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PARIS EXPOSITION,' ';
1900.
I The Minerals of Nova Scotia,
CANADA.
BY
E. GILPIN, Jr., A.M., L.L.D.,
(FeUom Royal Society cf Canada.)
HALIFAX, N. S. :
THE COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC WORKS AND MINES
QUEEN'S PRINTER.
1900.
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PARIS EXPOSITION.
1900.
The Minerals of Nova Scotia,
CANADA.
ev
E. GILPIN. Jr., A.M., L.L.D.,
^ {Ftllow Koyal Socltty Qf OwMUla.)
HALIFAX, N. S. :
THE COMMISSI ER OF PUBLIC WORKS AND MINES
UEEN'S PRINTER.
1900.
If 00
(/AA)
Minks Office,
Halifax, March 8, 1900.
The Hon. C. E. Church,
Gommi8aioner of Public Work8 and Mines.
Sir —The following notes have been prepared to accom-
pany the collection of Nova Scotia Minerals intended for the
Paris Exposition, and are respectfully submitted.
Yours truly,
E. GILPIN, Jr.,
Inspector H. M. Mines.
THE MINERALS OF NOVA SCOTIA.
The following description of the mineral resources of
Nova Scotia is not intended to give more than a brief outline,
sufficient to show their extent, position and variety.
This Province, forming the most easterly extension of the
American Continent, south of the St. Lawrence, may for
practical purposes be considered the point of America approach-
ing nearest to Europe. It stands like a pier projecting into
the Atlantic, and from its position seems marked to play
an important part in the future of the continent. Were it
even a barren and inhospitable land, its position would make
it important as the future gateway of travel between Europe
and the future centre of the continent. When, in addition to its
position, it is displayed, as bordering on the richest fisheries in
the world ; as possessing an equable climate favourable to
human longevity, and admitting of the most successful culture
of the fruits, etc., of the temperate zone ; and as abounding in
coal, and orea of iron, gold, and many other minerals ; it may
confidently challenge comparison with the most favored of its
neighboring provinces and states. The minerals which have
hitherto received most attention are coal, iron, gold and
gypsum ; but manganese, antimony, copper, barytes, lead,
clays, building stones, grindstonoa, etc., are important, although
hitherto but partially developed, sources of wealth.
.M"
COAL FIELDS.
The first to be noticed is the Sydney coal field, on the east
shore of Cape Breton. Its area of available coal is estimated
at over 500 square miles. It contains 12 seams, from 3 to 12
feot in thickness. The coals are highly bituminous, and
adapted for coke and gas making. It is classified for steam
purposes as superior to Newcastle, and nearly equal to the best
Welsh steam coal. Some of the beds enjoy a special reputation
as domestic coals.
The following analysis will show the general character of
these seams : —
Moisture 1260
' " ' Volatile Combustible matter 36"614
:^ ' Fixed Carbon 69-411
Ash 4116
Sulphur -850
Coal is also found in other parts of the Island of Cape
Breton. Hitherto the collieries opened in the Sydney district
have been sufficient to meet the demands of the trade.
Now that the trade of the province is rapidly expanding, the
deposits at other points are being opened up.
At Loch Lomond and at River Inhabitants, coal seams are
known to outcrop, but as yet they have not been opened up.
At Port Hood, Mabou, Broad Cove and Chimney Corner there
are extensive deposits of large seams of good quality. The
construction of a railway has been commenced, to run from
the Strait of Canso to the northern end of the island, through
the four districts I have mentioned. Collieries are being
opened at Mabou, and at Broad Cove ; and it is anticipated
that their favorable position wilt give them command of the
r
6 .,,,., ,
coal trade of the Qulf and River of St. Lawrence. The coat
in these districts is similar in quality to that found on the
opposite or eastern side of the island, being of a bituminous
and coking character.
Passing to the mainland, coal occurs at Pom(|Uet and Hallo-
well Grant.
The first district that is worked on the mainland is known
as the Pictou Coal Field. This di>»trict covers an area of
about 35 square miles, and is noted for the unusual develop-
ment of some of its beds. There are sixteen seams known,
from 3 to 34 feet in thickness. The coal is not as bituminous
as that from the Sydney Coal field, but is still a coking coal,
except in the case of a few seams. The coal from this district
is used at the iron furnaces at Londonderry and Ferrona, and
has a good reputation for steam purposes.
The Cumberland Coal field has not yet been explored over
all its area, which is estimated at 400 square miles. Opera-
tions have been hitherto practically confined to Springhill and
the Joggins. At the former place there are seven seams, from
three to twelve feet in thickness, three of which are exten-
sively worked. The coal is similar in character to that from
the Pictou district, and is largely used on the Grand Trunk,
Canadian Pacific, and other railways.
Coal is known in Colchester, Hants and Antigonish coun-
ties, but no attention has yet been paid to it.
The foregoing shows that there is a large supply of coal
available in the province, and that the different qualities are
suited for almost every domestic and industrial use.
The annual production of coal in the Province is steadily
increasing. Home consumption is large, and will be greatly
increased upon the completion of the large Iron and Steel
Works being built at Sydney. In spite of the duty placed on
coal by the United States, large amounts are sent to Boston,
and adjoining towns. The coal exported to the United States
is used principally for making gas in closed ovens, with the
coke, ammonia salts, etc., as by-products.
The following table will serve to show the sales for the
year 1899, and their distribution : —
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The coal from all the districts of the province is suitable for
iron and steel making, as it forms a strong and pure coke.
The coke from some seams is in quality fully equal to that of
the best Connelsville coke, which is taken as the standard in
the United States .
r
[
IRON OPES,
The iron ores of Nova Scotia are varied and abundant, and
have as yet received comparatively little attention.
In the western portion of the province, there are important
deposits of red hematites and magnetites ut Torbrook,
Clementsport and Nictaux. The Torbrook mine in this dis-
trict furnishes annually about 30,000 tons for the Londonderry
furnaces.
On the opposite side of the Basin of Minas, in Cumberland
and Colchester Counties, the Cobequid Mountains contain
important bodies of limonite and carbonate ores, which have
been worked for many years at Londonderr3^ The Cobequids
continue to the eastward int'^ Pictou county, and here the
deposits consist of limonite and specular ores. In addition,
the clinton shales contain numerous beds of red hematite,
some of which are fifty feet in thickness. There are also
important deposits of limonite and spathic ores in lower
carboniferous ttrata. The iron of these ores runs from 35
to nearly 70 per cent., some of the ores ranking as good
Bessemer, while all are good furnace ores. In this county the
ores are in close proximity to coal and fluxes, and every rail-
way facilitj' exists.
The continuation of this ferriferous range reaches the Gulf
of St. Lawrence at Arisaig. This locality has hitherto received
little attention, but several beds of red hematite of good
quality are known. These ores being close to shipping will
probably be utilised for furnaces in Pictou and Cape Breton
counties.
In Guysboro several large deposits of specular ore have
received a limited attention, and similar deposits occur in
f
Richmond County. Upper Stewiacke, Grand Lake, Goshen,
Selma, Pugwash and Brookfield, may be mentioned as points
where important deposits are indicated.
In Cape Breton the presence of numerous deposits has been
known for some time, but no mining or development work of
any extent has been done. At Whycocomagh, in laurentian
strata, are red hematite deposits, probably containing large
amounts of ore. Promising deposits are known at East Bay
and George's River. Loch Lomond, Big Pond, Smith's Brook,
Lake Ainslieand Lewis Mountain, may be mentioned as yield-
ing iron ores. The scheme, now being carried out, of erecting
a large blast furnace plant in the vicinity of the coal mines
will stimulate prospecting, and no doubt many more deposits
will be found which may prove of value.
The following anal^'ses will serve to convey an idea of the
composition of some of the Nova Scotia iron ores : —
-,■,:-.-■ Cape Breton. m,.,.^'t:' ''■... . ■ .:
" ' '* Big Pond. Whycocomagh.
Metallic Iron 61.39 60.90
Silica 9.04 10.80
Phosphorus tr. . tr.
Sulphur tr. tr.
Alu*nina 1.40
M&giicsia 1.22 ' 1.64
Lime 1.86
Manganese
*' " y Nova Scotia Proper.
Pictou Pictou Londonderry Torbrook
(Specular.) (Limonite.) (Limonite). (Hematite.)
Metallic Iron 64.41 56.83 57.85 59.86
Silica 3.68 4.80 4.79 5.93
Phosphorus 04 .07 .09
Sulphur .^ 16 trace. .60 .11
Alumina 2.95 . . .56 3.14
Magnesia 0.46 . . .10
Lime 41 .63 .15 2.16
Manganese 2.74 .20 .25
Water . . 10.71
r
10
^ GOLD FIELDS,
The Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, from Canso to Yarmouth,
is occupied by a aeries of very old rocks, whose age, certainly
greater than the silurian, is still a subject of debate among
geologists. These rocks, consisting of slates and quartziteg,
are broken through at numerous points by intrusions of gran-
itic rocks, which have induced much local metamorphism.
They have been folded by a force, acting at right angles to the
general trend of the shore, into numerous plications, having
a general east and west course. The folds have usually high
dips, and the anticlinal crests, where cut off by denudation
show layers or veins of quartz, intercalated with the slates
and quartzites. These quartz fillings occupy the spaces formed
between the layers of roek, by the compressing and elevating
force, and are frequently auriferous.
These anticlinal crests are very numerous, and the veins in
some of them have been worked for a long time. Recent
experience has shown that the most productive veins lie close
to the course of the anticlinal, and that many veins producing
gold do not come up on one side of the anticlinal axis, and
drop down again on the other side, but turn over and descend
again without coming at all to daylight.
The veins vary in thickness from three inches to twelve
feet, and their gold contents run in the worked veins from
four pennyweights to twenty ounces per ton. In the richer
veins, the gold usually occurs in zones or bands in the veins,
lenticular in shape, and usually with a decided dip to the
east or to the west. In some veins, however, the gold occurs
in irregular pockets, apparently following no fixed law of
deposition. The veins carry, in addition to gold, iron, copper,
zinc, ond lead sulphides, and frequently show considerable
percentages of arsenical pyrites. These minerals are not
valuable as a source of supply of the metals they are com-
11
posed of, but are sometimes saved in the mills to be treated a
second time for the gold they contain.
Hitherto, mining on these veins has been carried to a
limited depth only, the deepest shaft not having reached
seven hundred feet, while the average depth does not exceed
two hundred feet. The veins, being usually in firm rocks with
well defined walls, are opened by shafts sunk on their dip.
Mining costs vary with the condition of each vein, but it
may be asserted that the expenses of mining, pumping and
hoisting are lower than in any similar class of works elsewhere.
The compact nature of the rocks renders the workings, when
proper precautions are taken to exclude surface waters, so dry
as to give very small pumping costs.
The quartz passes from the mine without dressing, etc., to
the mill, which is usually driven by steam. The mills are
almost invariably stampers, and vary in size from five to
thirty-five stamps. The pattern of the mills is based on the
best United States models, with improvements suggested by
local experience. As the quartz carries Its precious burden,
as coarse and free gold, amalgamation is carried on in the
mortar and on plates. The gold bullion is of good quality,
carrying little silver, and averages, I believe, about S19.25 at
the mint.
The production of gold during the year 1899, was, in round
numbers, about 30,000 ounces, from a dozen localities. The
business, although small, is, when pursued methodically,
remunerative, and is capable of unlimited extension, as there
are numerous anticlinals unworked, and many more to be dis-
covered in unexplored districts. The mines are all within easy
reach of roads, and of the harbors along the coast, and aid is
furnished by the Provincial Government in opening roads to
new mines. The Nova Scotlans make excellent miners, and
prefer this work to almost any other occupation.
12
GYPSUM,
Few countries show such wide-spread and valuable deposits
of gypsum as Nova Scotia. Here the mineral, as hard and
soft gypsum, occurs with limestone, in measures of lower car-
boniferous age, in immense beds, frequently runnin» for miles
in white cliffs. Owing to facilities for shipment, the greatest
development of gypsum mining has been effected in the
vicinity of Windsor, in Hants county. The annual export
from this district is about 150,000 tons, valued at about one
dollar a ton. The rock is taken from open quarries, trammed
to the vessels, and shipped to the United States, principally
for agricultural purposes, although a considerable amount is
used for construction purposes. Numerous deposits occur in
the Island of Cape Breton, and are utilised to a small extent
for shipments to Montreal and United States ports The
mineral is found of every grade of quality, and in many of the
quarries it is of almost chemical purity. Locally it is used to
a small extent, either applied directly as a dressing to the soil,
or as the basis of several forms of fertilisers. The total pro-
duction for the year 1899 may be estimated at about 170,000
tons. Free sulphur, borates, and salts of magnesia, occur in
gypsum, but are not, as yet, found in quantities of economic
value.
The occurrence of salt as crystals and layers in the gypsum,
and in the form of brine springs in connection with the marls,
etc , accompanying it, leads to the belief that boring operations
would disclose workable deposits of this valuable mineral. As
yet, however, no attention has been paid to this subject.
f
13
ANTIMONY.
Some years afifo a valuable mine of auriferous Antimony ore
was worked at Rawdon, in Hants County. Owing to legal
and other troubles the mine has remained closed for some
time. The ore was of good quality and decidedly auriferous.
As the district in which the deposit was worked shows veins
of ore over a considerable extent of ground, it is probable
that it will again become a producer. ' >
, ' /....
BARYTES,
...-,S"
Sulphate of Barytes is fuund at Five Islands, River John,
Gay's River, Loch Lomond, etc. It has been worked inter-
mittently at these places to supply local works. The output
seldom exceeds a few hundred tons in any one year. Carbonate
of Strontium is noted by the officers of the Geological Survey,
as occurring at several points in the lower carboniferous
limestones in Cape Breton.
t.M> V/-"-l -.,
MANGANESE
Mancfanese ores are common
in the carboniferous and
devonian rorks of several parts of the Province. The most
continuous mining of this ore has been carried on at Teny
Cape, in Hants County. Here the ore is a very pure binoxide,
presented as pockets and irregular veins in limestone. The
annual production from this district has seldom exceeded 200
tons, most of which, it is said, is used by glass-makers There
is a large district here showing signs of this ore.
Near Truro, and in connection with the limonite deposits
of Pictou County, considerable amounts of a similar grade of
.1 ■
u
Manganese ore have been mined at different times. Promising^
deposits occur on the College lands, Lunenburg County.
In Cape Breton County, near Loch Lomond, a very good
quality ot* the ore occurs in connection with limestone and
slates, and is worked to a small extent Hitherto only the
high grade ores have been worked in Nova Scotia, and I am
not aware of any deposit having been found adapted to the
iron and steel makers' use. It is, however, reasonable ta
expect that where the ore is so abundant in its more concen-
trated state, that bodies must exist mixed with iron, etc.
Wolfram. — The occurrence of Wolframite, in quantity
apparently of economic value, was announced some time aga
from the Margaree River. But little has been done to test
the extent of the deposit. The discovery of this mineral i&
interesting, as it frequently occurs with tin ore, a discovery
of which in Nova Scotia would attract much attention.
COPPER ORES.
The copper ores of Nova Scotia have only recently received
attention at all proportionate to their importance. The upper
carboniferous measures extending through Pictou, Colchester^
Antigonish, and Cumberland counties, show at numerous
pcints deposits of copper ore ; in places, of high grade, in other
places mere disseminated. During the past summer several
mines have been opened on deposits of this character in Pictou
and Colchester counties, and a smelter has been erected at
Pictou to treat not only the local ores, but those from Cape
Breton and other points on the Gulf of St. Lawrence. In the
counties of Antigonish and Pictou, in devonian strata, associ-
ated with granitic and dioritic dykes, are copper deposits
which have been tested to some extent and promi.se to be
valuable. In the Island of Cape Breton the traces of copper
ore are wide spread, and promise that some day Cape Breton
will prove like its neighbor, Newfoundland, the seat of an
important copper mining industry.
The felsites, etc., of laurentian age seem to be the principal
r
16
-copper-containing rocks. At Coxheath, near Sydney, con-
sidtrable development work has been done on a series of large
lenses containing copper pyrites with some silver ai)d gold.
At Cheticamp, on the northwest coa^t of the island, develop-
ment work has shown promising depositsofgold-V earing copper
ores. Other places in the island containing copper ore are
French Vale, Mira, Eagle Head, St. Ann's and Whycocomagh.
It is expected that the smelter now approaching completion at
Pictou will stimulate an interest in opening up the more pro-
mil; ing outcrops.
LEAD.
The carboniferous limestones of Nova Scotia, already men-
tioned in this sketch, are frequently met carrying lead ore, as
galena. Usually the ore as observed is finely disseminated,
or segregated into small veins. At several points, however, in
the Stewiacke district, in Colchester county, especially at
Pembroke and Smithfield, the bodies of galena are large and
important. At the latter point a deposit has been proved to
contain ore in quantity to permit of working.
There is a probability of this deposit being opened out and
utilized in the near future for supplying the home market,
which is of considerable dimensions. As a rule, the silver
percentages of the Nova Scotia galenas are not high, when
they are met in the limestones, but samples from veins in
older rocks have shown promising contents of both gold and
silver.
At Cheticamp, Inverness county, an important silver-lead
property is being developed.
Molybdenite is found at several points in Lunenburg and
Cape Breton counties, in quantities which would repay work-
ing. Deposits of pyrites, of fair qualify, are known in Cape
Breton county, and in some deposits copper and nickel are
reported as occurring in small quantities. No attention has,
-however, yet been paid to these ores.
The triassic trap and amygdaloid of the Buy of Fundy yield,
I
1«
in profasion, zeolites, and th^ associatetl varieties of quartz.
Nowhere, perhaps, in the world, can the collector of these
minerals find a richer gathering ground.
The more common minerals applied to the builder's art
are abundant and varied in Nova Scotia The marbles, gran-
ites, redstones, etc., of Nova Scotia, should find a wide market
in the United States. In the counties of Cumberland, Col-
chester and Pictou there are numerou.s deposits of the best
sandstone or freestone, of every variety of color and texture.
Quarries have been opened at points most accessible to ship-
ping, and a small trade has been built up with the neighboring
provinces and the United States. As wood is almost univer-
sally used in Nova Scotia for structural purposes, the local
market for all the varieties of building stones is limited. At
numerous points on the Atlantic shore the granites, already
referred to in connection with the gold districts, furnish
excellent stone, of differing textures and shade. Small
amounts have been used at Halifax in the fortifications, and
for foundations, etc. A quarry at Shelburne yields stone satis-
factorily used for street paving, and superior to the imported
article.
The carboniferous limestones are sometimes used for struc-
tural and railway purposes. The Cobequid Mountains and
somie districts in Cape Breton contain syenites, red granites,
gneisses, etc., of excellent quality. None of these stones have
been quarried. * .r-..,- .
At West Bay, Ben Eoin, East Bay, and other points in Cape
Breton, are deposits of marble of good quality and pre-
senting many beautiful shades.
The Bras d'Or Marb!e Company have opened a quarry for
marble on their property at West Bay. The quality of their
rock appears good, and it should command a ready sale.
There are large amounts of this marble burned into an excellent
lime for use locally and in the neighboring provinces.
The measures already referred to as yielding building stone
in Pictou, Colchester and Cumberland counties also yield stone,
worked to some extent at Lower Cove, Cumberland county,
into grindstones, snathes, whetstones, etc., In connection with
17
this reference to building stones and abraHive materials it may
be mentioned that deposits of tripoli, infusorial earth and
emery sand are njet at numerous points, and are now being
utilized.
Clays, suitable for firebrick, abound in the coal measures,
and the manufacture of this article should pay well, as there
is a considerable local demand at the collieries, furnaces, etc.
A few small potteries supply the home market. The deposits of
brick clay are abundant and excellent. Improved methods of
manufacture, producing a better quality of brick, would
greatly extend its consumption, as in the cities and villages
the superiority of brick over wood for dwelling houses is
being recognized more and more.
From these very brief notes it will be seen that although
the area of the province is small, the mineral resources are
large and varied, and the slow rate of their development is
due chiefly to the inclination of the people to engage in the
pursuits of fishing and lumbering, which yield ready returns
with a small outlay of capital. The consolidation of the
principal collieries of the Sydney district, under a wealthy
syndicate of capitalists in the New England States, with a
view to developing a large export of coal to Boston, etc., shows
that outside attention is being drawn to the mineral resources,
and it is believed that this is but the commencement of a
large and widespread interest in the mineral wealth of Nova
Scotia, ■■■^'v
The coal, gold, copper, lead and silver ores are all held by
the Crown, and can be leased on easy terms. Part of the iron
ore is held in fee simple by the owners of the soil, and part
belongs to the Crown. Licenses to search, covering five
square miles, and running for eighteen months, can be pro-
cured for $30, and a lease of the mineral sought can be
selected out of the license. The leases are of various sizes up
to one square mile in extent. The gold and silver leases are for
forty years ; those of other minerals are for eighty years.
These leases carry powers to expropriate any surface lands
needed for mining purposes, and are unusually favorable. The
royalties are : on coal, ten cents a ton ; on gold, two per cent.
T
18
on tho bullion valued at #18.50 an ounce. The iron ore
royalty is five cents a ton, and so on.
The advantages of these titlee proceeding directly from the
frovernment, are evident, and have been much appreciated by
mining people, who find that they are met, in coming to Nova
Scotia, not by grasping private individuals, but ly a Oovern-
ment anxious to promote the development of mining.
Further information will be furnished on application to the
Canadian Geological Survey, Ottawa, or to the Department of
Mines, Nova Scotia.
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