New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-11-11
CANADA'S MINERAL WEALTH.
GLANCE AT SOME OF THE MINES OF THE
DOMINION

ochs past Two meetings OF international Importance
nave been held in Canada. and both were followed
py excursions of still greater interest The first OK
cursion was made from Toronto to Sudbury after the
close OF tie meeting OF the American Association for
tne Advancement of Science early in September
Inc second excursion In charge Of the Dominion
and two Of the provincial governments Of Canada.
muse OF ontario and Quebec, and given TO the Amer
can Institute Of Mining Engineers. the conclusion
Oh their meeting at Ottawa early in october. The
interest felt In the latter meeting Is evident from the
TACT that each Of the three governments named paid
oi'OVo toward the expenses of the meeting and the
eAourSlon The appropriation OF the province Of On
tario for the Toronto meeting of the Science Asso-
ciaton was still liberal. though intended
much to defray the cost of excursions to examine
me mineral resources Of the country. 1t thought
however, that the mining engineers would thor
oughly appreciate the mines of the Dominion, and
'nat II would be most desirable to give them a correct
uea Oh tie wonderful resources Of Canada, about which
| SO little is yet known in the United States.
The Sudbury mines, which some of the mining
engineers visited after their Ottawa meeting. comprise
the most extensive deposits of nickel in the world.
lhese mines were first worked for copper. in which
they arc very rich. AS late as the spring of 1887
copper was the metal sought for, and the mines
were regarded marvels Of richness in this respect.
"hue hothlng was said or known about nickel. The
discovery Of nickel in the matte was accidental.
"hhe some OF It was being reduced to get out the
NNPPcl the characteristic color OF nickel was noticed
ms led to chemical analysis, and the color indl-
cation was confirmed. Furnaces then erected
al sudbury, and the burning and smelling Of the
oie was undertaken largo scale under the
direction OF Dr. Peters. The capacity Of the mines
ana Ot the two furnaces now exceeds by far the
entire worlds consumption of nickel in 1888. which
was less thar 1000 tons. The discovery Of these
neAhaustible mine, opportuneIy now thar the
mines OF NewCaledonia and Of the United States
either falling uuable IN cunDv nickel nj
Inc expense of working at Sudbury is wonderfully
small The ore occurs In masses elevated above the
level OF the surrounding region so that the process
OF getting ii is rather of quarryng tan of mining
few drill holes filed with dynamite Will throw
uown immense quantities at single blast. In
september a blast fired which, IL was estimated.
threw down 500 tons. DR.. Peters. a month LATER at
Ottawa, said that the proved to be $50 tons.
The method of treating the ore is extremely ingeni-
Gus and economical, many of the features being
original with Dr. Peters, who described the process
fully before the mining engineers at ottawa, and
received the highest commentator from them. The
ore Is first burned. being piled great heaps in the
burning yard, upon a super,truoture of wood. which
is ignlted, and sets fire TO the The
tinues burning for months, the contained sulphur
supplying the fuel 1t is necessary to regulate this
process so than proper medium OF temperature Is
preserved. Too little heat would reduce the
sufficiently; too much would melt 1t down into
sort Of glass To the proper temperature the
ore IS piled in alternate layers Of large pieces and
Of ore dust. The entire Of the fuel used is
only that Of wood enough to start the fre-abou,
two per ton of ore. The burning heaps
arranged side by side, ana after combustion has gone
on for weeks the interstlces filed up with
fresh ore which ignites, and the entire under
goes uniform combustion.
The burned ore Is then sncltod In furnaces with
powerful blast. An ingenious device OF Dr. Peers's
fteI lla nd ulota
of into movable tanks. thu, rendering impossible the
formation Of salamanders in the furnace. which
the bane Of blast furnaces generally. The resulting
matte contains eighteen per cent Of nickel,
and about twenty per cent of copper, besides
very small amount Of platinum. 1t is sent to swansea
and Philadelphia to be refined
DR.. Robert Els, Of ottawa. had charge Of the
Ottawa excursion. First there a trip to the
phosphate mines on the Lievre River in the County
Of Ottawa Province Of Quebec. The mines are
reached by steamer from Buckingham Landing. a few
miles north of Buckingha on the Canadian PACING
Railroad few miles east Of Ottawa. The Little
Rapids mine here showed some rich veins the
analysis giving in places purity of elghty-hve per
cent or even a little higher. The phosphate Is
generally associated with black mica and apatite
The product is now mostly shipped 10 England, a.
IS also the pure and beautiful fcdspar found In the
same neghborhood, the latter being used in stafford
SHIRE to mix with clay for file pottery. The Dest
phOs phate mines above Llile laplu9' anu thrIo
va, not time to visit them; but evidence OF their
value was seen in the lock which the Government
is building at these rapids, at a cost OF owe"
100000, TO facilitate shipment from these upper
mines -, -, -
found crcat masses OF curious substance called
mountain cork very light silca'e OF masneSld;
bv some meersc haum. Really is Kind of asbestos
Inc profits mining speculation mere a4e cum Pc
able with tho OF our western SIaicS' MI. INiie"
4 NM nod fIa
for ~ 900. and resOld 1t Tor @l0OuoO , 49,, =
Tie stay Of tine eXcuslonSt, a. Monao,t IlOU and
SATURDAY til Monday mark Dy RECEPTION an
drive to the KcdIatn Museum ana hounl ny az -.
by the committee OF the Common Conm oi; sveU
%, ptiDn by Sir William Dawson on SATURDAY eFelr
ing and an impromptu reception by Premier 9lelJ,or
his house IN -. Denis st, on Sulln 1N roada an
address. in which he expressed the hshe't rgs no
for the United states. ana the Sn,i"u ,nt,crs now
pending. lie said that he had always Ui1nartiaIly
Protestant minority in the Province d. PpId con
t,nuc thot poIlcy lie called attention o. te Nds'
resources Of the Province OF Quebec T ,a,e ~ miles
~ Territory h the boundary shall be hAeu a. lS
desires. at the Fast Main River - ' y,tic p 81
900 900 are arabic While not wishing t. ,,, np ~
neHed 10 the United States. he was quic WI meant
a''rn ,o" tbIgb sin of the tongue changed ms
meaning al the subsequent oNclrsDn oIi 49, Ran
~, Dec VT, Ii' and at Frontier Merclers request
otfercd an excursion 10 Quebec, 70 foIlo" the pro-
on Monday forty-nine trayelleF hfcr re-
on the E 3'NDrr AZ sherbrookc. the, party
visited The Eqs copper s %1f IN the Hars IS found
rct few miles s0 yet o % in canada one shaft
being feet II extent and 1s2"t was gO2 40
gve feet but is the poorest in the nine G ysd Of
II improves as it descends e,Pe tiS and Thciford
s.bcos mnes on the Quebec Central RAILROAD Tss
vlsred These the most wonui,iI. LIN from about
three inches thick down to mere lines Oh, hire Of
sect the rock in AL directions am he direction
Of the vein so a. TO make very short h9 pr have
embedded in sepentinc. rive i hun, Of nIack Lake
becn mined NJ the Wcrthcim mine al pa -, az
e DeSm $40 Il ton to mine IT, and selling at fro" The
10 500 and even $3.50, according 10 - rb has been
Thetfod mines are Older ana ni"'"
mined there Inland eIate quarry was
reacbed This slate Is very beautiful "tSn' cIeaye