The explorations and surveys in Nova Scotia were conducted during the past summer, as heretofore, under the supervision of Mr. H Fletcher, who left Ottawa for the field with his associates, Mr. E. R. Faribault, Mr. J. A. Robert and Mr. McMillan, on the 5th July. Mr. Fletcher's attention was devoted to the survey and examination, in which he was assisted by Mr. Robert, of that portion of Pictou county which lies between West River and the country that is described in Part B of the Annual Report for 1886, recently published. Mr. Fletcher reports having secured the services of Mr. Donald Fraser, of Springville, to trace the outcrops of the iron ores of the East River, and to describe the various workings on them.

Besides coal and iron ore there are, within the area examined by Mr. Fletcher, workable deposits of gypsum, limestone, freestone, sand, brick clay and fire-clay.. There is also a small deposit of bog-manganese in a brook at Glengarry.

The coal mines were not re-examined, but Mr. Fletcher states that " some alterations and some additions are now required in the map made by Sir W. E. Logan and Mr. Hartley, and published with the Report of Progress, Geological Survey, 1866-69. "The iron ores of Pictou county, though not yet developed, must be regarded as next to the coal in economic importance. They are found at West River, Glengarry, Gairloch, Lorne, Bridgeville, Blanchard, Sutherland's and French Rivers, within a radius of seven miles and a half, and consist of limonite, red hematite, specular, spathic and bog ore, in such abundance, variety and purity as to astonish all visitors. The ores of the East River and Blanchard were worked sixty years ago, in a small way, by the General Mining Association. Since then much money has been expended to develop the mineral resources of the district. It presents greater facilities for manufacturing iron profitably than are to be found in any other part of the Dominion, and it offers a field in which the investment of capital, by a company having enterprise and skill, would almost certainly result in the establishment of extensive and remunerative mining and smelting works, for the production of nearly all the grades of iron that are now imported. Pictou county is as favorably situated as are the best ore producing districts of Pennsylvania. There is a large market in the Dominion, as is shown by the value-nearly fifteen million dollars in 1886-of the iron and steel in various forms annually imported, much of which might be made in the country, labor being plentiful and cheap.

"The iron ores are in veins and in beds, varying in thickness from mere threads to one hundred feet. They crop out on hills and in bluffs, and the mines could be worked and drained by an adit to a depth, in most cases, of 200 to 300 feet, so that for some time to come neither pumping nor hoisting machinery would be required. "The limonite, which yields 65 per cent. of metallic iron, is associated with manganese in quantity, thus strongly resembling the limonites that are brought to England from Spain to be used in the manufacture of spiegeleisen, manganeisen and steel. The percentage of iron in the other ores is variable, but all are of workable richness. The Pictou coal is free from sulphur and yields a firm, excellent coke. Limestone for flux is in close proximity and can be quarried cheaply in any required quantity." A short and easily constructed branch railway would connect all the mines and the works with the Intercolonial main line, which now passes the coal mines, to an excellent shipping port on Pictou Harbor.

Cost of seasons exploration $1,500.

MINERAL STATISTICS.

Mr. Coste, Mining Engineer to the Geological Survey, has been engaged during the past year in collecting the material for, and in preparing a statistical report on the exports and imports and on the production of minerals in Canada in 1886, and, when the information was available, for some previous years also. This report, covering 85 pages, forms Part S of the Annual Report of the Geological Survey, Vol. II, new series 1886. It is also published separately and sold for twenty-five cents. The articles relating to salt and silver were prepared by Mr. E. D. Ingall, Mining Geologist of this Branch.

Mr. Coste was ably assisted throughout by Mr. H. P. Brumell. He was further greatly aided, and the work was much lightened and expedited by the readiness evinced in all quarters to send in returns and answer enquiries, while but for the information afforded by the Department of Mines in British Columbia and by Mr. Gilpin, Chief Inspector of Mines in Nova Scotia, it would have been impossible to have completed the returns for those provinces.

Mr. Coste states that "about 2,000 forms and 400 letters were sent and 665 forms and 185 letters were returned. Plans of twenty different mines were secured and copied.

With a view to prepare for 1887 a more detailed and complete report on the mining resources and industries of the country than that now presented, the following places were visited during the summer by Mr. Coste in order to make personal examinations and enquiries:

Port Arthur, Sudbury, Bristol Mine and places on the Kingston and Pembroke railway, Perth, Capelton and Montreal.

During these visits Mr. Coste observed "that in several districts the mining operations were being pushed with more vigor and success than during the previous year, especially in the Port Arthur silver district, along the Kingston and Pembroke railway line, at the Bristol iron mine, in the phosphate districts and at the Capelton copper mines. A wonderfully rich ore body was discovered in March of this year at the Beaver silver mine and in July was exposed in four different levels. Ninety to 100 tons of selected ore had been secured, which gave an average of $1,500 to the ton; 1,400 tons of rock, averaging by assay $40 per ton, had been treated in the mill and had been reduced to about fifty tons of concentrates, averaging by assay $1,000 per ton. On one day in July assays of the mill rock gave $85 and the concentrates

$2,300 per ton.

In the district along the Kingston and Pembroke railway and at the Bristol iron mines Mr. Coste observed a marked "renewal of activity in the working of the iron mines by two strong companies."

"Some of the Canadian ores, it is true, contain a high percentage of sulphur, but so do the similar iron ores of New Jersey, in some instances as much as per cent, and yet these ores are mined in large quantity. In 1880, there were 112 mines being worked in New Jersey, which produced 739,369 tons of ore. An analysis of the average ore of the Sulphur Hill mine gave 2.527 per cent. of sulphur. This ore was used in the company's furnace at Chester, N.J., but was first roasted in Taylor's patent gas kilns, and it is stated that in a sample taken from 100 tons of the roasted ore only 0 786 per cent. of sulphur could be detected.*

These facts are given by Mr. Coste to show that there is no apparent reason why the same treatment could not be successfully applied to the sulphurous Canadian ores, and he states that the experiment is now being tried by the enterprising Ottawa capitalists who are working the Bristol mine, and who last summer erected two large Taylor-Langdon gas kilns to roast their ore before shipment. Should this prove successful it will probably lead to the further development of a number of large deposits of iron ore that have hitherto beer neglected.

At the Capelton copper and sulphur mines some extensive new works were in progress both at the mines and near the railway station. At the latter, large new sulphuric acid works, nearly completed, and fitted with the best improvements, were being built by the present owners of the Albert, Hartford and Capel mines, Messrs. G. H. Nichols & Co., of New York. At the mine, also, extensive preparations for working on a larger scale were being made. These included the erection of a large crushing and concentrating plant, two new boilers, a pumping station three-quarters of a mile from the mine, a powerful hoisting engine, two air compressors and two shaft houses with corresponding well constructed skip roads. The old Albert, or present No. 1 shaft will also be repaired. It is now about 810 feet deep, and the vein is, on the whole, stronger in depth than it was nearer the surface. This is also the

Tenth Census of the United States. Vol. XV, pp. 145-147.

case in the Crown mine, which is further west on the same vein, and continues in active operation, the shaft having now reached a depth of more than 1,500 feet. Nearly 44,000 tons of ore were exported from these two mines (Albert and Crown) to the United States in 1886. The ore is an argentiferous iron and copper pyrites, very similar to, but holding a larger percentage of both copper and silver than that of the celebrated Huelva district in Spain, whence 550,000 tons were exported to England in 1886, valued at a little more than one million sterling. *

The cupriferous pyrites of the Eastern Townships contains as much sulphur as the Spanish pyrites and is, as stated, richer in copper and silver. If it could be introduced into England at the same price, about ten dollars per ton, there seems no reason why it might not compete successfully with the Spanish ores, and thus lead to the development of other valuable mines in the Eastern Townships.

In the phosphate mining industry Mr. Coste states "there is a renewal of activity in the Ontario district, where two promising properties are being worked by Capt. Boyd Smith, and by the Anglo-Canadian Company. In Quebec, Ottawa county, the mines continue to be actively worked and the production this year will probably be greater than in 1886." The introduction of Canadian phosphate in the United States is likely to become an important feature of the industry and to afford a large and profitable market.

Some hesitation and distrust is still noticed among many of the phosphate miners. This arises from the often irregular nature of the deposits, and from an idea at one time somewhat prevalent that most of the deposits were mere surface pockets. In this respect, however, there is no reason for supposing that the deposits of phosphate differ from those of iron ore or of any of the other associated minerals, and thus while some of the deposits may be quickly exhausted, others will be permanent to the greatest depth to which mining operations can be profitably carried.

During the summer Mr. Brumell was requested by Mr. Coste to visit localities in the counties of Essex, Lambton and Brant, in Ontario. He also spent five weeks in New Brunswick, in King's, Queen's, Westmoreland, Charlotte, York, Sunbury and Northumberland counties.

Early in October he was sent to examine into a reported discovery of coal at Campbellford in Ontario. The report, as was well known it must, turned out to be unfounded, the country there being all occupied by the Trenton limestone form

ation.

On the 13th of Oct. M. Brumell went to Lake Temiscaming, but owing to the steamer on the lake being disabled was unable to effect anything or to visit the mines.

Field expenses of Messrs. Coste and Brumell $1,088.40.

CHEMISTRY AND MINERALOGY.

The report furnished by Mr. Hoffmann on the work carried out in the chemical laboratory includes that in connection with the mineralogical section of the museum, to the arrangement of which much time and care has been devoted by Mr. Hoffmann, and as a number of new specimens has been added to the collections, considerable extension and re-arrangement of the cases has been necessary.

:

Mr. Hoffmann reports as follows:

"The work carried out in the chemical laboratory during the past year may be said to have an almost exclusive economic character. It included:

"I.-Analyses of numerous specimens of lignites, lignitic coals and coals from the North-West Territoriy and British Columbia. Of the coals examined from the last named province, three were from seams of considerable thickness, and proved to be of very superior quality.

"II.-Analyses of iron and copper ores.

"III.-Analyses of mineral waters.

Mining Statistics of the United Kingdom, 1886.

"IV.-Gold and silver assays. The number of these assays made in the laboratory during the period above specified amounted to one hundred and forty-eight, and exceeds that of any previous year.

"V.-Miscellaneous examinations, embracing chromic iron ore, clay, &c., &c. "In the last summary report of this section mention was omitted of the following additions to the list of minerals previously known to occur in Canada, viz., cookeite, urarinite, monazite and smaltite. They have, however, been fully referred to in Part T, Annual Report, 1886. The second mentioned, uraninite or pitch-blende, constitutes the principal ore of uranium, and is of economic importance, being employed in chemical operations, for painting on porcelain, and glass staining.

"The number of mineral specimens received for examination amounted to six hundred and ninety-eight, as compared with five hundred and forty-six for 1886, and three hundred and thirty-nine for 1885. A large proportion of these were brought by visitors desirous of obtaining information in regard to their economic value, and this was in most instances communicated in the course of a personal interview. In many cases, however, a more than cursory examination was called for, and the results were subsequently communicated by letter. Notwithstanding that correspondence has been as far as possible limited to the writing of only such letters as were absolutely necessary for the conveying of information in regard to the results of examination, analysis, assay, or economic value of mineral specimens, it shows a marked increase over that of preceding years. Altogether the time devoted to visitors and correspondence has been very considerable. The number of letters written amount to two hundred and seventy-seven, as compared with one hundred and seventy in 1885.

"The mineral specimens collected by Dr. G. M. Dawson in the Upper Yukon district are under examination, and the two mineral waters from Harrison Springs, B.C., collected by yourself will now shortly be submitted to analysis.

"Mr. F. D. Adams has, (with the exception of about three months and a half during the summer, when he was engaged in field work in the counties of Montcalm and Joliette, in continuation of work commenced in the season of 1885) in the capacity of assistant chemist, rendered excellent service, amongst other work conducted by him being that of the analysis of the water of one of the principal thermal springs at Banff.

"Mr. E. B. Kenrick worked faithfully and diligently as junior assistant chemist up to the end of August, when he left to accept a professorship at St. John's College, Winnipeg. The position occupied by him has since been filled by Mr. R. A. A. Johnston, an earnest worker.

"In the mineralogical section of the museum some of the specimens have been replaced by better ones of the same kind, and one hundred and twenty-six new have been added. These include the following presentations:

Allan, W. A., Ottawa:

Crystal of apatite from the Emerald mine, township of Buckingham, Ottawa County, Q. This crystal weighs five hundred and fifty pounds, and has a circumference of seventy-two and a half inches. It is supposed to be the largest crystal ever found in any country.

Muscovite, with inclusions of garnet, from the Villeneuve mica mine, Ville-
neuve, Ottawa county, Q.

Native silver from mining location R. 238, north of Atik Lake, west of
White Fish Lake, Thunder Bay, Lake Superior, Ont.

Chisholm, Duncan, Salt Springs, N S. :

Brick-clay and bricks from Salt Springs, Antigonish county, N. S.

Copeland, J. S., Merigonish, N. S. :—

Infusorial earth from Merigonish, Pictou county, N. S.

Daly, Thomas:

Phlogopite, from the township of Portland, Ottawa county, Q.

Egan, H. L., Ottawa:

Magnetite, from the township of Litchfield, Pontiac county, Q.
Haycock, E. B., Ottawa:-

Uraninite, from the township of Villeneuve, Ottawa county, Q.
Monazite, from the township of Villeneuve, Ottawa county, Q.

Hanks, Prof. H. G., 543, Clay street, San Francisco, Cal., U.S.

A fine specimen of the new anhydrous sulpho-carbonate of sodium, "hanksite"; also well-crystallized specimens of glauberite.

Keefer, T. A., Port Arthur, Ontario :

Zinc blende, from the Zenith zinc mine, north shore of Lake Superior, Ont. Lemieux, Joseph, Ottawa:

Hematite from Iron Island, Lake Nipissing, Ont.

McCool, James, Mattawa, District of Nipissing, Ont.

Apatite, from the township of Ferries, district of Nipissing, Ont.

McDonald, R., & Sons, Arnprior, Ont.;

Polished column and base of Arnprior marble, the stone having been taken from their quarry in the township of McNab, Renfrew county, Ont.

Mackenzie, Alexander, Montreal, Q. :

Gold-bearing rock from the Crow's Nest inine, Guysborough county, N. S. McLaurin, J., Templeton, Ottawa county, Q.:

Phlogopite, from the township of Templeton, Ottawa county, Q.

McNeely, J. L., Carleton Place, Ont. :

Hematite, from the township of Beckwith, Lanark county, Ont.

Copper pyrites from the township of Beckwith, Lanark county, Ont.
Moore, Isaac, Ottawa:-

Copper pyrites, from the south east side of Straight Lake, district of Algoma,
Ont.

Murphy, W. H., Ottawa:

Zinc-blende from the township of Calumet, Pontiac county, Q.

Poole, H. S., Stellarton, N. S.:

Carboniferous conglomerate carrying native gold, from Gay's River, Colchester, N.S.

Altered bitumen, from the falls measures immediately overlying the Acadia seam at Westville, Pictou county, N.S.

Anglesite, from the Big Dome Mine, Arizona.

Shea, Dennis, Bryson, Pontiac county, Q. :

Zinc-blende, from the township of Calumet, Pontiac county, Q.

Toronto Stone Company, Toronto:

A dressed cube of the dolomite from Pelée Island, Lake Erie, Ont.

Van Horne, W. C., V. P. Canadian Pacific Railway, Montreal :

Copper pyrites, from Sudbury, district of Nipissing, Ont.

Wild, General E. A., Port Arthur, Ont.

Silver glance, from the Rabbit Mountain mine, Thunder Bay, Lake
Superior, Ont.

Wright, G. B., Vietoria, B. C. :

Silver ore from four different claims, Illecillewaet, Selkirk Range, B.C. "Mr. R. L. Broadbent was for the space of eight months engaged in the prosecu tion of the work of permanent labelling of specimens in the mineral collection, re-adjusting the contents of some of the cases, and the maintaining of the same in an orderly condition. During the remaining months he was occupied in writing labels, under the direction of Mr. Whiteaves, for the biological section of the museum.