The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-04-08
From the New York Herald.
A Valuable Discovery.
lMMEN;E QUANTITIES CT TIN ORB on TIE
SHORES OF LAKE SUPERIOR.

10 the discovery of mineral deposits
on the shores and beneath the bed Of
Lake Superior there seems to be no end
The extraordinary rich mines of native
copper Of that region have attracted the
attention Of the world, while its noun
tains Of unsurpassed iron ore are nearly
as widely known. Moro recently exceed
ingly rich deposits of silver have been
found and prodtably worked on the north
shore. near Thunder Bay, while other
deposits of the same metal have just been
discovered on the Iron River, in the
vicinity Of the Porcupinc Mountains, on
the south coast. Reports of gold discov-
cries in the immediate vicinity of the lake,
at various points about its westerly end,
reach US, with every evidence of their
crcdibil,y.
But more valuable far thon all these is
the recent discovery of tin ore in the
same prolific quantities and richness that
characterize all the deposits Of that won
deriul country. This discovery, the lat
est and as yet the least developed of any
Of the mineral discoveries of the region,
promises to be the most important and
valuable because OF the scarcity Of the
metal on thi, continent and its universal
use in this age Of the world There have
been several slight traces of tin ore found
in various localities in the United States
Mexico; but none of them have develop
cd the metal in sufficient quantities to re.
pay the cost Of mining. Some years ago
the United States Government, realizing
the value and Importance of this metal
offered reward Of 100000 for its
discovery in quantities sufficient to Justify
its mining and the Canadian authorities
also offered liberal reward for the same
| object. Both Of these offers, after stand.
ing open for years without accomplishing
the desired purpose, were subsequently
withdrawn. Now American enterprise
and energy have brought to light what
these large rewards failed to disclose.
The deposits which have been but so re.
Gently discovery are virtually inexhausti-
bic, and according to the analyses of the
ores that have been made are, like the
other metallic deposits of the Lale Supe.
rior region, Of unexamplol richness.
n few years ago a vein Of virgin silver
was discovered on nearly submerged
lslet, just oil the entrance to Thunder
Bay, on the north shore Of the lake. This
discovery was followed by the formation
Of Il company, with ample capital, that is
now working at that poin: enc of the most
successful silver mines in the world. This
discovery stimulated the zeal of explorers,
with whom the whole north shore was
soon covered. These enerprisng search
crs after hidden wealth soou unearthed
other beds of silver along the coast in the
vicinity Of Thunder Bay; and one hun.
dred miles back in the interior, in the re.
gion Of Shebandowan Lake, brought to
light promising beds of quartz richly
studded with gold. This discovery has
remained in abeyance until the present
time, it is alleged, because of dispute
between the Provinces of Ontario and
Monitoba as to the ownership of the soil,
and consequents for the land. But the
adventutrous and exploring parties that
pushed out in other directions from Thun.
der Bay were equally successful iu their
discoveries, and more so in their ability
to secure title to the lands. One of these
parties, following the coast down to the
southeastward, in the vicinity of Otter
Head, on the main land, north of Michi-
picotten Island came upon a series of well
defined veins Of mineral deposits, cutting
through the lofty cliffs that line that
and losing themselves in ,he fathomless
depths Of the lake, These veins yielded ar
exceedingly hard, dark and heavy ore
that was unknown to the explorers, bu
was supposed to be iron. Specimen.
were secured for assay, bat when testet
for iron failed to yield that metal. Traces
more or less, of copper and silver wer'
5 found in 30 ne of the specimens,a and some
r did yield fair show of iron, but not
t sufficient percentage to account for thu
5 high specific gravity ofthe the ore. Th
5 assayers to whom the specimens wer
!, submitted were either wholly unacquaint
i ed with tin, or else because that meta
d was SO completely unknown on this cor
s tinent they failed to suspect its presence
e and therefore made no tests for it; an
Is SO the value of the discovery was for
e long time unknown. Some assays thi
" were made of the product Of these veil
X did produce white metal, which. as 81
X yer was the metal sought, was taken f
S. silver without much scrutiny. But late
as and more thorough and more scientif
Ia analyses, made by Professor Williams,
E. the Missouri School of Mines, at Roll
y Mo. by DR.. Aug. +. JennIng chemi
I'd aud assayer of the Detroit Mineralogica
1g Mining and Assaying Associat' 0
y, and by Dr. Torrey, of the Unit
It. States Assay Office in this city, establ
n. the presence of tin in prolific quantitit
lis DR.. Torrey says;
is The ore is true tin stone or cassite
of ite, mixed with quartz some of it
ais massive, but a considerable portion Of t
ed specimen examined in the form of sma
he translucent quadrangular prisms, some
zee which are perfectly terminated. I
pc average of the samples yielded 33,3 I
Ter cent. of metallic pulyerized mineral tC
,n- considerably higher percentage OF met
ainl DR.. Jennings analyzed great numl
lsc Of specimens, producing an aggreg
ow average yield of 2S,7 per cent. Of met
try lie tin. Some of his specimens yielt
by as high as 57.7, In reporting his ana
ess sis he says;