The mountain Democrat., 1864-02-20
THE COPPER MINES OF CANADA.

interested directly or indirectly in copper
mines. it may be gratifying tC hear from
the new copper region 0f Canada east
am not a grologist, and therefore cannot
give a scientific description Of them, but
perhaps it is better 81 than TO write what
only few can understand. spent few
months last summer there, visiting all the
principal mines, aud had u good upportu.
! 5~N>~ &C ~t%iug the .sasti:c! :>>N> CS "!
.,in&.. ...,.,. ,p,.-.. ..-r-...-.,-...
There appears to be three great copper
bearing belts running through Canada
East, parallel to the,St LqEreHce, on the
tirst OF which IL the Acton, Wickham, and
Durham. The ore is chiefly in limestone
On the second Is the Harvey Hin, Halifax
and S%ffi;N. Tile ore here Is found in slate
The third includes the Ascot, the Ham
and the Gathby mines. The ore is in slate,
and much mixed with Gale spar. There
are many others not so well known and
developed, but to all appearances just as
rich and extensive.
There have been notrue veins discovered
in this region. From the surface indica.
tions the III StproSpectors were led to sup,
! pose that they were the "outcrop uf
, what would be at requisite depth well de.
tined lode. But they have always proved
leDticular masses" or interstratIiied
beds The lenticular masses are detach
ed masses Of very rich ore, having nearly
the form Of double convex lenses they
are supposed to occupy what were once
( assures IN the rocks. and to be the pro.
duct Of segregation. They are often
quite large, 100 tons OF 40 per cent, ore
have been taken from one of them. Ii is
. from the inttrstratied beds that the ma
iorit; Of ;he ore Is taken. The ore exists,
as the name denotes, IN thin laminae, or
in grains d!fused through the rock. 1t
is worked when II is only two per cent,
but il generally is il ON three to three and
half. The 0re is principally the purple
suiphurct, although almost all kinds exist
in some mines. spent two DAYS at the
famous Acton mine, and through the kind.
ness Of the agent and Captain Williams,
| had u good opportunity of seeing it,
The large amounts Of rich ore which were
taken out by the first owners, gave an
impetus TO mining, and was the cause Of
the discovery and development Of many
new ones. 1t is situated On the Grand
Trunk Railroad, 80 miles from Montreal,
and 24O f'om Portland, and is one Of the
largest and most productive mines in this
region, giving employment to 800 men. -
1t is oaned by the South Ea>tcrn Mining
Company, which was organized October
2Sth. 1862. The capital stock of the cor
poraton Is one million dollars, divided IN,
/, two hundred thousand shares of five
dollars each. The stock l. u,nstlv owned
in Boston and Ne York. a. j. most Of
the other mining stock. The operations
at this mine previous To- tie purchase by
the present. company were no, ut scirn.
the nature. Large masses of rich ore
1cIc i"Uud near the >IIiarr, which HaS
dug ut without regard ~ the mnnurr III
leaving the gr"uud aud when the debris
hHG {. II, ttvd L. an ItCunv cnirnI extent.
ncw up,nirG> Wcie made II that the Older
parts Il tac ml"e !, semitic a quarry rathrI
Ihar a mine. The present company hav,
.Xgr d. d, ani sill ME cXpcndine, Lrgv
>uhS III prospecting the rev grounds,
sinking >irait-, mmd ~ machiu,rv nnd
hUiiim.>; nrd, a,tlI"li4ti rhcv tut irto
Ill''I htA ''' diIi''IttA " 'ItV tl''lIll OV'
10 $50 ton pr uoutr. averaging tOui /, cu
pe, cent? u.'ir ""tia, j. ,guaD t" th,i, il
cuuc Mach oi ttl> l. ,,i dra,l wulk--
Ia the luiui", thv amounts >p.ut IirW via
Vie Il "a lrtuIu. lhe inilr, uav Il, said 10
hc liz pr">r,I"rS 'oudi'i"n. Th- tota'
>ale> ol coprrr frr thr yrnr ending ) It
, 3Utr, 1868, amounted to S23O,62y.
| 1t may h' proper qu'>tot to ask now
~ili these mines ruruparc with tho>, il
Cami"itln. H. the ores will by IN ruillI,r
tctiuu with your rr,riUct>. They hay,
many Advantages. Lahur is quite chrap
- ne hanir> l,"m 81 % 81 81 per Gay I;
mInct>, - /" 81 cents per daV boy 81
To 80 cents, cActu>lvr "i b"aIri. Mnrhlr
cry is less ,Xi" u>ivr. And ln>tIv, but bv
no mcnn> lca,t, cailIal j. ahu. innI. the
Wealthy m,n ul Bu>ili aud New York
hav" taken held "i these mines. To crun
t,rbalancc thc>', tnciI ores are Of luN
! per cent. and nquire much labor in drrs.
sing them up to Il profitable per CEN to
-mclt. The VEINS are not true veins, con.
Se.lH"htlv In.'c UHctItain.
lhc Il nand for copper is increasing at
wonderful rate, NJ is shown bv the prize.
The CONSUMPTION of corpcr III ordinary
years iuthc United States alone. is 25. .Uu0
UUU lbs. Thu>e Wh" ale best posted Sa\
that Il SuIt greater amount will be used
this year.
The estimated product of the Lake Su
! ptrior mucN which reached market in the
year ending Sept. /, is only $4,000, 900
pounds. So you see that the market j.
not likely to be ovcrStockcd with home
produced copper.
Another important mine is the Harvey
Hill, situated about At miles south of Que
bee, and about 81 miles from the Station,
on the Richmond and Qnebec Railroad -
This mine WAS opened in 1858, and has
been worked in very scientific manner
up to the present time. The object kept
in view being To explore and prove the
mine, rather than to take out ore. Sixty
men have been employed, on an average,
since the commencement. They have
five shafts, and an adit of 248 fathOms in.
to the hill. The expenditures upon this
mine have been 100000, while the ore
sent to market hus BEEN $4,000. The
following estimate oil ore from this mine,
delivered im Boston is, think, correct.--
Cost Of getting out and placing on the
dressing floor, including proper portion
of the expense of drifting and exploring
necessary to reach the ore. 81 per Ton ;
dressing, 90 to So per ton: barrels hold.
ing 500 pounds, thirty cents; 81 Al per
miners ton, Q, 2,352 pounds; freight to rail
road. SO; to Boston. Sc. This estimate
will do for the Acton mine, deducting the
| freipht In the road