorite are almost always present. A comparatively small amount of quartz, calcite, dolomite, and very occasionally crystals of tourmaline, molybdenite and apatite, are also found.

The pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite are not, as a rule, so intimately commingled as to form a homogeneous mass, but each may be described a8 occurring in pockets, spots, bunches or threads, in the other. The chalcopyrite is not so closely intermixed with the pyrrhotiu, but tenc's to isolate itself rather in patches or spots, usually enclosing, but occasionally enclosed by, the pyrrhotite. It is sometimes possible to separate considerable masses of chalcopyrite, assaying over 80 per cent of copper, or pyrrhotite, that will only show traces of that metal. In practice, however, careful examination and trial have proved that the two minerals are too intimately associated to make sorting by hand at all practicable. Although the chalcopyrite seldom occurs free from the pyrrhotite, large and massive deposits of the latter occur comparatively free from copper. The first ore shipped from the Gertrude mine was so free from copper that it was proposed to utilize it for th: production of ferro-nickel, and this deposit was purchased by

y the i.2k Superior Power Company, with this viject in view. Ana-

lyses made of a large mass of the Creighton mine ore obtained near the surface, show the nickel to vary from 4-87 per cent to 5-31 per

dam cent, with 0-72 per cent to 1-20 of copper. The prevailing intimacy of association, however, of the pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite will ner-

this result being the average of a large number of assays, as also the practical working of the mine. About the same date Mr. F. Daw, then manager of the Murray mine, stated that an average the ore smelted at this mine contained 1-5 per cent of nickel and 6 per cent of copper. Other assays of an average sample of ore fi this mine show 0-9 per cent of copper, with 1-5 por cent of nic and 46 per cent of insoluble, or the equivalent of 1-66 per cent copper and 2-76 per cent of nickel, in the pure sulphide material.

The Gertrude and the Creighton mines, and especially the lat are deposits in which the nickel is often present in the ore in the portion of 3 or 4 to 1. In the first years of the development of mines of the Canadian Copper Company the copper was greatly excess of the nickel, and assays of specimens of raw ore, taken w out selection from these mines, showed a range in copper from 4:0! 9-98 per cent, with an average of 6-44 per cent, while the nickel the same specimens, varied from 1-12 per cent to 4:21 per cent, V an average of 2-88 per cent. This preponderance of the copper maintained 1 7 some time, for an average of two samples of the b furnace matte, taken 22nd February, 1889, and the 2nd March, of same year, showed copper 26-91 per cent and nickel 14-14 per © About the same time the Dominion Mineral Company prod mattes containing from 18 to 20 per cent copper and 24 to 26 cent nickel. At the present time, however, this condition of affair

(1) Eng. and Min. Jour., Dec. 2nd, 1898, Vol. LVI., p. 666. (2) Ann. Rep. Geol. Surv. Can., Vol. V., 1890-91, rt F, p. 52.

eaticer Peete arse

1 of affairs is

Minerals Of The Sudbury Mining Region 100

reversed, and two specimens of this matte, analyzed by Mr. Donald Locke, of this Department, showed 14-58 per cent and 14-69 per cent of copper, with nickel 26°34 per cent anti 28°17 per cent, respectively.

The nickel present in the pyrrhotite of the Sudbury district varies usually from 2°25 per cent to 5-50 per cent, the lower figure being characteristic of such deposits as the Stobie, Murray and Elsie mines, while the latter is approached, and, at times, exceeded by the ore of the Creighton, Victoria, Blesard, Copper Cliff and Evans mines. Small specimens are occasionally met with which contain as high as 30 per cent of nivkel, as at the Worthington mine, but such materia: is only obtainable by careful hand-picking, at either the Worthington or Creighton raines. These ores contain appreciable quantities of cobalt, gold, silver, and metals of the platinum group. Cobalt is almost invariably present, but in most of the assays of the ores which have been made, it is included with the nickel. The cobalt is usually very uniform in amount, in the proportion of 1 to 40 or 50 of the nickel present. The amounts of the rarer elements, such as gold, silver and platinum, are usually so small that the proportions of these can be best determined by analyses of the bessemer or higher grade mattes. Analyses of this product, which are available, containing about 80 per cent of combined nickel and copper, contain fro.a 0-10 to 0-20 oz. of gold, with an average of probably about 0-15 oz. to the ton of 2,000 pounds, although L. P. Silver obtained as high as 0-75 oz. of gold in the high grade matte of the Orford Copper Company, containing 39-64 per cent of nickel and cobalt, and 42-75 per cent of copper. Locke, of the Geological Survey, shows that in this same matte; containing 40-37 per cent of nickel and 24-95 per cent of copper, only 0-10 oz. of gold per ton is present. In the matte produced by the Mond Nickel Company, containing 41-88 per cent of nickel and 37-37 per cent of copper, this same chemist found Ys of an oz. of gold.

The silver in the ore is still more variable, as Locke found 2-5 oz. to the ton in the Orford Copper Company's matte, and 4-87 oz. to the ton in the matte produced by the Mond Nickel Company. J. W. Bain's (?) analysis shows 5-1 oz. to be present in the Orford Copper Company's matte. L. P. Silver shows that 5-30 oz. are present in each ton, while Ulké states that 7 oz. of silver are present in th:3 same matte. The platinum, as already mentioned, is directly associated with the chalcopyrite, and, therefore, should be found in mattes which are relatively richer in copper. Locke found that the O:ford matte contained 0°44 oz. per ton of metals of the platinum group,

(1) Jour. Can. Min. Inst., Vol. V., 1902, p. 534. (2) Ann. Rep. Bur. of Mines, Ont., 1900, p. 218. F

in about equal amounts, together made up about 0°50 os. per while L. P, Silver has secured the seme result.

Nickel and Copper in Sudbury Ores.

os

Copper. Nickeland Authorit; : Copper.

% % % 1 Copper Cliff, Evane and cay aap s dae ed. $05) 000s380" 2%, ou 8.82 Copper 1a Copper Clift m' 30 624 9°93 2 Copper Cliff mine (mixed ore; 476 5:6 w 4 " 3 " ( ore) 8°12) 0°80 a°98 " 4 " " os o'61 076 " Soo tplekeod'e "bta| 101s) 1687 : " copper ore) e 2 ; " 7 " " 1° 2°76 26°08 " 8 Evans mine (mined eve) See 40 26 660 " 8a Evans average 1890 363; 284 646 " 9 Evans mine nickel ore) 63 (0°40 6°86 " Ht Guadappeens.| FR $8] 4B) " ore).. 2 3 " 12 eae 2°28 2291 40 " Stobie mine niokel ore) S " So plhoden ) 137i 16°90 7 " copper ore) % i s " 16 " " 0°64 24°28 a " 17 No, 2 mine (picked nickel ore) ; 4°70 0°38 5 " (picked copper 1:87 13°76 15'@ " 19 No. 2 Extension (picked ni. ore) 4°32 0°35 4°67 " 20 No. (Frood mine) ( ni OPO) 006 Be 4°85 0°42 527 " No4 pS SS Sra 4°33 1:90 8°72 " 22 Sea es are eye i et 415 2°40 6°64 " 23 Creighton mine. .. .. eeeee 7° 1 81 8°84 " 24 SS SS ee 4°87 1°20 6°07 |Geol.Surv.! 2 ee Tae eT ee ti 6°31 0'72 4 " 96 Victor mine 6 060s eeee 3°50 460 8°00 |Mond Nick @ Ws we cosas cevererceseees 3°05 3°06 6°23 " b] " 2 67 2°81 6°46 " % " tee p tree wees eeeeep eens 3°21 2°41 6°62 " 30 W Sas eee 3°00 3°00 6°00 |O. W. 31 " (picked ni, ore). 17°48 0°00 17:48 |T. L. Walk $2 Blezard mine (metallic portion)...| 4°00 2°00 6°00 |Dom. Min. 33 Murray mine Str ee SS 2°25 |H.H Vivia EXPLANATIONS.

1. Average of nine analyses, made by F. L. Sperry, of raw ore without selection from the Copper Cliff, Evans and Stobie min the Canadian Copper Co., in November, 1888. 1a. Average of

MINERALS OF THE SUDBURY MINING REGION ili

per Cliff mine ore, for year 1300, (Ann. I: p. Geol. Surv. Can., Vol. nS

Analyses 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 19, 18, 18, are by David H. Browne,

chemist to the Canadian Copper Company. (Eng. and Min. Jour., nd, 1898, p, 666.)

Dee.

Analysis 8a, Average of Evans mine ore for the year 1890, (Ann. Rep. Geol, Surv. Can., Vol, V., 1890-01, Part F, p. 61.)

Analyees, 4, 7, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 90, 21, 99, 93 96, are from the of the mineral exhibit of Ontario at the Pan-American Exposition of 1901, pp. 38 and 36,

Analysis, 12 a, Averagy of Stobie mine for the year 1890, (Ann. Rep. C sol. Surv. Can., Vol. V., 1890-01, Part F., p. 51.)

Analysis 80 is the result of a number of analyses of average

Mr. O. W. Dickson, (Trans, Am, Inst. Min, Eng., Albany Feby., 1908).

Analyses 24 and 25 are by Mr. Donald Locke, of the Geological

Survey Department, Ottawa, of material obtained within a few feet

Analysis 27 is the result of an average of a large number of assays

samples o" raw ore, from the Victoria :-ines, as supped to the smelter by 1. M. Paris, the chemist, The insoluble amounted to an average of 16-81 per cant.

Atalyeis 28 is the average of the raw ore for July, 1902, by U. M. Paris, chemist to the Mond Nickel Company. Insoluble, 17-2 per cent,

Analysis 29 is the average of the raw ore for September, 1902, by T. M. Paris, chemist to the Mond Nickel Company. Insoluble, 13-9 per cent,

Analysis 30 is the result of an analysis of the pyr:hotite from the Worthington mine, which contained a large amount of pentlandite,

by T. L. Walker. (Ann. Rep. Geol. Surv. Can., Vol. V., 1890-91, Part SS, p. 117.)

H

hundreds of assays of the 'kies' or metallic portion of the ore of the Blezard mine, also the practical working of the mine on a large scale. (Ann. Rep. Geol. Surv. Can., Vol. V., 1890-91, Part F, p. 52.) Analysis 33 is the average percentage of the ore smelted at the Murray mine, according to Mr. F, R. W. Daw, the manager for Messrs. H. H. Vivian & Co. The 'kies' or metallic portion of tho Murray mine ore contains on an average of about 2-75 per cent of nickel and 1-65 per cent of copper.

118 @Rological Survey Of Canada

Nickel And Cobalt In Ores From Sudbury District.

kel range 16°5 |Small amount.|2° None. 3 " Ezplanations,

1. Association of a somewhat coarse granular py.thotite amall quantity of chaleopyrite, in greenstone. 9. An intimate association of chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite,

gangue of greenstone.

Composition Of T Sudbury Pyrrhotitr 118

8. A somewhat coarse gran. lar pyrrhotite, associated with small quantities of chalcopyrite, from what was then known as the MoCormick mine,

4. Pyrrhotite, in association with small quantities of dark-coloured

greenstone,

5. Pyrrhotite, with a trifling amount of chaleopyrite, with greenstone,

6, Pyrrhotite, with a little chaleopyrite, with greenstone,

7. Pyrthotite, with a small proportion of greenstone,

8, Pyrrhotite, with a little chalcopyrite, through which was disseminated a trifling amount of a quartzose gangue.

9. A somewhat coarse granular pyrrhotite, through which was disseminated a small amount of juarts.

10, A somewhat course granular pyrrhotite, through which was disseminated a quartzose gangue.

11, A very coarse granular pyrrhotite, free from gangue,

12, A somewhat coarse granular pyrrhotite, with a very small amount of chalcopyrite, in association with greenstone.

13, A coarse granular pyrrhotite, with a small amount of chalcopyrite. The gangue was readily discernible,

These analyses, 1 to 13, were done in the chemical laboratory of the Geological Survey Department, by Messrs, R. A. A. Johnston and

F. G. Wait, assistants to Dr. G. C. Hoffmann. (Ann, Rep. Geol. Surv. Can., Vol. V., 1890-01, Part R., pp. 41-44 (Nos. 7 to 19).

Tue Supsurny Preanorirs.

The composition of pyrrhotite, as shown by a large number of analyses, is not constant, and although repeated trials have been made by various chemists end mineralogists to obtain a formula which would be satisfactory, and representative of this mineral, their attempts so far have been attended with only a fair amount of success,

It has, therefore, been the custom to express the corxpositica of pyrthotite by the formula Fe, 8, ,: the available analyses collected by Lindstrém in 1875, and by Habermehl in 1879, showing a variation of Fe: 8=1: 1., 1902, corresponding to Fes Se, to 1: 1-0610, which agrees with the formula Feie Sit. Habermehl, fror a mean of fourteen determinations, ten of which were eccentially identical,

mm showed that the Bodenmais pyrrhotite contains 60°57 per cent of iron,

thus conforming closely to the formula Fer Ss, the theoretical com-

position of which would require 60°40 per cent of iron. This materisl

was obtained on portions separated successively from the fine powder,

suspended in water by a fine magnet. Doelter, by artificial means, 4187—8

114 Geological Survey Of Canada

produced a compound closely resembling, if not identical with natural pyrrhotite, the analysis of which agreed with the form Fei Sx.

This variation in composition has suggested the possibility t pyrrhotite is not really a definite species, in a mineralogical se but rather a mixture, in varying proportions, of perhaps sevé closely related compounds. Such a view was regarded as also s ported by the wide range in the specific gravity of the mineral, (3 to 4-80) as well as observed differences in the possession of cert physical properties, especially noticeable in regard to its magneti Some specimens exhibit this property in such a feeble manner 1 only the finer powder is attracted by the magnet, while others ar. intensely magnetic as even to exhibit the phenomenon of polarit,

Careful consideration of all the facts available suggests that mx at least, of the discrepancies in composition can perhaps be be explained on other grounds. Thus, although it is known that a siderable number of these analyses were conducted on material wl had been selected with great care, and using every known precau' to ensure a pure and homogeneous product, by far the larger nun of determinations were of impure, often intermixed material. sides, the methods of analysis were not always above reproach that errors constantly occurred, not only in the determination of sulphur, but also of the iron. In addition, even with the posses of the requisite knowledge of analytical methods, as well as skil their manipulation, it is usually extremely difficult, if not impose in all cases to obtain sufficiently homogeneous material on whic! base a formula which would be thoroughly reliable and represe¢ tive. If we regard pyrrhotite as a sulphide, intermediate in chen composition between the normal sulphide FeS and the disulp FeSs, it is possible to obtain every gradation of material showin range in the iron content from 63-61 per cent to 46-60 per cent, v the sulphur to correspond would show a gradual increase from 3 per cent to 53-40 per cent. There is, however, a wide gap bet Fer Ss with iron 60-40 per cent and sulphur 39-60 per cent, Fe §? with iron 46-60 per cent and sulpiur 53°40 per cent. 1 analyses, however, which have evidently been conducted with greatest care, show a variation in formula from Fei Si2 with 61-60 per cent and sulphur 38-40 per cent, to Fe; Sg with iron 6 per cent and sulphur 39°60 per cent. These determinations a1 uniform and accurate as could be expected from material so n festly impure as pyrrhotite.

A satisfactory and reliable analysis of Sudbury pyrrhotite is, haps, more than usually difficult to obtain, owing to the very inti:

, that a conaterial which n precaution ger number aterial. Bereproach, 80 nation of the he possession Il as skill in yt impossible, on which to d representain chemical ie disulphide al showing a er cent, while e from 36-39 gap between er cent, and cent. These ted with the Si2 with iron ith iron 60-40 ations are as rial so mani-

hotite is, pervery intimate

Composition Of The Sudbury Pyrrhotite 115

association of various closely related sulphides. In the first place, it was the generally accepted view that the nickel really replaced iso-

an equivalent amount of iron, and was thus an essential constituent of the pyrrhotite, whereas it is now a well ascertained fact that by far the greater proportion of the nickel, at least, occurs as a distinct and separable nickel-iron sulphide. Many, however, still cling to the belief, that a small portion of the nickel may exist in a state of chemical combination, but such persons can find littlé support for this view in the fact, that, by repeated use of a magnetic separator and with material sufficiently comminuted, it is possible remove almost the last trace of nickel from a compound which originally contained from 2 to 5 per ce.*t of this element, while the isolated nickel-iron-sulphide or pentlandite is usually pure enough for analytical purposes. The Process is, however, tedious, and repeated trials are necessary before the pyrrhotite or pentlandite is obtained of the degree of purity desired.

In addition, other sulphides, mainly chalcopyrite, but sometimes also pyrite, are present, the former almost invariably accompanying the pyrrhotite, and all of these are so intermixed with one another, that very fine grinding and the assistance of magnetism is necessary before a satis'actory and complete separation can be effected.

Such a dissociation, however, may be conducted at the same time as the trials for the elimination of the pentlandite are proceeding, while this latter mineral, which is itself feebly magnetic, can, in turn, be separated from the copper and iron pyrites, which do not possess the property of magnetism in any sensible degree. The chief difficulty, however, encountered in the purification of the pyrrhotite,

arises from the fact that a small quantity of magnetite (Fes Oa), often amounting to not less than 1 per cent of the whole, is almost invariably present. ©. W. Dickson, after a number of experiments, found, that by treating the sample with dilute \(10 per cent) solution of nitric acid, the pyrrhotite could be largely removed, while the magnetite was but little affected. The separated sulphur was removed by means of bromine and carbon-bisulphide; and, after several treatments, the residue of magnetite was obtained pure, and the iron was estimated by titration. The nature of these operations, as he of some loss, especially as the

small, but, on the whole, the

116 Geological Survey Of Canada

the interesting fact that a trial of a specimen from Rossland, B. showed it to be represented by the same formula (Fes Se).

The pyrrhotite is always massive and amorphous, showing gradations of texture from very finely to very coarsely granular, coarser varieties possessing well marked cleavages in two directic

cated crystal of pyrthotite was obtained by Mr. G. R. Mickle, fro man working in the Worthington mine. Mr. Mickle, thus descr it: 'The crystal is evidently a hexagonal prism showing stro marked basal cleavage; two of the sides are intact, and portion two others remain. The dimensions are 1% inches, or 32mm., inch, or 18mm.; the weight, 27-4 grains; and an analysis of a small fragment from the crystal gave 2-8 per cent of nickel.'

The colour of the pyrrhotite is a bright steel-grey on fresh : ture, quickly weathering to a deep bronze-yellow, often, however, nished or iridescent.

Chalcopyrite.

The copper contained in the ore is all obtained from chalcop; the common sulphide of copper and iron, (CuFeS2 sulphur 35-! cent, copper 34-5 per cent, iron 30-5 per cent 100-0). It is al massive, with the usual deep brass or yellow colour. As usual mineral is very subject to tarnish, and beautiful iridescent mens cin be obtained from the ore heaps, or scattered aroun works. 'The composition of the ore varies greatly, as may be se a reference to the analyses, and according to the preponderan either the pyrrhotite or chalcopyrite, the resulting furnace prod matte is relatively richer or poorer in nickel or copper. The mi the Canadian Copper Company, as the name implies, were first ated for their copper contents, and it was not until considerable iad been done that nickel was discovered to be present in the o: large shipment of ore had been made to New York, and a cl there who was making a volumetric determination of the coppe tents, by the potassium cyanide process, was struck by the variation in his results, which led him to make a more minute nation of the ore, when he found that nickel was present. T has now become of more value on account of its nickel than i

siderable work in the ore. A and a chemist the copper con- ; by the great minute examesent. The ore el than its cop

Nickel And Cobalt In Sudbury Pyrrhotite 117

per contents, and Dr. Peters himself greatly doubted if the mines would pay to work for copper alone.

Nickel And Cobalt In Sudbury Pyrrhotites.

S Sreopepe

2 8 seesses

eescece © g

COOP LOW EH am ee epRDHDND CORO ND SS8S88s 8 S$ SESRRES

SYRssressses toro Bz

3°25) 0°50) 5°00) 6°00) 0°50 0°10 3°00, 3:20, 2°28 2°49

o re FH mONRORO Coto RO KOCORO Cote Ge co conoRoRSesRO ND

sss 8 83 3

neacwown SESSER58

Co=0'1,, Ni 4:17

Explanations.

Analyses 1-18, inclusive, with the exception of 16a, were made by Mr. O. W. Dickson, (Trans. Amer. Inst, Min. Eng., Albany meeting, Feb., 1903) in duplicate or triplicate, to ensure the greatest possible accuracy. These were made to ascertain as accurately as possible the average nickel and cobalt contents of the general run of the pyrrhotite from the whole region. The pyrrhotite was coarsely crushed, and the mineral picked out as pure as possible, under a lens,

118 Geol Gical Survey Of Canada

when necessary. From the massive varieties good samples were easily obtained, but, in other cases, the pyrrhotite was so intimately mixed with chalcopyrite and rock that it was very difficult to obtain satisfactory samples, some rock always adhering to the sulphide. The results obtained show that the percentage is fairly constant over a wide area. The pyrrhotite includes both fine and coarse-grained. In the case of the coarse-grained varieties, where the nickel mineral pentlandite can often be recognized, this was carefully rejected, as far as possible. But the difficulty of separation accounts for the fact that some of these varieties show less nickel than the finer-grained ones, although the former are usually considerably richer. Had the coarse-grained samples been treated in their original condition the results would have been more uniform. These analyses, therefore, represent the nickel which is most intimately associated with the pyrrhotite and' does not appear as particles of pentlandite.

1. Coarse pyrrhotite, with a small amount of chalcopyrite and rock; 2. Compact fine-grained pyrrhotite, with a small amount of rock; 8. Massive, fine-grained pyrrhotite; 4. Pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite, in diorite; 5. Pure, coarse pyrrhotite; 6. Fize-grained pyrrhotite; 7. Massive pyrrhotite; 8. Coarse pyrrhotite; 9. Massive, finegrained pyrrhotite; 10. Massive, fine-grained pyrrhotite; 11, Massive, fine-grained pyrrh tite; 12. Coarse pyrrhotite; 13. Massive pyrrhotite; 14. Massive pyrrhotite; 15, Massive, fine-grained pyrrhotite; 16. Coarser than No. 15, but with more chalcopyrite; 16a. Analysis of ore by Mond Nickel Company; 17. Massive pyrrhotite (Tough & Stobie's property); 18. Coarse, massive pyrrhotite, from the Northern Nickel range; 19 and 20 are analyses by Mr. Donald Locke. Ar sea 21 to 26, inclusive, are of ore selected for purposes of mas 4. concentration, by Mr. David H. Browne. Analyses 27 to 80 -susive, are by Mr. M. F. Connor, of this Department, and were of hand-picked ore, as free as possible from chalcopyrite and gangue. All of the specimens were of pyrrhotite of medium grain, with the exception of that from the Little Stobie mine, which was a very coarse cleavable variety.

Mode Of Occurrence Of The Sudbury Nickel Deposits.

Most geologists, at least, who have examined these deposits in detail, are agreed that they are not true fissure veins, and although at times certain sloping surfaces are obtained, which seem to have a uniform inclination and limit the distribution of ore in their direction, yet it seems certain that there are no regular walls, in the miner's sense of the term, and at both sides of the deposit the

although io have a sir direc- s, in the posit the

Mode Of Occurrence Of Deposits 119

enclosing rock is impregnated, more or less, with pyritous matter. Although mining is thus rendered somewhat difficult and uncertain, on account of the absence of the wails, and irregularity in the distribution of the ore, so that there is very little means of knowing in what direction to drive the levels, this uncertainty is usually more than compensated by the extent and massiveness of the deposits, when found.

The ore-bodies are of irregular, oval or pod-shaped outline, and all agree in having their longer axes to correspond very closely with the direction of the foliation of the enclosing rocks. The shapes and dimensions of the ore-bodies of the International Nickel Company's mines at Copper Clitf are accurately shown on the accompanying large scale maps. There are three main types of these ore deposits in the Sudbury mining district.

1, Those which occur at the southern border of the immense body of hypersthene-gabbro, or norite, which reaches without interruption from Drury to Garson townships. Under this division are included the Gertrude, Oreighton, North Star, Tam O'Shanter, Lady Violet, Elsie, Murray, Cameron, Little Stobie, Mount Nickel, Blezard, Beatrice, Kirkwood and Cryderman mines,

2. Those which are developed in connexion with offsets or dikelike forms of the norite, extending southward from the main mass, and which are intruded into the older rocks, almost at right angles to the planes of foliation and bedding. This would embrace such mines as the Victoria, Olarabelle (No. 6), No. 4, Lady Macdonald (No. 5) and No. 2, and the extensions of No. 2 mine.

8, Those which are associated with smaller and, at present, completely isolated bodies of norite. These separate masses of the nickel bearing eruptive are so closely identical, in mineralogical composition, structure and behaviour, to the parent eruptive, that they are probably connected with it, in some way, at a distance below the surface.

The original Copper Cliff, Io. 1, and its extensions, Evans, Frood (No. 3) and Stobie mines are all examples of this last-mentioned class.

The first-mentioned divisions of deposits are all situated at the immediate contact between this huge mass snd the older rocks, into which it is intruded. The intrusive nature of this contact is well shown, the impregnation of the old green schists consisting, for the most part, of small, dike-like forms or veins of sulphide material, injected along the planes of schistosity, while, on the - side, the line of separation between the ore-body and the norite 1; even more uncertain, the sulphide material gradually fading out, until it is

120 Geological Survey Of Canada

only represented by occasional disseminations. To the northwest this basic rock shows a gradual differentiation or passage into the peculiar and characteristic type of gneissic granite usually referred to as ' micropegmatite.' On the Levack or Middle range (Windy Lake eruptive), this condition of affairs is reversed, and we find the deposits at the northwestern margin of the norite, while its differentiate the micropegmatite, lies to the southeast. This same condition of affairs obtains on the Northern Nickel range where the norite comet in contact with the older granites and green schists on the north side, while the micropegmatite underlies the area to the south.

The Worthington and the Vermilion mines are the only deposits which have been developed, having no visible connexion with the main mass of norite already noticed. As has been shown on a pre vious page, the Worthington mine occurs on a narrow neck of actino lite diorite, which is, without doubt, the altered representative 0: the older norite. To the southwest and east this norite is direct; connected with a much larger mass of basic eruptive material. A _ar as can be learned no large deposit of ore was encountered at th Vermilion mine, and the small amount of norite found resemble very closely the decomposed variety of the older type of this rock.

Rounded hills of gossan, indicating the presence of the more 0 less pure and unaltered ore beneath, extend with almost unbroke continuity for miles elong the line of junction, while by far th larger portions of the offsets and isolated masses with which th ore-bodies are associated are also of a prevailing brownish colou: from the decomposition of the abundantly disseminated sulphide This gossan has resulted, as usual, from the alteration of the pyrrh: tite and chalcopyrite, and the formation of hydrous oxide of irot which gives - prevailing brownish colour to the upper portions of tk deposits. This covering oi iron oxide is sometimes as much as 8i feet in depth, although usually it is only two or three feet, grad ally merging into the unaltered ore beneath. The depth to whic this gossan extends depends largely, of course, on the length of tim the deposits have been uncovered, and thus exposed to processes ' weathering. Some, from which the green forest and overlying s¢ have but lately been removed, show little or no iron oxide, whi others, like the Murray mine, which have been exposed to the attic of the weather for years, exhibit an extensive covering of this cha acteristic decomposition product. From the Elsie mine, in a nort easterly direction, past the Murray mine as far as the boundary b tween McKim and Blezard townships, a considerable belt of ro occurs at the immediate margin of the norite, so heavily charg with sulphides that its weathered outcrop at the surface is cover

side, while the action this char- n a northundary be- It of rock ly charged is covered

Mode Of Occurrence Of Deposits 121

with this gossan, At the old Copper Oliff mine, as well as at the Creighton mine, this overlying gossan is very wide spread and deeply impressive,

In most casee these ore-bodies show a brecciated character, large angular or partially rounded blocks of almost barren rock being mingled with the ore. Some of these horses, as they have been called, are made up of the material derived from the wall rock against which the pyritous matter cooled. Their presence, iu: this connexion, is no doubt due to the shattering of the invaded formation at their contact with the plutonic magma, In fact, they form an illustration, on a small scale, of the phenomenon of 'overhead stoping,' so fully described and explained by Dr. R. A. Daly.(!) In other instances, however, this comparatively barren material is of norite, but such inclusions are seldom sharply defined from the sulphide, exposures showing a gradual transition from one to the other, while the blocks themselves are generally more or less plentifully impregnated with the prevailing sulphide.

No great depth has yet been reached by the workings of any of the minés of the marginal type of deposits. The deepest of the shafts is at the Blezard mine, which has only been sunk a distance of 172 feet, while those of the Murray and Gertrude are 160 and 120 feet deep, respectively. On the other hand the diamond drilling undertaken at the Creighton is stated to have proved the existence of this phenomenally large body of nickle ore to a depth of at least 400 feet. This wonderful deposit of pyrrhotite has been worked, mainly, as a large open pit, measuring 150 by 200 feet, and extending to a depth of 62 feet. All of these deposits dip to the north and northwest at an angle varying from 30° to 70°.

Of the mines belonging to the second group of those developed along the offsets, the two most important are the Victoria mine and the No. 2 mine, of the International Nickel Co., at Copper Cliff. The Victoria mine, of the Mond Nickel Company, with seven levels and extensive slopes, has reached a depth of 557 feet. The No. 2 mine has afforded a large amount of ore, being worked for the most part as a large open pit, measuring about 250 feet in length, by 100 to 150 feet in width, and with a depth of 217 feet,

The original and famous Copper Cliff mine has often been referred to as a ctuu.ney of ore, averaging in width from 50 to 100 feet in the cross section, through the shaft, while at right angles to this direction it varies from 30 to 210 feet The first or did haft, now in large part abandoned except for pumping purposes, was sunk

(1) Amer. Jour. Sc., Vol. XVI., 1903, p. 108.

199 Gbological Survby Of Canada

to a doyth of over 600 feet, on an incline of 40°, wh'le shaft No. 2, or the new shaft to take its place, starts from third level, at a distance of 150 feet from the surface, and continues at an angle of 17° 90', or approximately parallel to the ore body, to the 14th level

(415,000 tons).

phide material acquired their present position and dimensions has furnished a fruitful topic for speculatiun and discussion ever since their first discovery. Fortunately, however, only two theories, with some minor modifications, have been advanced in explanation of the manner of their formation, and which may be summarized as {ollows:—

1. That the sulphides are directly of igneous origin, the product: of the differentiation of a gabbro or norite magma, being along its margin in obedience to Soret's principle, the order of for mation of the minerals being in accordance with Fournet's series.

9. That these ore bodies are altogether of secondary and '\queou! origin, occurring as replacements along crushed and faulted zones.

The extreme advocates of either theory seek to ignore the shar of the other in forming these deposits, as they exist at present. Thus those who originally held that these ores were the immediate produc of magmatic segregation failed to mention, or at least emphasis the possibility that those deposits were, in any way, influenced b; the presence of these heated solutions, which to a certain exten accompany, and in all cases immediately follow ali plutonic action On the other hand those who consider these deposits as of secondary origin, in secking to explain the source of the metals, although the acknowledge as a fact, 'that the universal association of these ore with essentially similar rocks is also striking' and again ' that th norite, (or gabbro) has an intimate connexion with the developmen of the ores cannot ve doubted, but in just what way they are relate is not clear, still at the same time they nullify any effect whic might be produced by such information by a statement to the effec that 'an appeal must be made to a more distant source of the metal:

Origin Of The Sudbury Ore Deposits 123

minutely disseminated in the rocks through which the resolution passed,' (1)

The writer, who was one of the first to affirm a direct igneous

origin fcr these Sudbury ores, giving independent expression to pre-

lessor J. H. L. Vogt, of Christiania, Norway, the first endeavour to fix definitely the re-

an entire innovation, and its strongest

was at first very necessary in order to effect its recogni-

as a previously ignored though important factor in the de- More recent and detailed exami~ation of

main, the true explanation of their present position, other agencies, which are usually grouped together under the name of secondary action, have contributed rather largely to bring about their unusual dimensions.

tion with orea as mined, and because, above all, they are the natural stimulators of those heated solutions to which we can with most reason attribute the results.'

At the present day, fused magmas are regarded as more or less complex solutions, which, by reason of their high temperatures, obey the same laws in the order and method of their solidification as those which govern the crystallization from ordinary solutions of a similarly heterogeneous composition. A study of thin sections of igneous rocks, under the microscope, reveals the fact that a certain definite order in the generation of the component minerals is always obtained, which is closely followed in the cooling of any body of magms. Thus, in a gabbro or norite magma, the oxides of iron and

(1) Trans. Amer. Inst. Min. Eng. Albany Meeting, Feb., 1903. (2) Min. Industry, Vol. IV., 1895, pp. 756-757.

194 Geological Survey Of Canada

principal, in the coolest part of the solution. Gravity, temperature and pressure are also important factors, but these have not yet been deeply in-

Perhaps one of the most significant developments of modern petrographic geology has been the recognition of 'he fact that an originally homogeneous melten mass tends to so separate or split iteelf, upon odoling, as to ultimately p-oduce rocks of varying composition.

our knowledge regarding tuese conditions, and the several processes which are no doubt involved, is so vegus and incomplete that no full or satisfactory explanation can yet be offered of this phenomenon. All geologists of repute are, however, agreed on the main fact that magmatic differentiation furnishes the only reasonable explanation of most of the observaticns made in connexion with any extended exposure of igneous rocks,

Appiying these principles to the geological relations of the Sudbury gabbro or norite, and the associated sulphide deposits, the subjoined facts seem to furnish unanswerable proof that the hypothesis of a segregation of these ore bodies, directly from the magmas, is, in the main, the true explanation of their position.

1. The deposits, without exception, all occur at the margin of the gabbro or norite, the rock itself in immediate association with the ore being finer in texture, and relatively much more basic in composition than portions further removed from the contact. There is a very gradual increase in the basicity of the gabbro outward from

Hhh

He

Origin Of The Sudbury Ore Deposits 126

micropegmatite, although a rather abrupt transition takes place in the immediate neighbourhood of the contact, The sulphides are also finer grained near the

than on the inner side towards the main

transition in this direction showing a more

amount of ore in the rock as the con' ts are

phenomenon, as been mentioned, is explained by the

the sulphides, in obedience to Soret's principle, become the cooling surface of the mass.

deposits are always found in such intimate association

with the norite or hypersthene-gabbro that we are forced to the conclusion that the ore bodies stand in some genetic relation to this plutonic igneous rock. This is not only true in regard to the Sudbury district. but is also the invariable ase vintion of precisely simi-

nickel, the celebrated Fahlbands of Norway, which are bedded, or apparently bedded, deposits, consisting of heavy impregnations of pyrrhotite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, etc., but occurring in gneisses and schists of various kinds, contain hardly any nickel, hundreds of analyses showing tie nickel and cobalt contents to range from 0-1 to 0-5 per cent, and what is .''ll more remarkable the same is true of the similar Fahlbands associaved with our Laureniian in Canada, so far as these have been examined. In these the pyrrhotite and pyrite is present in large amount, and is often associated with copper pyrites, but only a very small quantity of nickel and cobalt, ranging from faint traces to 0-16 per cent, occurs in the pure sulphide material. In addition, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite and pyrite occur, sometimes in promising quantities, in the older green schists and tuffs of the Sudbury district, but even the richest of these deposits were shown by analyses to contain a much smaller amount of nickel, ranging from 0-45 to 0-96 per cent, in the pure pyrrhotite

4. Pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite and pyrites are all ordinary constituent materials of the normal norite, and are, at times, comparatively abundant even in exposures situated some distance from the contact.

(1) Quart. Jour. Gecl. Soc., Lon., Vol. LITI., 1897, p. 52. (2)'On che Igneous Origin of Certain Ore Deposits,' Montreal, 1894, p. 17; also, Anr, Rep. Geol. Surv., Can., Vol. VI., 1892-93. Part J.

central Ontario. In *hese deposits the magnetite is the abundant ore, while the sulphides are usually present in subordin-* amonnt. The enclosing rocks usually show much more alteration ian in the case of the norite associated with the Sudbury sulphide deposits.

&. The transitional type between the normal norite and the richer forms of the pyrrhotite-norite furnishes unmistakeable evidence that, in these cases at least, the sulphides were formed during the cooling and crystallization of the norite magma, and that they were very little affected by any secondary action. The only ettects of pneumatolytic or vein action noticed, consisted in the more or less complete alteration of the pyroxene minerals, while much of the plagioclase is surprisirgly fresh and glassy. Although most of the rock matter associated with the ore bodies is more or less decomposed the alteration is not of the extreme type, which would be expected if the whole of the deposits resulted from secondary action. The writer's collection of rocks contains specimens of the pyrrhotite-norite, sometimes containing as high as 10 per cent of the sulnhides, from most of the

Ei SFSESSE sitet if are ul

cent of sulphides, especially CaS ferous slags from copper,

(1) Min. Industry, Vol, IV., 1895. p. 748.

(2) School of Mines Quarterly, Columbis College, July, 1895, p. 297; also Min. Industry, Vol. IV., 1896, p. 762.

128 Geological Survey Of Canada

4 to 6 per cent FeS and the basic zinc slags even 6 to 8 per cent ZnS. Sandberger separated the dark silicates of many rocks and proved them to contain copper, nickel, cobalt, lead, "tin, antimony, arsenic, bismuth and silver.

11. Galena, zinc blende, and compounds of arsenic and bismuth are either completely wanting or present in very insignificant amount.

12. The remarkable scarcity of boracic and fluoric minerals and other secondary products which usually attend any pronounced or long continued vein action.

18. Secondary quartz, calcite and dolomite are occasionally present, in appreciable amounts, but the prevailing scarcity of these minerals, at most of the deposits, has always been a subject of remark, and the first mentioned mineral has often been brought from considerable distances, not only to line the converters, but also to add to the furnace charges, even at such mines as the Victoria, where secondary quartz is relatively perhaps more abundant than at any other deposit in the district.

14. Platinum, usually at least, in the form of sperrylite, is found in small quantities at all of the deposits. Such an occurrence seems to be closely related to the native platinum and osmiridium metals, in the altered basic olivine rocks of the Urals and elsewhere.

15. The deposits are singularly uniform in chemical and mineralogical composition, and their monotonous character, in this respect, has been frequently commented upon. A careful study of the analyses will serve to further emphasize this fact. This peculiarity holds good, not only with regard to the Sudbury deposits, but applies with equal force to those of Norway and elsewhere, wherever full details of composition are available. The characteristic minerals of this 'world group,' as it has been called, are everywhere the same. Pyrrhotite, with generally from 2 to 4 per cent of nickel and cobalt, although occasionally reaching as high as 10 to 11 per cent of nickel, pyrite (in Norway relatively rich in cobalt), pentlandite, together with some chalcopyrite, and some titaniferous magnetite, are always present in the norite or gabbro. The nickel minerals polydymite, millerite, ete., are also often present, but only in very subordinate amounts.

16. Brecciation, which is so frequently characteristic of these deposits, is an almost constant feature of eruptive contacts, resulting from the detaching of material from the containing walls The frequent angular character of these blocks is due to their imperfect assimilation by the fused basic magma, in which they have been floated off.

Origin Of The Sudbury Ore Deposits 129

These are some of the main points which may be urged in support of the hypothesis of magmatic ditterentiation, as explanatory of the origin of these Sudbury ore deposits. Many of them are not new, and have been stated in more detail by Vogt, Adams, Kemp and others. They are introduced, in the present instance, as the trend of some of the more recent examinatior seeks to ignore the full significance of the intimate genetic *-ictioy shiv which exists between the norite and the ore bodies, affirm ting that secoudar, causes or replacement are alone and directly r s90nibie for the present position and dimensions of these deposits.

Vogt, (1) in his classificatw. o: o2r;:tive ore deposits, divides them into two chief groups. 1. Deposits tormed by ' magmatic differentiation'; that is by the concentration of some metallic parts within the still fluid eruptive magma. 9, Deposits formed by processes subsequent to the eruption or ' after actions,' as they have been sometimes called ;—that is by pneumatolysis, fumarole action, hydrothermal agents and the like, directly consequent on the eruption,

The trend of modern geological investigation seems to emphasize, mote and more, the fact that no really sharp division exists, as indicated by Vogt's sub-diviions, but that processes, which at the two extremes are manifestly very widely divergent in their effects, are so intimately associated in time and manner of operation in nature, that the resultant product cannot, with any degree of propriety, be attributed wholly to either group of processes,

Thus, although the researches of M. Fouqué and Michel-Lavy have clearly shown that diabase and kindred basic eruptive rocks may be artificially reproduced from a simple state of dry fusion, it is equally certain that no extended intrusive process, produced by natural causes, is ever unaccompanied by a greater or less abundance of superheated waters and vapours, as an integral portion of the fused mass. As a general rule these heated solutions are relatively much more abundant in the case of the acidic magmas than those of more basic composition. It is thus obvious that all igneous action is both accompanied and, in a more extended manner, immediately followed by more or less pronounced vein or pneumatolytic action (seccndary causes) and certain rocks and mineral occurrences may be representative of the various transitions between what has been termed aqueo-igneous fusion and igneo-aqueous solution. The abnormally large amount of original or primary quartz, so uniformly distributed throughout the Sudbury norite or gabbro, has been repeatedly mentioned and commented upon by the various geologists who have

(1) Zeit fir Prak. Geol. 1893, pp. 4-11; 125-143; 257-284; also 1895, pp. 145-156; 367-370; 444-469; 465-484. .

Ai

be eam pobre se ena raps

180 Geological Survey Of Canada

examined these rocks in detail under the microscope. It thus naturally follows that the agencies grouped together under the name of secondary action would be much more actively effective in connexion with the ore bodies and other segregations resulting from the eruption of such a rock, than with the ordinarily less quartzose or basic varieties of such rocks. The manner of formation of these ore bodies, as thus indicated, is much more complex than was at first supposed. There can be no doubt, however, that much of the sulphide material was introduced simultaneously, as an integral portion of the same magma, along with the other minerals of which the norite or hypersthene-gabbro is composed. There can, moreover, be little doubt of the abundant presence of heated solutions and vapours which were capable of dissolving out, and, under certain conditions, of redepositing these sulphides. Such agencies certainly began their work before the whole magma had cooled, bearing their heavy burdens of sulphide material, most of which was obtained from the magma in the i:mgdiate vicinity, to occupy the various cavities and fissures as fast as these were formed. 'The whole of this action was practically completed before the intrusion of the later dikes of the olivine-diabase which are now regarded by the writer as the end product of the vulcanism to which the norite masses owe their intrusidn. In certain of the deposits the various hydrochemical agencies accompanying dynamic actior. have been more active than in others, as at the Victoria mine, and some of the Copper Cliff mines, but in others, as for instance the Creighton mine, magmatic differentiation has been the main and almost sole principle, determining and favouring the development of this the largest and richest su!phide nickel mine in the world. _The enunciation, in the first place, of the simple doctrine of the direct igneous origin of these ore bodies and their intimate relationship in this respect to certain bands of norite or diorite, served an excellent practical purpose in directing and controlling all the earlier prospecting work.

After all, however, the origin of these ore deposits is largely a matter of theory and opinion, and strong arguments may be adduced in support either of the view that they are the direct result of magmatic segregation, or that the sulphides were brought up in a state of solution from considerable depths, to replace certain portions of the rock, or to fill up spaces caused by structural weakness, The real pra.'cal side of the geological investigation consisted in the outli ¢ of the immense masses of intrusive norite or gabbro, with

h the nickel and copper deposits of the region are alone associated.

Magnetic Separation Of Pyrrhotite 181

Magnetic Separation Of Nickeliferous Pyrrhotite.

The application of magnetism, either to free the pyrrhotite from impurities with which it is s¢ frequently intermixed, in order to obtain a homogeneous and pure product for analytical purposes, as well as to effect a separation of the nickel present in the pyrrhtite ores, is by no means a novel idea, and many experiments have already been undertaken with this end in view. In 1879 Habe tmehl succeeded in dividing the Bodenmais pyrrhotite into magneti' and non-magnetic portions respectively, using fine powder suspeni\ed in water by a strong magnet. The magnetic portion thus separated br successive, trials furnished a product which was so homogeneous and uniform that ten out of fourteen of the determinations for iron content were essentially identical.

In 1890, T. J. McTighe (1) applied magnetic separation in the treatment of the nickeliferous pyrrhotite of Canada.

In July, 1892, Mr. Thomas A. Edison, in applying for a United States patent -mbodying the same principle, gave the following explanation in support of his claim:—'I have discovered that when magnetic pyrites, called "pyrrhotite" is nickeliferous, as it usually is to a more or less extent, the nickel is distributed generally throughout the whole body of the pyrrhotite, but certain crystals are pure pyrrhotite or magnetic pyrites, while other crystals have some of the iron replaced by nickel and sometimes by cobalt, and that the crystals containing the nickel or cobalt are considerably less magnetic than the pure pyrrhotite.'

In the same year (1892), Dr. S. H. Emmons (?) carried on certain magnetic experiments on ~'..rial obtained from the Gap mine, Penna., and Sudbury, Or. were undertaken not only for the rurpose of testing the accv. otherwise, of the theory of the replacement of a portion of t © ..vu by nickel in pyrrhotite, but also to arrive at a more accurate expression of the composition of pyrrhotite, by means of a formula. The practical side of the question was not ignored, nd a statement of the relative abundance of the separated port: ns is given, with their respective contents of nickel.

Dr. Emmons mentions that he obtained his material from a mine near Sudbury, but does not specify the precise locality.. He also neglects to give the necessary details of the composition of the ore selected, except that the gangue formed 10-7 per cent of the whole. In regard to the preparation - 'e material for purposes of separa-

eee (1) Ann, Rep. Bur. of Mines, Ont., 1892, p. 164; also Jour. Am. Chem. Boc., Vol. XIV., No. 10,

(2) Ann. Rep. of Mines, Ont., 1892, pp. 168-166; also Jour. Am. Chem. Soc., Vol. XIV., No. 10.

4187—93

SSE St a

5 Str Iemer:

et

A pena gin ow sea rato 2: Ag

'adieu Ce

182 Geological Survey Of Canada

tion, he states that the sample was very finely powdered and carefully separated by means of a magnet into three grades, namely, 'magnetic' 'feebly magnetic' and 'non-magnetic.' The magnetic and non-magnetic grades were then'submitted to analysis, resulting as follows, after deduction of gangue.

NS eed SO llllll eeEeEeEom

Non- oe : an

Division of total nickel contents. Feebi Magnetic.

Magne- Analysis.

; Magnetic Feebiy Nonportion. magnetic.| magnetic.

Soci': ees Se re Tk See ee S 40°43 42°92

A short time after, (1893) David H. Browne contributed the most valuable article on the question of the magnetic separation of these ores which had yet appeared, showing the existence of a rich nickel-iron-sulphide, almost identical in chemical composition with pentlandite, which formed the non-magnetic portion of the separation. In the same article Mr. Browne questions not only the validity of Dr. Emmons' conclusions, as 'hasty generalizations from insuffivient premises, but points out that 'he has never yet found the nonmagnetic residue of the analysis given by Dr, Emmons.'

The material selected for experimental purposes by Mr. Browne consisted of carefully hand-picked nickeliferous pyrrhotite from the Copper Cliff, Stobie and Evans mines, altogether free from gangue, and with no copper, or, at the most, only traces of this metal. He mentions that the samples were crushed to pass a sixty-mesh sieve, experiment having shown that a very fine powder did not yield such perfect separations. The following tables show, in brief form, the results obtained :—

COPPER CLIFs MINE, (SEVENTH LEVEL.) PICKED NICKEL ORE.

oe

Nickel in Nickel in

A non: as Magnetic.| Analysis. ae Analysis. —— magnetic x ba te nt- - landite. ee 0-00 0:00 0°00 Bog wer fe: Joven {ss 38-007, eee 38°01 38°58 (34°35

(1) 'Engineering and Mining Journal,' Dec 2, 1898, page 566.

uted the ation of f a rich ion with Separa- ) validity n insuffthe non-

- Browne from the , gangue, tal, He sieve, exield such

pe! landite.

Magnetic Separation Of Pyrrhotite

STOBIE MINE, PICKED YICKEL ORE. a : lors 3°15 . 2.5 jin 28-00%,

eee EVANS MINE, PICKED NICKEL ORE.

0°00 29°95 wer 64°53%,

eee

In 1900, Mr. J. N. Judson, of the Wetherill Separating Company, carried on an extensive series of experiments, an abstract of the results accompanying Mr. ©. W. Dickson's paper on 'The Ore Deposits of Sudbury, Ontario.' (1) The material experimented wit consisted of nearly pure pyrrhotite from Copper Cliff, containing by analysis nickel 3-14, copper 0-42, iron 49-78 per cent. The results showed that with a current strength of one ampére, on material crushed to thirty-mesh, 90-11 per cent of the total sample was magnetic, and this contained 2°46 per cent of nickel, or the equivalent of 70-58 per cent of the total nickel in the original pyrrhotite, and 0-22 per cent copper, or the equivalent of 47-48 per cent of the total amount of this metal in the original sample. The remaining, non-magnetic portion, forming 9-89 per cent of the total sample, contained 9-33 per cent nickel and 2-21 per cent copper, or 29-42 per cent and 52:52 per cent of the total of these metals, respectively, in the original sample, The other trials, with samples of the same material, crushed to pass a sixty-mesh at ampére, showed 86-25 per cent was magnetic and contained 1-92 per cent of nickel. The remaining 13-78 per cent, or non-magnetic portion, was a comparatively rich nickel ore, but he losses in the magnetic port' sn were so great that Mr.Judson concluded that a commercial separation, by means of magnctism, was cut of the question. -

During the winter sessions of 1901-1902, and 1902-1903, Mr. C. W. Dickson, a post-graduate student at Columbia University, carried on a series of experiments, by means of magnetism, in order to determine, a8 near as possible, how much of the nickel occurs as a separate mineral, and how much, if any, replaces iron, and also to ascertuin the composition of the nickel mineral. :

- A number of representative samples of pyrrhotite were ground to pass through a 100-mesh, and the non-magnetic portion was removed,

(1) Trans. Amer. Inst. Min. Eng. (Albany Meeting), 1903.;

Pegs ig rset tener igpeen FLT Hes EES EBON Cs hoy 09

134 Geological Survey Of Canada

ex completely as possible, by repeated treatments with a small horseshoe magnet. The nickel present in the original samples is given under I, and that of the magnetic concentrates under II.

In the second treatment the original samples were coarsely crushed and the magnetic portion was seized between forty and sixtymesh, then freed, as well as possible, from non-magnetic material, crushed between sixty and eighty-mesh, and again concentrated. By successive treatments the mineral was finally reduced to fine powder. The ultimate product was then assayed for nickel, and as shown under TIT, the nickel was much reduced in quality, but not entirely eliminated. - In the third experiment, to see if it was possible to still further reduce the nickel contents, a number of samples were very carefully prepared. They were coarsely crushed, and the purest mineral selected.

This was crushed to pass through ten on twenty-mesh, and the finest materi=] rejected. All the non-magnetic portion was eliminated and the concentrate was then crushed to twenty on forty-mesh, the inner part being again rejected. The operations were repeated unti the ore was finally removed each time. The nickel in the final con centrate is given under IV.

eee

Location. Co. Ni Ni. Ni. Description of sample. 1. Elsie mine 2:44 2:22 0'9€ . |Fine-grained pyrrhotite. 2. Stobie mine +++ 06 2°14 0°68 " " " 4. Mount Nickel mine . 3:06 2°14 0°75 0°70 Medium " Cliff No. 2 mine.. 4°00 2°00 0°70 % " 6, Cop Clit No. 4 mine. ef 3°30 2°32 0°83 " o " 7. (b) Creighton mino eis jeg ane 0°45 'Fine " " Gertrude mine 4°00 2°30 1:10 ] |Massive pyrrhotite. 9. Victoria mine 840 2°46 0°80} Fine-grained pyrrhotite ! J

As stated by Mr. Dickson the results show in the most conclusiv manner that even in the lower grades of pyrrhotite the nickel is nc present, as replacing pert of the iron in the pyrrhotite, but exists as separate mineral. The fact that all the nickel could not be elimir ated by the methods used did not indicate that. even the small an ount that remained was an essential part of the pyrrhotite, as sever: factors entered which rendered its complete removal practicall impossible. In the first place the nickel mineral is very intimate] associated with the magnetic pyrrhotite, and even a minute adherin fragment of the latter will, cause it to be carried over with the ma;

conclusive kel is not exists asa be eliminsmall amas several practically intimately e adhering n the mag-

Magnetic Separation Of Pyrrhotite 135

netic portion. It must also be noted that the nickel mineral itself is slightly magnetic, and in the form of a fine powder is attracted by even a small magnet.

The magnetic experiments in connexion with the present work were carried on by Mr. W. M. Ogilvie, B.A. Sc., by means of a Wetherill magnetic separator of the ordinary type, in the mining laboratories of McGill University, the authorities, with the recommendation and a,proval of Dr. J. B. Porter, having kindly placed the machine at the dityosal of the writer for a considerable period during the winter of 1901-1902. The samples selected consisted of the richer grades of ore in use at the different mines. Such samples were obtained from the Creighton, Victoria, Cryderman and Mount Nickel mines, the Tough and Stobie property, in Levack township, and the Cochrane property, near Blue lake, on the Northern Nickel range. It is to be regretted that the chemical analyses coud not be undertaken while the experiments were in progress, as otherwise much more important results could have been obtained. The voltage of the current employed was 110, and the strength of the current was varied according to the magnetic permeability of the different samples. The least magnetic of the material was that obtained from the Creighton mine, and with such material a current as high as 15 am- péres was employed, while the pyrrhotite from the Cochrane property, on the Northern Nickel range, was so strongly magnetic that much weaker currents had to be used, the greatest reaching a strength of only 1-5 ampéres.

In the case of the Creighton mine the original sample weighing thirty-six pounds was divided into two products, according to the size of grain obtained by crushing. The first product was obtained by passing the powdered mineral through a forty-mesh sieve, and catching it on a 100-mesh sieve, this part weighing twenty-one pounds. The second product, fifteen pounds, was made up of the finer material which passed through the 100-mesh sieve. The coarser phase of the original sample gave the following analysis: Insoluble, 2-28; copper, 0-72; nickel, 5-31, and sulphur, 34-28 per cent. The composition of the finer material was: Insoluble, 2-49; copper, 1-20; nickel, 4-87, and sulphur, 34-67. Each of these two original samples was divided into three equal portions, and subjected to magnetic currents of 1-5, 3°8 and 15 ampéres respectively. By means of the magnetic current each of these three portions was again subdivided into three grades, which may be designated as ' magnetic,' ' feebly magnetic' and ' nonmagnetic.' The coarser material showed that the magnetic portion varied from 86-3 to 90-2 per cent of the whole sample, with a loss of 2-4 to 9-7 per cent in handling, which loss, however, could be over-

136 Geological Survey Of Canada

come, while the feebly magnetic portion contained from 4-2 to 8-6 per cent, and the non-magnetic from 1:2 to2-7 per cent. In the finer material the magnetic portions varied from 74:6 to 78+8 per cent, the feebly magnetic from 2-8 to 10-9 per cent, while the non-magnetic varied from 4:1 to 8 per cent. The loss in the case of the fines was very great, owing to the dust adhering to the belts, the percentages of such loss varying from 9-2 to 11-4 per cent. Assays of all the separate products from the Creighton mine were made by Mr. Donald Locke, who for a short time was attached to this Department as assayer and metallurgist, but certain unexplained discrepancies in the results will prevent, at present, the publication of all the details of the chemical investigation. In this connexion, however, it may be sufficient to state that a very rich nickel ore was always obtained, the greater part of which was contained in the feebly magnetic portion, although a small proportion was carried over into the tailings or non-magnetic portion. The loss, however, in the magnetic portion, amounting to from 40 to over 80 per cent of the total nickel present in the original ore, was too serious to be disregarded. In addition to the nickel present the magnetic part also contained from 28 to 48 per cent of the total amount of copper present in the original ore, while from 16 to 18 per cent is contained in the feebly magnetic part, and the rema)nder is carried over with a large proportion of the gangue into the non-magnetic residue, which is really a very rich copper concentrate, some of the assays showing as high as 28-38 per cent of this metal. The proportion of gangue present in the non-magnetic residue generally amounts to about one-third of the total product.

The best separation is effected on the fine material, although the presence of dust must be avoided, as this clings to and fouls the telts. The stronger the current the greater the proportion of nickel remaining in the magnetic portion, while, at the same time, although the total amount of nickel present in the feebly and non-magnetic portions is less, the assay value of such products is much higher, and some of these, which were examined in detail, consisted almost wholly of pentlandite, with intermixed chalcopyrite. Thus, the feebly magnetic product of the fine material, obtained by using a current of 3-9 ampéres with only one trial, showed, on analysis, the following composition: Insoluble, 5-81; copper, 1-52; iron, 80-41; nickel, 30-01, and sulphur, 33-56 per cent. Knowing the composition of the pentlandite and chalcopyrite, and distributing the above constituents in their proper proportions in these materials, we find that this product consists of chalcopyrite and pentlandite in the ratio of 1:21. In the same way the non-magnetic product obtained by using a current of 1-5 ampéres on this fine material and from which most of the gangue

Magnetic Separation Of Pyrrhotite 1387

had been removed by means of hydraulic separation, showed, by analysis, the following composition: Insoluble, 2-66; copper, 3-58; iron, 80-01; nickel, 80-86, and sulphur, 83-77 per cent. This product is made up of chalcopyritc and pentlandite in the proportion of 1:7.

In the Victoria mine's separation the ore was much more strongly magnetic, and th currents employed were only 0-2 and 1:5 ampéres. The magnetic portion varied from 86-4 to 90-6 per cent on the coarser material, while with the fine material, using a current of 0-2 and 1-2 ampéres, the magnetic part varied from 71:4 to 86-7 per cent. The feebly magnetic part n or exceeded 2-1 per cent, and in one case was as low as 0-5 per c: No assays of these products, however, have been made, as the resuli btained in the case of the Creighton mine, although of great sciez.titic and practical interest, demonstrated rather clearly that under present conditions an economic and commercial separation of these ores is out of the question.

The Oryderman mine ore is also more magnetic than the Creighton, 9' "ough less so than the Victoria. The original sample on which the ant was conducted weighed thirty pounds. This was divided into tvo portions, according to size, one portion consisting of crushed ore which passed through a forty-mesh and was caught on a 100-mesh sieve, and finer material consisting of ore which passed through the 100-mesh sieve. The currents used had a strength of 0:2, 1°5 and 4 ampéres respectively. The magnetic portion of the coarser product varied from 75 to 85-6 per cent, the fecble magnetic from 2 to 7-7 per cent and the non-magnetic from 1-9 to 2-3 per cent. There was no loss using the 0-2 and 1-5 ampéres current, but with the 4 ampéres current the loss was 4-8 per cent. With the finer material the magnetic part varied from 65-6 to 71-8 per cent, although the loss of 10-9 per cent belongs very largely to the first mentioned amount. The feebly magnetic part varied from 1-6 per cent to 17-2 per cent, the latter amount being obtained with the 4 ampéres current, while the non-magnetic varied from 6-3 to 28-1 per cent.

The magnetic separation of the ore from the Nickel Mountain mine was effected by using currents having a strength of 1-5, 3-8 and 13-5 ampéres respectively. The original sample weighed sixtythree pounds. The magnetic part of the coarser product (through forty-mesh on 100-mesh) varied from 91-2 to 92-5 per cent with losses of 0-9 and 2-5 per cent respectively, the feebly magnetic from 4-1 to 4-4 per cent, and the non-magnetic from 1-2 to 3-8 per cent. The losses varied from 4 to 5-7 per cent, and are accounted for by the fact that the fine material has a great tendency to stick to the belts. Also the cross belts were given their maximum velocity to effect the best sepa - ration.

188 Geological Survey Of Canada

The original sample from the Levack property (Tough and Stobie's), weighing twenty-four pounds, wes crushed in the same way as the above, and the magnetic currents used had strength respectively of 0-2, 1-5 and 3-8 ampéres. The magnetic portion varied from 92-5 to 96-3 per cent, with losses belonging chiefly to this part of 1-9 to 2:5 per cent, the feebly magnetic from 1:3 to 3:8 per cent and the non-magnetic from 1-8 to 9-5 per cent, With the fine product, the magnetic portion varied from 91:4 to 93-8, with a loss in one instance of 1-9 per cent, the feebly magnetic from 1-1 to 2-1 per cent, and the non-magnetic from 5-2 to 6-3 per cent.

The pyrrhotite from the Cochrane property on tho Northerr Nickel range is very strongly magnetic, and the current used had s strength of 0-2 and 1-5 ampéres. The magnetic portion of the coarse product varied from 85-8 to 89 per cent, with a loss of 1-4 to 9:8 pe cent, the feebly magnetic 1 to 4:8 per cent, and the non-magneti from 4-8 to 10-9 per cent. With the finer material the magneti: portion varied from 77-7 to 83 per cent, the feebly magnetic fron 0-8 to 4-1 per cent and the non-maguetic from 15-2 to 18-2 per cent

The various factors which enter into the construction of th Wetherill magnetic separator suggested, at the outset, that by it

employment it might be possible to accomplish a separation on a com mercial basis, which, at the same time, would be much more thorough' and "mplete than any previously recorded attempts, making use © diffe nt types of hand magnets. Thus, it was possible on this machin not culy to vary at will the strength of the magnetic current to b used, but also to make any required adjustment in the distanc between the two magnets, while, at the same time, the speed of th belts was under complete control. With these refinements or aids efficient separation it was hoped to make such a thorough division the products that the nickel present in the magnetic portion wou! constitute so small a proportion of the whole as to render this pr duct of no commercial value, and thus, at one simple operation, & rid of about 80 per cent of practically barren ore. At the same tim it was believed that the feebly and non-magnetic portions would co tain by far the larger proportion of both the nickel and copper.

The preliminary trials of the Creighton mine ore and assays" the separated products were disappointing, as they showed mc conclusively that an efficient and economical separation by tl method was impossible. It was, therefore, ounsidered unwise to 8 alyze the products from the other mines, although the main facts connexion with these separations have been mentioned.

About the same time Mr. 0. W. Dickson published the resu of his magnetic experiments, which gave further emphasis to tl

iat by its

on @ com-

thorough

ing use of

is machine

rent to be

e distance

eed of the

or aids to division of tion would r this proration, get same time, would conyper.

1 assays of owed most on by this wise to aniin facts in

the results asis to this

Magnetic Separation Of Pyrr . Tite 139

conclusion. Mr. Dickson's final utterance on this subject, published in 1908, also contained a summary of Mr, J. N. Judson's results, to which reference has already been made, all tending to show that the removal on a comercial scale of the nickel from the pyrrhotite, by magnetic methods, is, in the light of our present experience, an impossibility. On the other hand, the fact that all of the nickel cannot be eliminated from the pyrrhotite does not prove that even the portion remaining occurs as a replacement of an equal amount of iron in chemical combination. Examiz. tion under the microscope reveals the fact that even the smallest grains of sulphide material are often made up of intricate intergrowths of chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite, which minerals, moreover, can be distinguished from one another by the use of reflected light. Such an intimate relationship, doubtless, cbtains in the case of the pyrrhotite and pentlandite, although this could not be proved, as these minerals cannot be separately recognized under the microscope. In addition, a large proportion at least of the pentlandite is itself feebly magnetic, and this is apt to remain with the pyrrhotite.

The difficulty of obtaining an absolutely pure product, even of minerals of widely different magnetic permeability, is well known to all who have carried on experiments in magnetic separation, so that it is not surprising that the magnetic portion of the separated sulphide always contains an appreciable amount of nickel. In the light of our present experience it is safe to say that the nickel is doubtless present as very minute grains of pentlandite embedded in or adhering to the grains of pyrrhotite. The fact that material originally containing 5-31 per cent of nickel, with the application of a current of 1°5 ampéres on material crushed to pass only through a forty-mesh sieve can, at one operation, be separated into a magnetic product containing only 1-48 per cent of nickel, while this, in turn, by successive grinding and magnetic treatment canbe ultimately forced to give a product which contains less than 0-50 per cent of nickel, is in itself sufficient evidence for regarding all the nickel in these Sudbury ores as occurring in the form of a distinct sulphide, chiefly pentlandite. With all of the foregoing results we may well pause and repeat with Dickson the question, 'Is there such a thing as a true nickeliferous pyrrhotite?' and we might even extend it and ask, is there such a thing as a true nickeliferous pyrite? The matter is still open for further investigation, although at the present stage the onus probandi rests with those chemists and mineralogists who are still wedded to the old idea. A most convincing proof might be possible, by repeated magnetic treatment of some of the masses of pyrrhotite occurring in central Ontario, which are known to contain from 0-05 to 0-23 per

140 Grological Survey Of Canada

cent of nickel. Any enrichment of the feebly magnetic or non-magnetic product obtained from the separation of such material would no doubt furnish the most ample proof, which even the most skeptical ° would

Location Of Pyrrhotite Deposits By Magnetometric Measurements.

The magnetic permeability of pyrrhotite early suggested the employment of magnetic instruments to determine the location of valuable deposits of this nickel bearing sulphide in the Sudbury district. All the earlier measurements, however, were made by means of the ordinary dip-needle, and the observers were content to obtain such data as would enable them to form a rough judgment of the approximate area underlaid by rock containing more or less of the magnetic pyrrhotite, although this mineral might be so sparsely disseminated as to be of no economic importance.

In 1901, however, it was decided by the Mond Nickel Company to inaugurate a moro extensive and elaborate system of magnetic surveying, not only in examining the properties they had already purchased, but also in determining the probable value of other nickel properties which were known to be in the market. It was realized that such delicate instruments as the Thalen-Tiberg magnetometer, in the hands of experts who had been trained in the Swedish methods, would yield data in regard to the location and extent of workable deposits of pyrrhotite which would enable a very close estimate to be formed of their commercial value. Early in the spring of 1901, Messrs. Karl Kéjer and Erik Nystrém, mining engineers of Stockholm, Sweden, and pupils of the well known Professor Nordenstrém, were engaged. Mr. Kijer only stayed about a month, but Mr. Nystrém was employed for the greater portions of the two seasons of 1901 and 1902 in making detailed magnetic surveys of various mining locations and mines in this district. Most of the lots in the vicinity of the main shaft of the Victoria mines were thus minutely examined, and later other properties such asthe Murray, Lady Violet, Mount Nickel, Beatrice and Cryderman mines were also similarly treated. A magnetic survey +7as also made of the Cochrane property on the Northern Nickel range. It is impossible to get the details of the results of this work, as the maps which were prepared with great care are the property of the Mond Nickel Company, the information being regarded as of a confidential nature.

The value of such work, however, when properly undertaken, is beyond all doubt, although considerably more care and expense is necessary than is the case with magnetite. Speaking roughly, the

ous min- s in the minutely y Violet, similarly property letails of ith great ormation

taken, is kpense is ghly, the

Classification And Genesis Of Nickbl Ores 141

magnetic permeability of magnetite is about five times as reat as

pyrrhotite, although this latter mineral varies very greatly in this

respect. It is, therefore, imperative, that the lines along which the

magnetic observations are made should be sorrespondingly closer to-

gether. In most of the detailed work undertaken by the Mond Nickel Company these lines were on

while in some special cases,

extensive magnetic surveying in the area between Sudbury and Wanapitei lake, with a view of discovering new deposits of nickel ore. The efforts of the several parties engaged in this work are stated to have met with a considerable degree of success, as on the strength of the information obtained various mining locations were applied for. Messrs, J. A. Robert and G. F. Kay have also conducted magnetic surveys under the auspices of the Lake Superior Power Company. The publication of Dr, Haanel's report 'On the Location and Examination of Magnetic Ore Deposits by Maynetometric Measurements' should stimulate this method of inquiry, not only in connexion with these pyrrhotite deposits, but also as regards our magnetic iron deposits. It is the only detailed account of the Swedish method which has yet appeared in the English language. With the exception of magnetic observations to assist in the geological mapping, chiefly of the iron formations and associated rocks of the Lake Superior district, details of which are furnished by Prof. H. L, Smyth (1), no very extensive use of magnetic instruments has been made in any other country outside of Sweden. The Swedish instruments may be obtained from J. Fr. Berg, instrument maker, Stockholm, and are the most perfect and suitable for the work which have yet been manufactured. All necessary descriptions and information in regard to their operation may be obtained by consulting Dr. Haanel's work, which he hopes may be of service to the mining profession.

Classification And Genesis Of Nickel Ores.

Mineralogically the ores of nickel may be divided into eight classes, as follows: 1. Sulphides; 9. Arsenides and sulph-arsenides; 3. Sulph-antimonides; 4. Sulpho-bismuthides; 5. Tellurides; 6. Silicates; 7. Oxides and Salts; 8, Carbonates.

Many of the nickel minerals included under these divisions are

(1) Published by the Department of the Interior, Ottawa, Canada. (1) Trans. Amer, Inst. Min. Eng., Vol. XXVIL., Pp. 640-709.

142 Geological Survey Of Canada

unimportant in an economic sense, and Vogt (2) has shown that all of those which are commercially valuable fall naturally into three main groups.

1. Ores containing arsenic and antimony, with or without bismuth, such as niccolite, gersdorfiite, chloanthite, &c.

2. Sulphide ores (without arsenic), as for example, nickeliferous pyrrhotite and pyrite, pentlandite, polydymite, millerite, &c.

8. Silicated nickel ores, such as genthite, garnierite, &c.

The arsenides and sulph-arsenides, belonging to the first group, occur principally in veins, as for instance the old and well known metalliferous lodes of Saxony and Hungary; Mine la Motte and Bonne Terre, in Missouri; the Gem mine in Fremont county, Colorado; the McConnell or Gersdorffite mine, in the Sudbury district, Ontario; and the recently discovered deposits near Haileybury, on the west side of Lake Timiskaming, Ontario.

By far the largest deposits, belonging to the second group, are the nickel-copper sulphide ores of +h= Sudbury district, in Cansda, which are the subject of the pres' vulletin, but Norway has, for many years, operated on a large scale precisely similar concentrations. Other closely related ore bodies have also been worked as mines, as at Varallo, in Piedmont, Italy, and at Lancaster Gap in Pennsylvania. The deposits which have been partially developed and worked near St. Stephen in the province of New Brunswick, Canada, are also apparently of the same nature. The most celebrated and extensive of the deposits, representative of the third group, are those of New Caledonia. Important bodies, however, of similar silicates are. known to occur, and have been developed to some extent, near Riddle's, in Douglas county, Oregon, and uear Webster, the capital of Jackson county, in western North Carolina.

The veins of the first group occur either penetrating or in intimate connexion with eruptive rocks of the peridotite or gabbro type, and are generally found in the more decomposed or altered portions. These basic igneous rocks, as is well known, contain appreciable quantities of nickel as a normal constituent. The extremely rich nickel ore contained in these veins has, therefore, evidently been derived from the leaching out of the nickel from the neighbouring rock during certain processes of alteration to which it has been subjected.

'The method of formation of the sulphide deposits of the second group, typified by the Sudbury deposits, has already been discussed at length, and the conclusion reached that they are the direct product

ee (2) Zeit fur Prak. Geol., 1893..

Classification And Genesis Of Nickel Ores 143

of the differentiation of a basin igneous magma, modified, to some extent, by processes which are usually grouped together under the designation of secondary action.

The silicates ot riickel are always confined to areas underlaid by intrusive masses of non-feldspathic basic magnesian rocks of the peridotite family, the several varietal forms of which are distinguished from one another by the names of dunite, saxonite, websterite and eherzolite. These rocks are always more or less decomposed to a serpentinous material, so that the type of rovk with which these deposits occur ir usually described as serpentine, —

The ore rarely cropso. the surface, but is covered with a thick mantle of decomposed material, from which most, if not all, of the nickel has been leached, to be concentrated in places a few feat lower down. This covering or soil is very highly ferruginous, with occasional large 'chert' fragments lying cbout. These pseudo-bouldera of so-called chert are considered a favourable sign in prospecting for the ore bodies, for they invariably indicate the presence of the peridotite beneath. They really represent residual portions of the peridotite, which escaped the wholesale decomposition on account of their being held together by an intricate series of quartz veinlets, the interstices of which are occupied by o::!y partially decomposed peridotite. The surface mantle or soil usually varies from nothing up to a few feet when it gives place, gradually, to a loose, brownish material, representing the decomposition of the peridotite 'in situ. This usually shows abundant, but small and intricate veins and veinlets of the greenish silicate of nickel and magnesium, often with abundant scales of chrome mica. In places irregular fissures and cavities, often of considerable size, are occupied by rather pure silicate material, This brownish, loose material gives place, in turn, to a brownish, soft, friable rock, filled with smaller but harder and rich veinlets of the nickel silicate, while this, again, is replaced farther down by the unaltered peridotite, which, it is believed, will contain little or none of the silicate concentrations.

Analyses of the associated dunite or websterite, from the North Carolina occurrences, show the undecomposed rock to contain from 0-15 to 0-85 per cent of nickel oxide, while the saxonite, in which the Oregon occurrences are developed, contains, according to Diller, 0-10 per cent of nickel oxide, while the olivine itself, of which the rock is mainly composed, contains 0-26 per cent of nickel oxide. This is a very unusual occurrence, and the undecomposed peridotite of New Caledonia often contains as high as 1 per cent of nickel oxide. Similar rocks, from the Eastern townships of Canada, show the presence of 0-15 to 0-2¢ per cent of oxide of nickel, without

144 Geological Survey Of Canada

cobalt, while the associated chromic iron ore also contains 0-22 per cent of oxide of nickel, with distinct traces of cobalt. It is almost impossible to collect any of the brownish material, resulting from the decomposition of these peridotites, without finding an appreciable amount of nickel present. It appears certain, therefore, that the nickel has been leached out of the surrounding rock, and redeposited along with silica and magnesia in all available cracks and interspaces. The peridotite is always readily decomposed under ordinary conditions of atmospheric decay, the magnesia being the first ingredient to be carried away in the form of a carbonate. This is followed by the silica and nickel, which is redeposited at lower levels and in suitable places. The result of such an origin will be the occur-

DISTRIBUTION OF NICKEL ORES. Ores of nickel are much more evenly and Jantly distributed

over the whole world than is generally suppose: - in only a few countries are the deposits of such dimensions - . warrant. their development ag working mines, and, at the preser a "he mines of

New Caledonia, and those of Sudbury produce che whole of the world's supply of nickel.

Small quantities of the arsenides and sulph-arsenides of nickel are found in association with ores of silver, lead, bismuth and cobalt, in the well known veins of Saxony and Hungary. As a rule, however, this nickel may be regarded as a by-product obtained in the refining of these ores, and although valuable, it forms a comparatively small proportion in comparison with the other metals present.

Nickel also occurs in Sweden and Finland, and the famous deposits of Norway for many years produced a comparatively large proportion of the nickel of the world. Nickel is also known to occur in Scotland, while the serpentines of the west of Ireland, and those of Cornwall, all contain a little nickel associated with them.

In Russia, nickel has been reported from Rewdinsk and Zanghesour. The most celebrated deposit of nickel in the United State: is at the Gap mine, in Lancaster co., Pennsylvania, but this mine suspended operations in 1891. The domestic production of nickel in the United States is, at present, all derived as a by-product from

Nickel In Canada 145

the treatment of lead ores, which are found in thé mineralized portion of the sedimentary limestones at Mine la Motte, Missouri. Very rich nickel ore has been found in the 'Gem mine' in Fremont co., Colorado. Nickel minerals are also known to occur at other localities in this state, as for example in the hornblendic rock near Salida, associated with copper, and also in small quantities in some of the ores from the Leadville region. The occurrence of nickel has also been reported from several places in California, At the Kelsey mine, in Los Angeles county, nickel and cobalt are found in the form of arsenates, together with silver-glance and native silver, in a fissure vein in close relation with a dike rock, probably diorite. The associated ores contain 7 to 15 per cent cobalt, and 2 to 8 per cent nickel, and 1,000 to 1,400 ounces of silver per ton. (1) Nickel also occurs at the cobalt mines near Chatham, Connecticut. Some important bodies are known to exist in Nevada but these have not been extensively developed. Nickel ores are also reported from Idaho, Arizona and New Mexico. Rich ores of nickel also occur in the copper district south of Lake Superior. The most important deposits of nickel ore at present known to exist in the United States are the silicates of North Carolina and Oregon, to which more detailed refer-nces will be made, ;

In"Canada the distribution of the nickel deposits occurring at Sudbury have already been described, but important bodies of similar sulphide material are also known to occur, and have undergone preliminary development at St. Stephen, New Brunswick. Other occurrences are reported from British Columbia and the province. of Quebec, but these are at present of no economic importance. In Newfoundland rich nickel ore has been found in considerable quantities at the Union mine, at Tilt cove in Notre Dame bay. Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Chili all contain deposits of nickel ore, but New Caledonia is the only formidable rival with which Sudbury has at present to deal.

Nickel In Canada,

The Wallace mine, about a mile west of the mouth of the Whitefish river, on the north shore of Lake Huron, is of historic interest, a8 being the first place in which the presence of nickel was recognized in Canada. It was first opened as a copper mine, in 1847, During the season of 1848 this location was visited by Mr. Alex. Murray, Assistant Provincial Geologist, who reported on the geological asso-

(1) Proc. Col. Sci. Soc., Vol. IV., 1891-98, pp. 419-20, 4187—10

146 Gqeological Survey Of Canada

ciations and probable extent of the deposit. (1) This occurrence has also been described by Mr. ©. W. Dickson as consisting of pyrrhotite, pyrite and chalcopyrite, occurring at the junction of two small dikes of mica-diorite which are intruded into the surrounding quartzites. The mining development work undertaken did not reveal any large body of ore, and although a considerable amount of copper ore was encountered, in association with a rich arsenical ore of nickel, the occurrence of the latter in very small veins, adjacent to the southern wall of the mine, did not encourage extensive mining operations, and the mine was accordingly soon abandoned. The material obtained by Murray, in 1848, was handed to Dr. Hunt for analysis. This specimen, weighing forty-five ounces, is described by Dr. Hunt as 'a steel grey arseniuret, the species of which I have not yet determined, with iron pyrites and probably some arsenical sulphuret of iron' The analysis of the whole mass, when powdered, gave the results under I. The first five substances, making 59°30 per cent of the ore, are separated, as corresponding to the metallic portion of the mass, although it is probable that a portion of the iron is derived from the gangue. The cobalt equals about three parts in a thousand of the weight of the nickel. Removing the gangue, and recalculating the remainder to 100, we get the results under IT.

I n° Tron. 6. A ee ee ES 41-79 Nickel (with a trace of cobalt) 8-26 18-93 Arsenic (mean of two determinations).. .. .. .. 98:87 - 6-02

Sulphur.. .. .. .. .. .. +. 22-68 88-16 Coppers 6 sie se Vs bee. 08 0-10

59-30 100-00 Bilieht aa ee Carbonate of lime.. .. .. .. 4:00 Magnesia... ee es Alumings 0 as ss OS

Two ores of nickel are described by Dr. Hunt (3) as occurring 'in a vein cutting a bed of amygdaloid, on Michipicoten island, in SSS a ee eS See

(1) Rep. of Progress ,Geol. Surv., Can. 1848-49, pp. 42-45; also pp. 61-64; also Geol. of Canada, 1863, pp. 59-60, 606, 695, 737; also Min. Res., Ont.,

(2) Trans. Amer. Inet. Min. Eng. 1908. (3) Geol. of Can., 1863, pp. 506 and 7387.

curring and, in

p. 61-64; s., Ont.,

Nickel In Canada 142

Lake Superior.' The first of these is a brittle massive ore 2aociated with quartz and having a brilliant metallic lustre and a colour varying from tin-white to bronze-yellow. Its hardness is 5 and its specific gravity varies from 7-35 to 7:40. The mineral is variable in composition. The results of four analyses were as follows:

The above variable results are due to the material analyzed consisting of a mixture, in different proportions, of niccolite (nickel 44:1 per cent and arsenic 55-9 per cent) and domeykite (copper 41-7 per cent and arsenic 28-3 per cent). :

The second ore, said to be from the same mine as the preceding, occurs as the sangue of native copper and native silver, which are scattered through it in grains. The material is amorphous, greenishyellow or apple-green in colour, with a waxy lustre and a conchoidal fracture. It is very soft, polishing under the nail, and falling to

pieces when immersed in water. It is decomposed by acids, and is found to be essentially a hydrated silicate of nickel. Under I is an analysis of one specimen dried at 212° F. Under II is an analysis of another specimen dried at a higher temperature. It contains, besides, traces of cobalt and copper, and appears to be identical with nick-l-gymnite or genthite. Under IIT is a partial analysis of a specimen which contained small disseminated grains of the native

metals,

SS See Oxide of nickel Protoxide of iron.. Lime... Magnesia .. Alumina.. .. .. Witers SS Sa. Conalts.— os ee Copper.. ..

4187—103

148 Geological Survey Of Canada

The arsenide of nickel (niecolite), has also bee nfound at the 8 A mine, on lot 8 A, of the township of McGregor, in the district of Thunder bay, Ont., where it occurs in somewhat large, nodular grains and bunches, together with native silver of a similar form, freely disseminated through a gangue of cale-spar, with some quarts.

'Nickel is seldom or never absent from the magnesian rocks of the Eastern townships, in the province of Quebec, and the various sorpentines, steatites, diallages, actinolites, etc., always contain small quantities of this metal, rarely, however, more than two or three

Mining for nickel was, at one time, carried oa at lot 6, con. XII, of the township of Orford, in the province of Quebec, but operation: had evidently been suspended for a considetable time before the year 1888 when Mr. Willimott visited the locality. (#) The presence of nickel at this locality had been known for a long time bus the deposit had not been opened up as a mine until long after its dis covery. The location, known as the Orford Nickel mine, was de veloped by means of two small shafts, sunk on what appears to be : large calcite vein, enclosing small transparent gteen crystals © chrome garnet, and often penetrated by long filaments of pyroxene 0 a greenish or yellowish colour. The chrome. garnet also forms larg granular masses, holding sparingly disseminated, small, brass-lik grains and crystals of millerite. The largest crystals, however, ar generally found penetrating a beautiful cleavable variety of calcit and often exceed three inches in length. The houses, mining buil ings and smelting furnaces were abandoned in 1888, with the excel tion of one hovse, which was occupied by a caretaker.

A sample of iron pyrites, from the eleventh concession of th Seigniory of Daillebout, Joliette county, in the province of Quebe yielded Dr. Hunt 0-55 per cent of oxide of nickel (=0-48 per ce! of nickel) mixed with cobalt. (5)

A carefully picked sample of iron pyrites, occurring on lot 163 the cadastral plan of St. Jerome, P.Q., was analysed by Dr. Harrin

eo

(1) Ann. Rep. Geol. Surv., Can., Vol. V.. 1890-91, Part R, p. 47.

(1) Rep. of Progress, Geol. Surv., Can., 1853-656, pp. 435-474; also Geol. Can., 1863, pp. 507 and 614.

(2) Ann. Rep. Geol. Surv.. Can., 1876-77, p. 483.

(3) Rep. of Progress Geol. Surv., Can., 1880-82, Part GG, p. 6.

(4) Geol. of Can., 1868, pD. 738.

(5) Geol. of Can., 1863, D. 506.

ion of the of Quebec, 3 per cent

1 lot 163 of r, Harring-

ilso Geol. of

Nickel In Canada 149

ton and found to contain copper 0-05 per cent, cobalt 0:22 per cent and nickel 0-10 per cent. (¢)

Dr. Hunt mentions that a bronze coloured, impalpable variety of iron pyrites, in irregular, reniform or globular masses, which occurs with copper pyrites in the township of North Burgess, Ont., gave him on analysis 8-47 per cent of cobalt and 2-°. per cent of nickel. (7)

Dr. Adams analyzed a specimen of pyrrhotite, associated with a little chalcopyrite and sphalerite, with a small amount of intermingled chlorite, from Pic island, Lake Superior, and found it to contain 0-562 per cent of nickel and 0-138 per cent of cobalt. (1)

Dr. Hoffmann analyzed a specimen of iron pyrites from Londonderry, N.S., which he found to contain 0-144 per cent of nickel and 0-48 per cent of cobalt. (2)

Nickel has also been met with in British Columbia, at various localities, associated with pyrrhotite and other sulphides. Gersdorffite has been observed, in the form of small octahedral crystals, distributed through specimens which show an intimate association of massive pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite, from the Columbia-Kootenay property, one mile and a quarter northeast of the town of Rossland. The whole sample, which weighed 6 Ibs. 10 ozs., was analyzed by Mr. F. G. Wait who found it to contain 0-65 per cent nickel, with traces of cobalt.

Considerable interest has been manifested in the deposits of nickeliferous pyrrhotite occurring near St. Stephen, N.B. These deposits were first visited and described by H. P. H. Brumell Dr. R. W. Ells, who visited the localities where these ore bodies occur during the summer of 1903, has furnished the following description(5) :—

The nickel-bearing rocks of St. Stephen were specially examined, and found to consist of newer intrusives, instead of the Laurentian granites as at one time supposed. The rocks are chiefly of the gabbro type, which have penetrated and altered a series of black and grey slates, the edge of which has also been a matter of much doubt. They were at one time supposed to be of Silurian age, but from the absence of fossils this point has never been fully determined. As developed about the head of Oak bay it was suppo.ed that here they might be

(6) Rep. of Progress Geol. Surv., Can., 1876-72, p. 482.

(7) Rep. of Progress Geol. Surv., Can., 1863-66, p. 217.

(1) Ann. Rep. Geol. Surv., Can., 1880-82, Part H, p. 15.

® Ann. Rep. Geol. Surv., Can., 1874-75. p. 14 and Vol. V., 1890-91, Part R,

(3) Ann. Rep. Geol. Surv., Can., Vol. IX., 1896, Part R, p. 15, 16 and 38.

(4) Ann. Rep. Geol. Surv., Can. Vol. IV., 1890-91, Part SS, pp. 112-114; also Vol, X., 1897, Part M, pp. 27-30.

Q Summ. Rep. Geol. Surv., Can., 1908, pp. 156-109.

Pb.

Ree et, ania

150 Geological Survey Of C4Nada

the equivalents of some portion of the primordial of the St. John area, but this point also has never been determined by finding fossils, On the geological map of the district they are provisionally coloured Cambro-Silurian. They apparently underlie, conformably, the sandy slates which are regarded as Devonian, and which occupy the northwest portion of the county, and on this basis their age might be Upper Silurian.

They are extensively altered in many places, changing into mica and chiastolite schists, but these alterations are purely local, and caused by intrusions of the gabbro masses. They resemble, in certain points, pre-Cambrian schists, but not as a series. Further detailed examinations for fossils will be required to finally settle the question of their true horizon.

The nickel near St. Stephen occurs in pyrrhotite, as at Sudbury, but the associated rocks are of a very different geological horizon from those of the latter district. The pyrrhotite is found in gabbro masses, which cut a series of slates, and have altered these extensively along the contacts. The mineral occurs, apparently, in pockety masses, which are probably quite local in character. The ore is found at a number of points, but attempts at mining for nickel have been made chiefly at two places, on what are known as the Rogers and Hall farms. The former is usually styled the Todd mine, the latter the Carroll mine.

On the Rogers farm considerable work, mostly of an exploratory nature, has been done. A shaft, 12x12, has been sunk for twentyfour feet, and three trenches have been cut, with depths ranging from three to eight feet, the principal one being rather more than two chains in length, on a course of 8S. 54° W. magnetic. In this trench the ore is exposed for a little more than thirty feet along the line of excavation, the rest of the cut showing partly mixed ore and partly rock. The width of the ore body was not ascertained, as sufficient development work has not been done to decide this point.

On Hall's lot (Carroll mine) several shafts have been sunk, one of seventy-seven feet, one of fourteen feet and one of twelve feet. In addition, a bore-hole with a diamond drill was carried down from the bottom of the deepest shaft to a farther depth of 163 feet. From information obtained from Mr. J. Carroll the first forty feet of the main shaft was in ore, but from that point to the bottom the ore was mixed with rock.

The formations at this place are practically the same as on the Todd area. The openings are apparently near the eastern edge of the gabbro mass, since altered slates are seen in close proximity.

An examination of the specimens collected from one of these de-

Nickel In Canada 151

posits, about three miles north of St. Stephen, was conducted by Mr.

RK. A. 4. Johnston, (') who gives the following description :— 'The material consisted of pyrrhotite, through which was disseminated 2 little copper pyrites, and a very small amount of quarteose gangue.' A partial analysis gives the results under I, or calculated on the material free from all gangue, under II.

ee es oe Copper... 6. 6. ee ce ce we 081% 088%

Pyrrhotite, in association with chalcopyrite, and u little magnetite, in a gangue of greenish-grey serpentine, obtained from Thompson's farm, St. Stephen, was partially analyzed by Dr. F. D. Adams ('). The pyrrhotite constituted approximately about onefourth, by weight, of the whole. The pyrrhotite, carefully freed from the associated minerals, was found to contain, nickel 0-998 per cent, and cobalt 0-394 per cent.

Partial analyses by Mr. M. F. Connor, of this Department, were made of specimens, selected by Mr. R. A. A. Johnston, from both the Todd and the Carroll properties. The specimens from the Todd mine, consisting of nearly pure pyrrhotite, with a small proportion of intermixed chalcopyrite, and with about 10 per cent of gangue, gave nickel, 1-38 per cent, and cobalt, 0-21 per cent. The specimen from the Carroll mine, which was almost pure pyrrhotite, with very little chalcopyrite, and less than 5 per cent of gangue, gave nickel 1-35 per cent and cobalt 0-21 per cent.

Tt will thus be seen that the ore is of lower grade than that generally met with and mined at Sudbury, so that, for the present at any rate, unless large bodies are encountered, these deposits will not be able to compete with the much larger and richer deposits of Sudbury.

The rocks at all these places appear to be very familiar in character, and consist, for the most part, of a gabbro, varying from fine to somewhat coarse-grained. The presence of the pyrrhotite is indicated by masses of gossan at the surface, and in places the ore is largely mixed with rock. There does not appear to be Any well defined contact of the ore body with the adjacent rock, and but little indication of a vein structure is visible. Outside of the ground covered by the trenches and pits the surface shows the gossan cap at a number of points, with a thickness ranging from a few inches to several feet. From the fact that this capping shows at several places east of the

(1) Ann. Rep. Geol. Surv., Oan., 1880-82, Part H, p. 16. (1) Ann. Rep. Geol. Surv., Can., Vol. V. 1890-91, Part R, p. 39.

152 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA main trench on the Rogers farm, it is probable that masses of pyrrho-

judicious boring with a diamond drill. The areas of gabbro are limited, and appear to rise in dome-shaped masses through the slate formation at a number of places. In the present state of development of the district but little information of a definite nature can be given as to

location near Movre's mill, while the gabbto is seen at different points, the pyrrhotite appears to be :"'.seminated in a mass of altered schistose slates. The ore here is, apparently, of a low grade, and the extent of the deposit not large.

Another locality where mining for nickel has been undertaken is on lots 11 and 12, range IX, of the township of Calumet (Calumet island), Pontiac county, in the province of Quebec (1). The ore is mostly a pyrrhotite, containing both nickel and cobalt. The asso-

The ore itself is associated with another band of diorite that apparently traverses grey gneiss, the latter being seen beneath, or to the north of the ore deposit. On the river a short distance to the south of this mine the formation is mostly a crystalline limestone, and the intrusions of diorite and granite in this rock can be readily seon. The band of pyrrhotite at the Cowen mine dips to the south at an angle of about 50°. A shaft has been sunk to a depth of about forty feet, and crosscuts have been made to test the width of the deposit. A compact massive pyrrhotite, through which we 'isseminated small quantities of quartzose gangue, handed to Dr.: '). Hoffmann by Mr. E. P. Cowen, was partially analyzed by Mr. F.: . Wait, giving the results under I. The gangue constituted 4°30 p vent, by weight, of the whole; so that, neglecting this, the pure sulphide would give the results under IT. i aaa Sree oA 4:06% Cie ee ee ee 0:338%

A quartz-amphib"ite, carrying a somewhat large quantity of pyrrhotite, some pyrite, a small quantity of chalcopyrite, and a very little zine bleade, was obtained from the southeast half of lot 6, range IT, of

(1) Aun. Rep. Geol. Surv., Can., Vol. XI., 1808, Part A, p. 119.

pyrrhotite, freed from all gangue and by Mr. F. G. Wait to contain nickel, 1°48 per cont, with no cobalt. (').

Wllingite (diarsenide of iron) occurs on lot 16, concession XIV, of the township of Galway. The specimen was received + By a caaeeee from the late Mr. J. B, Campbell on July 91,

@).

a small quantity of pyrrhowas massive and exhibited

R. A. A. Johnston, of carefully selected material, afforded the results under I. Deducting the gangue (silica), and ee es constituents to 100, we obtain the results under

SS SSeS 70-11 70-85 Sulphur.. .. ..' TS ae 0-80 0-81 Tron.. ..

Se Se SSS 24-41 24-67 a 2-85 2-88 SS SS 0-79 Gangue (quartz,.. .. .. .. .. 1-69 ae

Totals. .. .. .. .. .. 100-64 100-00

This mineral had not previously been identified in Canada, and if found in quantity would be of economic importance,

The discovery of cobalt, nickel, arsenic and silver ores on the west side of Lake Timiskaming, Ontario, was made public in November, 1908, The deposits were discovered during the building of the Timiskaming and Northern Ontario railway, the roadbed of this new government railway running almost over the top of the first of the deposits discovered. The deposits lie five miles south of the village of Haileybury, which is 106 miles north of North Bay, and 383 miles north of Toronto. At the time of Prof. Miller's (8) visit, from whose description the present information is obtained, four veins of deposits had been located in the vicinity of a small body of water known as

(1) Ann. Rep. Geol. Surv., Can., Vol. XI., 1898, Part R, p. 89. (2) Ann. Rep. Geol. Surv., Can. Vol. VI., 1992-93, Part R, p. 19 and 43.

(3) Eng. and Min. Jour, Vol. LXXVI., Dec. 10, 1903, pp. 888-889, also Canadian Mining Review, Dec. Sict, 1908.

164 Geological Survey Of Canada

Long lake, }sing about half @ mile south of the southern boundary of lote # an! 9. concession of the township of Bucke. All of the veins cut through the slate and slate conglomerate of the Upper Huronian. 'lhe oreagnee of dikes or sheeta of the darker coloured

slate and sl merate have a slight dip, and the veins referred to cut them 'most — rtically. The strike of the veins Nos, 1 and 3 is approx': crt east and southwest, that of 4 is east and west, that of 2 sor ovat and south past,

Vein 2 , 1 erst of the railway track, at the edge of a swamp, about aq: 'ter '4 Me north of the end of Long lake, [+ has been uncovered ; ints voaleh are within a few yards of one another. Mot cn sine Qe" yured conglomerate is found on one wall. vid , ue deposit has a width of over six feet, but (i: yaore or leas mixed with rock. The ore consists of © ccolit 1. arsenide of nickel, and smaltite, the diarsenide of cot alt, tog they vith much native silver. On weathered surfaces th vein maitc. coated with the beautiful decomposition

product, erythrite (cobalt bloom). The green nickel stain (annabergite?) is alao seen on some surfaces, but is usually masked by that of the cobalt. Nickel silicate (genthite) may also be present. The secondary mineral arsenolite (AsgOs) also occurs. Native silver, in leaves, films and fine threads, and mose-like forms, is intimately associated with the nickel and cobalt minerals, especially with the niccolite, as well as in cracks in the rock and in the calcite veinstone. Tn weathered portions of the ores the silver shows distinctly. One sheet, composed chiefly of silver, had a thickness of nearly 0-375 of an inch and a diameter of about one foot. The silver appears to have crystallized earlier than the niccolite which has been deposited around it. The smaltite has formed still later than the niccolite.

On location No. 2, which lies about half a mile southwest of No. 1, the ore body is distinetly veinlike in form. The ore is a mixture of smaltite, and probably some closely related arsenide, such as safflorite (Co-As,), and niccolite. It was found to have the following composition :—

I. I! Tit. Iv. Lo eee S 6-24 4:56) o,. Cobalt .. .. .. .. 16-8 16-76 19-80 f gia SS eee. oe 6-20 8-89 Arsenic 69-0 f 66-60 60-30 63-55 Insoluble 0-9 2-40 0-40 Wahler cc cs ee oe cave reve 2-00

Nickel In Canada 155

vein, are filled with cobalt bloom. The wails, which are w-?, Cofined, are of slate, and the vein is almost perpendicular, lying on ihe hillside about seventy feet above the level of Long lake, and a tew hundred yards east.

Ore body No. 3 lies at the southern edge of Long lake, about half a mile southwest of No. 2. It is very similar to No. 1, consisting of native silver, smaltite, erythri*e, and, in all probability, niecolite.

Vein No. 4 is about half a mile southeast of No. 3. The vein, averaging not more than eight inches, cuts a perpendicular bare cliff, facing the west, nearly seventy feet high. The vein is weathered away, leaving a crack in the face of the cliff in some places four or five feet in depth. Thin leaves of silver, up two inches in diameter, were lying on the ledges, and the decomposed matter was cemented together by the metal. It was found impossible to get a fresh sample of the ore with the hammer, the vein being so much decomposed, The weathered specimens, however, in addition to the native silver, contained erythrite, ::nd the unaltered ore will be found in all probability to consist of smaltite and niccolite, in addition to the silver. Across a distance of cight inches a distinct banded structure was noticed, and there were twelve or fourteen layers of ore lying parallel to the walls. A sample of the much weathered ore from vein No. 4, which appeared to contain less silver than most of the samples collected, was found by Mr. A. G. Burrows to have the following percentage composition; Silver, 16-60; cobalt, 3-91; nickel, 1-42; arsenic, 16-79, and gold none. This ore is brownish to yellowish in colour, and bas an earthy appearance. Its colour is due to the presence of several decomposition products, the oxides of iron, cobalt and nicked. A small amount of cobalt bloom is present. At the bottom of the cliff the vein cuts thin banded, dark grey or greenish, at times, almost black alate,

hae

t 4 SEES

#4

f

ae Wa if

156 Geological Survey Of Canada

which has a slight dip. The slate passes gradually, as far as could be discovered from the steep character of the cliff, into coarse breeciaconglomerate in the upper part. The fragments in the conglomerate consist of quarts, slate, granite and other rocks.

On some of the native silver specimens there are small, black, speriodal masses, with little lustre. These appear to be the hydrated oxide of cobalt (heterogenite). Some of the deposits, on the silver, resemble asbolite. The carbonates of cobalt and nickel are also probably present.

Prof, Nicol, of the Kingston School of Mines, who afterwards examined the material collected, recognized the silver antimonide, dyscrasite, in association with the native silver of No. 1. He has also definitely determined the presence of chloanthite (arsenide of nickel). Tt is associated with the niccolite, and also occurs rather free from cobalt in some of the nodular masses.

Smaltite and erythrite have also been met with in small quantities associated with the basic igneous rocks, to the west of Rabbit lake, so that the whole area where such rocks occur in the Timiskaming and Timagami districts should be carefully prospected. Although the width and extent of these veins may vot be very great, the character of the ore is such as to make them '. distant economic possibility at the present ruling prices of the metels contained in them.

Other Assays For Nickel Of The Sulphide Ores In Canada.

Since the discoveries of the highly nickeliferous pyrthotite of the Sudbury mining district there has been very active prospecting for similar sulphide material. Numerous specimens from all parts of the Dominion have come to the laboratory of the Geological Survey Department for assay. The material thus submitted has been examined, and partial analyses have appeared from time to time in the reports of the Section of Chemistry and Mineralogy, which, besides appearing as separates, are included in the various annual volumes. It has been thought advisabie to tabulate these results, arranging them according to provinces. All of the analyses have been conducted by Messrs. R. A. A. Johnston and F, G. Wait, assistants to Dr. G. OC. Hoffmann, the chemist and mineralogist to the Geological Survey. These analyses are in addition to those which have been already quoted on previous pages of this bulletin.

Partial Analyses Of Nickel Ores In Canada 15?

Partial Analyses Of Nickel Ores In Canada. Ontario.

IR. A. A. Johnston. None.|None.| R. A. A. Johnston.

ee STUPB Aaa ites ee

... R.A, A, Johnston, |R. A. A. Johnston.

R. A. A. Johnston.

¥. G. Wait.

F. G. Waits.

F. G. Wait.

R. A. A. Johnston. ..|F. G. Wait.

R. A. A. Johnston

R. A. A. Johnston. F. G. Wait.

..|R. A. A. Johnston. F. G. Wait. F. G. Wait.

..|F. G. Wait. R. A. A. Johnston.

river tenes ose i 2.| 0°13 |F. G. Wait. ait iii Bay dist"... IF. G. Wait. Twelve-mile take, Minden, Haliburton'

0°13 |Trace.| 0°14 |F. G. Wait.

,

158 Geological Survey Of Canada

'None.| 0°10 |F. G. Wait.

" 0°29 |F. G. Wait.

Present.| 0°19 " F, G. Wait.

fai. te.|None., [R. A. A, Johnston. Sa Te 0°49 0°49 |F. G. Wait.

1. A greyish-white, gneissoid rock, through which was disseminated a somewhat large amount of pyrrhotite. The metallic portion of the ore contained 0-5 per cent of cobalt. 2%. Coarse, granular pyrrhotite, in association with zinc blende, through which was disseminated & somewhat small amount of a dark-grey, schistose rock and white quartz. 3. Pyrrhotite, from an extensive deposit. Examined for Mr. Thomas Marks. 4. A fair sample of the pyrrhotite, from the same locality. Collected by Dr. Selwyn. A fine, granular, massive pyrrhotite, through which was disseminated a little quartzose gangue. 5. Pyrrhotite, with a dark-grey gneissoid rock. Examined for Mr. Mather. 6. Pyrrhotite, with a little pyrite, in quarts mica-diorite. Examined for Mr. W. ©. Caldwell. 7. A dark grey gneissoid rock, through which was disseminated a fairly large amount of pyrrhotite, and a trifling quantity of chalcopyrite. . 8. A compact, massive pyrrhotite. Examined for Mr. E. D. Orde. @ A massive pyrrhotite, in association with very small quantities of pyrite in quartz. Collected by Mr. F. D. Adams. 10. A compact, massive pyrthotite, with a little pyrite, and trifling amounts of chalcopyrite and quartz. Examined for Mr. R. H. G. Chapman. 11. Massive pyrrhotite, with very small quantities of chalcopyrite, quartz and felspar. Collected by Dr. F. D. Adams. 12. Quartz, carrying some pyrrhotite, and a small quantity

Partial Analyses Of Nickel Ores In Canada 159

of pyrite. 18. Lot and concession not communicated. Massive pyrrhotite, with a very trifling amount of calcite. 14. Quartz, a little feldspar, and a very little garnet, carrying a small quantity of pyrite and pyrrhotite. Collected by Dr. F. D. Adams. 15, Pyrrhotite, with quartz, and a little garnet. Number of lot and concession not communicated. 16, A compact, massive pyrrhotite. 17. From E. V. Wright's claim, north of Northeast arm of Lake Timagami. A very fine crystalline, massive pyrite, in a gangue of quartz-diorite, Collected by Mr. A. E. Barlow. 18. Pyrrhotite, with mica and but little visible quartz. Collected hy Mr. W. McInnes. 20. A very fine, granular pyrite with small quantities of pyrrhotite. 21. Compact massive pyrrhotite, with a little pyrite, and a small quantity of quartz. 22. Compact, massive pyrrhotite, with small quantities of chalcopyrite and pyrite, in a gangue of calcite, pyroxene, some hornblende, feldspar and a little garnet. Examined for Mr. L. Meany. 23. Quartz, with a little hornblende, carrying large quantities of pyrite and pyrrhotite. Examined for Mr. T. B. Caldwell. 24. Compact, massive pyrrhotite, with a small quantity of quartz and hornblende-gneiss. 25. Compact, massive pyrrhotite, with a few particles of chalcopyrite, and a smal! quantity of gangue, mainly quartz and feldspar, with a very little garnet. Examined for Mr. A. H. N. Bruce. 96, Pyrrhotite, with a little chaleopyrite, apatite and hornblende. 27. Massive pyrite, associated with pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite and danaite (cobaltiférous arsenopyrite). 28. A massive pyrrhotite, with which was associated a little chalcopyrite and a somewhat large proportion of gangue (vitrophyre-tuff.) 29, Granular, massive pyrrhotite, with a very little chalcopyrite, with a littie ganeue of fel'spar, quartz and hornblende. Examined for Mr. J. Bawden,

Quebec.

1:50 [R. A. A. Johnston. : v+es-/BRe A. A. Jobnaton, 1°68 F. G. Wait.

- {C0, Ni F. G. Wait.

"

Gl ot tnsitae, Seeln cian duattedieanenrts ieniacs aan niet aenaiad eta ce oie i Pei

160 Geological Survey Of Canada

Explanations.

80, Pyrrhotite, in gangue of hornblende schist. Collected by Mr. Walter McOuat (Survey) in 1872. 31. Pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite and pyrite, with gmall amov:t of gangue. One specimen contained a very small amount, and the other a trace of nickel. 82. Pyrrhotite, but the material does not, so far as is known, occur in quantity. 33. A massive pyrrhotite. Examined for Mr. W. A. Allan. 84, Pyrrhotite, almost pure, or with quartz, feldspsr, mica, hornblende and calcite. 85. Massive pyrite, with a few particles of chalcopyrite, and a somewhat larger proportion of granite. 36. Massive pyrrhotite, with a very little quartz. 37. Taken from a different part of the deposit. Pyrrhotite, a little pyrite and a very small amount of gangue of black garnet and pyroxene, and a very little quarts. Nos. 86 and 87 were examined for Mr. W. L. Marler. .

British Columbia.

Same ity

Savona station, C.

P. R., Yale dist 10°17 |Present./0°031 0°034 |F. G. Wait. 45 |Between N. Thomp-

son and Clearw:

rivers rates See Present.|Trace.| |F. G. Wait. 46 |Mission City claims,

townships 17 an

18, Westminster F

Wasp sis ie ess 96'50 |Present.\0°065 |Trace.} 0°09 |F. G. Wait.

47 |Jervis inlet 14'80 |Present.| 0°24 |Trace.| 0°28 |F. G. Wait.

mine, Kaslo-Slocan__min-

f y dist yt Serer 0°15 |Trace.} IF. G. Wait. 49 |E. side, U; lake, about 12 miles from its head, A eee ee Present.| None.| 0°12 |F. G. Wait.

Partial Analyses Of Nickel Ores In Canada

BRITISH COLUMBIA.—Cont.

0°13 |F. G. Wait. "234 |F. G. Wait.

'Trace.| 0°08 |F. G. Wait.

'Trace.| 0°10 |F. G. Wait. Trace.|F. G. Wait. Trace.| 0:92 |F. G. Wait.

Trace.| 0°68 |F. G. Wait.

0°59 |Ni.067|\F. G. Wait. 'Cu.1°68

F. G. Wait.

F. G. Wait.

F. G. Wait.

¥. G. Wait. R. A. A. Johnston.

. |F. G. Wait.

0°12 |F. G. Wait.

17'72 |Present.| 0°08 |Trace.| 0:097/F. G. Wait. 15°75 |Present.|Trace.|None.| .. .|F. G. Wait.

pestabect angie caenesaetis tty, POET GE . slater iT ete Be

t

162 © Geological Survey Of Canada Explanations.

88. A massive pyrrhotite. Examined for Capt. J: Jaques. 39. An association of white translucent quartz and dark green diorite, carrying large quantities of pyrrhotite, and a little chalcopyrite. 40. Pyrrhotite, with a little chalcopyrite, and a small quantity of a dark green rock. 41. Quartzo-feldspathic rock, with a large amount of pyrrhotite. Examined for Mr. J. D. Boyd. 42. Pyrrhotite, with a very small amount of chalcopyrite, in quartz. 43. Pyrrhotite, with emall quantities of chaleopyrite and graphite, quarts, feldspar and mica. These two last were examined for Cockle Bros. 44, Massive pyrrhotite, with a few specks of chalcopyrite, and a small quantity of quartz. Examined for Mr. J. Dickenson. 45. Pyrrhotite, with small quantities of chalcopyrite. 46. Fine, granular pyrrhotite, with small quantities of pyrite and chalcopyrite, and a somewhat large proportioy of gangue. Examined for Mr. D. Elliott. 47. Pyrrhotite, with some chalcopyrite, and a little galena, with a-small proportion of gangue, composed of quartz and fine-grained diorite. 48. Compact, massive pyrrhotite, through which was disseminated very small quantities of quartz. Examined for Mr. H. E. Porter. 49. Quartz, with a little chlorite and mica, carrying small quantities of a compact, massive pyrrhotite, a little pyrite and a few specks of chalcopyrite. Examined for Mr. R. Sanderson. 50, Pyrrhotite, with a little cnalcopyrite, and small quantities of quartzose gangue. 61. Exceedingly finegrained pyrrhotite, with a little chalcopyrite, and small quantities of a quartzose gangue. 52. A feldspathic rock, carrying small quantities of pyrrhotite. $3. Quartzo-feldspathic rock, carrying small quantities of pyrrhotite. 54. Pyrrhotite and pyrite, with small quantities of calcite and feldspar. 655. Pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite, with a little gersdorfiite, in a somewhat calcareous gangue. 56. Pyrite and chalcopyrite, with some pyrrhotite, in a gangue of andradite, quartz, and a few scales of mica. 57. Arsenopyrite and chalcopyrite, in a gangue of hornblende and calcite. Danaite or cobaltiferous arsenopyrite, carrying 3-05 per cent cobalt, also occurs at this mine (Ann. Rep. Geol. Surv. Can., Vol. VITI, 1895, Part R, p. 18). 68. Quartz, with a little feldspar, hornblende and graphite, with a small quantity of pyrrhotite, and a very little chalcopyrite. Examined for Mr. F. W. Pettit. 59. Massive pyrrhotite, with a very little chalcopyrite, and a trifling amount of quartz and feldspar. Examined for Mr. J. Turner. 60. Massive pyrrhotite, with a few particles of chalcopyrite, and a small quantity of gangue, made up mainly of garnet and calcite, with a little quartz and hornblende. 61. Chalcopyrite, with some pyrrhotite, and a small quantity of quartz. Examined for Mr. F. Jacobsen.

Partial Analyses Of Nickel Ores In Canada 163

62. Very fine, granular, massive pyrrhotite. Examined for Mr. Alfred Raper. 68. Granular, massive pyrrhotite, with a very little chaloopyrite. Examined for Mr, G. H. Franklin, 64, Compact, massive pyrrhotite, with a little quarts. Examined for Mr. James Walker. 65. Fine, granular, massive

67. Pyrrhotite, like that from St. Stephen, with a little chalcopyrite in a gangue of diorite,

Nova Scotia,

———

a + |trace../R. A. A. Johnston.

trace..| 1°00 |F.G. Wait. trace..| 0°08 |F. G. Wait.

eS

68. Pyrrhotite. Examined for Mr. Alex. McLeod. 69. Pyrrhotite, with a somewhat large amount of siliceous gangue, from the land of Mrs. O'Hanley,'on the rear of George river. Examined for Mr, Alex. McLeod. 70. Massive pyrrhoti with a few particles of chalcopyrite, and a little hornblende and quartz. Examined for Mr, William Haggerty.

4187—113

Explanations,

71, Pyrthotite in a gangue of quarts, feldspar, and a little mica and graphite. Collected by Mr. D. B. Dowling. 72. Massive pyrthotite, with a large amount of quartz.

The Nickel Deposits Of Scandinavia.

The nickel deposits of Norway and Sweden are of especial interest to us, since they resemble in all essential particulars the larger and rick: deposits of the Sudbury district. It would be impossible, within the scope of the present bulletin, to give a full, or even satisfactory, account of these occurrences, and the various phenomena attendant on their geological associations, and the reader is referred for such details to the elaborate and epoch-making work of Prof. J. H. L. Vogt, of Christiania, Norway (?).

All of the Scandinavian nickel deposits are intimately related to masses of gabbro or norite. In Norway there are about forty of these masses with which deposits of nickeliferous pyrrhotite are associated, these being the largest nickel deposits in Europe.

These masses, which are undoubtebtedly of igneous origin, are either composed of gabbro, which is essentially an admixture of pla-

(1) Vogt, J. H. L., 'Nikkel forexomster og Nikkelproduktion.' Geol. Soc., Norway, Christiania, 1892, 'Sulphidische Ausscheidungen von Nickelsulp-hi. derzen,' Zeit. fir Prak. Geol., 1893, also 1894, 1895, 1900 anu 1901. Ueber die Bildung von Erslageretitten durch Differentiationprocess' ia Eruptivmagmaten.' International Geol. Congress, Zurich 1894, '%.: Wormation of Eruptive Ore Deposits.' Min. Ind. Vol. IV., 1895. ' Problet: the Geology of Ore Deposits.' Trans. Am. Inst. Min. Eng., Richmond, '1. ' Platingettlt in norwegischen Nickelers.' Zeit. fir Prak. Geol., Aug., 1902

interest ger and e, withfactory, tendant or such L. Vogt,

lated to of these ociated,

gin, are ] of pla-

eol. Soc., elsulp-hi- Ueber Eruptivormation the Geo- . 'Plat-

The Nickel Deposits Of Scandinavia 165

gioclase feldspar and augite, or of norite, a closely related rock, made up principally of plagioclase feldspar and hypersthene (rhombic pyroxene). These masses of gabbroic material occur in the Archean hornblende schists and gneisses, generally intruded parallel to their foliation or lamination but often cutting across them. The norite of all these masses shows a remarkable tendency to differentiation, so that the same mass, in different parts of its extent, will vary greatly in the relative proportions of the constituent minerals, The principal types of such differentiates are often distinguished as gabbro, olivine gabbro, and pyrrhotite gabbro and norite, olivine norite and pyrrhotite norite, while the decomposed representative is distinguished as uralite-gabbro,

The ore is chiefly pyrrhotite, containing, when pure, from 9-5 to 5 per cent of nickel and cobalt, but as much as 7 per cent is sometimes found. These metals are usually present in the proportion of one part of cobalt to from seven to twelve parts of nickel, Associated with the pyrrhotite (FesSe) are pyrite (FeS2), chalcopyrite (CuFeS,), and, in some places, ilmenite or titaniferous magnetite. Chalcopyrit: is never present in large amount. The pyrite usually contains more cobalt than nickel. Tn the nickel ore, in a few places, the mineral pentlandite (cisennickelkies), is distinctly discernible, and, in a single case, the mineral cobaltite.

The pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite and pyrite, are regular constituents of the gabbro or norite, occurring in small quantities all through the various masses, but, like the other constituents of the rock, are found more abundantly in certain places, and a gradual transitition can often be observed from the normal gabbro to pyrrhotite gabbro, and to masses of pure pyrrhotite, with little or no rocky or silicate admixture. Occasionally, the ore occurs in masses sharply separated from the norite, as at the Ertelien mine. These segregations of ore are, in the great majority of cases, situated either directly at or near the edge of the igneous masses, and Vogt regards these concentrations as distinetly comparable to the basic borders or edges, so often observed about granites and other igneous rocks, in which the basic borders are sometimes marked by similar gradual passages, and, in some cases, by rather abrupt transitions.

Prof. Vogt draws attention to the fact that the average proportion of uickel to copper in the Norwegian ores is about 100 to 40 or 50 and that in the Varallo (Piedmont, Italy) occurrence about the same proportion holds good, while in Canada, where the associated igneous rocks are more acid in composition, there is sometimes relatively more copper, 100 parts nickel to 100 or 150 parts of copper being found in some of the deposits.

aaa Abt Eanaott iveetre ae stad

ae a A bE LIT

166 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA Ratio of Nickel to Copper in some of the most importan: of the Scandinavian mines,

of Percentages of nickel

Name of Mine. corresponding and cobalt in aes the pure pyrrhotite.

Griigalter. mime... 2.6.66 ccc cece 6 ee eee 76-80 about 2°60 Klefva mine ' 65 276-8:00

Ertolien mine 60.secceeeseees geccag 45-60 8°00 Bamle district pide ee 85-40 —8°50-4'00

4 See ere 87 460 Senjen mine Se Ss 85-40 (about) 9°60-400 Dyvhaug mine 6.606cccceeeeeee eae 80-35 9'80-4°20

Se ari pee re ee 20-26 (about) 700

The Scandinavian ores also contain small quantities of silver, gold, and metals of the platinum group, including platinum, iridium and osmium. The amount of these sctsis is shown by the following analyses of the matte, from the Ringerike ead Evje nickel smelters. @)

Debabiad.o caaas stne one 6s ves jek Ge 08 eS wean 51°16 41°60 [i SSS ees ee es ee aa A Bag sos +00 9-00 o 80 — 45465 05 4508595 SE ERE 10°87 ts AONE onc vc vas cc ccccccccceycyesepescvesstiae 19 58 20 Se en ee §°" fe" Biss -ceccetesse oop ierevesprosessesersteretts 06 1 (about) UD cee ees cee esseeececeseesenenes 2°6 3 (about) Se eS EO OS SS TRE Ae ea 0°1 (about) QI oon cia gencsy ees cous es deces tepqenis SS ee

The mineral associations of the precious metals are shown by the following table of analyses of the ore from the Flaad mine at Evje.

(1) Zeit. fir Prak. Geol, Aug., 1902, p. 259. (2) Zeit. ftir Prak. Geol., Ang., 1902, p. 258.

The Nickel Deposits Of Scandinavia

a

Ni&Co.| Cu

Scandinavia. In the beginning of metallurgy in the University

aR

in Seandineyia,

168 Grological Survby Of Canada

Between 1850 and 1860, and towards the latter ond of this decade, the nickel mines in connexion with the Kragero nickel smelter were started by D. Forbes and the two brothers J. and T. Dahil. During the nickel boom about 1870 there were several nickel refineries located in Norway, while, at the same time, the plants of Sweden, Austria- Hungary, and Italy, supplied a large quantity of nickel, but Norway,

42,500 tons were mined. From that time, until 1892, from 5,000 to 7,000 tons per annum were produced. The average nickel contents of the ore per annum have been as follows; 1851-1860, twenty tons; 1861-1872, forty-five tons; 1873-1876, 215 tons; 1876, 860 tons; 1877- 1880, 100 tons; 1881-1885, 126 tons; 1886-1892, 105 tons.

Since 1892 the production of Norwegian nickel ore and nickel, has been as follows,

Nickel Ore Value Metallic Nickel Value

metric tons. $ metric tons. $ 1803 ... .. 2,897 6,480 118 70,605 1804 9,355 5,400 108 63,460 1805 404 1,080 vv 10,580 1806 815 ata 16 8,100 Weta <sa5- nil rake We — OO 810 5 2,700 Sa 12,690 18 9,720

In 1901 the Mineral Industry states that twenty-seven tons of nickel were produced from Norwegian ores, but this is included in the United States production from imported ores.

In some of the mines small bodies of rich ore have been found, as for example, at Beiern, where ore was encountered with an average of 7 per cent nickel (nickel-bearing pyrite and pyrrhotite); aud in other places with an average of about 5:5 per cent. In the better mines first class smelting ore can often be sorted out, but the grade of the bulk of the ore is much lower. In 1870 miners were satisfied

D g

Tl! sige g 757

E Sees

The Nickel Deposits Of Scandinavia 160

"8 to 1-3 per cent of nickel fram the amelting ore, the actual assays of which were from 0-9 to 1.5 per cent. In later years, when only the richer mines have been operated, and hand been practiced with more care, the yield has increased from 1-4 to 1-5 per cent, almost to 9-5 per cent, with an average of 9 per cont. In the mines the cost of producing one ton of ore, assaying about 2 per cent nickel, varies from $1.67 to $3.00, averaging

From 1861 to 1891 Sweden produced nearly 80,000 tons of ore. From 1866 to 1875 the nickel contained in the Swedish ores averaged from sixty-five to seventy tons per annum; 1876-50, fifty tons; 1881- 85, twenty to forty tons. Since 1886, however, the nickel contained in these ores has only averaged from ten to fifteen tons per annum. The last year in which there was any production of Swedish nickel ore was in 1891, when 483 tons were mined. None of the Norwegian mines ave at present in operation, although attempis are being made to revive the nickel industry in that country. The keen rivalry of Canada and New Caledonia will, however, prevent any extensive operations, at least for many years to come.

Nickel In Europe.

Nickel was first produced at Schneeburg, on the suggestion of Dr. itner, who erected a plant for the manufacture of the alloy known as 'new silver.' They used, as their raw material, the dumps from the cobalt works. These dumps were soon exhausted, and it became pect for nickel ore. Early in the last century several small nickel deposits were discovered in Germany and Austria-Hungary, as for instance at Dillenburg, in Nassau, which was provided with a smelting plant in 1843, Dobschau, in Hungary, ete. ed

The nickel deposits of Varallo, in Piedmont, Italy, are very closely analogous to the Norwegian occurrences, but the ore bodies are much smaller in size. The mines, which are at Cevia and Sella Bassa, were worked and the ore smelted between the years 1860 and 1870, the smelter being operated by the same company as the Schneeburg works in Saxony. Badoureau gives the production as about fifty-four tons of metallic nickel a year.

In Spain, in 1875, they mined 440 tons of ore, but the ore bodies were not operated after 1877 or 1878. The mines which were situated in the province of Malaga .were on small deposits of nickel silicate (pimelite) with 3-96 per cent of nickel.

P

Se

(1) Zeit. fir Prak. Geol., 1898, p. 143. (1) Annales des Mines, 1877.

170 Geological Survey Of Canada

At Rewdinsk, in Russia, attempts have been made several times, to mine the deposits of the nickel-magnesia-silicates (rewdinskite) with 4-8 to 19-2 per cent of nickel oxide, but the deposit is small. In 1878, 47-4 tons of ore were mined, and in 1887, 4-9 tons of metallic nickel were produced in the first three months, from which thay calculated the yearly production at 40-9 tons of nickel.

In Wales, in 1882, thirty-eight tons and in 1888, forty-nine tons of ore were mined, containing 1-4 per cent of cobalt and 0-7 per cent of nickel.

Nickel refining is quite an important industry in Great Britain, abe where a large amount of foreign nickel ore is refined at the various PP al works. The most important of these nickel refineries are at Kirkin- aS tilloch (near Glasgow), in Scotland, and at Erdington (near Birming- F ham) in England. Both of these belong to 'Le Nickel,' of New : Caledonia, and are principal, using garnierite as ore. Vivian and Sons' old and well known copper and nickel refinery at Swansea, Wales, the Mond Nickel Co's. refineries at Clydach (near Swansea) and Smethwick (near Birmingham), as well as the Wiggin's refinery in Birmingham, are, for the most part, working with foreign nickel sulphide material.

In France, no nickel ore has been mined, but after the discovery 14 ; 4 of the New Caledonia ore several refineries were erected, the first one t Bre Eo being at Sept8mes, near Marseilles, where, from 1876 to 1882, experi- ; ments were conducted on a large scale for producing ferro-nickel.

pee Christofle's well kr own works at St. Denis, near Paris, between 1870 thie), eee and 1880 produced about 120 tons of metallic nickel yearly. Later on '' #f : the 'Le Nickel' plant at Havre was erected. The copper plant at a # Eguilles (Vancluse, near Lyons) has several times conducted experiments in the refining of nickel and at the Paria exhibition of 1889 several samples were shown produced by bessemerizing according to . ee is. the Manchés process, which contained from 91 to 95 per cent of pure

i ee j Lately, however, the Martha and Benno mines in Silesia, Austria, & have produced ore. In 1899, according to the Mineral Industry, only 14 bao oe eighty tons of nickel ore were mined, but this rose to 8,896 tons in

es 1900, and during the half year ending June 80, 1902, when there were 1,036 labourers employed at ihe mines and works, the quantity of ore treated was 5,689 tons, which yielded 108 tons of nickel. The mines are sisuated at Kosemitz, Ziisendorf and Glisendorf, a short distance north of Frankenstein. They are described by Illner.(1) The ore,

@) JeH. L. "Vost., Nikkelforekometer og Nikkelproduktion,' Nor. Geol. Soc., Christiania, 1892, pp. 88-40. i H i) Zeit. fiir das Berg-Hutten-und-Salinenwesen, No. IV., 1802, p. 816; also Mineral Industry, Vol. X., 1901, pp. 485-486, and Vol. XI., 1902, p. 486.

Nickel In Burope 171

aich contains from 0-5 to 8 per cent of nickel, fills fissures in serpen- 'ine. Occasionally, these veins carry from 4 to 18 per cent of nickel. Oaly the two mines already mentioned are operated, the Martha having two shaft furnaces, capable of treating fifty tons of ore daily. The composition of the ore ranges as follows: SiO, 60-65-4 per cent; MgO 8-5-12 per cent; FesOs and AlsOs 6-8 per cent; Ni 2-3-8-5 per cent, and loss on ignition 8 to 15 per cent. Before smelting the ore is first mixed with gypsum or with calcium sulphite and limestone, crushed to 12mm. size and pressed into bricks. The shaft furnace is 5m. high, and is charged with the bricks and coke in the proportion of 180 kg. of the former, to 50 kg. of the latter, A very fluid slag is produced, containing 0-8 per cent of nickel, which is used in making slag bricks. The matte composed of about 81-4 per cent of nickel, 49-7 per cent of iron and 14-5 per cent of sulphur, is crushed and subjected to an oxidizing roast, in a two-stage reverberatory furnace, which is 6-18m. wide, and has a capacity of 800 kg. in eight hours. There are four furnaces of this type at the works. The roasted matte, containing approximately 65 per cent of nickel, 15 per cent of iron and 20 per cent of sulphur is run into a bessemer converter with sufficient sand to slag the iron oxide and is blown for forty-five minutes, thus raising the tenor in nickel to 77-8 per cent. This fine matte is pulverized and treated to a dead roast in the reverberatory, which converts it into a greyish green nickel oxide, containing 77-6 per cent of nickel. This oxide is pulverized, moistened, cut into small cubes, dried and charged with charcoal into fire brick muffles, that ure heated in a regenerative gas furnace. After three hours' treatment in this furnace the metal contains 99 per cent of nickel, and 0-3 per cent of iron. The sulphur dioxide from the roasting is caught in water and the solution neutralized with lime, the resulting calcium sulphide being used as a flux in the shaft furnace.

Nickel ore is known to occur in Greece, Switzerland and Sardinia, but in none of these countries are the deposits large enough to permit of them being mined at a profit.

Nickel In The United States,

The existence of nickel in the United States was probably first made known in 1818, when Seth Hunt opened up the cobalt deposit, near Chatham, Conn. This important announcement was made as the result of an analysis of a trial shipment of this ore to England.(1)

These mines were at first opened for their supposed silver contents

(1) Whitney. 'The Metallics Wealth of the United States,' 1854 p. 497; also Proc. Col. Sc. Soc., Vol. IV., 1891-98, p. 381. °

172 Geological Survey Of Canada

as far back as 1661. They were not, however, very remunerative to their successive owners, who in turn tried to operate them. In 1762 they were again tried, and in 1770 several parties associated themselves together for the purpose of operating them for their cobalt contents. In 1787, a quantity of the cobalt was shipped to China. In 1858, a creditable exhibit was made by the Chatham Cobalt Mining Co. of the ore from their mines and its products.

Perhaps the best known nickel deposit in the United States is that situated at Laneaster Gap, in Pennsylvania, about three miles south of the main lime of the Pennsylvania railroad, and a little over fifty miles west of Philadelphia.

According to authentic history the Gap mines had been worked for their copper prior to the year 1744, and tradition, in the neighbourhood, states that they were discovered about the year 1718. For eighty or ninety years they proved umremunerative to the four or five different-companies who tried to operate them, but in 1849, after they had been lying idle for thirty or forty years, the Gap Mining Company was formed, to again:open them up for copper. This company obtained considerable supplies of copper, about enough to pay for running expenses, selling their produet to copper smelters in Boston and Baltimore. In all-of these earlier operations the millerite and pyrrhotite were:.cast aside as useless, beimg regarded by the miners as ordinary 'mundic' or pgrite. Im the beginning of 1852, however, Capt. Chas. Doble, who had@-come to the work, first as a miner, but who subsequently" became superintendent, was convinced that the material on the dump was not ordinary sulphide-of iron, but some other mineral. Analyses of specimens,.sent-to so-called experts in Boston and Baltimore, were unsatisfactory, so that, in the latter part of 1852, or the beginning of 1853, a sample was-sent to Prof..F. A. Genth, who, after analysis, pronounced it to be a nickel ore, at the same time giving the percentage of pure nickel present. The mines, which had hitherto been Imown as the Gap Copper mines, changed to the 'Gap Nickel mines," but the expenses of mining the ore, and especially the difficulties of the smelting operations, rendered the e:.'erprise too costly, so that the whole of the works were closed down in 1860.

In November, 1862, Joseph Wharton acquired possession of the 'Gap mine,' and the deposit became a nickel producer in May, 1863, the ore obtained being treated at the refinery built by Wharton at Camden, opposite Philadelphia. The development of the New Caledonia mines had, in 1882, reached such a stage that the world's consumption of metallic nickel, which had hitherto been about 900 tons

we 2nd Geol. Surv. "Pens., 'The Geology of Lancaster co.," ccc, 1880, pp. 163-176,

Nickel In The United States 173

per annum, was exceeded by several hundred tons. On account of this over-production prices immediately fell in the forced sales, and Wharton's Camden refinery was obliged to close down about the end of this year. The advent in large quantities into the market of the Sudbury aickel proved a further disturbing feature, resulting in the final closing of the 'Gap mine' in 1891.

(from whose description ) to be the direct result of igneous aetion, the ore bodies being concentrated as such by reason of magmatic differentiation, (2) in this respect resembling the Canadian, Norwegian and Italian occurrences, The 'Gap mine' at one time produced one-sixth of the world's supply of nickel, although its total production is only given as 2,000 tons,

The nickel deposits associated with the peridotites of the southeastern Appalachians, have, from time to time, claimed public attention and several attempts have been made not enly to ascertain their true economic value and extent, but also to develop them to the stage of producing mines. Probably the largest and best known of these occurrences is situated in the vicinity of the town of Webster, the capital of Jackson county, in western North Carolina. The deposits in question underlie a strip of land running approximately north and south a distance of about 7,000 feet, and east and west nearly 1,500

(2) Trans. Am. Inst, Min. Eng. Vol, XXIV., 1894, p. 622-631.

geneous compound. It is amorphous, filling certain cracks with encrusting, delicate, hemispherical, or stalactitic forms, usually soft and friable, falling to pieces in water, unctuous to the touch, and adhering

% % Silica.. - 40-89 55-38 Nickel oxide. . 16-60 17-84 Magnesia.. .. 22-35 15-62 Water... 12-36 10-77 Alumina.. .. eae Ses FeaOs)}Iron.. 0... 02 6s ce ee cece 0-56 FeO jOxide. 0-06 3... Cobalt oxide SS Total 101-26 100-17

Explanation.

_1. Analyses of genthite, from Webster, N.C., by Dunnington (Ch. News, 25,270, 1872, and Dana, System of Mineralogy, 6th Ed., 1892, p. 676). II. Analysis by P. H. Walker, (Am. Chem. Jour., 10, 44, 1888, also Dana, System of Mineralogy, 6th Ed., 1892, p. 681).

Although, as shown, some of the ore contains from 16 to 18 per cent of nickel oxide, no very large amount of similarly rich material could be secured in mining, and most of the rich nickel seams are occupied by greenish nickel silicate, which will assay from 5 to 7 per cent of nickel oxide. Much of this secondary vein matter is mixed with comparatively barren, partially decomposed peridotite, so that it would be impossible to effect a separation, on an economic basis, and the

Serps F Ler Es Ss

Nickel In The United States 175

bulk of the material which could be secured as ore would assay from

1:50 per cent to 3 par cent of nickel oxide. The ore assaying from 2 to

8 per cent of nickel contains, in addition, 002 to 0°10 per cent cobalt

oxide, These nickel deposits are found in intimate association with principally of two

learned, while considerable prospecting by diamond drill has also bees dertaken,

un

been described by W. H.

les and smooth boulders in

whose location has not yet been discovered. Nickeliferous pyrrhotite has also been noticed in both Jackson and

than a passing notice.

The deposits occur near the small village of Riddles, in the southern part of Douglas county, a station on the Oregon and California railway, 226 miles from Portland, and 547 miles from San Francisco. The nickel mines are situated on Piney mountain, about three miles west of Riddles, and are connected with this village by an excellent wagon road of easy grades. This mountain, as its name implies, is thickly covered by forest, rising to a height of about 3,400 feet above sea level, occurring as an isolated ridge in a sea of other mountains. It is, approximately, 14 miles long by 1 mile wide, thus embracing an area of 14 square miles, in which nickel deposits might be expected to oceur. The rock underlying this area is a peridotite or-' saxonite,' composed essentially of olivine and enstatite, with a small quantity of accessory chromite and magnetite. The olivine predominates, forming

(1) Amer. Jour. Se., Vol. XLII, 1892, pp. 509-615,

176 Gbrological Survey Of Canada

more than two-thirds of the mass of the rock. The ore is a silicate of nickel and magnesium, and, as usual, very variable in composition. The mode of occurrence and origin of ores of this class have already been discussed in detail, and the Oregon occurrence presents no unusual features whic are worthy of special or extended reference. The following analyses of carefully selected material will illustrate the chemical composition of the pure nickel mineral, but the bulk of the ore which could be economically secured and utilized, would, of course, be much lower in nickel contents.

: I I Ti

Loss at 110° CO... 8-87 6-638 7-00 Loss on ignition.. 6-99 Te re AkOs and Fe2O03.. .. .. 1°18 1:38 1:33 SiOs.. .. .. 0... ewe 44°78 48-21 40-55 2) ewer etrere eee 19-90 21-70 pl Eee egy ere eee ee kL 23-88 29-66

Total.. .. .. .. .. 99°90 100-00 100-24

Explanation—Analysis I is by F. W. Olarke, (Am. Jour. Sc., Vol. XXXV, pp. 468-487; Nos. II and III are by Dr. Hood, (Min. Res. U. 8., 1883, p. 404.)

The first discovery of these deposits was in 1864, and, in the fall of 1881, Mr. W. Q. Brown secured control of what appeared to be the most valuable portion, transferring his interest to an incorporated company known as the 'Oregon Nickel Mines.' It is stated that about $30,000 was expended in development work. In 1891 some of the nickel bearing area was secured by a Chicago corporation, called the 'International Nickel Mining Company,' which is said to have expended about $60,000 on development work. Extensive preparations were made to mine and smelt this ore, but much of the smelting and other machinery purchased was never even set in position. The Anglo-American Nickel Company, incorporated in 1893, and the Oregon Nickel Mining Company, also own property in this neighbourhood. The amount of development work done in connexion with these deposits is hardly sufficient to test their commercial capabilities. Numerous open cuts, short tunnels and shallow shafts from twenty to forty feet deep have been made, but nowhere has a vertical depth of over fifty feet been reached.

()) Dr. W. L. Austin. 'The Nickel Deposits near Riddles, Oregon.' Proc. Col. Sc. Soc., Vol. V., 1804-96, pp. 173-196.

ir. Sc., (Min.

the fall be the porated ad that ome of , called to have reparamelting n, The nd the

neighon with apabiliis from vertical

Nickel In New Caledonia 177

The Gem mine, in Fremont county, Colorado, may be mentioned at some length in this connexion, as it is very similar, in mineralogical composition, to the Maileybury occurrences discovered last autumn in Northern Ontario. The vein at the Gem mine is in hornblende schist, and the ores were principelly copper, but nickel soon made its appearance, and at a depth of 15 to 20 feet became quite prominent. From the surface down to a depth of seventy-five feet the vein has an average width of 3-5 to 4 feet. At this point it pinched out, and with the exception of a narrow streak of ore, which may be its continuation, and which contained the same cobalt and nickel minerals, no further ore was encountered lower down. The nickel-cobalt minerals of this mine are accompanied by native silver, some of the mineral specimens being occasionally so permeated by fine wire silver as to be broken with difficulty. In 1882 twelve tons of ore, containing 12 per cent of nickel and 2-2-5 per cont of cobalt, with considerable chalcocite, were shipped. Later, about half a ton of selected ore, containing 84 per cent of nickel and 8-4 per cent of cobalt, were sent to Swansea, England. The mine, however, was involved in litigation, and the ore body was seemingly too small for any extended mining operations, (2)

Since the closing down of the Lancaster Gap mine the entire United States production of nickel, from domestic ores, has been derived from Mine la Motte, Mo., the metal being secured as a byproduct in the treatment of lead ores. In 1899 this production amounted to 22 pounds, but in 1901 it had decreased to 6,700 pounds, while in 1902 the twenty tons of matte, containing nickel and cobalt, which were refined at the works of the Mine la Motte Lead and Smelting Company, yielded 5,748 pounds of metallic nickel. (3)

Nickel In New Caledonia,

The nickel deposits of New Caledonia have, for many years, enjoyed an enviable reputation, not only for the large and continuous supply of ore they have produced, but also for the high grade they have been able to furnish for purposes of export. From about the years 1880 to 1888 these mines produced from two-thirds to three fourths of all the nickel in the market. From the latter year, however, the mines of Canada have been gradually increasing their output, and, in spite of many adverse circumstances, it is believed that, at the present time, the amount of nickel secured from Canadian

(2) Thomas Charlton, Proc. Col. Sc. Soc., Vol IV. 1891-93, pp. 420-421. (3) Min. Des., U.S., 1902, pp 265-266. 4187—12

178 ' Gbological Survey Of Canada

As the following analyses will show it is very variable in chemical composition. The material analyzed was selected with great care, and will give a good idea of the composition of the purest varieties of garnierite as well as its intimate connexion with sepiolite, or silicate of magnesia, with which it is associated, and into which it passes by insensible gradations. e SS SS Ee I, TERROR A Rn aT OIE Ee ee ee (1) Bull. Soc, Geol, de France, Vol. XXIV., p. 488, Paris, 1867. (2) Jour. Chem. Soc., Vol. XII., p. 618, July, 1874.

e2.cot secon fem g.101 09-00t 98.66 eo.00r 92.08 26.06 &1.66

"'VINOGSIVO MEN NOUd BLIUAINUVD 40 SESAIVNY

Aa.

£ Vaesggsae) 23452 G3

180 Geological Bury Ey Of Canada

Explanation I. Analysis by Dann (Ber, Nied. Ges., Jan, 7, 1878). TI. Analysis by Garnier (Comptes Rendus, 86,684, 1878). TI. Analysis by Kiepenhever (Ber. Nied. Gest,, July 14, 1879). IV. Analysis of dark-green garnicrite, from Nakety, by Liversidge (Minerale of New South Wales). V. and VI. Analyses by Garnier (Soe. des Ingrs. Civils, 1887), Analysis of 9 translucent, pale-green variety, from Oiiaillon, by Liversidge. VITT Analysis of similar mineral from same locality, by Liversidge. IX. A very pale-green variety from Bel Air mine, Kanala, by Liversidge. X. Another similar specimen from same locality. XI. Analysis by Garnier of white veins, iu the green mineral (garnierite), resembling sepiclite.

At first, when mining operations were started, it was stipulated that the ore should contain from 12 to 15 per cent nickel, but now the minimum has been reduced to 7 per cent and it is stated to be difficult to secure more than 60,000 to 70,000 tons per annum of such a grade of ore, although, if the European smelters would lower their limit to 5-5 per cent, the production could be more than doubled.

that the various grades of their ore contained 8, 10 and 12 per cent of nickel. From 1876 to the present time the ore has varied in composition, as shown under I; under II is given the composition of the ore which was being shipped to Europe in 1876; under III the average composition of New Caledonia smelting ore, (according to Levat); under IV is given the average composition of the nickel ore, as it was shipped in 1899, according to E. A. Wineberg'(Min. Industry, Vol. VIII, 1900, p. 435).

a SS 2 SS IV.

Nickel oxide 9 to 17 1800 7to 8 10°¢0 Miidisccmescekcret seve verses 41 to 46 38°00 45 to 50 42°00 ii MESS cies cee es 5 to 14 7°00 14 to 16 10°50 pe Seer errr gee Te 2°32 2S 8to 6 2°50 Beet eee 6 to 9 15°00 10 to 12 22°00 WER cis.- a... eseneeeenae 8 to 16 22:00 14°00 12°00 Lime oo. -2 nose et toleeeeeeeeeeal seseerstes beseeeeeetss 1:00

NICKEL IN NEW CALEDONIA The nickel contents of the New Caledonia garnieri

a highly ferruginous soil, in which pisolitie iron ore is very Although this decomposed remnant of the peridotite con-

ttle nickel, most of the nickel has been leached out to be secondary veins of nickel silicate in locations at various below, favourable places for such concentrations being in the and jointing planes. The veins vary in size

to as much as thirty feet, but they are exceedingly

fissure was folloyed down about 600 feet in depth, but generally veins give out from 75 to 100 feet below the surface. Without to the surface mantle or covering, from which most, if not the

Fsrelte

deposits is, however, compensated by the large areas they cover, and some of the mines have yielded from 30,000 to 100,000 tons of ore, and are still in operation. The mining is carried on by means of open cut work, the ore being secured by means of a series of benches. The pick and shovel are usually sufficient tc loosen and remove the ore, but occasional blasting is sometimes necessary. The ore, when properly mixed, is carried by means of aerial rope-ways to ground tram-lines, from which it is transported by lighters to the ships.

Various methods for the extraction of nickel from these ores have s

Eef E

: hall

(716) 288 - 5089 Fox

g :

182 Geological Survey Of Canada

been attempted. Garnier, whose name has been associated with these deposits from the date of their discovery, tried to smelt the ore directly to a nickeliferous pig iron, which was afterwards to be refined in a reverberatory furnace to ferro-nickel. The first part of the process proved satisfactory, and the nickel-iron pig obtained from the richer lumps contained 65-68 per cent of nickel, 23-29-5 per cent of iron, 1-5-2-5 per cent of sulphur, 3-5-5-5 per cent of silica and carbon occurring as graphite, and from 1-5 to 2-5 per cent of other impurities, and amongst them, phosphorus. It was found impossible to economically handle or to refine this product, owing to the pregence of sulphur, which has a strong affinity for nickel. Various wet methods were then employed, which followed, on a large scale, the different operations used in making chemical analyses. The ore was first dissolved in acid and the metals removed by the use of lime ot bleaching powder, and finally a solution, containing nickel alone, was obtained. From such a condition it is easy to produce the nickel by fusing with charcoal the dried nickel salt.

Later on, however, they adopted a dry method, in the preliminary stages. In the first years they smelted it, with the addition of a special Norwegian pyrrhotite containing nickel and copper. In order to remove the excess of iron and copper they now melt the ore in low water-jacketed blast furnaces, with materials containing sulphur (calcium sulphide obtained in the manufacture of soda by the Le Blane process), or with gypsum. The gypsum, which is made up of both lime and sulphur, is reduced, the sulphur uniting with the nickel by reason of its greater affinity for this metal, while a portion of it is taken up by part of the iron, the rest of it combining with the silica, magnesia and lime and the remainder of the iron to form a slag. This slag contains about 48 per cent of silica, 12-13 per cent of iron and not more than 0-40 to 0-45 per cent of nickel. The nickel-iron matte contains about 50-55 per cent of nickel, 25-30 per cent of iron and 16-18 per cent of sulphur. This matte, by reason of its greater specific gravity, sinks to the bottom, permitting the lighter slag to be drawn off. This matte is in turn roasted and a portion of the sulphur thus removed. It is re-smelted with sand, and the nickel will again combine with by far the larger share of the sulphur, leaving a comparatively small proportion for the iron, while the remainder of the iron combines with the silica or sand to form a slag. By a repetion of these, or similar methods, the iron is finally removed, leaving a compound made up essentially of nickel and sulphur, which 's roasted with nitrate of soda to produce nickel oxide. This is mixed with charcoal, and reduced, by the application of intense . to metallic nickel.

€

. ore was t lime ot lone, wus nickel by

liminary ion of a In order re in low sulphur y the Le de up of with the ortion of with the nt of iron ickel-iron t of iron '8 greater lag to he ' the sulickel will leaving a ainder of y a repe- l, leaving which 's s is Mse -

Nickel In New Caledonia 183

Attempts have been made, from time to time, to partially refine these ores in New Caledonia, and blast furnaces were erected and in operation both at Noumea and Thio, as well as at Newcastle in New South Wales, but the difficulties of procuring coke, suitable flux and labour have hindered their progress, and most of the ore at least is now exported for smelting and refining purposes. Most of this ore is refined in France, where "Le Nickel" company have extensive refineries at Havre, but a large proportion is also refined 2: Kirkintilloch (near Glasgow), in Scotland, Erdington (near Birmingham), in England, and at Iserlohn (Westphalia), in Prussia. The Engineering and Mining Journal of May 20, 1899, notes that a cargo of 3,000 tons of New Caledonia ore is being sampled for the Orford Copper Company, the ore averaging 7 per cent nickel. The merging of the Nickel Corporation, Limited, and the Société Minidare Caledonienne, of New Caledonia, as part of the International Nickel Company, will result in the smelting, by this company, of a considerable amount of New Caledonia ore, at their refinery at Constable Hook, NJ.

Although these deposits were discovered in 1865, it was not until 1878 that active mining operations were undertaken, In 1880, the Société le Nickel acquired the celebrated mines at Thio, but did not commence mining until 1887,

The following figures represent the production of ore and nickel from the New Caledonia mines.

PRODUCTION OF ORE AND NICKEL FROM NEW CALEDONIA. _—Tmrm—{*—VRT"[ -—,

Ore minet. Pe oe Nickel contents.

184 Geological Survey Of Canada

PRODUCTION OF ORE AND NICKEL FROM NEW CALEDONIA.—Con.

Year, Ore mined. greed. cutouts, Nickel contents,

Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons.

es oY Serres 900

1889 ca 19,741| 1,381

— 22,690) .. 1,633

Wc. 35,000| 9,449

See es Bee ee Se 1,244

Wisc ass 69,614] 45,614] 2,493

100i. ees 61,243} 40,089] 2,422

We. 29,623 38,976] 2,548%| (2,548)

1896 ! 6,417| 37,467| 2,972*] (2,707)

Wiss - 103,908} 103,908} 3,845%| (4.05)

CS eee 100,319} 4,676*| (4,526)

eS Sener 132,814} 6,202" (5,210)

Se eee aa eee (3,620)

Nickel contents of ore refined in Europe, according to Mineral Industry. The figures in brackets are production of nickel from New Caledonia ores, in France, Germany and England (a*cordiug to Metallgesellschaft and Metallurgische Gesellschaft, ust, 1903, p. 28).

Methods Of Mining At Sudbury.

The methods usually employed throughout the Sudbury district for obtaining the requisite supply of ore consist, partly, in the sinking of shafts and the opening up of the ore body by means of underground levels, drifts and stopes, the whole of such mining operations being carried on under a solid roof. For this work very little timbering is required, although, in some cases, serious accidents involving the loss of one or more human lives have resulted from neglecting to provide even the small amount of timbering nect:sary where occasional slips, faults or slickensides occur. As a rule, however, the walls and roof are very solid, and, at the present time, every reasonable precaution is taken to guard against such accidents by frequent, careful and systematic scaling, removing all loose or menacing pvrtions of rock or ore. The larger part of the ore, however, is secured by a combination of this method and a system of open cast work. This, which, in reality is a species of deep quarrying, is a very cheap

district he sink- f undererations timbervolving electing

where ver, the - reasonrequent, ing porsecured

st work. y cheap

Method Of Mining In Sudbury District 185

and effective method of obtaining large supplies of ore, and these considerations, no doubt, contributed to its adoption in the first place. On the other hand, these open pits being expose to the weather, work is, at times, carried on only with extreme discomfort to the men, or is even seriously interrupted during periods of extreme cold or otherwise inclement weather. At the same time it is open to the serious objection that it is much more dongerous to the men, and in spite of the most careful inspection and frequent scaling large bodies of rock and ore are liable to be detached: by the action of frost, gravity or other agencies, Lately, a disposition has gradually developed to abandon in large measure much of the open mining, and to remove the ore by means of levels and stopes at regular intervals beneath these pit flocrs, cross-cutting the ore-body frequently by a series of drifts. Finally, after breaking away overhead, and providing an arched roof, the whole is stoped away to the level below, and the ore hoisted from thence by means of shafts. Only such pillars and supports as are necessary will remain standing, and the intervening spaces will be filled by rock and ore too lean to be utilized, the whole being supplemented, when necessary, by material from the dumps.

The system of open cast work, which has hitherto found most favour in the district, consists, first, in the sinking of a shaft of the required dimensions at varying angles, this inclination being jroverned, mainly, by the general dip and direction of the ore body. This shaft secures the necessary accommodation for the skipway for hoisting the ore, while, at the same time, it provides a manway for ingress to or egress from the underground workings, by means of ladders, with landings at frequent intervals,

The largest pit in the district is at the Creighton mine, where on ihe first of June last (1904), ore was being hoisted from an open cut or quarry, measuring about 350 feet long, by 275 feet wide and 2 feet deep. The pit, known as No. 2 mine of tks Canadian Copper Company, at the end of January, 1903, was opened up on a chimney of ore, which, below the 200 foot level, is growing larger. At the bottom of the open pit, which has reached the third level at 217 feet below tize surface, the average diameter is 120 feet. The new vertical shaft had, at the same time, reached a depth of 390 feet, the fifth level being at 874 feet. At the Victoria mine the main shaft has been sur' to ¢ depth of 557 feet, with various levels, drifts and stopes. T st open pit at this mine measures 70 by 125 feet at the surface, gradually tapering to 50 by 100 feet at the first level.

Each mine is provided with a rock house as soon as its permanency is established, and a double skiproad leading to it from the mine. The steel skips, having a capacity of one and a-half tons each,

186 Geological Survey Of Canada

are hoisted to the top of the rock-house, dumping automatically on a large inclined 'grizzly' sizing-screen, which separates the fine from the coarse ore. Most of the ore is sledged to a proper size for the crusher in the mine, although, sometimes, this operation takes place on the floor of the rock-house. The coarse ore falls near the mouth of the 15 x 9 Blake crusher, set to about one and three-quarter inches, which has a capacity of about twenty tons per hour, (or 400 tons for the usual two shifts of ten hours each). Occasionally, as at the Creighton mine, there are two, of these Blake crushers, but usually one is considered sufficient. The ore is then passed into the upper end of a slightly inclined revolving trommel screen, where it is sized into three classes for the succeed'ting operation of roasting. The fines pass through three-quarter inch mesh holes in the trommel screen, the medium or ragzing through one and three-quarter inch holes, while th coarse is discharged at the lower end of the screen and is caught on oscillating sorting table, also slightly inclined lengthwise. The jerking motion of this table provides such a rate of travel of the pieces of ore as enables a certain number of boys, stationed along the side, to pick out and cast aside a considerable proportion of barron rock or very lean ore, at the same time permitting the purer and higher grades to continue their journey to the ore bins. Each of these sizos falls into a separate series of bins, from which ore of the required class is automatically loaded, by means ff inclined steal chutes, into standard gauge cars, and hauled by locomotives to the roasting yards. At the time the surveys for the Copper Cliff mines area were being carried on there were three roasting yards. The old one, whicl: was graded by Dr. E. D. Peters, is situated immediately west of the old or East Smelter, and measures roughly 2,000 feet long and 125 feet wide. This still remains in use, and by the removal of the East Smelter buildings has been increased to 8,000 feet. For some years a small roast yard was utilized about midway between the original Copper Cliff mine and the Ontario Smelting Works. The site of this, which measured about 1,000 feet by 125 feet, is shown on the large scale maps, but it has now been abandoned, as its situation so close to the works and residences at times occasioned great discomfort to the workmen and inhabitants. The main roast yard, which is in use at present, and which is capable of much greater expansion, is located to the northeast of the West Smelter, towards the Manitoulin and North Shore railway. At the time the surveys were made, it was about 2,700 feet long by 150 feet wide, and it could be very readily extended to measure 4,000 feet. It will thus be seen that without any great effort roasting ground with a capacity of from

ly on a e from for the 3 place mouth inches, ons for at the usually B upper is sized he fines een, the 3, while caught zthwise. f travel tationed proporpermit- the ore 1s, from yeans +f by locothe Coproasting is situaneasures s in use, as been st yard er Cliff s, which he large ation so discomwhich is nsion, is Manitoure made, be very een that of from

Metallurgy—Roasting 187

250,000 to 300,000 tons is already available, Many of the mines situated at Copper Cliff are, of course, handy to the roast yards, but most of the ore at prese: being utiliz.d by the Canadian Copper Manitoulin and North Shore railway a distance of about seven and a half miles, to Clarabelle junction, about a mile has to be brought by a branch railway to Sudbury, a distance of about three and a-half miles and then down the ' Sault' branch of the Canadian Pacific railway to the southern roast yard at Copper Cliff, a further distance of about four miles. 'The ore from the Frood, or No. 3, mine has to be hauled first to the Stobie mine, by a spur about 1°25 miles long, and thence, by the same route, from the Stobie mine to Copper Cliff. Neither of these mines are, however, in operation, as an abundant supply of very high grade ore is mc:e easily procurable at the Creighton mine. At the Victoria mines of the Mond Nickel Com-

pany an aerial tramway carries the ore from the mine to the roast yeard, and thence to the smeltcr.

METALLURGY. In the production of nickel and copper from a sulphide ore the following operations have to be considered.

1. Treatment of the ores, for low grade copper-nickel matte.

2. Treatment of the copper-nickel matte, for concentrated coppernickel matte.

8. Treatment of this matte, for copper-nickel alloys.

4. Treatment of the concentrated copper-nickel matte, for nickel matte.

5. Treatment of the nickel matte, for nickel oxide and metallic nickel.

The first two of these operations are carried out at the smelting works in the Sudbury district.

Roasting,

The metallurgical treatment of this ore commences at the roast yard, whither it is conveyed from the mines, and being piled in convenient heaps, on previously laid cordwood, is exposed at high temperatures, without fusion, or at most incipient fusion, to the action of currents of air. The object of this roasting is to bring about the oxidation of the iron, and incidentally of the sulphur, as complete as is possible without involving an undue loss of metal in the slags of the following smelting, and second, the expulsion of ar<-'s, if any

188 Geological Survey Of Canada

should happen to be present, With the possible exception of the Worthington mine, and some other deposits in that vicinity, none of the ore of the Sudbury district contains any appreciable amount of arsenic or antimony. If the oxidation be very imperfect the resulting matte will contain so much iron that its bringing forward will be unduly ecatly, while if the oxidation be too thorough an undue loss will occur on smelting the roasted ore. At Copper Cliff and at Victoria mines the Canadian Copper Company and Mond Nickel Cont pany have spared neither trouble nor expense in the construction and equipment of their roast yards. The sites selected consisted of flate or swamps which have been further graded or filled up, any natural roughness or unevenness being cleared away and levelled, and the whole being given a gentle slope, with carefully made drains, serves to remove at once any rain or surface water. 'Thase precautions have to be taken to prevent loss of metal as soluble eniphates. It has been frequently stated that any great loss is thus fully guarded against, but, so far as known, no deliberate attempts have been made to determine what amount is thus actually carried off by rain and melting snow. After the heap has been fired a crust rapidly forms, which is believed to give further assistance against loss, but during heavy or long-continued wet and stormy weather it is believed an appreciable amount is thus removed. Whether the saving of this is a commercial possibility is well within the range of experiment. Hollows in the burnt-out heaps are filled with stalactites, an analysis of one of which gave Mr. Donald Locke the following composition:—Cu 0, 8-43 per cent; Ni O, 10-21 per cent; Fe O, 7-18 per cent, and S Os, 27-58 per cent. The water, too, of the marsh adjoining, has a decided bluish tinge, and an iron object immersed in it is immediately covered with a thin :oating of copper.

Open air heap roasting, as practised at Sudbury, is, with favourable weather conditions, an old, simple, cheap and very effective method of treatment for the elimination of the undesired surplus of sulphur from low grade sulphide ores. Experiments and trials have been made to profitably save this sulphur, by 'resent methods, but the sulphur contents, averaging from 16 to 80 per cent, and for the most part approaching, in this respect, the first-mentioned figure, with iron from 33 to a little over 50 per cent, are, apparently, too low to permit of their economic winning.

Titus Ulké (4) states that, 'during 1902, was demonstrated the commercial impracticabiity of cheaply roasting Sudbury pyrrhotite nickel ores, which do not average over 25 per cent of sulphur, in Herreshoff furnaces, in order to utilize the sulphurous acid gas thus

(1) Min, Industry, Vol. XI., 1903, p. 490.

als have ods, but 1 for the d figure, , too low

rated the yrrhotite lphur, in gas thus

Metallurgy—Roasting 189

obtained to make sulphite pulp or liquid aci¢. The use of the dead roasted residue, in the making of ferro-nickel, was also found to be commercially unsuccessful. It is recognized that, unless this roasting in the Herreshoff furnace can be done mainly without the aid of extraneous heat, the cost, compared with heap roasting, is prohibitive, and that, in any case, the average percentage of sulphurous acid in the gas produced is too low to be economical for use in the manufacture of calcium bisulphite for making sulphite pulp.' On the other hand, Mr. E. A. Sjostedt, (1) metallurgist to the Lake Superior Power Company, who initiated and carried on these trials, states that the process has been worked out in a satisfactory manner, the pyrrhtite being roasted without extraneous heat, and yielding sulphurous acid in quantities that more than repay the cost of converting the raw ore into briquettes. ;

The results of operations for two weeks in 1903 showed an average recovery of 86-4 per cent of sulphur, and a total working cost of $1.86 per ton of ore. Such are the conflicting statements of experts who have been concerned in the practical working out of the process, but the popular opinion seems general that failure has followed these elaborate trials, which had the advantage of being conducted on a commercial basis, by skilled men, with every modern appliance to ensure success. The fact that the Lake Superior Power Company, during their later operations in the Sudbury district, had practically adopted the general system of heap roasting and smelting, seems to lend support to the view expressed by Mr. Ulké.

The sulphurous fumes from the roast heaps have destroyed most of the vegetation from within an area of between one and two miles of Copper Cliff, and have a very injurious effect on vegetation, and especie™y young and tender trees and plants, as far as the town of Sus: he immediate vicinity of Copper Cliff the destruction Wr " growing plants and trees is very complete, and a :ore de it: an hardly be imagined than the fine white clay or silt of -rough which protrude at intervals rough rocky hills, with a ses, or even a blade of grass, to break the monotony. Of late years, vegetation has, so to speak, become accustomed to the sulphur, and gradually, and as a result, the area affected by the fumes is becoming more circumscribed. The maple seems to withstand the sulphur the best, and trees of this specics may be found fairly green in the immediate proximity of the roast yards. To add to this scene of desolation the hovses arf of wood, rarely painted, while most of the area is covered with half-decayed logs, stumps and uptuined roots, all of which have a peculiar brownish tinge, the re-

(1) Eng. and Min. Jour., April 25th, 1908.

190 Geo".Ogical Survey Of Canada

sult of the sulphur, which acts as an excellent preservative. On the other hand, all the barbed-wire fences, telegraph lines and other iron objects are rusted, and rar'dly eaten away, requiring to be frequently replaced. The removal of one of these roast yards has had a most marked effect, and the beneficial results which were sure follow are even now beginning to be apparent, for the two remaimug sre situated to the east and northeast of the town, and thus the prevailing winds, which are from the southwest, will tend to carry the fumes away. With the persistent influence and guidance of the president and general manager, Mr. A. P. Turner, trees are being planted, orr tain areas graded and made into lawns, roads opened up and culverts and bridges fixed, while the tortuous course of a small stream running through the town has been straightened and deepened. It is hoped that these efforts at beautifying the place will meet with the success they deserve, and already the town has taken on a new appearance, due to these improvements. The fumes, which are free from arsenic, seem to have no injurious effect on man or beast, except on occasions when ~articularly denso and accompanied by fog, when they produce a peculiar strangling or choking sensation, accompanied on rare occasions by bleeding at the nose. The residents are all seemingly healthy, and suffer from no unusual complaints, while some even assert that the sulphur is a positive cure for catarrh, consumption, and kindred diseases. People, however, at first, complain of a strangling sensation, but this gradually disappears, and those who have resided there for a time miss the sulphur when removed to another place, and have even an ill-defined though rarely expressed longing for this seemingly heavy and satisfying atmosphere.

At the Murray mine a huge shed with numerous large chimneys was erected for the purpose of roasting the ore during the winter, but it was not a success in any respect. No great though. care has in the past marked the efforts of some of the companies in the selection of a site for the roast yard, and the ore has been placed in heaps, where the na'ural surface of the ground permitted, with scarcely any previous preparation, such as grading and draining. The mechanical loss, alone, from such carelessness, must have been far from negligible. The main supply of fuel that can be sec..ed and is used for the heap roasting is dead or dry pine, often stil! standing as tall bare rampikes, the remains of extensive fires which swept over the area about thirty-five years ago. This, during the first years of the operations, dould be secured very readily and cheaply, but the extensive and continuous roasting has used up all available sources of supply close at hand, and this wood has now to be brought considrrable distances by rail, and is often mixed with ordinary

ugh.

nies in placed d, with aining. ve been sec...ed en still 3 which the first cheaply, vailable brought rdinary

Metallurgy—Roasting 191

Victoria mines, however, there is an abundant

pine for years to come, and it is brought in by

during the winter, from the area immediately ad-

pine is very efficient for this purpose as it is produces almost immediately a short though

which serves to ignite the pile thoroughly, and this, once

continues burning on ac runt of its sulphur contents. The roast heaps are recta:

averages about 25 per cent, is reduced to about 6 or 8 per cent, while the iron is, in large

part, oxidized to ferrous oxide, and the associated norite or gangue is rendered more or less porous or disintegrated by the swelling and oxidation of the ore. An analysis of roaste? ure, in December, 1888, gave F. L. Sperry 5-40 per cent of copper, 2-43 per cent of nickel, 7-92 per cent of sulphur and 25 per cent of irun and the rest gangue, chiefly norite or diorite. L. P. Silver (?) states that an average sample of the roasted ore - 3-25 per cent of copper, 2-16 per cent of nickel, 8-82 per ce: sulphur, 25-61 per cent of iron and the rest gangue,

Donald Locke says that the roasted ore in 1902, being used by the Canadian Copper Company, assayed about 1-5 per cent of copper, 2-5 per cent of nickel, 6 per cent of sulphur and 26 per cent of iron. At the Mond Nickel Company no assays of the roasted ore are made, as it is so variable in composition and difficult to obtain representative material, and one-tenth is added to the assays of the raw ore to enable the furnace manager to make up a charge for smelting.

When an abundence of ore fines is in #tock, over and above the usual requirements for covering and finishing the heaps, the excess is generally used to cover the : ound on which the roast heap is to be

Fa SS SS eS (1) Jour. Can. Min. Inst., Vol. V., 1008, ;- 644.

108 Geological Survey Of Canada

built, to a depth of about six inches. The material is thus 'caked' together in the roasting, and after having served fox several roastngs is broken up and used as coarse ore, as it has only enjoyed an incipient oxidation. These roast piles are built up as follows: the place selected may or may not be covered with the ' fines,' as already mentioned, as occasion demands, Sticks of cordwood, of nearly uniform size, should be placed side by side across both sides and ends of the rectangular area, The whole interior of this may be filled in with old stumps, roots, tice or cordwood, as material comes to hand, but in such a way as to form a level and solid bed on which the ore is to rest. Over this is placed small wood and chips to fill up all the larger interstices, care being taken to provide small canals, filled with kindlings, at intervals of eight to ten feet, leading from the outer air to the center of the heap. As first practised these canals connected with 'chimneys' along the centre, which were specially designed to rapidly and certainly kindle the whole heap. These chimneys were usually built of four sticks or old boards, so fixed together as to leave an opening, communicating below with the draught passages. Five or six such chimneys sufficed for each pile, and they were made to project two feet above the upper surface of the heap, so that no pieces of ore could fall into the flue opening. Such precautions, to ensure certain kindlings, are, however, not needed, and the canals are amply sufficient for this purpose; besides, it was found that they induced undue local heating in their immediate vicinity, thus tending to incipient fusing or matting of the ore, which is to be specially guarded against. The bed of cordwood varies from nine to eighteen inches in depth, according to the size of the pile. This bed of fuel being completed the coarse ore to the extent of about 65 per cent of the whole heap is transferred by wheelbarrows from the cars over a narrow and roughly constructed trestle platform running the whole length of the heap. This plan is sometimes adopted by the Mond Nickel Company, at the Victoria mines, although in some instances. the tram cars are deflected by means of a spur or branch line of the aerial tramway running over the roast beds. The car is then lowered, and the ore dumped directly at any place desired. The medium sized ore or ' ragging,' about the size of nut coal, is then carefully spread over the coarse ore, and lastly, the whole heap is covered up with fine' until a height of from six to eighteen feet is reached, accordi; tue size of the pile. The whole structure should then form a shapely rectangular pile, with sharp corners, and a: steeply sloping sides as the ore will naturally lie on without rolling (about 45°).

The heap is now finished, and only those openings connecting

me

yr branch The car desired. il, is then heap is en feet is re should , and as ut rolling

connecting

Metallurgy—Roasting 193

with the canals around the base of the pile are left exposed. Kindlings or cotton waste, saturated with oil, are applied .o these openings, and these are simultaneously ignited. These openings are themselves covered with 'fines' as soon as the cordwood is burning freely. In spite of this ample covering the whole of the fuel, as stated by Mr. James McArthur, (') is burned out in about sixty hours after lighting up. ' A complete oxidizing roasting process then begins, and continu s until the end, nemely, until the sulphur co: ents are so far reduced and burned off that there is not sufficient left to promote further combustion. The remaining portion of the sulphur (6 to 8 per cent) is enclosed and sealed up in non-porous portions cf ore or matte, the semi-fused covering of which would require to be rebroken in order to expose fresh faces under heat and thus liberate the remaining sulphur. This could only be done by turning over and reroasting the ore, after the first roast was finished, but it is not at all necessary as the remaining av'phur is essential in the smelting of the ore, in order to produce : an slag.' About twelve hours after the firing the whole heap should be pouring forth dense pale yellow fumes of sulphurous acid. Great attention is paid to the pile for the first few day" to prevent excessive local heating, which frequen 'ly causes partial fusion of the ore, this tending to prevent successful roasting. The heap is carefully and systematically watched day and night, and all holes or fissures, caused chiefly by settlement due to the burning out of the fuel, are at once covered with 'fines' of raw ore, After the first few days are over the pile may be left to itself until cold enough to remove to the storage bins or furnace. After the period of roasting is over, and the pile is cold enough to be handled, the outer covering of partially roasted ore is first remow '. This is more abundant along the sides and base, and the precaut

is sometimes taken to cover up these portions of the pile with ivon sheeting, which materially assists in preserving the heat, thus aiding the roasting. The longer the period of roast:ng the jess the matting, and, of course, the larger the heap, the smaller ntity of the outside covering or margin is left only pa: 'ially roast.d. When this outer covering is removed to be re-roas' ine remainder of the heap is conveyed in wheel-barrows a few yards, in one c+se, to a sunken railroad which runs alongside of the roast yards. At the Mond Nickel Company it is loaded into cars, which are hauled up an inclined tramway to an elevated series of strong bins at the roast yard, from whence it is loaded, as required, into the aerial! tramcars, and thus conveyed to the smelter. a

(1) Ann. Report, Bur. of Mines, Ont., 1903 p. 300, 4187—13

194 Geological Survey Of Canada

The ore, when roasted, is aggregated together in large clinkerike masses. They are loosened and broken up into suitable pieces for smelting, usually by pick and shovel, but often the assistance of explosives is needed to help in the removal. This roasted ore is loaded on large side-dumping cars, and hauled by locomotives to the stock bins at the furnaces. An experienced workman knows the difference in the quality of roasted ores at sight, and is able to mix them roughly, as they are loaded into the cars at the heaps, to be taken to the smelter and dumped into separate bins. Here it is sampled, and again mixed by the furnace men and made into smelting charges and fed into the furnaces.

Smelting.

The copper nickel ores of the Sudbury district are, at present, (June, 1904,) being treated by only one corporation, the Canadian Copper Company, but during the progress of our work in 1901 and 1902 both the Mond Nickel Company and the Lake Superior Power Company were also conducting smelting operations. The Mond Company produced both the blast furnace or standard matte, and the bessemer or converter matte, while the last-mentioned corporation restricted their refining process to obtaining the lower grade or blast furnace matte. The smelter of the Lake Superior Power Company, situated at the Gertrude mines, was completed early in June, 19v2, and for some time was treating from 100 to 160 tons of ore daily. The matte resulting from these operations steadily accumulated at the works until the suspension of all operations of this concern in 1908, and, during this period about 2,000 tons of the standard matte were produced. This matte is stated to have contained 29 per cent of nickel and copper combined, the proportion of the nickel to the copper being as 2 to 1. It was proposed to further refine this product at a converter plant being erected at Sault Sie. Marie, or to ship it elsewhere to be refined. In addition about twenty tons of ore daily, out of a total production of 200 tons, were picked out as free as possible from chalcopyrite, which quantity was laid aside to be shipped to Sault Ste. Marie for the manufacture of ferro-nickel.

From 1889 to 1893 the Murray mine conducted rather extensive smelting operations, making both standard and bessemer matte. The average of the lower grade product was 8-5 per cent of nickel and +4 per cent of copper, while Walker's analysis of the latter showed it to contain 48-82 per cent of nickel and cobalt and 25-92 per cent of copper. The Dominion Mineral Company, during the same period, produced only standard or blast furnace matte, containing from 18 to 20 per cent of copper and 24 to 26 per cent of nickel. About 1893,

resent, nadian 1 and Power Mond nd the ration r blast mpany, , 19U2, daily. ited at ern in er cent to the product ship it daily, 8 possipped to

'tensive e. The l and 4 ed it to cent of period, rom 18 it 1893,

Metallurgy—Smelting 195

and later in 1896 and 1898, the Drury Nickel Company, and the same corporation reorganized under the name of the Trill Mining Company, smelted and sold about 420 tons of blast furnace matte. During the early '90's, the Canadian Copper Company produced a considerable amount of high grade matte by the bessemer process, but the refiners seeming to prefer the standard or blast furnace matte the manufacture of this product was abandoned, and the bessemer plant, consisting of a cupola, and three converters, located at the East Smelter, has been left idle for the greater part of the time since. In the fall of 1900 the plant of the Ontario Smelting Works was installed by the Orford Copper Company, an organization closely related to the Canadian Copper Company, both of which, in April, 1902, were included in the amalgamation of these and kindred corporations under the name of the International Nickel Company. These works were designed to further refine the low grade or blast furnace matte of the Canadian Copper Company,

Before the erection of the new smelter, which will be described and figured later, the Canadian Copper Company had smelting plants installed in two separate buildings, known respectively as the East and West Smelters. The processes at the two smelters were alike, and they differed only in the number of their blast furnaces. At the West Smelter there were eight, and at the East Smelter five blast furnaces, in addition to the bessemer plant. Lately the East Smelter has been dismantled, and in a short time it is stated to be the intention of the company to pull down the West Smelter also, and concentrate all refining operations under one roof. At the time of writing no smelting is carried on at Copper Cliff, but. the company have leased the Mond Smelter at Victoria mines for a period of six months, this lease expiring about the ist of August next, and all refining operations going on at present are carried on at this place.

The smelting or blast furnaces have the form of a flattened ellipse, are nine feet in height to the charging door, and measure nine feet by five feet at the top, and nine feet eight inches by four feet four inches at the tuyeres, of which there are twenty-five (2 inch), arranged in two rows. They are made of steel with a water space of two inches between the outer and inner plates, and have for a bottom a cast iron plate one and three-quarter inches thick protected by fire-brick, the whole supported by four strong cast iron legs. A light dome of plate steel, brick-lined at the top and sides, covers the furnace, and in one side of this dome, on a level with the ore bins, is the feed door. The furnace gases pass to the stacks, (one to each pair of furnaces), through brick chambers

with trough-shaped sheet iron bottoms. Here the flue dust, having an 4187—133

196 Geological Survey Of Canada

opportunity to be precipitate', is taken periodically from these chambers and added to the blast furnace charges. The smelters are situated at or near the ground level, and ore, coke and flux are brought into the building on an elevated track, and dumped into the bins on the feed floor level. The well, forehearth or settling pot, is built of cast iron water-jackets in four sections, with a water space of six inches, and rests upon four wheels, for convenience of moving it . whenever repairs are necessary; a second well standing ready to be put in its place. When the forehearth is in position a square opening on one side is fitted by fire-clay to a corresponding opening in the furnace, and the molten slag and matte flow into the forehearth when the furnace is in blast. The feeding of the furnace is con- 'tinued at frequent and stated intervals, and as the molten mass gathers at the base of the furnace it flows through the discharge hole into the forehearth, where the heavier or metallic portion, (matte), sinks to the bottom, while the lighter slag rises to the surface, to flow out in a continuous stream from a water-cooled, phosphor-bronze slag spout to a McArthur granulating trough, where it comes in quiet contact with a stream of water that has already done duty in the water-jackets of the furnace, and flowing in the same direction as the stream of molten slag. This granulated slag is carried by the water, which gradually filters away into the dump or into the slag wells, out of which the slag is elevated by means of a bucket elevator into high waste heaps. From these immense dumps road makers, and especially the Canadian Pacific and Manitoulin and Nerth Shore railways, help themselves, loading this slag on cars by means of steam shovels for use as ballast, for which it is excellently udapted. It is much heavier than ordinary ballast and does not retain water and, therefcre, is not so liable to wash-outs, or to freeze in winter and heave up the tracks, as does the ordinary sandy or silt ballast often used in the district.

The matte is drawn off periodically, the tap-hole for this purpose being situated at a lower level, which is opened with a pointed iron rod and afterwards closed with a plug of fire-glay. This process is usually attended with a display of fireworks, but, as the men engaged at it become very expert, the stream of liquid matte is very quickly and effectively stopped. The matte is then allowed to remain in the cast iron pots or moulds into which it has been tapped, until cool, when it is dumped out, broken by means of 'sledge-hammers, weighed, loaded on cars, and shipped to the Ontario Smelting Works for further treatment.

The blast is furnished by No. 7 Connersville blowers, discharging sixty-seven cubic feet of air blast per revolution, and making from 90

itoulin mn cars excel- d does , or to sandy

purpose ad iron cess is ngaged quickly in the il cool, eighed, rks for

1arging from 90

Metallurgy—Smelting 107

to 180 revolutions per minute, each blower being driven by an engine of fifty H. P. The blast is delivered at the tuyeres at a pressure of about fourteen to sixteen ounces per square inch.

The roasted ore, with which the furnace is principally charged, is a mixture of oxides, sulphates and sulphides of nickel, copper and iron, together with a certain amount of the basic silicate of the gangue. The process of smelting is very economical, the ore furnishing in itself the exact ingredients for fluxing. By the smelting of the ore with a small quantity of quartz in the blast furnace, using from 15 to 17 per cent of Connellsville coke, the iron is chiefly reduced to ferrous oxide and forms a slag with the gangue and quartz.

Under I and II, are analyses of this slag by Mr. Donald Locke, late assayer of this Department. Under ITI, is an average analysis, published by Mr. John Herdt, (1) while under IV, is an analysis by Mr. J. W. Bain. (2)

The nickel and copper, and some of the iron, unite with the sulphur to form a matte. Under I and I", are analyses of this blast furnace or standard matte, the results obtained by Mr. Donald Locke, in November, 1902; under III, is an analysis by Mr, J. W. Bain, (1900); under IV, is the mean of two analyses of matte, which were made by Mr. F. L. Sperry on the 22nd February, and the 2nd of March, 1899. Under V, is the copper and nickel determination for this matte in February, 1891, while under VI, are determinations for these same metals by Mr. L. P. Silver (1902).

(1) "' Les Mines de Nickel du District de Sudbury (Ontario). Rep. Cham. de Commerce, Montreal, 1892, p. 39.

(2) Ann. Rep. Bur. of Mines, Ont., 1900 p. 217.

Bb

jlisbli i Seni, NIMES ad abe ad

ti

198 Geological Survey Of Canada

99°92 100-405 98°68 36°83

Each furnace, of which there were thirteen installed, puts through about 180 tons every twenty-four hours, the total capacity being about 1,800 tons per day.

Mr. Donald Locke gives the following average for a day's work of a furnace. In'a day of twelve hours, using twelve ounce blast pressure, there were smelted 264,000 pcunds of roasted ore, assaying :—

Copper 6... ee ee ee ee ce ee 1°48 per cent. [Se ae ar oe Pee ee eee a, Se Silig® iat see ee es es 9 s Se SS ee

To this was added 3,600 pounds of quartz, with 98 per cent of ailics, using 45,300 pounds coke (17 per cent). There were produced 26,- 818 pounds of matte, containing :—

Copper.. .. .. .. .. +s ++ 11:90 per cent. 2) Sa Sa eee EE €

and 207,425 pounds of slag, containing :—

Copper... 2. 12 15 oe cs ce oe © 0°27 per cent. Moet. 6c Se Sa ee 2 bas OS Sees a ee ieee ee SPOR 66 25 he ee Se es oe ee oe DO s

An extraordinarily good run was as follows—With a sixteen ounce blast there were smelted in twenty-four hours :—

Sa ee SS eee SL) Sa a re ees 9,250 " iC Se Se a eee ee

There were produced :—

Sith. a Slag. .3 sees ea oo 489088

Metallurgy—Smelting 199

The furnace gases pass to the stacks (one to each pair of furnaces), through brick chambers, with trough-shaped sheet iron bottoms. Here the flue dust, having an opportunity to be precipitated, is taken periodically from these chambers and added to the blast

-furnace charges. Four samples, assayed by Mr. Locke in 1902, re-

sulted as follows :— I. II. III. IV.

Copper.. .. .. 1:45 1-49 1-55 1-39 Nickel ... .. 3-28 3°84 3-79 3-62

An assay of a typical sample, by Mr. L. P. Silver, (1) gave copper 4-25 per cent and nickel 3-37 per cent.

In the roasting of the ore a large proportion is hxdly roasted, or, owing to the heat in the pile being too intense, the ore melts to matte and is not roasted at all. This should be re-roasted, and is so, to a certain. extent, Lut when large orders are on hand this unroasted and partly roasted ore is smelted in the blast furnace, and the resulting low grade matte is ' split,' that is, poured out on the ground in layers of about half an inch in thickness, and broken up. Two assays of this 'split' matte, collected in November, 1902, gave Mr. Locke the following results :—

Nickel.. .. .. 2-80 per cent. 3-43 per cent. Copper 3:26 3:56 Tron.. .6 .. .. .. 2. 63-08 ss 61:18

This matte usually contains from 7 to 15 per cent of the metals, and a typical sample analyzed by Mr. L. P. Silver, (op. cit.), contained nickel 6.01 per cent and copper 7.45 per cent.

This 'split matte' is broken up and taken to the roast-yard where it is roasted in small heaps (about 200 tons). After the necessary oxidation, the roasting usually lasting about thirty days, it is remelted, being added to the blast furnace charge in place of some of the ore, the matte thus produced being thereby much richer in metallic contents.

Previous to the installation of the plant at the Ontario Smelting Works the Canadian Copper Company still further refined their own blast furnace or standard matte by the 'Bessemer Process.' In these earlier years, about 1893, this was done on rather an extensive scale, but during the later '90's, there was no very constant, or large demand for this higher grade of matte, and this method of concentration was only practised as occasion demanded. The converter

(1) Jour, Can. Min. Inst., Vol. V., 1902, p. 456.

200 Geological Survey Of Canada

used was of the Manchés type, with a capacity of one and a half tons with a new lining, and three tons with an old lining.

The process is very similar to that followed in bessemerizing iron. The Manchés converters are cylindrical shaped vessels, with convex ends measuring usually about eight feet in length, with a diame er of about four feet. They are made of boiler plate, and lined with a thick layer of clay mixed with quartz.

In the first years much of the quartz used, and especially at the Murray: mine, was obtained from the Bruce mines, where great quantities of ' skimpings' exist, resulting from the jigging of the ore from that mine during its operation in past years. This material consists of the crushed quartzose gangue, cleaned of all but a small proportion of the sulphides of copper constituting the ore. It carries but a small proportion of feldspar. The silica now to be used is obtained from a large vein of massive quartz, situated on the high range of norite hills near the shores of Kelley lake, a little over a mile south of the large new smelter.

The converter rests, with its axis horizontal, on a carriage running on a track. It is provided, on its upper side, with a mouth or throat through which it can be charged. The dimensions are: length seven fect, three inches; diameter five feet, eight inches. The blast is driven through the charge from two parallel series of small tuyere holes, piercing the lining along either side, below and along the length of the vessel. Opposite each of these tuyere holes corresponding holes are pierced through the tubes which run along the outside of the converter to supply them with blast. These holes are closed with wooden plugs, removable to admit an iron bar, which, being poked through them successively during the process of blewing, keeps the tuyeres clear and the charge stirred.

A gearing enables the converter to be rotated on the car about its horizontal axis, and the throat having been thus lowered, a charge of low grade matte from the well or forehearth of the cupola is run into it by means of a trough. It is then rotated back until the mouth is again vertical, and run around underneath a large hood connected with a stack in another part of the smelter house where it is connected with th- blower. :

At first a pressure starting at five pounds of an air blast is blown through the mass of metal, when a violent agitation takes place, and on raising the pressure to seven pounds white fumes appear. As there are none of the usual flame reactions the point at which to stop the blast, after the iron has been removed, and before the nickel has also begun to slag in undue amount, requires special experience and judgment. The end of the operation is determined mainly by a

if tons

z iron. yonvex Aine ec? with a

at the quan- e from onsists yropores but is ob-

over a

inning throat last is tuyere length g holes ae conhrough tuyeres

out its arge of in into outh is nected Danect-

ce, and s there top the as also ce and by a

Metallurgy—Smelting 201

perceptible decrease in the temperature of the mass, as shown by the flame, but also of the fragments splashed or blown out of the converter, as well as by the size and appearance of the particles, which gradually become larger and more frothy, at the last issuing in pieces about the size of a man's hand. The duration of the blowing operation depends on the size of the charge, and the displacement of the converter spaces for the siliceous lining is gradually appropriated by the iron in the charge. Each charge is, therefore, greater than the preceding one, until the sixth or seventh charge is blown. when the converter is laid tc one side for relining. As a result of this, the continuance of the blast generally varies from twenty to eighty minutes, averaging about fifty minutes.

During the bessemerizing process the iron is almost entirely removed, the sulphur lowered to from 10 to 15 per cent, and the copper and nickel combined to from 80 to 85 per cent. The iron unites with the siliceous lining to form a very fluid slag, which is spilled off the top. The amount of nickel lost by oxidation is very trifling, cobalt is perfectly scorified, zine, arsenic and antimony are completely driven off, while bismuth, silver, gold and platinum are entirely concentrated in this matte.

The following are analyses of this bessemer matte —

Exple: ations.—Analysis I is by Titus Ulké and is styled 'a fair average enalysis of the Canadian Copper Company's bessemer matte.' (Min. Industry, Vol. TII, 1890, p. 460); II, and III, are by Roberts- Austen, (Min. Proc. Inst. Civ. Eng., Vol. CXXXV. p. 30); IV, is an analysis by J. W. Bain, (Ann Rep. Bur. of Mines, Ont., 1900, p. 218); V, is an analysis by L. P. Silver, (Jour. Can. Min. Inst., Vo'. V, 1902, p. 584); VI, an analysis by Dr. T. L. Walker of the bessemer matte from the Murray mine, (Amer. Jour. Sc. Vol. I, 4th

'

202 Geological Survey Of Canada

Series, 1896, p. 112; also Ann. Rep. Bur. of Mines, Ont., 1908, pp. 283-284).

Under Norway, on a preceding page, analyses of similar concentrated matte, obtained from the Norwegian pyrrhotite, are also quoted. These show the presence also of gold, silver and platinum in appreciable quantities. Speaking roughly the silver is only from one-half to one-quarter of that present in the Sudbury matte, the gold about the eame as that in the Murray mine matte, which is only about one-quarter of that present in the mattes from the Copper Cliff and the Victorian mines, while the metals of the platinum group occur in about half the amount of that present in the Murray mine, this matte itself only containing less than half that usually present in the mattes produced from the Copper Cliff and Victoria mines.

Prof, Vogt also gives the interesting information that the proportion of these metals present in the Norwegian ores and nattes is one part of gold to twenty of silver, one of platinum to thirty of silver, one of silver to 5,000 of nickel and one of platinum to 150,000 of nickel.

The following are analyses of the converter or bessemer slag. All converter slags are returned to the furnaces tor re-emelting, as they are so high in nickel.

L II. II. Ferrous Iron.. .. .. .. .. 66-6 67-1 67-6 Sillegsice os vse ve FOS 27-9 27-5 i) SS aS eae Se 1:6 1:4 OS as 0-8 1-2 Sulphur... 50 os ee ce we §=6O5 0-4 0:5

T and IT, are analyses by Edwards, (Eng. and Min. Jour., May 2nd, 1896); III, is an analysis by L. P. Silver, (Jour. Can. Min. Inst., Vol. V, 1902, p. 549).

From about the beginning of November, 1900, until the destruction of the plant early in the spring of 1904, the blast furnace matte produced by 'he Canadian Copper Company was further refined at the Ontario Smelting Works, built and operated by the Orford Copper Company at Copper Cliff. These companies were closely allied, and were consolidated in 1902 under the management of the International Nickel Company.

The standard matte is brought from the Canadian Copper Company's works on cars, and put through a Blake crusher. It passes from that directly into Krupp bail mill, where it is reduced to a fine powder. From the ball mill it runs on a belt conveyer, which raises it to a storage bin, and from this storage bin it is conveyed

03, pp.

soncenre also atinum y from te, the is only Copper n group y mine, present nines. he pronattes hirty of 150,000

ig. All as they

fay 2nd, n. Inst.,

destrucve matte fined at ord Cop- y allied, e Inter-

er Com- t passes ced to a r, which ronveyed

Metallurgy—Smelting 208

still further, as required, on belt conveyers, to the feed hoppers of the roasting furnace,

The matte is roasted in two Brown, straight-line, automatic reverberatory calciners, each with a hearth area of 140 feet by ten feet. Later, these furnaces were enlarged to 200 feet, and a third one of similar dimensions was also built. Onw furnace has six sets of ploughs, and the other seven. The ploughs make one complete trip in six and a half minutes. The plough carriage, on passing the auto matic feeder, causes a certain amount of the powdered matte to fall into the furnac:. Each furnace puts through forty-five tons of matte in twenty-four hours, and reduces the sulphur from 25 to 30 per cent down to 5 to 8 per cent, using four and a half cords of wood per furnace per day.

The roasted matte is discharged from the furnaces into the trough of a screw conveyer, which takes it to the feeding floor of the blast furnace,

The furnaces are of brick, usually known as the 'Orford' furnace, cooled in the region of the tuyeres by water circulating in pipes embedded in the brickwork. The furnace measures fifty inches by 128 inches at the tuyeres, of which there are seven.

The blast is furnished by two No. 9 Sturtevant, centrifugal blowers. The furnaces are fed by hand, the charge consisting of roasted matte, fed in powder form, with quartz tailings and soiae roasted ore,

Owing to the large amount of fines in the charge, great quantities of fine dust are formed—forty tons a week being a small figure, and often as high as eighty tons a week being produced. This flue dust, assaying about 11 per cent of copper, and 18 per cent of nickel, is put through the furnace again.

The matte and slag flow from the furnace continuously into an Orford siphon-tap forehearth. This consists of a rectangular box about four feet long, two feet six inches wide and eighteen inches high, formed of cast iron plates strongly bolted together at the corners and lined with a six-inch brick wall. It is divided into two parts, in the ratio of about two to three, by a nine inch division wall, witl. a slot on the level of the floor of the forehearth through which the matte can flow from the larger compartment, the forehearth fills, the slag being lighter floats, and only the matte is able to find its way to the smaller compartment through the slot at the bottom of the division wall.

When the forehearth is full matte and slag are discharged in separate and continuous streams, the former being received in cast iron pots. This refined product is shipped to the Orford Copper Com-

' 204 Geological Survey Of Canada

pany, New York, for the separation of copper and nickel. 1 samples of this high grade matte, assayed by Mr. Donald Loc contained as follows:—

Nickel... .. .. 41°58 40-37

Cobalt.n ... .. O-71 0-78 Copper 24-00 24-05 mass 3 8 9-64

Bilver... so. oe sees 2-50 oz. per ton. Gold. 0-15 os. per tor. 0-10 " "

Platinum .. .. 0°50 " " 044 " "

Two samples of the slag collected at the same time, analyzed Mr. Donald Locke, gave the following results :—

GiliOR. oc ce te ee eee eeee TES 26-62

Ferrous oxide ++.++ 64:81 66-72 SSS SS Se ee 0-24 WMameeie. ove as ce oe cc ce ce OC 0-00 US SSS eS ee ees 2 2-68 3 Sate Se Sees Se Stee 0-7 SS SS eee 0-54 Sulghusic soo sccc cs cece cece OD 0-30

i) ae aero, 97-96

This slag is taken to the Canadian Copper Company's works, put through the blast furnace to recover the metal contents, w are too high to be neglected.

Pyrit:C Smelting.

Mr. James McArthur ia authority for the following statement 'Cold blast pyritic smelting of sulphide ores has been carried o Canada, off and on, and for long periods at a time, since 1879; n¢ an experiment but as a process. Thousands of tons of corner phide fines have been smelted with cold blast, and later on in re years at Copper Cliff with cold and also with very moderately blast, (the latter about 400° F.), making in these recent operat some 18,000 to 20,000 tons of matte product. The coke consump was about 5 per cent for both temperatures of the blast, the g of matte product being almost identical. With a blast tempera sufficiently high—not less than 1200° F.--to counteract gummin tuyeres, the sulphur contents of the ore, which should be the fuel used apart from a small] percentage of the iron, can be key

(1) Ann. Rep. Bur. of Mines, Ont., 1903, pp. 302 and 303.

)- 24 2:

's works, and agents, which

tatement: (!) carried on in 1879; not as f corner sulon in recent oderately hot nt operations consumption st, the grade ; temperature gumming at 1 be the only an be kept in

Metallurgy—8\ <Lting 205

ignition, and with a higher pressure of the blast we should get sufi. ciently rapid oxidation action, even in a large and fast smelting furnace, to produce a direct 80 per cent matte, or even seven into one from a raw 4 per cent ore as it comes from the mines, because if we can dispense with all carbonaceous fuel in first smelting and can use the sulphur contents of charge in its stead, we stop all reducing action, and in lieu thereof introduce a complete oxidizing action, oxidizing the iron and consuming the su. in the operation.'

Just to what extant green ore will be employed, in place of roested ore, under the new conditions which will obtain at the new smelter which is about to be described, and where the pressure will be forty instead of fourteen ounces, cannot be foretold, but it is expected that a very large amount of raw ore wilt be added to the furnace charge.

The drawings accompanying this bulletin are plan and sectional elevations of a 1000-ton smelter designed by the Engineering Company of New York (1), These were submitted to the Canadian Copper Company, who, after their approval and adoption, proceeded to instal ais new smelting and power plant, in which are assembled the latest and best improvements end conveniences for every part of the work. It is confidently expected that this smelter will be in operation early in July (1904) (2),

In the erection of this smelter there were several objects that had to be borne in mind, among them the cheap handling of a large tonnage of ore, the storage during the winter months of materials such as coke xnd coal, which can be received by boat during summer; the elimination of all needless manual labour, and tha thorough efficiency of the power departrrent. The plant was designed to be erected on two levels; the large amount of slag produced had to be taken into consideration, and the disposition of this slag was an important factor in determining the site. The plant, as it now stands, was built along the face of a cliff on the northern side of the flat on which the town of Copper Cliff stands.

On the upper edge of the cliff a system of bins has been constructed for storage purposes. The smelter building proper is situated parallel to these bins, with the power-house at the northeastern end. A trestle was built on the grade level of the bottom of the bins, which is also the grade level of the charging floor connecting the charging floor with the bins and also with the power-house, making a circular track, running on both sides of the furnaces, and passing the coal

(1) The blocks for the drawings reproduced in this report were kindly loaned by the Engineering and Mining Jou~nal of New York.

(2) Eng. Min. Jour., Vol. LXXVI., Dec. 3ist, pp. 1003-1009.

soso PUA fu iptthass

Sip Hehoancteisvanetbiettes, 8

206 Geological Survey Of Canada

chute in front of the power-house, After roasting the ore is loaded into fifty-ton hopper bottom curs, and drawn up to the top of the bins by seventy-ton locomotives. The track leading to the trestle is on an easy grade all the way, and is also connected with the main line leading to the Canadian Pacific ratway.

All ore, flux, coke, &., is handled on these tracks, and dumped directly into the bina. Running on the circular travk underneath the bins, and into the smelter building and past the power house, is an electric railroad, with side-dumping cars drawn by electric loecomotives. The ore, coke, &c., is loaded into these cars, and weighed on the end of the trestle. The furnace charge is dumped direct into the furnaces, and the coal into the pockets next the power-house.

As shown by the sectional elevations the site consists of two levels, with a difference of thirty-five feet in elevation. The upper level is the same elevation as the feed floor, and is occupied by a double track pocket trestle, 35 x 35 x 600 feet.

On the lower level are located the power-houvo, 156 x 102 feet; the blast furnace building, 84 by 283 feet; the foundation for the trestle carrying the electric tramway, connecting the storage pockets with the feed-floor; the coal-bins of the boiler room; the dustchamber, sixteen feet wide, eighteen feet high and 444 feet :ong, the stock, fifteen feet inside diameter, 210 feet high; together with the necessary slag-tracks, sunken tracks for loading metal for shipment, tracks to store-house, &c.

The power-house is equipped with two Nordberg Manufacturing Company's horizontal, cross-compound, condensing, blowing engines, with steam cylinders thirteen inches and twenty-four inches by forty-two inches, and air cylinders, fifty-seven inches and fifty-seven inches by forty-two inches. When operating under the usual working conditions these engines will deliver 20,000 cubic feet of free air w minute, against a pressure of forty ounces, for use in the blast furnaces. One Nordberg Manufacturing Company's horizontal crosscompound, condensing, blowing engine, with steam cylinders fifteen inches and thirty inches by forty-two inches, and air cylinders forty inches and forty inches by forty-two inches, will deliver 10,000 cubic feet of free air per minute, against a pressure of fifteen pounds, for use in the converters. Two thirteen inch and twenty-six inch by twenty inch horizontal, compound, condensing engines, built by the Robb Engineering Company, to each of which is directly connected one 200 kw. 600-volt, three phase alternating current generator, built by the Canedian General Electric Com,any, each generator having its own exciter of eleven kw. ape-'ty belt driven from generator shaft. The electrical energy thus generated is used for hoisting

loaded the bins son an

ne lead-

dumped lerneath jouse, is loeomozhed on into the

of two © upper ed by a

02 feet; for the pockets o dustyng, the with the hipyment,

acturing engines, ches by ity-seven working e air Ww last fural cross: 3 fifteen ers forty 100 cubie ands, for inch by It by the onnected tor, built vr having renerator hoisting

Meta| Lurgy—Smelting 207

in and pumping at the mines, operating the electric tramway for charging cars turning the converters, and operating the travelling erase in the furnace building. The station is also equipped with one twenty-five kw. motor-driven generator set, for furnishing direct current to the electric locomotives, A travelling crane is installed in the engine-room for handling all this apparatus. gravity oiling and oi) filteration system is installed on all engines,

In the boler-room the present installation of boilers consists of four 400-H. P., 150 pound pressure, horizontal water-tube boilers, built by the Aultman & Taylor Machinery Company, of Mansfield, Ohio, and space is provided for two more boilers of the same size. The boilers are equipped with Potter Super-heaters and Tread-Kill shaking grates, The ashes are removed from ths boiler ash-pit by opening a grate in the bottom, which permets them to fall into a bucket resting on a small flat car, which runs on a track in the ash-tunnel under the boilers, The car is then run outside of the building and a hoist lifts the bucket and dumps the ashes into an ash-bin, from which it runs into cinder cars,

Coal is brought to the power plant by the electric locomotive train. above referred to, and dumped into bins built in the trestle along the weet side of the building. Then it runs through coal chutes to onehalf ton coal cars in the boiler-room, from which cars it is skuvelled into boiler furnaces,

The only available water for boiler use contains cc-siderable sulphurie acid and scale-forming elements, and to eliminate these the water is subjected to a chemical treatment and precipitation in a water purifying system built by the Industrial Water Company of New York. In this way the acid is neutralized, and the seale-forssing ma'trial is removed before the water enters the boilers. The condenser is of the elevated barometric shape, built by the Alberger Condenser Company, of New York.

The blaat furnace building contains two sectional, rectangular, water-jacketted, Holthoff copper blast furnaces, three stands for Holthoff converters, one forty-ton electric crane, the necessary mattesettlers, cluy mills, silica and clay storage bins, ete. Room is provided for expansion,

In operation, the ore, coke end flux for the blast furnaces, silica and clay for lining the converters, and coal for the boilers are delivered into the top of the trestle pockets by siandard-gauge cars— Ingoldsby drop-bottom in the case of the ore—aud drawn from the bottom of the pockets into trains of six two-ton, thirty-six inch gauge, side-dump Koppel cars, which are hauled to the blast furnace, silica and clay storage bins, or coal bins, by twenty-five H. P. Canadian Genera] Electric Company electric locomotives.

208 Geological Sukvey Of Canada

The slag and matte runs from the blast furnace into sixteen inch settlers, the slag overflowing into thirty-ton Pollock cinder cars, which are hauied to the dump by the standard gauge locomotives. The matte is tapped into ten-ton cast-steel ladles and taken to the converter by a forty-ton Case Manufacturing Company's electric crane. The same crane removes the converter shells for re-lining, and takes care of the converter slag and white metal, pouring them into moulds for return into the pocket trestle, or for shipment to the refinery. The coal bins at the boilers, and the silica and clay bins at the clay mills, are kept full by six-car trainloads of material.

The flue dust is drawn from the dust chamber into a standard gauge bottom-dump goudola, especially fitted for the service, and this car is hauled to the top of the pocket trestle or '.. '\pper level, and the dust drawn into a pocket fitted for the purpose, whence it is drawn to a briquetting machine, pressed into briquettes and added to the charge.

The electric tramway consists of two parallel thirty-six inch gauge tracks, running under two lines of grates under the pocket trestle, the over suspension scales to opposite sides of the furnaces on the feedfloor level, passing over the top of the boiler room, coal bins and converter lining house, silica and clay bins. The two tracks have crossover connexions, but, under normal working conditions, each track carries a train entirely independent of the other.

The blast furnaces are fifty by 204 inches at the tuyeres; fourteen feet nine inches from centre of tuyeres to the feed-floor, and have, on each side, four lower jackets, each fifty-one inches wide and eight feet six inches high, and two upper jackets eight feet six inches wide, and six feet high. Each lowerside-jacket carries four six-inch tuyeres. Both ends of the furnace are made alike, so that either end can be used for removing matte and slag. There is no brick work under the deck beams. The converters are eighty-four by 126 inches and are tilted by a train of gears and a worm, driven by the electric motor.

The water for the plant is supplied by a sixteen inch pipe, running from a dam situated about 5,000 feet from the plant itself. The water is run by gravity into the jackets, and when drawn out is pumped into a tank above the smelting tank, for fire purposes, or into the reservoir which is near the foot of the plant, and the hot water is also used in the boilers in order to economize at that point.

The Mond Nickel Company refine the ore from their own deposits at Victoria Mines, a station on the 'Sault branch' of the Canadian Pacific railway, twenty-two miles west of Sudbury. Their smelter, before the erection of the new one now about completed at Copper Cliff, was the most modern and best equipped in the district. It not only

en inch 8, which . The converne. The 3 care of s for re- [he coal ills, are

standard and this vel, and ce it is

added to

+h gauge tle, the

the feedand conve Crossch track

fourteen nd have, ind eight x inches six-inch at either rick work 26 inches e electric

, running 'he water imped inthe reseror is also

1 deposits Canadian nelter, bepper Cliff, , not only

e METALLURGY—SMELTING 209

produces standard or blast furnace matte, but further bessemerizes this into a concentrated matte containing about 80 per cent of nickel and copper, these two metals being present in about equal amounts, 18 per cent of sulphur, about 0-75 per cent of iron, and 0°25 per cent of silica. This is sent to England to be treated there by the Mond process for copper and nickel. Difficulties in connexion with the operation of their refining at Clydach, Wales, have, for the time being, caused a suspension in their mining and metallurgical operations in the Sudbury district, while their smelter has been operated by the Canadian Copper Company under a six month's lease, which expires about August 1st next (1904). It is authoratively stated, however, that these difficulties have now been successfully overcome, and that their refinery, greatly enlarged and with all the necessary changes, is ready to go to work. It is confidently expected that immediately on the expiration of the Canadian Copper Company's lease the smelter will again resume operations, under the former management, on even a larger scale than before. The North Star mine, on the Manitoulin and North Shore railway, is, at present, being developed under option by this company, under the direction of Mr. C. V. Corless, and the ore secured is shipped to Victoria Mines for treatment.

The roasting of the ore is carried on as at the Canadian Copper Company's works. The roasted ore is brought to the smelter by means of an aerial tramway from the roast yards, which are about one mile distant.

The smelter is erected on a sloping hillside, and has three levels, those of the feed floor, the furnace floor and the converter floor. The roasted ore is brought into the smelter to a platform above the third level, where the tubs are received by a boy after having been automatically unhitched from the haulage rope. The boy runs the tubs to the bins, tips them and hitches them, again empty, to the outgoing rope. The ore bins are situated above and behind the feed floors, so that the roasted ore can easily be discharged through chutes into the dump cars on the feed floor.

Assays of the roasted ore are not made owing to the difficulty of selecting samples, and without careful sampling widely different results are sure to be obtained. For the purpose of deciding the proper proportions of ore to be included in the furnace charges onetenth is added to the assays of the raw ore. The averages of the daily assays of raw ore for J uly and September, 1902, made by Mr. T. M. Paris, chemist to the Mond Nickel Company, are given under I and IT respectively, while under III is given an average of several months' assays.

4187—14

e 210 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA

I. II. Til.

Nickel.. .. +. 2:67 8-21 3:05 Copper .. ++ 2-81 2-41 8-05 Insoluble.. .. .. .. .. 17-20 13-90 17-01

. The ore is smelted in rectangular, steel, water-jacketed furnaces, twelve-feet high, forty-two by 120 °: ches at the tuyeres, and increasing slightly towards the top. The two furnaces (only one runs at a time) have each sixteen tuyeres, eight on each side, a cast iron watercooled tap jacket and Hixon slag spout. This consists of a coil of one inch piping, cast around with cast iron so as to form a channel some four feet long, through which the matter and siag flow continuously into the forehearth. The spout is fully described in Hixon's 'Lead and Copper Smelting,' pp. 28-80. One furnace puts through about 170 tons a day, made up (for example) as follows :—120 charges each containing :—

A. B. Flue dust.. .. .. .. .. 200 Ibs. ges Bead 250 Ibs. Converter slag.. .. 500 " 500 " North Star ore .. .. 300 " 250 " Roastod ore.. 1,600 " 1,800 " 30 ae are eee Soe ere 300 " 800 "

The tailings are practically pure quartz, with a small percentage of copper from the Bruce mines.

The North Star ore (obtained from the North Star mine) is not roasted, snd the quantity used is varied according to the amount of sulphur in the roasted ore. The charges are dumped directly from the dump-cars into the furnace through the open top, alternate charges being fed to the sides by means of a simple device consisting of a wrought-iron pipe about eight inches in diameter through the length of the furnace opening, and let down about three feet into the furnace. On this the charge falls and is deflected towards the sides. The blast for each furnace is furnished by a No. 6 Green blower. The forehearth is of boiler iron, ten feet in diameter, with six inch lining of fire-clay and quartz. In this the matte and the slag have every opportunity for a complete separation, and, owing to its large size, the converter foreman can always be assured of having sufficient matte ready for him when he requires it. When the hearth fills the slag spout is at first kept stopped up, so that the bath rises right to the top of the hearth and a stiff slag crust forms, which is covered with a layer of non-conducting coke. This forms the hearth cover.

naces, creassata water- "oil of nannel ntinulixon's 1rough harges

entage

ig not unt of y from ternate onsistigh the nto the e sides. blower. ix inch ig have 3 large ifficient fills the ight to covered . cover.

Metallurgy—Smelting 211

After the formation of the cover the slag spout is opened and the slag overflows and is granulated by falling into a powerful stream of water, and is carried to the slag dump by means of a large cast-iron pipe.

Under I is given the average of the blast. furnace slag assays for September, 1902; II is the average for several months in the same year, by Mr. T. M. Paris, ot the Mond Nickel Company, while, under III, IV and V are similar assays, by Mr. Donald Locke of this Department.

18 II. It Iv. V.

Nickel... .. .. .. 0:30 0-34 0-81 0-95 0-28 Copper... .. .. .. 0:36 0-35 0-88 0-98 0-29 Silica .. .. .. 31-20 31-31 30-50 39-00 30-70

The matte is tapped periodically through the water-cooled taphole f wing through sheet-iron channels lined with clay in') the converters, which are situated on the lowest level of the smelter. About twenty to twenty-five tons of matte are produced per day by one furnace.

Under I is given the average of the metal contents of this blast furnace or standard matte for September, 1902. Under II the average for several months, in the same year, by Mr. T. M. Paris, whilo TIT, IV and V are assays by Mr. Donald Locke of this Department.

I. II. Til. IV. V. Nickel... .. .. .. 15-20 16-53 18-80 15-00 15-50 Copper.. .. .. .. 18:14 16-22 12-10 11-80 12-00

In the converter department are six Leghorn converters, only one of which is in use at a time, the others being repaired, lined or @ried. The lining consists of a mixture of quartz and clay, the quart: t..ing crushed and then ground in a Chilian mill, where it is also mixed with the clay and moistened.

In lining a converter the bottom is first put in and tamped firm; a tapering iron tub is then placed in the converter, and round this the lining is firmly tamped. When the lining is completed to the top of the tub the tuyere holes are punched, the tub lifted out, and the top of the converter put on. This is then lined and the converter moved to where a blast pipe can be connected. A wood fire is lighted and the blast turned on. The fire is kept up until the converter is wanted. The converters are moved from place to place by means of a travelling electric crane, commanding the whole floor of the converter department.

The first charge of a newly lined converter is only about one ton, 4187—143

212 Geological Survey Of Canada

but as the lining is eaten away the size of the charge increases, the average charge being about two tons. A lining lasts from eleven to twelve hours, about six charges being blown in this time. A blast of ten pounds pressure is employed.

During the blowing of a charge the slag is twice poured off into slag pots by tipping the converter, the blast being turned off during the pouring. The finished matte is poured into a clay-lined bucket, a which is carried by the electric crane, and the matte tapped from it ' into flat, cast-iron moulds. ti The following is an analysis of a clean converter slag, b7 Mr. +. Donald Locke of this Department.

Ferrous oxide... .. .. 22 22 es ee ee oe ee 46°50 Him. a Mesmiblics. cee eee ne OS Wiel. se Sos we sh cee oe ee OS on are a aaa ere ae eH gi Alien nase ans oa ce oe eee oe OO Bf 4 Oe Se Se Sn Se ee

The total amount of copper and nickel skimmed off, or poured from the matte during the converting, is, of course, much larger than i i this, as the last skimming contains much pasty, half-fused substance

tf containing maite, and being higher in nickel than the clean slag. The average, therefore, of the converter slags would be considerably higher' aiclel, averaging about 1-5 per cent of copper and from 1-5 to" sr cent of nickel. The bessemer or converter matte contains as follows, according to two analyses by Mr. Donald Locke of this Department:

Sin: ee 41-23

: i Cobalt. cde ices eee OSS 0-52

' : Conpeleic =e: 87-83 fon eee 0:77 Gold .. .. .. .. Mr of an oz. to a ton of 2,000 lbs. ie. Serre Seer ae

Platinum... . . ..0-40 oz. "

a Ga} The slag is broken as soon as it sets, loaded into small cars and

raised to the feed floor, to be uut through the blast furnace on an

inclined elevator on the west side of the smelter.

EE The matte, when cold, is crushed in a Blake crusher, and packed Vopr fl in barrels to be sent to England for further treatment.

Ae ae A railway track passes the lowest level of the smelter to take

Refining Of Nickel 213

away finished products, etc., and a track enters the upper level to.

bring coke, raw ore, quartz, etc.

The engine house, situated to the west of the smelter, contains the Riedler blowing engine for the converter, the blowers for the blast furnaces, a pump to furnish the hydraulic power for turning the converters, two dynamos—one working by day and one by night —which supply light and power for the crane for the two crushers— one for matte, the other for the quartz for the converters—for the Chilian mill, and for the aerial tramway. Power is furnished by five horizontal tubular boilers.

Refining Of Nickel,

The subject of nickel has not, until quite recently, received from truly scientific men that proper share of attention and inquiry which the known, desirable, physical properties of the metal demanded, these giving ample promise of its wide industrial application. Seyeral reasons might be assigned for this apparently unwarranted apathy in regard to such a hopeful field of inquiry, but, doubtless, the most important influence related directly to the apparently limited distribution and supply of ores containing this metal, and the great, and, for a long time, insuperable difficulties encountered in all attempts at refining the ores so as to obtain an absolutely pure and uniform product. From 1840 to 1860 the production of nickel was less than 200 tons annually, derived principally from the mines of Saxony and Hungary, with much smaller quantities from Sweden and Norway. Between the latter date and the year 1876 the greatest proportion of the world's supply of nickel was obtained from the mines of Norway and Sweden, with much smaller quentities from Saxony, Hungary and the United States. Careful examination of the occurrences of these nickel deposits in the countries mentioned indicated their probable exhaustion at no distant date, especially if called upon to maintain a large and steady output. The prospecting undertaken resulted in no new discoveries of a startling nature, and everything pointed to a comparatively limited supply and demand. This state of affairs continued until about the year 1882, when "ie ores from the New Caledonia mines began to flood the market. A period of over-production followed, with its accompanying ]. sss and uncertainties. The discovery of the Sudbury ores, in 186. ,roved a still further disturbing feature, although, at the same time, it prompted and stimulated that scientific inquiry which had been so long delayed, resulting in the discovery of several processes, some of which although far from realizing expectations ir regard to simplicity, economy an]

ee

214 Geological Survey Of Canada

ease of maripulation, have produced metallic nickel on a commercial basis which contains as high as 99°70 to 99 '82 per cent of fine nickel, the impurities being chiefly very small quantities of carbon, iron and sulphur.

Another influence which has contributed iri no small measure to retard the progress of nickel metallurgy, and, no doubt, prevented the wide industrial employment of nickel, is the secrecy which has always been maintained by most companies who have been or are engaged in the mining and smelting of nickel. The indifference and at times positive unwillingness to impart information which would be of value or profit to the general public has probably received no greater emphasis than in the case of nickel. Various excuses, more or less urgent or reasonable, are furnished by those in control to account for their action in this respect, but gradually this barrier of silence is being withdrawn, and, in the case of the Sudbury district, the managers of the two principal companies have lately shown 4 coramendable desire to give all reasonable details in vegard to the mining and smelting operations carried on in Canada.

This universal secrecy has, in the past, not only been maintained with regard to the exact location, extent and production of the individual mines themselves, but was especially extended to embrace the metallurgical treatment of the ores, even in the preliminary stages of roasting, matting and bessemerizing, while many of the srall details, on which most of the success of the later refining methods depend, are still jealously repressed, or made known in such vague terms as to be practically valueless. All of our text books seem in sympathy with this lack of desire to impart information, and, in most of those reference to the subject of nickel, or accurate and detailed knowledge in regard to this metal, is conspicuous by its absence. The secrecy was, no doubt, in the first place, prompted by the desire of deterring others from engaging either in the mining or refining of nickel, and, if so, it has utterly failed in its purpose. It has permitted, and even greatly favoured, the spreading of the wildest and most exaggerated statements in regard to the enormous profits accruing to all engaged in this business.

The public, and especially those who are interested in mining, are being constantly apprised of tke location of nickel deposits which not only surpass all others in point of magnitude but also in their peculiar adaptability for refining purposes. Further investigation, by competent individuals, (when such are available, or happily chosen), usually discloses some well known prospect or abandoned mine. On the other hand, men who are possessed of ample means, and are willing to devote a considerable portion to the promotion of some legi-

mercial nickel, ron and

asure to revented ich has 1 or are nce and h would sived no es, more ntrol to drier of distiict, shown 4 1 to the

intained the indirace the y stages wall demethods ch vague seem in and, in rate and is by its npted by Lining or pose. It the wild-

10uUs pro-

ning, are ts which in their stigation, r chosen), ine, On are willome legi-

Refining Of Nickel 215

timate mining or smelting Proposition, are often approached by socalled experts, with a supposed new and secret process, but which is already well known to a certain few, favoured individuals, who have already expended large sums only to find that it is not 2 commercial possibility. Very few people have the necessary knowledge or any means of verifying or refuting the Statements of these interested individuals, and are thus often prompted to unusul and unwise expenditures, while, on the other hand, their il] success in these particulars prevents them from investing in some gvod, wholesome mining and metallurgical enterprise when occasion offers, which, if full details were available and offered, would not be the case. Fling wide the gates of knowledge; break down the harviers of silence; and it is confidently predicted that the resulting free and wide exchange uf opinions and experience will be of incalculable benefit, not only to the smelters and refiners who are engaged in the nickel industry, but will prompt, encourage and direct the inquiring students and investigators of nickel, with profit to the whole of mankind.

Numerous processes for the refining of nickel have been suggested and published, and, in many cases, elaborate experiments have been conducted, with varying degrees of sucvess, to determine definitely their economic practicability. These could not be adequately or even satisfactorily discussed or explained within the scope of the present report even if all the necessary details were available for publication, but it may be well to refer, in general terms, to a few of those which are either at present producing nickel on a commercial basis, or seem to give promise of doing so in the near future.

All of these methods are based on certain well known and long established principles, which have, in some instances, been worked out in more or less detail, and which are embraced under the general description of the so-called 'wet' and ' dry' processes. Certain minor changes and additions, chiefly in details, have made the latest refining of nickel much more readily and economically possible. Even with the present improvements, both are open to very serious and grave objections, as their adoption, in the first place, necessitates a very large and expensive plant, which is liable to frequent renewal and change, \,..ile the many complicated operations, which are still far from being fully understood and the reactions appreciated, must entail a loss which is far from negligible. At the same time, however, the final product has, of late years, been all that could be desired from a commercial point of view. The 'wet' process, especially, which imitates, although on a large scale, the operations carried on in the chemical laboratory for the analysis of nickel, needs a very large and expensive plant if any extensive output is contemplated.

EUR Snape ARM R RRA ION Aw rena

piel ete

216 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CaANACA

This must occupy a considerable area of ground, while a very long time must necessarily elapse before the ore is sufficiently refined to permit of its being placed upon the market. In the case of

mine it has been stated that a year sometimes passed fro~ ue the ore was taken from the mine before the product was... ..cketable shape.

The present methods of treatment make use of some of the more valuable features of both the 'wet' and the 'dry' processes, calling in the ass'stance of electrolysis in the final stages, and thus obtaining the metrl in very pure form. In the treatment of the concentrated nickel-copper matte for the nickel-copper alloys, usually referred to under the general name of German silver, this bessererized matte is first crushed to powder and roasted in a reverberatory furnace to remove all the sulphur, and the oxides are reduced directly to the alloy, either by smelting with charcoal or by reducing gases.

In the treatment of the concentrated nickel-copper matte for nickel matte, nickel oxide and metallic nickel, the most important methods for the separation of the nickel and copper are the Orford or American process, the Mond process and some electrolytic processes.

Nearly the whole of the matte produced by the Canadian Copper Company is refined by the Orford Copper Company at their works at Constable Hook, N.J., opposite Brighton, Staten island, by what is known as the alkaline sulphide process. There is consi'erable dispute as to the origin of this process, some holding the discovery to be of recent date, while others contend that the principle upon which it is based has not long been known but has been in successful operation for many years. Mr. Robert M. Thompson, in an account of the discovery of this process, as far as the Orford Copper Company is concerned, says that it was the result of an accident following a long series of unsatisfactory experiments io discover some process which would successfully and economically treat certain mattes which had been sold to the United States Government by the Canadian Copper Company. In visiting the works one day he noticed some pots of matte which were cooling in front of the furnace, and which presented a somewhat unusual appearance. On calling attention to this fact, and failing to get satisfactory explanations from either the superintendent or foreman, he proceeded to investigate, the result Being the discovery of the governing principle which effected the separation and caused the yellow ' buttoms' and black 'tops.' After a long series of experiments, on a large scale, the process at present in operation was gradually worked out. Mr. J. W. Bain, (1) in his

(1) Ann. Rep. Bur. of Mines, Ont., p. 220.

Refining Of Nickel 917

'Sketch of the Nickel Industry,' draws attention to the fact that in certain descriptions accompanying applications for English patents, dating as far back as September Sth, 1889, undoubted reference is made to this principal. Moreover, in a letter published in the Engineering and Mining: Journal, in August, 1898, an ex-employee of the ivian Company, at Swansea, states that the method had been em. ployed for a number of years at that company's works. At any rate ulphide process as a definite scheme

In the Orford nickel process, the concentrated or bessemer maite in a small blast furnace, with salt cake or crude sodium sulphate, a chemical which can be obtained readily and cheaply. The sodium sulphate is reduced to sulphide, which forms, with the copper and 'iron sulphides, a very fluid matte, of lower specific gravity than the nickel sulphide, On cooling, 'tops' and ' bottoms' are easily the ison and copper as 3 while the ' bottoms' contain small quantities of iron and copper. On exposure to the weather the soda in the tops is gradually converted into the caustic condition. These tops are now mixed with fresh matte and re-smelted, whereby the caustic soda is converted into sul- Phide of soda at the expense of the nickel in the bottom, producing again a fluid mixture of iron, copper and sodium sulphides, while the nickel, in a semi-metallic state, sinks to the bottom once more. By properly balancing these operations a pure sulphide of nickel is at last obtained, which is simply calcined with a little sodium nitrate to the nickel oxide of commerce. The oxide is either mixed with flour. molasses, ete., and pressed into cubes, or with charcoal and reduced to metallic nickel in cube or powdered form. This product is not strictly a homogeneous metal, but a loose sponge of metallic particles, which retains all the impurities contained in the oxide, with the addition of from 0°5 to 2 per cent of carbon. To produce the solid metal the oxide is melted direct with charcoal and a small quantity of flux, and cast inte ingots. On the following page a diagrammatic scheme that accompanied a paper by Titus Ulké (1) is reproduced, which illustrates fully and briefly the various operations necessary in the Orford process.

ti

[ b fy

918 Geological Survey Of Canada

The Mond or carbon-monoxide process is based on the fact, that if finely divided nickel is exposed to a current of carbonic oxide, at a temperature below 150° C., a nickel carbonyl is formed, with the formula Ni (Co)s, which is volatile at temperature shove 48° C., and which is decomposed at a temperature of 180° ©. into metallic nickel and carbonic oxide. Iron forms a similar carbonyl, but no other metal has been found to do so. In the process there were many technical difficulties to overcome, and it was not until 1895 that it was brought to that stage of development that demonstrated its practical importance.

The bessemerized Victoria Mines matte is first dead roasted, and for this purpose any suitable furnace may be employed. After roasting the matte averages about 35 per cent of nickel, 48 per cent of

and about 2 per cent of iron. It is then treated with dilute sulphuric acid for the extraction of part of the copper, (about 66 per cent), and not above 2 per cent of the nickel. This copper is sold as crystallized sulphate of copper. The residue, after drying from this operation, assays from 45 to 60 per cent of nickel, (averaging about 51 per cent), and 21 per cent of copper. The third operation has for its object the reduction of the nickel and, incidentally, the remaining copper, to the metallic state, without including the iron. For this purpose it is treated in a tower 7°5m. high, and containing fourteen hollow shelves, which are heated with water gas to not more than 300° C., and preferably 250°, when much iron is present. The ore is moved from shelf to shelf by means of rakes operated by a vertical axle. The lowest shelves are cooled. The reduced chai ze is transferred to another similar tower, where volatilization takes ,lace, in which part of the nickel is taken away by carbon monoxide and forms the compound nickel carbonyl, but the temperature must not exceed 100° C. The remainder from this volatilizer is returuei to the reducing tower, and the charge continues to circulate between the two towers for a period of between seven and fifteen d:ys, until about 60 per cent of tne nickel has been removed as nickel carbonyl. The nickel carbonyl passes to the decomposer, either a tower or a horizontal retort, which is heated to a temperature of 180° C., so as to decompose this compound, and release the nickel in a metallic state, preferably on granules of ordinary commercial metal. The carbon monoxide is also released, and is returned to the volatilizing tower,

:

llic state, ne carbon ng tower,

ae paper m the 8th 1899, pp.

ee. te ee TS

LS omesastsapems sea RR aE: ™ " Meatpteuaeseasereteneeeeber roan SRR Aeat eer eeercseaaet eats

220 Qbological Survey Of Canada

— a fresh charge of nickel. It has been stated that Dr. 7. process, although ingeniously and thoroughly worked out, ha developed certain weaknesses, such as imperfect extraction of nickel, and the necessity of repeating certain of the operations several times before satisfactory results are achieved and the larger proportion of the nickel obtained. The danger of explosion and poison from the carbon monoxide gas have all, seemingly, combined to delay the successful operation of this process on a large scale for any protracted period.

In this process, a chloride solution is obtained which has been freed from other metals, either chemically or electrolytically. The solution is neutralized and then acidulated with some weak oxygen acid, such as citric or phosphoric acid, and the electrolysis effected with insoluble anodes. The anodes are immersed .a a chlorite solution of some more electro-positive metal than nickel. The cathodes are rotating or vibrating metal plates. The chlorine evolved is collected.

The Frasch Electrolytic Process.

This process depends on the reaction in the electrolytic decomposition of common salt. At the anode chlorine is evolved, at the cathode sodium hydrate is formed by a secondary reaction. When applied to copper-nickel matte the anode consists of a layer of carbonaceous material. This is covered with a layer of matte, and the matte with a layer of sand, which serves as diay.' 14gm between the anode and cathode sections. The chlorine evolved dissolves the metals of the matte, forming chlorides. The solution is treated for the contained metals by electrolysis or chemically. From the solution of sodium hydrate at the cathode caustic soda is obtained.

Browne'S Electrolytic Process.

In this process (") the copper is first deposited from a solution of the mixed chlorides, using cathodes of pure copper and soluble anodes of copper-nickel alloy. The original percentage of metal chloride in the electrolyte is maintained partly by the solution of the anode, and partly by passing the electrolyte through a tower filled with bessemer matte or alloy to be treated in contact with the chlorine gas evolved at the anode by the nickel precipitation.

(1) Min. Industry, Vol. X., 1901, p. 497.

Analyses Of Nickel 991

When the electrolyte is rich in nickel and nearly all the copper is deposited *he remaining copper is precipitated with hydrogen sulphide or a similar re-agent, and the irc: with ammonia. The nickel

solution is then electrolyzed, using cathodes of pure nickel of carbon, in water-sealed chlorine is cond

sulphate, and contains an cathodes are of pure sheet heated and kept in circulation, and from are withdrawn from the electrolytic vats to be re-standardized. The electrolyte withdrawn is replaced with an equal volume of copper sulphate solution, containing an excess of free acid to re-standardize the electrolyte. A portion of this copper sulphate is obtained as a by-product in the extraction of the nickel, as is outlined later in the description. The copper is precipitated (from withdrawn electrolyte) with hydrogen sulphide, and after filtering the copper sulphide precipitate is treated with sulphuric acid and heat to recover the hydrogen sulphide and make the by-product copper sulphate. The nickel sulphate is made ammoniacal, and used hot as an electrolyte for the precipitation of nickel, using anodes of lead and cathodes of sheet nickel. To avoid iinpoverishment of this electrolyte, portions of it are periodically withdrawn, the ammonia recovered for re-use and the nickel sulphate added to the electrolyte as needed to preserve the proper strength. The process is economical and produces nickel of high quality continuously and cheaply,' Another process for the electrolytic winning of nickel which is iz. successful operation is the Balbach process, .s carried on at the Balbach works, N.J. This process, however, is kept strictly secret.

Nickel,

Nickel is a comparatively new metal, as far as our western civilization is concerned, for it was discovered in 1751 by the Swedish metallurgist Cronstedt. It was, however, not until 1754 that Cron-

es eens eee —

(2) Min, Industry, Vol. X., 1901, Pp. 497-498,

seetepreremeninnssniitieadhnenninectiss isebinscarnnnpstiniikicssiiattanh incebaoisiceif, 24 tserasbauget |Hoptiiedeke ' i

Pr :

222 Geological Survey Of Canada

stedt definitely determined that it was a new element. Its name was given on account of its being a constituent of niccolite or 'kupfernickel," as it was then called. Oronstedt's discovery was made in examining the ore obtained from the mines of Helsingland. In 1776, Engstrom analyzed the material which had found its way to Europe from China under the name of ' Pachfong,' finding it an alloy made up of variable quantities of copper, nickel and zinc, but usually present in the proportion of 40 per cent of copper, 15 per cent of nickel and 45 per cent of zinc. This alloy had been in use in China for thousands of years. Previous to this again, as noticed by Dr. Austen in his ' Historical Sketch of Nickel,' the Bactrian King Eutheydemos, who reigned about 235 B.C., employed an alloy of nickel for coinage purposes, containing 77-58 per cent of copper, 20-04 per cent of nickel and 1-72 per cent of other impurities, such as iron, cobalt, tin, silver and sulphur. It is worthy of remark that so long after this the alloy at present in use for the manufacture of coins is very similar in composition, containing about 75 per cent of copper and 25 per cent of nickel, which experience has taught us is the best proportion for such a purpose.

Nickel, in its pure state, is silver-white in colour, hard, tough, fusible with difficulty, and is susceptible to magnetism, although not to the same extent as iron. It has the peculiar property of losing this magnetism when, heated, and regaining it when cooled, this peculiarity being taken advantage of in the manufacture of certain alloys for electrical purposes. Nickel has a specific gravity of 8-5 to 8-9.

The purity of the nickel which has been on the market has steadily increased since its first manufacture. This will be evident from the subjoined table of analyses of the commercial product. The three first analyses are quoted from the Mineral Industry and were made in 1891, All the others were made in 1898 and 1899.

"tz "d '0061 "UO 'rourpY Jo "ng 'doy -uuy Tg "AA "¢ Aq poyoru uopEy AA "S68I § son "Bug 'aopacy Bad "alQ "uy 'yoyo puop -

"Buy 'uopuory "Bury "a1 yeu ¢ joxoiu puo

"668I '8Z Bs - 'uopuo') -3uq "Ald "48u] ¢ poten medeene "66ST 'Re Youeyy "Bug 'uopuery "Sug [ary ysuy 0 ere seeg $ seqny "G69 "d 'TA [OA "pay uy *P'ALN 4q pajon '1980104 Aq ¢ [ayoru avouemy

"T681 "gedyeu 'fomag "gq "qf jeyorm ysiqg "1681 384yeue 'paws 'foyoru yeep "16S 9Qe4;vue '£amaq 'A 'af (ueaue 2) opoue oyotu poroy

4 sishivuy

'Goyannoo Ao Iamoin Ahl Ao Sue Ativnv Jo Atavl

224 Geological Survey Of Canada Uses.

The first and chief demand for this metal was for making nickel or German silver, as a substitute for the more precious metal, in the manufacture of spoons, forks and other ware in general use for which silver had been previously used. Its whiteness, and the facility with which it received and held the silver, after the process of electroplating was introduced, has caused it to be still more widely used. This use, however, has been replaced in a large degree by plating iron: with nickel, which gives a very similar effect to German silver.

Nickel is also used very extensively for coinage purposes, both in Europe and America, these coins ggnerally consisting of an alloy of from 75 to 88 per cent of copper and 12 to 25 per cent of nickel. Recently both Austria and Switzerland have authorized the use of pure nickel in coins.

Pure nickel is now used in making small articles which formerly were only electroplated with nickel. An alloy, with 20 per cent of nickel and 80 per cent of copper, is used for casing bullets. This alloy has a higher degree of tenacity than the best brass, and a high co-efficient of elongation.

Owing to the intense colouring properties of nickel, (it is greater than that of any other metal except tin), these alloys have almost the same colour as the pure nickel.

In far more general use are the nickel-copper-zinc alloys. These were first introduced into Europe from China, in the eighteenth century, under the name of Packfong or China silver, and it was only later that it was discovered that they consisted of nickel, copper and zinc. As European firms began to use these alloys for manufacturing purposes they gave them various names, such as german silver, argentan, etc.

The following are analyses, from Ledebur's ' Technologic,' of some of these alloys:

Copper. Zine. Nickel. Tron.

19°13 0°52 3 Sa eeeroas

18°75

9°70 1:00

nickel in the which y with lectro- y used. plating ferman

oth in 1 alloy nickel. use of

yrmerly cent of a high

greater almost

These th cenas only per and anufacgerman

of some

Uses Of Nickel 295

The chief uses of these alloys are for forks, spoons, etc., and various household goods to be silver-plated, and for many scientific instruments where brass was formerly used.

A little magnesium added to nickel when in a molten state increases its malleability, and this property has been utilized in the manufacture of nickel into sheets, and also in making sheets composed of an iron plate, with a nickel plate welded upon each side of the iron; the mass then becoming capable of being rolled into any

8 rolled nickel plate is an advance over the ordinary tin plate for culinary and other utensils,

Nickel-plated zinc or ' nickeloid,' as it is called, is being used to a considerable extent in the manufacture of reflectors, refrigerator linings, baths, ete,

The most important and extended use of nickel, however, is in the manufacture of nickel steel, and, at present, we must look to its more general employment in this direction, as replacing carbon and manganese steel, for the development of the nickel industry.- The peculiar and desirable behaviour of nickel in alloy with other metals, and especially with iron and steel, has often been remarked, the material partaking more of a chemical combination than an ordinarily intimate mixture. All these alloys are remarkably homogeneous, and susceptibis of a high polish, though rather difficult of manipulation. In obtaining a correct idea of the usefulness or value of alloys of nickel with iron and steel it should be borne in mind that these mixtures contain manganese, carbon, silicon, sulphur and phosphorus, whose influe v be carefully watched, requiring a long series of experiment... © aparison of steel alloyed with 4-7 per cent of nickel raised 1. .¢ limit from sixteen up to twenty-eight tons, and the breaking sirain from thirty up to forty tons, without impairing the elongation or contraction of area to any appreciable extent. A further gradual increase of hardness is noticed until 20 per cent is rescued, when a change takes place, and successive additions of nickel tend to make the steel softer and more ductile. The alloys polish well, and the colour of the steel is lightened as the proportion of nickel is increased. They do not corrode as readily as other steel. The one per cent nickel steel welds fairly well, but this property lessens with each addition of nickel. may, therefore, be said that considerable advantage can be expec tom these alloys, especially where the amount of nickel present is less than 5 per cent. Nickel steel is now being used for a variety of purposes, among which may be mentioned rails for railways, These have been tried for a number of years at Cumberland Gap in the United States, and have given very great

satisfaction. The first cost is considerably higher, but they can be 4187—15

226 Geological Survey Of Canada

made much lighter, and will outlast three ordinary steel rails. Its most important use, however, is for armour plates and heavy ordnance. For machine parts, subjected to alternate stress und shock, and where increase of strength and decrease of weight are desired, it is unrivalled. On account of this marked quality it has been used for engine and propeller *iafts, aud has proved so superior to all other steel for this purpox. that it has no rival of importance. Owing to its resistance to 'fatigue' from persistent vibration and concussion it is particularly valuable for steam hammer piston rods, rock drill piston rods, railway axles or tank pins; also for light forged engine frames, bolts for extreme hydraulic pressure, bicycles, ete. It has also been recommended for the manufacture of dies and shoes in stamp mills, and of wire rope. Nickel steel wire rope would be less corrosive and have more tensile strength than the ordinary steel wire ropes in use at present.

The co-efficient of expansion of nickel steel with 36 per cent of nickel is only 0-00000087, that of ordinary materials varying from ten to twenty times this figure. This low co-efficient of expansion will likely be of great value for many purposes. Alloys with 42 to 46 per cent of nickel have the same co-efficients of expansion as the various sorts of glass, which will make them valuable in replacing the more expensive platinum in cases whére metal and glass have to be welded together.

Other alloys of nickel are mentioned in 'The Mineral Industry,' Vol. X. They are nickel-aluminium, with a tensile strength of 40,000 pounds per square iuch, and an elastic limit of 55,000 pounds per square inch,

Chrome nickel, containing usually 73 per cent of chromium, 23 per cent of nickel, 2-5 per cent of iron, 1 per cent of carbon and 0-5 per cen' of silicon, is used for making steel for projectiles and armour plates, which is said to be better than Harveyized steel armour plates. Tungsten-nickel has a composition similar to chromenickel, tungsten taking the place of chrome.

Molybdenum-nickel with 45 to 75 per cent of molybdenum, 20 to 50 per cent of nickel, 2 to 2-5 per cent of iron, 1 to 1-5 per cent of carbon and 0-25 to 0-50 per cent of sulphur, is largely used in the manufacture of forgings, guns, wire, boiler-plate and shells.

The era of nickel steel has only been entered upon, for it was not until 1888 that this desirable alloy as made on any scale of commercial importance. Canada has the largest supply of the most desirable nickel ores in the world, and the quality of the metallic nickel, as shown by the analyses quoted, is of a very high degree of purity. It is beyond the scope of the present report to enter upon

40,000 ds per

um, 23 on and les and d steel hrome-

um, 20 er cent

was not yf com- e most netallic ree of Yr upon

Production Of Nickel And Copper From Sudbury 237

a discussion of the manifold merits of nickel steel, and the numerous benefits to be derived from its use. In 1899, Messrs. R. A. Hadfield (1) and David H. Browne published two very complete contributions on this subject, and the reader mey have reference to these for more detailed information. Lately, Dr. Waddell has been employed, under the auspices of the International Nickel Company, in making an elaborate series of tests and experiments with niciel steel, with special reference to its mure extended use in bridge building. The general public, and more particularly that numerous section of it in Canada who are interested in the extension of the nickel industry, will look forward with pleasure to the appearance of Dr. Waddell's conclusions, which, it is hoped, will not be withheld on the plea that the information is of a confidentia! nature.

Production Of Nickel And Copper From The Sudbury District.

It is difficult to obtain the exact production of the nickel and copper ores of the Sudbury district during the first three years of mining, from 1886 to 1888, inclusive. Thus, R. R. Maffett, Superintendent of the Orford Copper Company, at New Brighton, L.I., N.Y., under date of April 18, 1904, answering an inquiry addressed to President A. P. Turner, of the Canadian Copper Company, at Copper Cliff, Ont., states, that during 1886, 1,040 tons of ore, trying 7-2 per cent of copper and 3 per cent of nickel, were mined at Copper Cliff, and during 1887, 8,864 tons carrying 8-56 per cent of copper and 3-81 per cent of nickel, were also raised from the same mine. According to details furnished the Geological Survey Department by the Customs Department, 3,307 tons of copper ore were shipped form Sudbury in 1886, with a declared customs value of $16,404, and in 1887, 567 tons -£ similar ore were also shipped, with a declared customs value of $3,416. A careful and conservative estimate to arrive at the total production would place the amount mined during these three years at 30,000 tons, averaging about 5 per cent of copper and 3 per cent of nickel, this ore thus containing, approximately, 900 tons of nickel and 1,500 tons of copper. Valuing the nickel at the average price for the three years, at 62-12 cents per pound, the total ultimate value of the nickel in the ore would amount to $1,118,160, while the copper, at the average price of twelve cents per pound, would amount to $360,000. According to the yearly returns furnished the Geological Survey Department and the Ontario Bureau of Mines, the total ore mined in the district, including the estimate as above

(1) Proc, Inst. Civil Eng., London, Vol. cxxx., pp. 1-167. (2) Trans. Am. Inst. Min, Eng., Vol. xxix., (Sept.), 1899, pp. 569-648. 4187—164

228 Geological Survey Of Canada

given for the first three years, has amounted to 2,003,427 tons, The total amount of nickel in matte, sold from 1889 to 1908, both years inclusive, amounted to 39,827 tons, with a final value in New York, at the lowest average prevailing price in the year in which it was placed upon the market, amounting to $35,603,272, while the copper present in the matte, in the same period, amounting to 37,429 tons, valued at the average price of copper in the year sold, realized $9,799,780. If we include the three first years, at the figures already given, we obtain a total amount of nickel sold of 40,727 tons, with a value of $36,721,432; while the copper .mounted to 38,929 tons, with a value of $10,159,739.

This nickel and copper ore also contains cobalt, and an average of a large number of assays would indicate that the proportion of nickel to cobalt as 50 to 1 is a conservative estimate. If all of this could have been saved, 815 tons of cobalt would have been thus produced, and this, at a price of $3 per pound, would have amounted to $4,890,000. In addition, these ores contain appreciable quantities of the precious metals, gold, silver and metals of the platinum group. The platinum metals average about 1-25 ounces, the gold 0-375 of an ounce, while the silver has been calculated on the assumption that 7-5 oz. are present to the ton of nickel, which is certainly below the average. On this assumption, the value of the precious metals, at the average of the ruling New York price in the years produced, would be as follows: Gold, $305,460; Silver, $195,286; Platinum, $805,429; Total. $1,- 806,175. The total ultimate value in New York of the various metals containea in these ores, would, therefore, be as follows:

Nickel 2. ce ee nce STS SHOMBN Goo Fan See gael oe ee Comet ee eee 2 805,460 Le See eee 195,286 7 ea Sears 805,429

Pole. So ae nce OOS

Of the total production of ore, about four-fifths must be credited to the Canadian Copper Company. This cOmpany does not wish, at preséht, to give the production of each individual mine, but through the courtesy of President A. P. Turner of the Canadian Copper Company, I am authorized to state that the three largest of their mines

Production Of Nickel And Copper From Sudbury 229

have produced the following amounts of ore, up to the first of June,

Oteblt ming... ou ke 419,000 tons. Copper Cliff mine.. .. .. .. ., 866,000 " Creiehton mine.. .. .. .. .. .. 810,000 "

Some of the other mines have also produced large quantities of ore, as the Evans mine, No. 2 and No. 3 (Frood) mines, all three of which have produced between 100,000 and 200,000 tons of ore. The Creighton mine is, without doubt, the largest mine in the district, and is regarded as capable of producing many millions of tons of high grade ore. The about 5 per cent of nickel an

this same deposit, Blezard mine, ion Mineral Company, probably produced about 100,000 tons of ore, while 25,000 tons seems a reasonable estimate for that produced by the Worthington mine. The Victoria mine, belonging to the Mond Nickel Company, has produced about 80,000 tons of ore, while the same company, up to the 1st of June, 1904, had obtained about 13,000 tons from the North Star mine. At the Murray mine, 62,193 tons were produced, while the Lake Superior Power Company obtained 33,835 tons from the Elsie mine, and 18,000 tons from the Gertrude mine, up to the end of 1903, The following tables are reproduced from the annual reports of the Division of Mineral Statistics and Mines of the Geological Survey Department, and of the Bureau of Mines, of Ontario. Both have been prepared by Mr, J. McLeish, who has charge, under Mr. E. D. Ingall, of this branch of the work. They will show, in a diagrammatic manner, the details of the mining operations carried on in the district from 1889 to 1903, both years inclusive.

gore oua's wc'zoo's suz'9 epp'oeo's [ecest oeo'os seo'eet ft "S061 GLI9G8 goa's gos'czo'e ze'o apr'szs't OLS 1128s 2481s pred 2 at tla aU "2061 sto'zec't Stc't sec'sec's 60> Meee ot hid: 998 ONG Renee rears i ninanee 1061 ges'es0't #90's Lees OFS 906°920'T goce'ss tie OSF'96T '0061 eiees re8% Oe'L00% Bl8% 1! sna T9LS21 ORE Ii: asucc anal mal Tucmat 6681 ego" l00°1 Bit ace 0ce'T als eee eee eeettn ee cee c8eteeee sersere $26 '1Z1 O@8'SsI tee eee 868 1 Seo'lsy ols SEG Pe Umrnecaaic iy imiibeciiea ian 896'S1 OLS '96 $9186 2681 86S HE 09° 066'S8t''t 669'T $69'91F egz'ou 0. 99656 "9681 vIb Ser x4 reset H6T vse $8101 819°89 Clb! spade "G6ST & —-aner 109% gos'ole't HFS eevee 189'Tl 88096 Me MT eee anaiienitae er "p681 pn F ane nd oa doy ASE D4 a A Bg aa [eeean hs vided tanioe Ra geo'tss wot 9oe'66e"t 0c'T ripest hon eeo'Ls Tseb Pe aieemOnne aN lata "B68 pant oe ph eave pd Fee fists tedesetetnenens anid . pA on po Annf SPLOT RE SRR EERE Lee seeeeetenete ene Rody 5 290s eel oo STc Zer sent ee weer poeeeccececes blz QPl'OF 066 'tt Tat bleeds i Re ae ast 4000008 50091 001 SII'T i006. Peer reer! Meter eee! ee ee eee ee 5000'08 PAY ErnRepAAn A HRIATEH 188) T lee poe Fn 'wao], s suo] s "sao], "'suoj, "sao ], "suo, pp ange yo 9004 pO onjea nye 70 yo onyea seg ety mo an @1Q| 'peutul aC 'Ivo sVpusTeD

"heaang (worZozoos) 'aonoeg sour amp 0 Suxpuccoe 'oweyug Younerp Linqpng 'seddeg pur [o7IN yo woNonporg

Production Of Nickel And Copper From Sudbury 231

Berit pcre

ee ee es rs eee Be ee es es cee

Ontario Bureau of Mines.

826,750| 3.362 539,302 2.585) 2.2%; 89,974, 2.994

452)

0,410! 1,470

63,944, 7,176) 86,546) 12,525

61; 112,087] 87,916) 1

75,

E J

j ; : z

239 Grological Survey Of Canada The World'S Production Of Nickel.

From 1840 to 1860 the annual production of nickel scarcely averaged 100 metric tons per annum, and in no single year was a production of 200 metric tons exceeded. From 1860 to 1880, a very gradual, though distinct, increase was noticeable,-up to 600 metric tons, although about the year 1874 a little over 700 metric tons were produced. In 1880, the product of the New Caledonia mines became a distinct factor on the market, at first with a producti-n of about 200 metric tons per annum, but gradually increasing until the year 1884, when the production was about 1,000 tons. In the year 1889, the product of the Sudbury mines was placed upon the market, but only 432 tons were sold. In the year 1891, however, 2,018 tons (.,880 metric tons) of nickel were sold, which had been produced from the Sudbury ores, while, at the same time, the product of the New Caledonia mines, which had reached the figure of 2,494 metric tons, dropped to 1,696 metric tons in 1892. In 1893 the world's total production of nickel amounted to 4,412 metric tons, the amount of the Canadian product placed on the market aggregating 1,807 metric tons; while Norway, in the same year, produced about 90 metric tons, and the United States 22-4 metric tons.

These figures showed a still further and rather rapid increase up to '}.e vear 1901, when a total of 9,881 metric tons was produced, the ''snadian nickel amounting to 4,168 metric tons, and the New Caledonia to 5,210 metric tons, while the United States produced only three tons of nicke! from domestic ores.

In 1902 the total of the world's production amounted to 8,474 metric tons, but of this Canada's share was 4,850 tons, while the New Caledonia output showed a decrease of 3,620 tons.

In 1903 the amount of Canadian nickel produced amounted to 6,848 metric tons, while New Caledonia produced only 4,750 metric tons,

The world's total production of nickel for 1908, as stated by the Metallgesellechaft, amounted to 9,850 metric tons. It is evident, however, that this is understated and that the actual production is considerably in excess of this amount, for the official returns for Canada and the United States, as reported to the Geological Survey and the Bureau of Mines of Ontario, give the production as 6,400 metric tons, instead of 5,100 metric tons, as stated by this authority. Assuming the official figures as more nearly accurate, and adding the production from New Caledonia as quoted by the Metallgesellschaft, (4,750 metric tons), a grand total of 11,150 metric tons is obtained as the aggregate of the world's production for 1903.

netric

y the ident, jon is is for urvey 6,400 ority. ig the chat, rained

The Price Of Nickel 2338

These figures are full of hope for Canada, and with the gradually increasing Lnowledge of the true value and uses of nickel, by reason of ite many desirable physical qualities, which is gradually becoming more general, the production of nickel should be doubled in the next five years. It is hoped and confidently expected that Canada's share in this large output will be fully three-fourths of the whole.

The following table will show, at a glance, and in much greater detail, the world's annual production of nickel from 1889 to 1902. The figures for the foreign production for 1903 are not yet available,

These statistics are obtained mainly from the Metallgesellschaft and Metallurgische Gesellschaft (Frankfort-on-the-Main), Aug., 1903, p. 23.

The production of nickel from domestic cres in the United States is quoted from Mineral Resources of the United States, while that of Canada is from the Division of Mineral Statistics and Mines, Geological Survey of Canada, with the exception of 1903, which is from the Bureau of Mines. The figures of Canadian production include nickel actually sold, while those of the Bureau of Mines, which are stated in a separate table, are of nickel produced, part of which remained in stock.

The figures for Germany represent the production of Prussia. Saxony also produces nickel, but accurate details are not readily available.

The Price Of Nickel.

In 1876, the price of nickel per pound amounted to $2.60. In 1877 it dropped to $1.60 per pound and in 1878 it showed a still further decline to $1.10 per pound. In 1879, it recovered slightly to $1.12 per pound, but in 1880 it again decreased to $1.10, which latter figure was maintained until 1488, when the price steadily declined to about sixty cents. At present the price quoted by leading producers varies from forty to forty-seven cents per pound for large quantities down to ton lots, according to size and terms of order. The price for smaller lots, according to quantity, runs as high as sixty cents per pound in New York.

2 @ @sr'tt oe Ts oee's elt ooo' 00e't 009'T With sabaas haa tak 'abet ee ones $061

aed L's Bz ot $e0F ost Olt t00'T Biicupeuk cunirtmie anita itsne 061

2 tss'6 oon solr ows osl't 0s*t ee UG ighdatabaseatetaat get liaksl athe atte 10eT

2° B wrt .% Im sea ost't OoL*t ols*t Bol rou tetmmttuten natn 0061 4 2° 0gs'9 $6S-01 19% o6'F OuE'T Ont SIt'T Gavan bday 6681 & 2 919 90.¢ soos 000'T OT ps pods z id s see scr 01 ste't bri BA ote't SBS 'ia hibernate - 68 3 a 4 ot well lms or Hel wR TTR la hereaa chattel 9681

°° £ Jeet Slot vant ose'T $69 Bi sd a mit peed "2 fer ary eet sees 006'T ees lag 0 freeteseesese Fred, ° 2 ote's 2 leet 009't §68 eee eee Seet i 2? xd wet oo0°r 0s6 ol PCI INI eeatinainn ities zal 2° @ ooc't LS oss'T on8''t rec LAURIN sevens 1681 4 29 ours SLs. 101 199 0g' roa 1. seca -068T 2 7 @ test 900-F11 Ls oso'1 ba. SUTRA TTT He a eta 6881 a 3 sehaabenon Pavers Ton paispalabessaiaataae, 3 "UTeUG 3eaIF) 'souvlg Aweuer)

SPA no Tes we seamen, sane — Au mIONT

mn paws "epeuey pax ad,

cout Beane porn "WMOPSTe) AON S v wogj poytodxe sazo jo syuaquco poy POMS '

OU7CUL UI) [SAIN JO woRoNpory 8,pji0K

"(sun

Index

Acoma Nioxat Co, ALKALINE SULPHIDE PROCESS... ..

Pagr,

Gnanitr SF 43 any Tayion Macuineny Co.,

vee 156, 156 tat

acess ss Oe 4, 19, 100, 128, 159 Barracnots HARBOUR, Care Bagton , 168 THOLITHS sess csveney Oly FOea8 Bawpen, J Seas Bayonng, N. J. BRatrice MINg ...

SS 5, 11, 12, 72, 79, 148 LestA, AUSTRIA... . 170

Bessemek MATTE... . . PROCESS, Bicrones . Bio Levack propertizs Biorrry scuists Biamuru

FURNA " Buracuine " BLEZARD MINE,

srginal depos

Page.

Bortna yor Nicket, CHARLOTTE 0O., N.B. 150 Supsury eae 20.01, 2

:. 104

Bovucarperizs CENTRE, Victoria BounDary Posts BOWELL TP 00. e cee cee cere Borp, J. D.. DO Se er ee aries ee eer ee a a ae Pe eee Brrrisn Co_uMBIA, NICKKL FROM 145, 149 eS ! Sree eae ereorer as 176 Browne, Davip H. Analysis by, of — Bares ymite Criticism by, af of none MITT See 132 Cubanite found by... . 2. 106 species Spey eS od AC separation cee eccene pe ged 5 st ores. 111, 118 Ref. to rig by, on Nickel i 2. 3 See eee 159 Bruce mings, Atcoma Dist., Ont. ..22, "%, 210 Brumet, H. P. H . 149 Buoxe Tp., TIMISKAMING DIST., QuE . 154 rang BONE oneness ee "V0 UBEAU OF Mines, ONT ... Burrows, A.G.. 0 . 155 UsH, E. aS Se 17 CALOUE e s Fieve Beee ett tee 128 Oatpwa1t, T. Bq... 2... cece ccceeccees 159 Ce 3. Bae eee ee 158 CALIPORNIA, NICKELIN 060 0205 eee 145 CALUMET ISLAND, OTTAWA RIVER, QUE... 152 CAMBRIAN 0 ccc... cecceeee 52

Campern, N. J 28 CAMERON MINE, BLEZARD TP., ONT. . 34, '8s, 119 Campsgit, J. B 153

CAMPBELL cRrek, Koorenay take, BC.. 161 CanapiANn Copper Co. ST eS 19! Bessemer matte eerees Sr 195 Capital of jagram of cross-section of new smelter At end Bbabovy 06 oo o:6 ac'ss os cise essecpess cv tes 26 {estasion a in a Nickel Cu ne ines of, first opera for copper Mines owned or worked —— pease 27 PS PS SSS eee 185 Option of, on — Star mine 209 Pereentage of copper and nickel i 19 Plant of of, installed to work nickel 'notes by Barlow. . .187, 188, 194, 199, 202, 208, 209 PRONG ss is cts cece cceneces At end. Ref. to analyses by 0005 110 cee. 1 ee ee eee 227 Canantan Gensrat Exgctaic Co 207 CANADIAN Pactric RAILWAY... .28, 47, 196 Cf SS ee 1 CARROLL MINE, CHARLOTTE CO. ese oo 151 CascaDEN TP., ALGOMA DIST., 86 CASSITERITE Faves Fre ee seas 105

Geological Survey Of Canada

PAGE. Catiett, Prov. CHARLES .. 11-17, 97 Cantory Copper MINE... ... 94, 108 Cavia, Prepuont, Itauy 18 CHALCEDONY reveveee vere ate ee 178 Se oe eee 104 CHALCOPYRITE. Norway, mineral associations of Sudbury dist., analyses. . nts 113, 116, iis ti —— 116, 115 te 9, escription of .. 91, Hs 118 Cuapman, R. H. G 6... cece eee ee 158 CuatuaM, ,U.8.. 145, 171 CuatHam Copaut Minine Go 1 CHICAGO MINE sce INEZ MINE

SS ere ee er 145 [a gy eee oe ery eee ae eae ae . 2 COMIN A BILVER csi. ccceestescecssecs 222

SRR ee a ee 142, 156 CHROME NICKEL - 23 CHROMITE ... -. 178 CLARABRLLE LAKE ++.+- sevseeee eee 53, 87 CLARABELLE MINES .. 26, 105, 119 CLARABELLE JUNCTION 47, 1 Crank, Pror. F. W oe 8 CLASTIC ROCKS 0+ a CLYDACcH, NEAR Sw. see. wae -42, i a0

BALT . k 127, 228 COBALT BLOOM 00ccese eens 155 COBALT MINES ant CocHRANE MINE 22.4: 117, 138, 140 paar Bros : ae poner gees i. -

LEMAN, . to Fa Tae

27, 59-62, 69, 80, 94

Copese CLIFY MINES.

Analyses and assays of ores from. . . 108, er Breccia of SEARS 7a ; z Browne's experiment on ore from. Building-stone of 76 Contact of norite and granite in... .. 52 Copper of, chalcopyrite

ig tee eee

Mines on Main Nickel range an of, percentage SS 109 SD SSS ees 119, 121 Olivine a ED Sea re 9 . SSS ere At ond.

Index

Corprzr CLIFY MINES—Con. Di

jum in matte of ;. ition of

comings (EneLanp)

Gossanof . 1... Magmatic differentiation at Magnetic separation of sulphides from.

27, 107 7, 28, 57, 157

E

Da.uousig, Lan.

Daty, Dr. Recinap

Dana, Prov. Ep. S 0... z DakuineTon Bay, L. or THE Woops... Davis PROPERTY :

Esprpaten, GAvspat, NoRwAY Evnors

es 5 oe: - , : ssays and anal -93, 110, 111, 115-117 ao i lyses by .93, 1, Z

q

LLER, Josgru S

DILisBoro, Jackson co., N. Drogrrr

.++ +8, 74, 87, 158 Couumsia river, B.C...' 160

Euts, Dr. R. W

Lsie Junction

ELste MINE.

x] ¥

¢

Position of Pyrite at

Brinore Expinctos, Enctanp

VEC tha a Saws CERI ANS ys 154-156

Analyses of ore from . Experiments on ore from

History of

Isolated masses of norite in

238 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA Ss PAGE, Evans MINE—Con. GENTHITE. eae et eee Baan: 16 Analysis of ore similar to : 147 era 174 SS ; we Photo of.. cece-sscceceses seeeAtend. GERMAN SILVER... SeSEGEAISS WEST En co 216 Evsé, Norway... SITE Stages. 166 Geusporrrire. FAHuLBANi 8, NORWAY 00. ccc. ce cce cess 1 Analysis, discovery and character cf. 102 FAtrBaNk CREEK, ALGOMA DI8T., ONT.. 41 Asscciation of, with niccolite FAIRBANK LAKE, ONT.. cseeeeee 7 Classification Of 66.0 ..eeeeeee 142 FALCONBRIDGE TP . Spee Baesae bee 86 Frow McConnell inine oe ae 37 FELNSPATHIC SANDSTONE + 61-66 9 3 Serer 3 149 FRRRO-NICKEL 6.06. . cece eee eee 38, 170, 189 GerTRUDE MINE. Friaap em Bese Nonwar.. eS . 166 Assays of ites from. eurias 117 Lenore STiiec rect evereearrer tS Classification of 00. ceeeee 19 BS a eee 128 Depth of Fae:

ae GLASENDORF, Sp "AUSTRIA. Mati GNEISS "SaEEES

Situation of ; work at... .26, 27, 88, 119, 187 GoLpscnmiptT, Pt =—s—- ror Fue... Pe ts, azn oe FUMAROLE ACTION s.05. ose. ss 1" GOSBAN

GRAGALTEN MINE, Kok... eee ees 166 128 GraHam TP., ALGOMA DIST., ONT. Gatway TP. Parmnponovon oo., ONT... 155 Analysis 'of nickel ore from... . 158 (Gap Ing, Baws U.S. Augen amphibolite and schistof 59 Closing of SS 144, 173 ee SSS 103, 104 Hor of ore from ... castes ae et SF eta Sg a tic experiments in ore from. ... Se ee eee eee fore Pyrrhotite from ..0 0... 6 0 eee 15 GRANITE Tiere a 6, 50, 52, 75- n Refining process at ... .. 216 GRANITOID GNEISS Sree Gar Mrininc Co +- ae 172 GRANOPHYRE 0.0 cece cece eens GARNETIFEROUS AMPHIBOLITE ODF CAPO 5. ie eas cece se cneaesees 106 Garnier, JULES Great Britain .. So te ee Analyses of jerite by ... 179, — Lakes Copper Co 5 3 ee ee

GARNIERITE, oe Boe ee eee

Analyses of, from Noumea 179, 180 Grunav, WestPHALia, Eur ll

Smelting of, in Great Britain. . 170 Haanen, Dr. EvGENE 141

vision, in classTII ... 149 Hapwnmnma, Vi... 26. s ccccenee 113, 131

Webster (N. C.), ore similar to. Fea eeee 174 Haprte.p, ) eee aie Vee

GARSON TP. Haccerty, WILLIAM... 163

Crossed oe Main Nickel range 87 Hattrysury, TimiskaMine as - 153

High land from, to Denison tp., gant 47 Ham te., WoLrE co., QuE . 148

: Nickel mini 37 Harrineton, Prov. B.J 148 +f Norite belt —- Havre, Franor -170, 183

Geityer, Dr Hexpr, Joun. Gem Ming, Fremont 00., Col ,U. 8.142, 14s, i? HETEROGENITE... Guntn, Pror. F. A cc eee eee 172, 178 HintEsRann, Wetee %

ord

Kocatux river, Hupson BAY... ScER, Kart. :

Horrmann, Dr. G. C.. HoRNBLENDE PORPHYRITE

Lac pg Lavy

Di

Graphite from

Situation of IGNEOUS INTRUSIONS, ROCKS. ILLECILLEWAET DIsT., B.C

LAURENTIAN LAURENTIAN GRANITE. Lava FLows

Magnetic separation of ore from Other names for ; outlines of... Relation of norite in, to micropegmatite Work on.. Levat, Davin. LIGHTNING Lu.tewammer, Norway. Lrnpstrom, AXrL, FREDRIK LITRRATURE A Lirtie Stroste Mine. 145 Classification of... . 18, 123, 127, @

MACDONELL MINE see SEES Mc. ag tee ONTREAL.. . 9 MoGnrecor tp., THUNDER Bay pisaicr.. 148 MolInnas, WM 0.00... sees Sesaasae 159 McKm or Ot Sovper. v mines in seesee Pereceeee . y Main Nickel range. . 87 Dace na Nowite Of 00 secenens 67 Elevation of flat in eeee eee 48 Ce eee eee error 120 oengg ieee eer ewerererccr Tire 104 McLeisu, .. Serer 230-234 Po OS SS ee 163 MoNavcuTon, JuDGE ANDREW 23, 24 MoOuat, WILLIAM... ccc cece e eee 160 . US SS eee 131 CS) See ee ee eee 95 Marrert, R. R . ee: Macmas ... . . 123, 124, 130 MAGMATIC DIFFERENTIATION .. 123, 124 De ee eer OO BS eS SS ae 22, 23 MAGNETIC SEPARATION 0.008 131 Dt. ey Seep 23 Macnmrrre 0 1.605005 104, 115, 126, 4 PEA sires cies peas Main NICKEL RANGE. er, 88 MALaGA PROVINCE, Spain... 1

MANOHE's FURNACE ... 30 ManIrTouLin AND NorTH — Ry. Co.47,

. Of ., a ts MARGINAL DEPOSITS 119, 120 Marks, THOMAS 1

340 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA ey Liversiper, P Locks, DowaLD.. "9, 08, lii, ae, Logan, Siz Wituam E veebei ase MINE rere Looan Civ, Orrawa, Ont... aes is MatrawatcHaN, RENrRew 0o., L&LLINGITE ease 4s eR ReRTS SS ee eee OUD RNINE oo cassettes saapeacescsiseas 125 Mev aS Tree revere tem Lonponperry, Kinas 0o., N.S.. ... 149 Meat, W.H Lona Lake, TImiakaMINe DIst 154, 156 Memny, A .cscscseeeeee, LORNE TP... oe ccc eees ee ees 112 Micuei-Livy, AuGusTs Lots Ses eary eer ee ee 46 Micuiptcoren 1sLanp, L. Superior. , 0 SS Serre 86, 112 Mroxup, G:. R 2... eee ee oo 9B, Luton creek, Cape BRreTon 168 MICROPEGMATITE. 7, 16, 84, 85, 120 Lytton, AsHcrort ptv., ee #3 6656-59 489 161 Mippie NioKEL RANGE MCALLISTER MINER. . 2R Mitier, Prov. W.G . 6158-156 MoAnrrave, Carr, James. ... 106, 198, 204, 205 Mitixnrre. : McAntaur GRANULATING TROUGH 196 Copper Cliff mine : : . 1 CCHAKLES LAKE, OT GS Classification of . eer ete 142 McConnewt, RINALpo 40 Description and occurrences of 7 McConnet MINE. Spas Fem alan aaeee 173 Actinohte diorite and schist of 70 Nickel mine, Sherbrooke co.. 148 02 Spe SE SONG TOs esis vo es s+ 28, 1 ee Pa 91-11 MINgs SECTION, GoLocicaL "Survey, et eee te eer ar ioe re st ee ee 169 MINING GEOLOGICAL PLANS + + -. 7 MINING METHODS .140, 181, 184-187

Mission City moles Wasturxsren pist., B.C

MISTAssINI LAKE, Que . 159 MITCHENER MINE . . 6, 70 Monr, Dr. Benwnani ——s MOLYBDENUM NICKEL 226 MOoNasHER MINE, CHER 160 Monp Nicxen Company. Acknowledgments to 9 Assay of matte of 00 1... .60. 109, 118 Chines building by. Teter 192 Depths of mines Of 005 121, Honea' Sk a rr eree ' Peer Ries eongeven opener vee 41-4 Magnetic surveying by 140 Percentage of cin and copper 'in ores ia aaa of, Great Britain. . 170 Roast yards ae 188 Roasted ore, method of handling er 193 Roasted ore, not assayed by, 191 Smelters, Photoof, ... At end. ee 210, 211 Monte Caisto cham, TRAIL CREEK, Co- LUMBIA RIVER, B.C 06.s0eeees 161 MORENOSITE .. Se 102 SOUGAI FP 555 8 esi so cece see seerees 86

Mount NICKEL MINE. Fee of i ee from Classification of

surveying in. . Geaeon

Li. ee eee ee

Murray, ALEX Murray MINE.

Brecoia of 0.265

Bruce Mines quartz used at ;

oe SS Seer e ae see ye

Ce-

Page.

Murray MiInz—Con,

Co in ion of... Bintece dinetene

Olivine diabase near tions at

Pyrrhotite of. . Navapa, ©. 8iocccc cesses: New CaLEponia, Nickel production of . .144, 145, 168, 183, 184, 213, 232

Ores of, comparison with Pern...

wore ; peridotite sulphide

Newoastir, N.

Newfoundland . .

New Mexico, U.S

New SILVER"

Analysis and description of Classification of

History of, in Sudbury district Mining of, in Austria . 1 Production of, Italian, Spanish and Production of, New "Caledonia..."

Swedish. Roasting, smeltin;: and Silicates of 4187—16

PAGE, Nioxret—on, secure snd N. Caledonia ores of

Euro; New Cal

magnetic separation of, from 4

Operations at Position of. .

Uses of ore from Norway.

Matte of compared to Sudbury matte.. 202

Nickel mining and production of... . .164-166,

213, 232

18, 125, 127, 142

Onr. . Dan

Matte, analyses of .

Geological Survey Of Canada

Ontario Sue.trne SoepenCi,

IOS, 2 SSeS ae

ORDNANCE. . Onrcon NICKEL MINES a bea A mie a d kaline ie process Of. ae Works of... : OnForD FURNACE NICKEL MINE big is P NICKEL REFININ' ar. Suz ROOK .. 18 ORIGIN OF ORE BODIES peeRAEE 13 ORMIBINUN oi i5 vn Fi Scat ccrccres ery Osmium. . ee aeeEe 166 Pacuroxa (CHins 'SILVER).. SS oes eee 0 B22, 224 nang eer rreraseer fetes - 110 (7S See ovece coe seh, SN Paris EXHIBITION, 1889... ee '6 48 PENNSYLVANIA, 0..c00--seceeeee 195 RAIUWAS 0 vkeccsccastvces 44 PENTLANDITE. Analysis of .

PE Perers, Dr. Epwarp Dvr ...

homed Se Granite augen. fine —

Greywacké. Hornblende schist Mieropegmatite Norite older eer olcani iT, F. i Pic 1suanD, L. SuPERIOR 4. 149 PickoN LAKE, MONTREAL RIVER. sess 348 PIMELITE 169 SSS Set - Piney mountain, Onucon, U.S 175 PERMINOM 6555065 5005004 500 43 2S 109, 110, 128 aeaieman of. 228 n Scandinavian ores 166, 202

PA POLTNYMITE 000 60. cece scree 11, 18, 98, 142 PoRPHYRITIO DIORBITE ... seeeree es GREYWAOCKE 45 ais — forrrrr eeeae reas waa Post-Horonian. cresesesscesstOwh Porton Tr., Broue 00., "Que Soeuceres - 159 Pup MiLis, ALGOMA DIBT ..+. 38 Pump LAKE Heeb VeSEE SESE ETE LET ESS 78 PYM ce ser eececccee ce. OM, 05, 106, 115 PYRITIO SMELTING ema : of,. ..74, 118, 117, 118, 149, 157-163 'ses Of.. ry , i a Description of ea stea 91,1

. to works OM +... +.

Relation of, to c yrite 1107, 108

PYRRHOTITE-NORITE aa IUARTZ CREEK, SALMON RIVER, B.C 161 ARTZ, SECONDARY Ss cceaignes rere 128 PF eee +e 61-66 REN VICTORIA MINE, B.C... Paes ek BIT LAKE, T1IMISKAMING DIST. . -. 156 Ramsay LAKE, NIPISSING DIST 91

Rewpinsk, Russta 6.6.06. REWDINSKITE ARES ea HERS SEE TE

SS ee Spex Ripvizs, DotvcGtas 00., Onggon 142, "3 Rinoerike, NonwAY ++. .166, 167 OO SSS Sa eee 187 ORE, PHOTO OF ++ eee At end, Rosent,. Fo A. os. neces cece cues sevuee 3eE Rocrers 8 see TODD MINE 150 Ross.anp, B. Analysis of nickel ore from. 161 parisons of ores of +5 20 Gersdorffite from... .. 18 Pyrrhotite from ae Ross Ming, OST .. 86, 112 RUSSELL PROPERTY - 103 Sn! eee a 170 SAFFLOPITE. . 154 Sr. Denis, NEAR Panis, 'France. 170 Sr. STepuen, CHARLOTTE ©0., N. 42, 145 ALTER, ° 3 SS toe tana 22 —s § MERIDIAN LINE +0+ 10, 23 eS Sees Se 162 LB eee

PAGE. WASONT. cckesccestcsss - 142, 144 Storte MiInz—Con., SCANDINAVIA, see ALSO NORWAY AND SWEDEN, Magnetic

Wiesees ve

coppe Percentage ui nickel in ore of, Position of

Ref. to geological map of. WES OR, ROU vets ests trsvereciveic Statistics of, " Sropine "

SH tvHERD MINE ae SHEPPARD MINE sce SHEPHERD MIN: — spree ore:

ILVER, Si'

SULPH-ARSENIDE OF NICKEL SULPHIDE DEPosITs SuLpnur

SURFACE FEATURES on 35-E CEE EERE 45-50 Surveyine 7 46 Swepen 125, 140, 141, 169

mine.. 171 Chicago mine. .

Cone Ona. Edessa trude mine Mount Nickel mine Murray mine... ror N ictoria mines... S £ ae See Austrian nickel ores ia ae or, Onr

Soret, J. L.. Soutu Arnica

Analysis by : 110, 191, 197 Chemist to Canadian Copper Co, 98 Discove: Pentlandi

Sperrylite

Assays of pyrrhotites of Jomerate of

Voor, Pror. J. H. L. 'Advocate of igneous origin of Sudbury

Geposits 6.cecceeeseeeeeerens 123 Morenosite from. Classifications by ++++++++ 129, 142 Norite band of... On magnetic di: ferentiation Reeeeesacis 127 Pentlandite . On ious metals in Norwegian mattes 202 copper. i Ref. to work by, on a 7 its of Percentage of nickel in ore of 1 Sananevis {ES 19, 164,165 Production of +40 by.. 165 Unconnected with main norite *120 VoLcaNic ACTIVITY Western boundary of Sudbury dist. . 45 oe fa. 3 See eee VOLCANIC GLASS BRECCIA, ZANGHESOUR, RUSSIA 000006 vee: 144 ic Rebrerercerrrre ste tre cre ——— SF ISTISs os Se bv AeORa TENS 128

Geological Survey Of Canada

M ger 135,

agnetic surveying in ...++++...

Norite mass in essceeseeeeerececs Fe ? Platinum Of, 0.scecescssecccceeees 99 Porphyritic bata Sew Bi Production of. .. ccee ceee .: Propurtioa of nickel and copper in. -307-100 Wurrson LAK oo we tee nee

OOD OR occ ccececicsete trceseese cee heres Suintivesinatenceisponieey quartz aa ee ee eae seeseeeees Roast yards of... Se ee iag WINDY Lake, Supauay OSS ae 8

ya nihniten of... DS eee

wo gag ee oe WB criss evens 50, 86, 117 eee Eee sia, nt WWvotup onove® 00.0000 as Alkaline rapide prea of Wortuinoton sue.

Misma: SS See eee " Actinolite diorite and schist of 70

Parciines We; of . a SECs weiss 30, 31 Arsenic and antimony ia ore of 188

Swansea refinery Of 005++: . 170 comp of pyrrhotite from a is GE ic etccsyavecsess ror 5

Marcasite from. . 96

e PAGE. PAGE, Unrrep States ov Amgatca. Wart, F. G.—Con Se" See a 171-177 i) A 74, 162 SS Ss SE SO SS See ee i Uprun OANava Co ss-seeceeeeees WALKER, JAMBB 006 cece sce eee eens URAL MOUNTAINS, WORK cca cca cceisis , POTS SR SR ree Tee. i bree Pigpxont, Itaty 142, i is8 Watxer, T. L. E ARIATION OF COMPASS. 4... 0000.06 eee A Yanuition LAKE, NIPISSING DIST... at ee i a as td pa ERMILION MINE. pd) SPP eSereeeregere ries "10, 111, Chalcocite from :sssseeeeereee 104 dees bY Murray mine .. whe amphibolite of." 60 Ref. to paper by, on Sudbu dist, .. 18 Gdokd FeO... cece es eee coenee nickel iron-sul- Petive copper Of 66 cee OS SSS eS 107 Oo papers on Remarks by, on intrusions .. 78 8 ite and ite in. ..1 bearing eru ¥ Unconneared wiih oan ages PEE as Oe es ed EUMILION MINING CO seeeereees erous Vierons MINE - nich : rte. Sees ib e' ramway Of .. . 11.665 6 eeenee on Rapa Fee eeeebeetesss 16 Hr i wanes 3 piomeryy ee eee TT Eee 119 Wanapitet, NIpissine DIST., Ont . .8, nt lg Bhan Nickel range i —— 46, 86, ha ut

Wuirr, James Wuitertsh InpDIAN

Reserve, A Ma

WuHuitsrisH aah ALGOMA DIST... Supsvury Dist.

F —) & a oO a E o

4% o wf a n PA

2,

E

"E80 "AATIQ 484409 IV "OD wasa0g NVIQVNV) 40 WALTENS 195A

"ENO "4arlQ Waad0 40 KMOJ, aH],

"ENQ) "4471 URAd0g "OQ B44X) NVIGVNVO "UNV ONIAZING SLIVAU OXY FALIBHKy

Ma "Anifg & "On

! POET Jo Bayads oy) wr aay £q pakorsop o2am s¥uippng aq], 25Q) 440%) Basd0D LV "og sEaa0p CHONG "HWHO AM ONILTARG CINVINC aH

*punoageios 04} ut yuourmosd Sav Sujs poyejnuvsd jo sdump ysy ayy, "pawd yevor JOMO] 94} UO' Supvs] 938029 yS1y oy WoIy PeUlTyQo sem "BN SuLyoo] Mara sity, "INQ "AaTIQ WAddOD LV "OD uaad0g

'sdeoy 48v02 Surpring jo poyjeut ez0u8 Pav 0198013 Arvz0dure; Surmoyg "INQ "44I1{) Wdd0Q LV GUVA Isvoy

settd 243 Jo amos " "ado 93 8410004 03 prey Apuaa|

'(0D wanog Yormaag axvq) ANI aIST9y

"INQ 'aarIQ UxadOQ Lv "0D Wadd0D NVIGVNVQ 'GUVA NIVK Lv 3H0

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F; : g g : a E 3 § Fr

& gf tems i! ij SH PCD Fi ff it 2

LTT rrr

at Corrzx Cupr.

Section or Works

"ENO "aaIIQ waad0Q Iv "og Wadd0D NVIGVNVY) AHL Ad GNLORUN AUNEORN x BMMOM INV WALIANS MAN AHL 40 NVI UNAON:

a aw 'Seas

Sone

AL a SS pee Naa SSS i

shes miebeatheeteenagt HTH EPRI Re PAM trae mneateed

('48emq3200 Suryoor7) "ENO 'aarIQ aadd0g Lv "OD ¥4dd0D NVIGVNVQ 3BL 40 waLTaWS MAN Buy,

"UNIN NOLHSIGHD Lid NyaO NIVR

XV asnox] Woy

Creighton Mine, Caxapran Corper Co. This view was taken from the side of the main pit looking §,

3.5. E. and shows the methods of handling the ore.

'S20 Off JO [wAOMAL oq] PUT SuEIUT Jo spogjom sayEZENIT! S145, UO Badd00 SVIdVEYD 'ANI}Q NOLHDIZRQ BuL 40 dig NIV

MICROCOPY RESOLUTION TRST CHART (ANS! and ISO TEST CHART No. 2)

ua Bg us Bz u hs S ks

Eere

(716) 288 - s9e9 z Fox

0D TAMDIN NOP 'san,

IW VIMOLIA LV Lavus NIVN Y4AO 3890H so0Yy

"NOLLVLG SAN VINOLOIA aVaNn 'INVdNOQ) TAMOIN UXO, HL ao YALTANG UNV SHO1dAG 'IVHUNAL) ANT,

LsVou 40 NOLLDARISNOO 40 COHIAN 95,

N'Mohs

°O TAMOIN GNOP 'saNIpY viuoLo! A LY a4uvi isvoy

"punoisei0; ay} ut dunp 3g "SANIW VINOLOIA LV "og TAWOIN GNOWF aHL ao YALTAKG AH,

4187—-194

"Yeys uleUt 3y3 Ao a8NoYy 4901 84) uavs oq UW aouK;s1 0D 14N90IN ano 'SANITY via

P oq? UF of: asnoy qSiom ayy s1 OLIA YVUN GAVA Isvoy

ANTY Awwuaqy 'asn0y S.uzoVNVIY aLISOaa0 'ISIHOg adCNaTENHOH

CNV ALINVES) 40 vlooaag

"Kempe Y Oey wepeury yo qa2ou 'urzy Aeamnyy jo "ESIHOS 2UNw1gNNOH axy BLIXVUS)

"A ett ¥ Jo sand sug 40 Vioowag

"SanqONays AwUUINJOS 20 IN;wG BULROYS SNIPE AVENARE 2V Adoa sHO oN SSVEVIG-SNIATIO 20 2NIGT

'uonwasoyuIsip pus Suoyivem [epiossyds 07 anp sassem ay!]-sopjnog Burmogy "'ASVAVIC-ANIAIIO 40 AMIG AO NOLLUOD

"4OOI SY} JO O1VSLIS}IVIBYS are UMOYs Zueyem [epiosayds puv aangonays ArwUoTyeI9U0D OYJ, "ESVAVIC-ANIAIIQ AO ANI] 40 NOLLYOG

Selected List Of Reports

(Since 1885)

Of Special Economic Interest

Published By

The Mines Department Of Canada

(A.—Published by the Geological Survey.)

Mineral Resources Bulletins

818. Platinum 859. Salt. 877. Graphite.

851. Coal. 860. Zinc. 880. Pea

854. Asbestus. 869. Mica. 881. Phosphates.

857. Infusorial Earth. 372. Molybdenum and 882. Copper.

858. Manganese. Tungsten. 913. Mineral Pigments, 953. Barytes.

745. Altitudes of Canada, by J. White. 1890. (40c.) BRITISH COLUMBIA.

212, bee age ree (between latitudes 49° and 51° 30'), by G. M. Dawson, 235. Vancouver Island, by G. M. Dawson. 1886. as 236. The Rocky Mountains, Geological Structure, by Re age 1886. (20c.), 263. Cariboo Weal tea 27 A. 2 a gee 272. Mineral Wealt 294. West Kootenay: dirt iby Ge M Dawson. 1888-89. (35c.). 573. Kamloops district, b: Dawson. 1894. (35c. 574. bi and Omineca ivers, by R.G. McConnell. 1894. (15c.) 743. Atlin Lake ate a by J. C. Gwillim. 1899. (10¢.) 939. district, bs ae Brock. (10c.) 940. Graham Island B.C. by RW Ells, 1905, (10c.) 949. Cascade Coal Field, by B, Dowling. (10e.)

YUKON AND MACKENZIE. 260. Yukon district, by G. M. Dawson. 1887. (30c.) 295. Yukon and Mackenzie Basins, by R. G. McConnell. 1889. (25¢.) 687. Klondike gold fields capa by R. G. McConnell. 1900. (10¢.) 884. Klondike gold fields, Connell 1901. (25¢.) 725. Great Bear Lake and region, Ae Sy M. Bell. 1900. (10c.) 908. Windy Arm, Tagish Lake, G. McConnell. 1906. Croc.) os — Wind ite by Glas, Camsell.

2 r Stewart River, le, 079. Klondike gravels, by RG, McConnell. Bound together. (10c.) ALBERTA,

237. Central — by J. B. Tyrrell. 1886. (25c.) 324. Peace and Athabaska Rivers district, by R. G. 1890-91. (25¢.)

703. Yellowhead Pass route, by J. McEvoy. 1898. (15¢c

Saskatchewan.

Wood R. G. McConnell. 1885. (25¢. oo Athabaska Churchill River, by J. B. Tyrell and D.B.

1895. (15e. 808, Bourle River cosi-tield, by D. B, Dowling. 1902. (10¢.)

1887-8. (10¢.) B. Dowting. {eos J. B. Tyrrell. 1808. (250.) Bound togecher.

Keewatin And Franklin.

al

A.C. Lawson. 1885. (25c.) 1887. (25c.)

ty, by R. W. Ells, 1900, (15c.) dbury Si Sy (In Vol. XIV. 80c.) rt ee Onente FW. Elle. (10c.) see

a abe

Bbs3E:

'o. 873.

Quebec.

216. Mistassini expedition, by A. P Low. 1884-5. (10c.) 240. Com; , Stanstead, Beauce, h 'ichmond and Wolfe counties, by R. W. Ells. 886.

. Beauce, Dorchester, Lévis, Bellechasse and Montmagny counties, by

887-8. (2%e) 328 raed geen Ag tmagn peng ee 1890-91. (15c.) A ni . Low. i Moutreal shew ty H.W. Heo FD. Adame i

R. Bell. 1900. (18¢.) : treal, by F. D. Adams. 1901. (80c.) ; Chibougamou region, by A. P. Low. 1908. (10c.)

Ungava And Labrador.

by R. 1885. _(15¢.) aioe Rear EE Tae mee om) to ewe bad Low. 18096. (10c.)

ingava Bay, by A. P. "<e

), by R. Bell. 1808. (20e.) aa, RR Ar Lon. p tow. ce (102.)

New Brunswick And Nova Scotia.

8 Western New Brunewick and Restern Nova Seotie, by RW. Ells, 1885. (20e.) : eter eee es canbe' counts, NB., by L. W. Bailey Gu

. MeInnes. 1886. (10c.) and Halifax counties, N.S., by 1886. (265e.) ' by L. W. Bailey and W. McInges. 1887-88.

and Rimouski counties, by L. W. Bailey and W. McInnes. 1890-01. Colchester counties, N.S., by H. Fletcher. 1890-01. .)

L, W. . (106, diay, "isgé, (ae) ts

661,

W. 1900. (10e.) ? "E900. (h0e:) Bound together. (10¢.)

# a

In Preparation.

B.C, (full report), by R. W. Brock.

Edward county, and Kingston map-sheet, by R. W. Elis. sheet, by R. W. Eils.

between Lake Superior and Albany river, by W. J. Wilson and

Al

: E g

Collins. Nanaimo and New Westminster districts, B.C., by O. E. LeRoy.

(B.—Published by the Mines Branch.) ic ore deposits by magnetometric measureoe Sewer caeal ie operates Slr Se} By Eugene Haanel. ta made at Sault Ste. Marie, under Government auspices, — Canadian iron ores process.

of by the electro-thermic

Haanel. 1907.

the Limestones and the Lime Industry of Manitoba. J. W.

available.) " ieee re te Zine esouee of Det totus end prcepestive cusput of the Mines of the Gliver-Cobalt ores

Segerter Or Conditions of of End Hlontike, Yeusn. Bugene Haanel. 1902.

IN PRESS. Monograph on Graphite. Frits Cirkel,

'

a