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The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent 6tre film6s A des taux de riduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clich6. il est filmd ^ partir de I'angia supArieur gauche, de gauche d droite. et de haut en bas. en prenant le nombre d'imagas nicessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 •^mmm ^^ ^-?>--.'*s% C GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA silt \V. I']. liddA.N, F.K'.S., 1 1| KM Toll R E r R T S # UK MK. A. MKIIIEL am) DIJ. T. STUKRY HUNT ON IIIK GOLD REGION OF CANADA THANSMITTKI) HV SlU W. K. LiUJAiN TO TlIK HON. (JOMMISSIONEU OF CROWN LANDS >-v> Kkkiuauy 14, IHdO. ',. s^a^;^!^ ■♦ '^'j^-^ F'?ie\1 MONTREAL: 1 sot;. /■ ■■^■1 *'''*'*'°!?e'; *'"»^=^ O" CANADA ""-'i-.>, l-.K,,'?., DiHECTOR. REPORTS op MR. A. JirCHEL AND DR. T. STERRY HUNT O.V TUB GOLD REGIOJV OF CANADA TRANSMimi, BY SIR VV. E, LOGAN TO THK HON. COKBSSIOMB OP CEOWJ U»M M FfiBRUARY 14, 1866. /-n '?:i.^ r^ C> i, -S /^ ^y? *-' ^ o MONTREAL; 1866. MONTRKAL M LONOMOOKK A CO., I'KINTKUS, OUKAT ST. JAJIKH S'l'HKET. Irt()(i 'j • • . • • • » • • • .•• /•• • • » • ••• • « « t • « • • • -t • • • • t • • • •: » • • • • • • « • ••• • • • • • . / • • *'.* • • • • • • • -4 • •/ • • • • . / • f • • • • • * • * • * • • • ■ * t • MoNTiiKAi,, 14th Febiuary, iSdd. Sik: In compliance with your request of the 6th January last, that I would communicate to the Cro>vn Lands Department the results of any analyses of Canadian gold-bearing quartz veins, of which specimens had been obtained under the direction of the Geological Survey during the last year, I have now the honor of transmitting to you the Report of Mr. A. Michel and that of Dr. T. Sterry Hunt. Mr. Michel, who formerly managed the practical working of gjld mines in South America, has now for about three years devoted his attention to the auriferous region on the south-east side of the St. Lawrence in eastern Canada, and was last season engaged by the Survey to examine such gold- bearing quartz veins on the Chaudiere as had been opened by mining exca- vations, as well as to collect specimens of tliu same for analysis. He was instructed at the same time to study the facts relative to the distribution of gold in the gravels and clays, and to give such an account of the gold- mining operations of the last two or three years as his opportunities might enable him to furnish. Previous to visiting the Chaudiere on behalf of the Survey Mr. Michel had been employed by Mr. R. W. Henekor, the Commis- sioner of the British American Land Company, to examine for gold various lots of land belonging to the Company in the Eastern Townships, and by the kind permission of Mr. Ileneker Mr. Michel has included in his present Report the facts there ascertained. The specimens of quartz collected by Mr. Michel have been assayed by Dr. Hunt, who, in addition to the results of his analyses, hos embodied in his Report such remarks as have been suggested by the facts ascertained by Mr. Michel, together with information on some points connected with the assaying and working of gold that may be of use to miners. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your most obedient servant, W. E. LOGAN. To the Honorable A. Campbell, M.P.P., Commissioner of Crown Lands, Ottawa. 'S^'S^'oS RATPORT ■sl'll (,.\ REGION AURIFfiRE DU BAS-CANADA PAR M. A.. MICHEL, AURKSSf; A SIR W. E. LOGAN, F.R.S., DiBtXTKl-ll UK l/Exi'LOUATKiN GftOLOCHiUK UU CaKAOA. MoNTKlOAL, le Icr fevrier, 1866. MONSIEI'K, Depuis la publication dcs rapports dans lcs(iuels vous signalez les princi- paux faits connus juscpi'alors rclativcnicnt vi la distribution geologi(|ue dc Tor dans Ic Bas-Canada, de nouvellea et r\ ravaiicc et souvent tr(^s- dtendue. Juanu'fl cc jour, aucun travail de mine de loiiji^ue dur<^e n'a encore 4it6 prdpard ni entrcpris, et nulle part, daiw la lias-Canada, on n'a mis en prati(iuo cos procddres ct mdthoii do Tor dans le <|uartz est irrdgulierc, Cos ossais nndtiplioa des specimens d'un memo gite, ont ndanmoins lour importance, puis({u'ils constatont la qualitj;en('ralit() du district, ai-jc du bonier mon examen si celui de la sei^neurie de Vaudreuil ou, jusquTi ce jour, I'or alluvial a 6t6 le plus activement recherche, le plus abondamment trouv(j, et dans la(iuelle, des ^ites de (juartz ddja decouverts, offraient alors a I'etude plus dc facilites ((ue partout ailleurs dans la region. L'or alluvial a 6t6 fructueusement recherche dans la Chaudiere, aux confluents de cette riviere avec plusieurs coui-s d'eau torrentueux (jui char- rient le precieux metal. C'est surtout au lieu dit les raj'ides du Diable, ou la Chaudiere forme brus(iuement un coude, pour couler E.N.E. a O.S.O., (ju'j Tor a etc le })lus abondamment trouvi'', dans les cavit(^s, les fissures et les craccpies des schistes argilcux ix dopenses convenables et neccssaires pour des travaux prepara- tuir ^, pourraient exploiter avantageusemcitcertaiiics zones de cette riviere, entre les I'apides du Diable et son conHuent avec la riviere du Loup. La riviei-e Guillaume ou dcs Plantes, dont les bords, entre les deux chutes, sont escarpes, coule, depuis son confluent avec la Chaudiere jus(|u'j\ la grande chute situee a plus d'un mille du chemin, successivem'.'nt sur la serpentint!, la diorito ct les schistes cristallins. Le lit de ce cours d'«;au toi-- rentueux, encombre de grosses roches et dc galets de toutes dim.-nsions, a etc fructueusement explore par les habitants, et i\L le Dr. James Douglas y a entrepris, il y a plusieurs ann(jes, au-dessus et pros de la [jctito clu'ite, un travail regulicr, trop promptemeut abandoniK?, apres avoir produit une valeur en or de 2,500 a ;},000 dollars. J'ai consacre plusieurs journ^ies, en octobre 1868, a I'exploration de ce cours d'eau, et Tor est apparu dans les r(5sidus de la plupart des platees de graviers lavees sous mes yeux, avec les mineraux ordinairement associds au m6M nrdcieux, tels (pie le fer chrome, le fer titand et le fer oxydule. Je sais (lu'une association de ciiKj hal)itants, ayant consacr(' une vingtaine de journeeh,, en juillet et aout derniers, a la recherche du precieux mecal, un peu a ramont de I'ancien travail du Dr. James Douglas, a retire de huit a neuf onccs d'or des graviers reposant dans les anfractuosites ou ayant p^netrd dans les cracques des diorites. L'ne autre societe, travaillant uu peu plus haut, a cette meme (5p0(pie, a perdu son temps : il est vrai, (ju'en cette place la, I'argile bleuatre, indico certain d'alluvions pauvres, dans la region aurifere du Bas-Canada, separait les graviers du plan form(; par le schiste. Les graviers en contact avec la ser- pentine, depuis la petite chute jus(iu'a la Chaudiere, n'ont pas encore etc exploites par suite de retablissement d'un moulin aiKjuel cette exploitation porterait prejudice. Jusipi'a ce jour, la riviere Gilbert a etd, a la Chaudiere, le theatre des tra- vaux de mine ainsi (pie la source des produits les plus importants : je lui devais done un examen special dont jevais rendre compte. En remontant ce cours d'eau, torrentueux apres la fonte des neigos, mais d'une exploration comparativemcnt facile pendant la belle saison, en rencontre sur le lot No. 75 du premier rang N. E., les vestiges des travaux entrepris, il y a seize ans, par M. le Dr. James Douglas, lesquels ont produit une assez notable (piantitd d'or, et qui n'auraient tjte abandonnes, m'a-t-on assur(!, (pie par suite d'une direction incxp(jrimeut('e. Une soc\6t6 de mineurs a vepris cette exploitation pendant V6i6 dernier ; mais ce travail de mine, conduit sans energio, n'a pas vU" de longne duree, inalgre des produits satisfaisants. Kivii'M'O (iiiillaiiinc. (Jilboit. Ili parmi Ies((uels luie \)6p\te du poids de six onces. En stiivant le coins de la I'iviere k travers la concession St.-Charles,j'ai reman {n(?, sur les deux rives et dans le lit du cours d'eau, de nombreux travaux de recherche. En entrant tlans la concession de L6ry, on approclie du riche ddprtt d'or alluvial receni- ment exploit^?, et conime il m'iniportait d'en ('itudier les limites, j'ai com- menc(! mes explorations personnelles sur Ic lot No. 14 de cette concession. .J'ai ouvcrt unc excavation suv la rive droite, si environ trois toiscs dcs hasses caux, sur un terrain 6\ev6 de deux verges au-dessus de leur niveau. J'ai donnd k cette excavation la forme d'un rectan<;lc de douze pieds sur huit, et je I'ai creusec jus((u'i\ la rencontre du plan h la profbndeur de sept pieds. On a succcssivement travers<5 trois couches stratifiees, une de terre vdgdtale sabloneuse d'un pied d'epaisseuv, une autre de sable jaunatre avec galets, et une deniiere de gravicr argileux auriterc, toutes deux d'une (■^paisseur de trois pieds. Le lavage au '' rocker " de cent pieds cubes du gravicr n'a produit, en poids, que dix-scpt grains, d'or dont la plus grande (|uantite a ete trouvee cntre les stratcs des gres qui formaieut le plan. Sur CO meme lot, a environ ((uarante toiscs a I'ainont du travail prdcite, la com- pagnic concessionnaire (\c^ droits de mine sur la seigneurie dc Vaudreuil a entrepris, en juillet ot aout dorniers, un travail de recherche, partie dans le lit de la riviere, partie pv»r la rive droite. Les depenses de cette explora- tion, a la(|uelle six ouvricrs ont ('t6 employes, se sont elevecs a $300, et il n'a 6t6 trouve (jue deux onces d'or. Je tiens ces details de I'agent de cette compagnie, qui m'a dit avoir vu (juatre mineurs associds trouver trois onces d'or, en une semainc, a moins de vingt-cinq pieds sur la droite dc I'em- jtlacement qu'il avait fo!.ill- ,3 unc fosse d'ou ■atieres auriferes dc clia(ine puits. 16 II a ^t(' trouvo un pen d'or dans k'S graviers reposant snr Ic achistc ou sur le gros ; mais c'est surtout des fissures et dcs crac(|ues de ces rochcs, ijue le pr(^ciciix ni^^tal a 6t6, extrait. II en a 6t6 do meme dans la plupart dos cxj)loitations du riche depot do la riviere (lilhcrt, et particuliorcment sur los lots NoH. 10 ot *20, on, de doux couches dc graviors 8(^parees par un lit d'argilo hlcuatrc et parfois jaunAtre, la derniere sculenient ctait auritere, C'est snr lo plan t'orni-tante en ur ni'a <'te certifiee jiar imni- Argiiossiriiif?'. lire de luiiieurs, ct cuntirniee par Ics rosultats ut'^'atil's du lava;.'e de cent picds eulies extraits de lues travaux d'exatuen, a diHi'reiites hauteurs et sur le plan iiu'-nie des excavations, (.'ependant, ces aririles eontieiuient en (|uan- tite notaMe de la pyrite sous la fonne culiKpie, les sables ferruij;itieux noirs, des ;^renats et les petits cailluux rencontres dans les residus du lavaire \'s ^rraviers auriferes. L"or alluvial a aussi etc trouve dans la ]ilupart des coin-s d'cau (pii arrnscnt les cantoiis situes sur la rive uauche dc la ("haudiere, parnii les(piels ccux de Triu;.', J^hcnlev et JJorset, et vous si,i:'nalcz, dans vos rapports dc pro^rcs, la riviere le Hras conune ini des cours d'eau auriieres de la ri'ji;ion. (.'es terrains n'ont etc, Jus(|u'a eo jour, ! et ,VJ. dont vos rapports '^" ''"'"'' font uicntii.n. Tons les afllucnts dc la riviere du Loup, Mill Stivani, Grand (.'oudce, Mct,<.'erniottc Hivor, Moore's Brook, 'IVaveller's IJcst, Porta,La' River, Kempt Stream, Uliva Stream, 'rasoherca\i Stream et M(mumciit Stream, ainsi qae vous I'avez doja indi((uc, recelent de l'or dans loiii's ^ra- viors, et le precioux metal a aussi etc trouve dans les alluvions de plusieurs eoui's d'cau, tributaii-cs dc la Cbaudicrc, dans les cantons de Jersey ct de Marlow. Lorsijuc j'ai conunencc mcs exploi-ations, vei-s le JO octobro dcrnioi', jc no pouvais plus compter que sur une vingtaine de journ(?cs t'avorables a I'examcn de gisemcnts alluviaux, au moyon de travaux dej\ jjcnibles pour les ouvriers a cotte epo(jue de rannee. II m'a done dte impossible d'otendre mes investigations aux localitcs oloignces do la soi- gneiu'ie dc Vaudrcuil et je I'ai vivement rogrette. D'autrc part, j'ai acijuis la certitude qu'aucun travail dc mine important n'avait encore etc entre])ris dans les cantons de Liulere et de Metgermette, oii I'examen dos f faits dont vous m'avez present la constation cut 6t6, par consequent, tres a 1.^ ilidic'ilc ..'»' n'iii iLtiic ijiu' dcs inrDriiiations trt'^s xoiuiimirort a voiis (loiinor sue los terriiiiw fturifV-rcs aiTosi's [nir lo.s rivic'rois Famine, tin Loup ft |iar k'lirs aHliicnts. |mis(|iu' voiis liinitoz a iiics ()1»si'rvati(iiis jtfrsoniit'llos It- (•umjite ii v(.u\M reuilro ilc ri-xanioii doiit vuiis iii'tivi'/ ('liar;L'»'. D'aillcms. tout on taisant cas dos rciHoijZiu'iiK'iits i|iii' j<' ivvois dos iiiis et dcs aiitres (HI t|Uo jc pourrais puiscr dans des piil)licatiuiis siu' ccttc lur'iiic <|iu'sti<>ii, ti'llesi, par cxi'inplf, i|uc' Ic " Ko|)<>i-t on tlu' Canadiaii (rold fkdds and the iiioaus of tlicir dcvt'lopuu'ut," itnlilii' |iai' Ic Park'iiii'iit, il no ine conviondrait pa-< (Ton ))arta;ic'r la ri'"*p<)nsaliilit(', cm Ics piviiant pour hasos des appn'- riations ipu' j'aurais a souuu'ttrc a votir jii,:.'CMii('nt. Jc iiic lioi-ncrai done a vous iufornuM', (pi'a la suite d'cxploratioiiH cu'-oura^cantcs, jino supcrticic considerate dc ecs teiTaiuH a etc aelietce par plusicurs conipajfnies. 11 appartient maiutenant a Tiudustrie miniciv dc favorisiu- la speculation, en lisipiant scs capitaux tlaiw des exploitations reiruliert's sur les rivieres l''aniinc,du lioiip, Mcttrcrnn'ttc ct Oliva, aiusi (pie sur les autres cours d'eau traverses par le cliemin, dit de Keiiueliee. du eiiiillueiit des rivieres ('Iiau- diere t't du Lnup a la tVoiitiere. Mii C()U.-id('raut les t'aits (U'ja constates, les pnuluits olitcnus, ainsi (pa la distrilmtion ;^eolo;:i»pu' et ;i('oL'raplii(pie de Tor alluvial dans le liassin de la Cliaudit're, il est ]ienMis, ce nie senilile, de louder de h'L'itinies (>siieraiices sur les n^sidtats des exploitations inelliodi(pu's. V Ai.i.i'.K nr. t, \ uivifuiK st. viianoois. : IlivitTC St, Frail','"''' Oir.inl. Nous avez sijjinale, dans vos rappoi'ts de proxies, la rencontre dc I'or sur la riviere Ma;z;o;; aink'ssus de Slioi'lirookc, ct nous anuoueez aussi (pi'il en a etc trouve dans les terres arrosces par la rivi'^ic St. Francois, dejniis le voisina^e dc Mell>ouruc jusipi'a Sher'irookc, dans les cantons de Wcsthury, Wcedon ct Dndswell ain-i (pi'au lac St. Fran(;ois. Ayant etc cliar^l>iii"'^' ce 11 10 somWlo, ^ ox|)l<>Uationi* nitro do I'ov '*>i'* aussi tiu'd on a irois, dop\U'^ 1^' ,HS do Wcsthuvy. c'.to cliav«^<'' pr e doniiovs, pUi- Laud Company," us vondre coinptc niioi> un intorot OS iaitcf«, assnvo- irs ont C'to actpus. torvains auvito'-*'' • CO lot n\)nt pas )viv<:' dans trois do » ^, jrrandes, !'«» <^l«' Birventiioux pendant inio partio do Tannoo, i|ui ouidoiit paiall»"'louiont ontr'oux, dans lo >cns rlo la lon;ru('ur du lot, jMtur so jotor dans la livioro Ma^^oi;. Au-dossous d'uno niuolu- do tcrro vo^fi'-talo, n do Tor dans los j^raviors sont tols (|uo jo vii'iis do los sipialor dans lo parajrraplio pvooodont, lo prooioux motal a otr plus almndanunont trouvo (pio sur lo lot !'.♦ r alluvial a ('ti' ivcnnnuc. II t'a'idrait dune iittriliucr iiTuiie (le CCS rairs taveurs dc la t'oitmie, les pinduits nliteiuis tout receniiiu'iit Hur le lot ^«o. 1 1 du Heme raii^ d' Ascot, apparteiiant a line eoiiipa;riiie ann'ri- caiiie. Kn etlct, line ivclanie ins('n'e (lans V No. du If^ noveiiilirede '• Slier- livooke (Ja/ette," (ra]a'("'s les reiiseiti'iienients t'nurnis par la pai'tie inti'irssi'e, aniionce aii putilic, (pie du I'O octolire au I I noveiiihi'e deniiors, il a et(', retire •' d'Ascot (iold Mine, " en ciiuj cent ciiKpiniite-trois lieiires de travail, line valeiir en or (le $!•!•<», soit .'Jiit.Sl par lieiire de travail deeliiiip'o oiivrier, les plus ij:rosscs jiarcelles d'or avant et(' tidii\(''es dans la vivit^re Mafio;.;(pii l)ai^nie le dit lot. i*ar suite de la suspension des tiavaiix, I'l'tiidede ee ;iise- ment allmial ainsi (pie rexanien des proei'di's d'exploitatioii, lie ni'ont juis (?ti! p5 jiar tonne. lior,s([no j'ai visiti' cette mine, la premiere tois, en juiii dernier, (|uol(iuosoiivricrs (-taiont em|iloy('s a rextraction et an lava,L:;edes jiraviers aiiriteres ; la construction d"un l)arra;^e a Taniont du <:isement alluvial ainsi (pie c 'lie des batimeiits destines au nioulin-pulv^^iisatciir en ooeiipaient d'autres ; une certainc acti- vite rei.;nait done dans rt'tablissenient. La (piantite d'or qui m'a etd alors prdsenttse conime produit du niois, ainsi (pie les resultats du lavajre lail. sous mcs yeux, dc plusiours platijcs de la matiere aiuifere ontotd de nature si me donner, du suin do lort iitri' cniniiaji'iru' lold Mine Covn- tMicovo ]»lns px- travorst's i)ar Ic oxi>l«)ita1)le (\v ot schistes t|ui iiis, uiio ti'iit'iiv L\ L()vs«[ue j'ai i oiu ricrs 6ti\\o\\i ; la coustniction lo (los batimeiits mo certainc acti- ui tn'a 6t6 alors ; (la lavafre fait, out ot6 de nature que, plus tard, Quant aux quartz ct nnx foliistcH doiit J'ai pii ootistator I'lihoiidaiioo, siiinu la vrulciip nuriforr, j'ai roj^rotto do no |m>* troiivor on In iiosscsyitm dn diroofoiir dc I'fntroiiri.-to (|iio|(|iios (luiil)lcs iliM ■i|i('cini''ii-i diiiit ic |ir(M|,(rtu>i fjiif niontinn, iiMtiiniiiicnt f ill) i|u;iit/, liliiiii' (riiiic tdioiir I'll 111' dc ,*;:i.;i*Jt;. I (» I'lii- tiniiio. f^i jiiniais on- tropriso inilufiti'iolii' a nn'riti- unc ini|pul-iuii vi/uiirciiso, c'cst cortos oolji' f'iippiiyiiiit siir (lis rap|Hirtaiii du laain an nnir. ct ro| n- sant siir la molio schistoiisc. li'i'^paisscnr nmycnno ilii d('pnt allnvial m'a parii otro d'ciivii-nn siv picds. ( 'cttc oniipc lappolo oollos ipio Tun roncdntr'' scirla rivici'o (Jilliort nu I'ai'piilo oailloiitciiso ot stoi'ilo I'oooiivro qiiol(|iu'tois iiM ;;ravior ricjic en or. ^ J'ai i'ait, on soptoni'irc dcrnii'r, I'l'vpldratiun dcs lots Ni.s, 1, li ct :! dcs i„iMii.inM. ran;:'s A ct J» dc Jiatnliton, en appm'tant ini snin pai'tioulior a rcvanion dii ruissoau travorsaiit on li>nLnioiir Ic lot No. I dn ran-- A, sun cuiirs ctant S. a iN., paroo <|u'iin y a fait, il y a di\ a d.Mizc uns. dcs travanx do rcchoi'olu' ilont los rosidtats out etc divorscniont approoios. Dans Ic lit incnio du oonrs d'oan. on lUic |,lacc non-cxplnroo ct pros(|u'a la surface du su|, j'.-d trnu\c, an dcKut du travail quo j'ai cuvcit, un petit amas d'oi- cntiorcnicnt dilfcront on Limss^'ur ot on fornio dc oclia ,u('n('ralcniont rcnoiinv resultats une seule partieule d'or. leiir sterilite me ]iaraissant aussi constante ijiie celle des arjiiles blcuatres de la Chaudiere et dii Ma;i;ii,::. I'ependant elles eontiennent, coninie celles- ci, des i^rains de pyi-ites et des sables noirs ; niais j'ai observe et note, eonniie indice de paiivrete, la finesse extraordinaire des sables {'erru;:ineu\ noirs proveniint de toutes ces ai",Liiles steriles. On ma assni-e (pTil avait ete extrait d'nm' excavation creusee precedennneiit ,sur le lot No. :* dn ran;j; A, i|Uil(|iies ]>arceiles d'or ])araiss,int blanclii par une amal^'amation natnrelle, mais Je ne Fai ]as \n. An re>te, voiis avez dej'i >ii:nale le menie fait dans la vallee de la (.'liandiere. In coiM's d'eaii (|uc jc di'siLnierai sous le nom de riviere de Iiand)tou, sortant d'un niarais an S. \\. dn village, traverse le chemin de k?lierbroolrolongees, la jrt'emiere sui- la rive droite, la seconde sur la rive gaucln'. m'ont donne des resultats satist'ai- sant>. .J'ai trouve Tor disseaiine dans toute Tejiaisseur d'une eouclie de gra- vier stratifie rejiosant sur ini scliisto tellement dtconijiose et si tendre ((u'il a pu etre enleve a la pelle Justpi'a la jiroi'ondeur d uu a deux pieds. L'or m'a paru etre ]>lus abondant dans les ecarts, c'est-a-dirc sur les rives, (jue dans le lit nieme du coiirs d'eaii, et il est probable (pie Texploitation econo- mi([uc de ces graviers serait profitable, si la zone aurilere etait ]ilus etendue. Cette zone me parait avoir pour limite superieure celle dulot No. !• traverse connne le No. 8 par ties veines de <(uartz, car nies trava\ix de reclierclie sur les bits No. 10, 11 et 1'2 n'ont eu ipie des resultatj? insigni- fiants. L'or de la riviei-e Jjamltttm est gent'ralement trop rugueux, trop an- guleux et trop dendritiijue pour lui attribuer lui gite primitif elt/igne. I'ONSlDfiKATlU.NS i,ft\fitlALrs .s| R |,'()U AM.rVlAI Con'ifli^rntionf^ La lo! ijui r(^git les graviers auril'eres dans toutes les contrfics du globe ou l'or a 6t6 docouvert, a di^ja, re(;u sa sanction dans le fJas-Canada. lei. eomme partout aillem-s, les couches alluvialcs tpii eontiennent Ic pr(;cieux w 0-> ire pour la tva- \r6 t|u'unpuits juse(lerar;:;iU(. i (les diftt'iTuts particule (Vor, i;:iiKMi\ ure ([ii'il avait e lot No. - till ■ aiiial^7unation .i_Lriial(' le iiieiae e do liaiiihtou. (Ic Shcrbi'ooko erf lots Nos. lo, raiijj;, avant tie t inon sejour a Kjuaiitite ap]ir<'- vatious crcusees ante pieds I'mie ieve Pui' la rive esultats satisfai- e eouelie de fi;ra- ■t si teiidre (lu'il .MIX ])ieds. ij'or iir les rives, (jiie })loitatiou ecoiio- riiere etait jilus ,' eelle du lot N". mes travaiix de resultats iiisij.nii- ugiieux, trop aii- tit' eloigiie. lAI. jiitrfies dii globe >as-Canada. lei. nent lo prdcic-ux metal ::e sont pas continues ; elles existent, tout au eontraire, (,a et 1^, dans la rt'gion, en zones ou bancs [ilus on nioins etendus, s'amincissant a niesure (|u"ils s'(:!loignent du fond des vallees. Lorstpie ces zones se prolon- gont h \nie eertnine distauee, leur teneur en or est loin d'etre unitbrnie et reguliere, ear les parties rielies y sont generaleinent rencontrdes en di'puts isok's et distants I'un de I'autre. J.es graviers auriferes apparaissent, sous le double rappoit des niatieres eonstitiiantes et de leur distribution, enmme resultat d'uii plienoniene dihivien general .pii a atFeete Tenseinble de la contree. Vo sont les debris fragnientaires roules, arrondis, porphyrise.-:, des niontagnes voisines, cpii out \\>vnu' ees alluvions dans lesipielies Tor est tellenient inY'gidierenientet caprieieusenient distrilme (|ue,daiis niaintes exploitations, en C'alifornie et en Australie, on a vu les resultats d'une senmine eouipenser largenient la pa\ivrete de uiois. Ces faits generaux ne soiit-ils pa-^ deja constates dans le bassin de la Cliaudiere, auxi'ivieres des I'lantes, (iilbert et du Loup, et seront-ils des e\eepti Cela ne me {.arait^jias ]m)bable, et c'est en m'appuyant sur ces considerations, qu'il ne iiieseml)le pas iin!)rr.dent d'eneourager la reeliorelie de Tor alluvial, d"autant ))lus Mu'elle favorise la deeou\err.: des gites priniitits du precieux metal. l)"ailleurs. pourouoi d^precier et negliger par tro]. exclusivenient le coniiu pour I'ineertain, les exploitations prepaires |,ar la nature, pour celles (pii neeessitent un capital important, en un mot, les mines d'or alluvial pour le^ mines d-or en Hlon ? .le n'adniets pas.pu> les lavages des gi'aviers atn-iferes, compares a Texploitation des gites de (piartz, soient les'seules operations tVuetueuses, (pioiipie cette opinion soit avancee par rpu-Ioues auteurs ; car. s'il resulte d(- rexperieiice(|ue. beneficicrungite de qnart/ auiitere est courir un grand ris^pie. on voit nombre de filons, ciivenablemont travailles. douner des resultats satisi'aisants et meme de Hclies produits, comme cela" arrive de nos jours en Australie, dans les Ktats occidcntaux de rCnion au.ericauie aiini .pie dans la Xouvelle l-Jcos^e. Mais il est certain .jue rexpl.rtation des mines d'alluvious necessite et .mgage beaucoup moins le capital, rpi'elle est ]ilus facile et moins chaneeuse .pie eelle .les .puirtz, et .pi'clle sera, ]>ar .■oiHe.pient, s.)us tons les rapport^, plus a la port.-e des soeietes indig.uies. U serait regrettable, ce me semble, ce gisement, les proc'dt's a.lopt.'s pour la .•.)nduite .1... travaux.'t rintelligenc.^ prati.pie de celui.|ui less. situe.'s sur .les plateaux on sur les ver- 24 l'ro.-^.il(-s li.V(lntiili<|ii yaiit!" (|iii domineiit lau' vall\K '* L)ans Ies envii'ons de Nevada en C'alii'ornie, dit-il. etait emiiloyee sur Ies placers, la methode dite hydraidique (jue j'avais vue aussi en usage sur Ies hords de la ]M creed et a Knight's-Ferry, mais sur une lU'iins gi'ande echelle. ("est a Nevaila (|ue cette methode a ete imaginee. et c'est I'l qii'il faut encore aller Tetudier. Au nioyen d'un jet d'eau violent, a tre>-haute pi-ession, et (pi'un mineur jirojette devant lui, ]iar le nioyen d'un tuhc connue celui des lances a incendie, on demolit des montagnes entieres. Les terres, Ies graviers, Ies I'ocs eux-memes s'ehoulei.t avec fracas, et Ies laveurs doivent agir avec ]irudence s'ils ne veulent ])as etrc cngloutis sous Ies decomhres. Les terres. ainsi desagr(\gees, sont jete'es dans un canal de meme forme (pu- les sluices, mr.is de dimensions heaucoup plus grandes et (pi'on nomme un Jhuitr. (.)n parvient de la sorte ii c.rploiti r i(fan(a(/t'UKi>iirii( Im firrci* Avs- plus paiirri's oii Tor menie ne trahit pas sa pr^isence." C'est ce qu'assure aussi M. W. 1'. Blake sur I'autoritd duquel vous vous app\iyez dans votre rapport de 18(1:5, a iiropos de I'emjiloi avan- 1'. (pi(| dai rieu :)iu^4 coutcuso (I'uncnvien', d" autre inn't. Lruugisoiucnt activaiit Tcx- inuw pvatitiuo les rai)]iortri do iicoiitotftaljles ; int culcvi'V cl lellchi, dunt on -nt d\m i-t'siT- iitc aussi voido ilea ct oailloux, ees ct culovoes luv, la fovc'o ct suttisantcs |imir ivaut, dans unc iix diftcrciits ct L«le a la tOte dc ,ar Ics uuvriers x\6cB par I'tnui, daus Ic |ivouiicr u'r'niuo uicrldio- luv'udcs iiomict- (ivii rcsultcdcs is (|vu a visitc la 'aliiornio, dit-il. L' ((VIC j'avaisvuc Ferry, wais wnv inutliodo a etc 1 nioycii d'vui jet jcttc devaut lui, J, uu dcmolit de;- ncines sY'liuulci.t ,^ no vc\dcnt i)as rjiccs, sont jctees LMisiousbcaucou]! irte o i'.ri)l(iit< r L' lie traliit y.as f-a raiitoritc;' dwiiucl de reuii>lui avan- hijjjeux de ces proc(^d(JS, deux lioiniiics poiivaiit, seloii liii, fairc en unc aeraainc, avec la m^thode hydiauli(iue, Ic travail de dix ouvriers pendant trcnte-cimj jours daus les conditions ordinaircs d'cx])loitation. Or, je crois ((u'il existe de j^randcs superficies de la region auritcre dii Bas-Canada dans des situations convenables ?i Tcmploi des proc(ides hydrauliijues pour Texploi- tation dc mines allnviales. II est done probable, ainsi (|ue vous Tcxprimez dans votrc rapport gen(!ral de liSi;:), "■ (pravant longtemps, les depots d'al- luvions aarifcrcs (pii sont si ctemius dans Ic Canada oriental scront cxploites avcc profit." Page 71>0. (itTKS l»K Ql'AKTZ. Les anciens teri-aius sur lesipiels reposent les alluvions aurilcres dans Ic oitoKci«(|uartz. Has-Canada, conticnnent de nombrcuses veincs ou bandcs dc (piartz courant ordinairement dans Ic sens dc la stratification, N. E. a S. ()., ct on en remanpie (^a et LY les aftieurenicnts, avec les roclics encaissantes, (pioi([Uc la plus grande partic dc la r(^gion soit rceouvcrte par des depots supci-ficiels. Le plus souvent, ces afHou'cmcnts sont dei'obes a la vue, sur dc grandes longueurs, par imc cpaisscur variable de terrc vcgctale ou d'alluvion, et il est n(^ccssaire dc les decouvi-ir, au moyen de tranchces, pour les suivre dans leur course. C'est surtout dans les schiatcs et les grcs du terrain siluricn su])ericur (|uc ces veines de quartz se trouvent en grand nombrc, ainsi ipi" je I'ai dcja dit. Au rcste, il est impossible dc determiner si dies sc contbrmeiit a la stratification, commc couches intcrcal(?cs, ou si elles ont un plongement diftercut des couches encaissantes. Pour determiner ces con- ditions dc giscment, il f'audrait des travaux considerables, cai' ordinairement les aftlcurements ne fournissent pas les moycns dc rdsoudre cettc question ; dca travaux superficiels sont egalement iusuffisants pour I'ajjprdciation dc la structure intericure et dc la composition des gites. La puissance dc ces filons dc (|uartz est trea variable ct il en est de nieme, (|uant a Taspect du mineral ; ccpcndant, celui-ci est gcneralcmcnt blanc laitcux, (pioi((u'asscz souvent color<^ I)ar I'oxyde dc fcr provenant d'lm minerai dont la decomposition auraitdonnd a ces (juartz unc structure caver- neusc ou cariee. Certains de ces filons })araisaent a la vue j)res(|u'onticre- luent de[»ourvus de matieres etrangeres, tandis que d'autres, ainsi (pie vous Tavez dcja constat(^, conticnnent des sulfures mdtallirues, tels que la pyrite cubi(pie, la pyrite arsi'Miicalc, la blende, la galene argentifere ct quehjuefois Tornatif: il resultc d(< analyses publi(^es par la commission g<^ologi(pie que ces pyrites et cettc blende sont tpielquefbis aurii'ercs. Vos rapjiorts dc progrcs signalcnt rcxistcnee de Tor natif, non sculenient dans les filons appartenant aux schistes cristallins du terrain siluricn infd- rieur, pres Sherbrookc, dans le canton dc Leeds et dans la seigneurie dc ■B^w^WWiiiBPimWl 26 I J ' St. (jilos, maifl aiissi dans dca filons dn terrain siluricn supcriour, dans la parol-ific do St.-Gcor{j;cs, ainsi (jno dans la scij^ncurio do Vandrouil anx rapides du Diabie de la Chaiidioro. Tout en constataiit la pr(^senco do L'ornatif. I'or natif dans lof; filons dos donx terrains (jui ont du, I'un et Tautre, con- trihucr a\ix alluvions aurifercs, les rapports do la connnission ont exprim<5 Topinion (ju'au moins la inajouro partie do Tor alluvial du Bas-Canada pro- vient do filons appartonant au terrain silurion infc^rieur. Je pourrais pr(!aenter, h I'appui do vos observations, plusieiu-s Hp(^ciniens oftVant a la vue des grains d'or natif dans le niin<^rai do cuivre vitreux, cxtraits d'un filon do (juartz cupriforo tjui traverse les deux concessions du " Handkerchief," a St.-Sylvostre, dans la seigneurie de St.-Giles, Tune des loca''t(^s (pic vous avtz cit(jes. Mais Tor visible a aussi 6X6 trouvd dans des veines apparte- nant au terrain silurion supdrieur, ct, c'est cello traversant la Chaudiore aux rapidesdu Diabie ipiia fourni, jusqu'a pr(jsent, les plus riches ainsi (jue les plus nombreux specimens d'or natif dans sagangue (piartzeusc ; j'enconclus done I'opportunite d' explorations persistantes, ahisi (jue la possibility de d(JCouvortes favorables, dans toute cctte partie de la r(^giouaurifero. Vauarouii. Lcs lots Nos. 48, 40 A, >')0 A et B, 51 A ot B, 52 A, 5B et 54 du lor rang nord-est de la soignourie do Vaudreuil, ont particulieremont attird mon attention. J'y ai remar(pi(j plusieurs bandes de schisteset gros argileux, en saillies dlevdos a, travers lo sol, et traversdes en tons sens par des voinules de (juartz ; j'y ai aussi observd des affleurements de ce memo rain(?ral, soit en veines suivant la direction gdndrale N. E. ?i S. ()., soit en petits filons- croiseurs courant E. S. E. a 0. N. 0. Quehpxes excavations superficielles sur les lots Nos. 40 A, 50 A et B, me laissent croirc a I'existence, dans cette localit^!, d'nne masse (piartzense (itendue, sous forme de couche intors- tratifide ; mais, solonce qui a ^te dit,rexploitationapprofoiidie pourrasoule ddmontror si cette allure n'appartient pas a l)eaucoup des gttes de la region. Les gitcs de quartz, plus activement rocherches jusqu'a pr(isont, dans la scignourie de Vaudreuil, (|ue partout ailleurs, paraissent aussi exister en nombre consid(3rable dans la partie de la r(5gion s'(itendant de cette scignourie alafrontiore du Maine. Plusieurs veines ont d6j\h 6t6 ddcouvertos sur les seignourios Aubin-Delisle ct Aubert^Gallion, et dans Ick cantons do Jersey, Marlow, Liniore ct Metgermettc. Quel(|ucs aflileurcments de (piartz sont visiblos sur le chomin do Kennebec, et, a repoijuo des basses eaux, il est possible d'en distinguor d'autres travei'sant lo lit des rivieres Famine ct du Loup, ainsi que celui de leurs tributaires, tols (pie I'Oliva et la Metger- mette, (pie j'ai tous d(fsign dc la concession St.-Charles, a mis a jour un gite de quartz, encaisso dans Ic scliiste argileux, etcourant N. E. a S. O. avec plongemeut vers le S. E. Le gite, d'nnc puissance dc vingt-ipiatre pieds a I'affleuremcnt, offre une structure semblablc i\ ccllc du filon decouvort sur le lot No. 21 . L'essai de ce mincrai par Ic Dr. A. A. I laves, de Boston, a eu pour r^-sultat une teneur en or de $70.1*") et en argent de $2.00 par tonne. Jc vous en ai euvoye un specimen. (No. 4.) .rai detache et envoyd un bj:(jcimen d'un afflenremcnt dc quartz courant N. E. a S. O. sur le lot No. 81) du ler rang nord-est. Cette veine m'a 6t6 signalec, niais je n'ai pu Texaininer, les travaux supei-ficiels iaits jns(ju'alors 1 essay 6 ce mindrai, \\ serait une tenouv cimen. (No. 3.) c crc\xs(;e a la pro- iccssion St.-Cliarles, arj^ileux, ct courant 'une puissance dc ,cml)lal)lc i\ cellc d\i ■ai par Ic Dr. A. A. l;T0.1toct en argent en. (No. 4.) urcnient dc (luartz mg nord-cst. Cette travaux supci-ficicls n pen a I'amont dc concession de L(5ry. sure de trols i\ quatre ce gite no soit pas dc vingt livres dont il'nn ti-avail d'examen i|ue j'ai oiivert sur le lot N(t. 14 di.' la eoixcssinu dc 1/ry, iiii pen au- dessoiisd'une exploitation entrepvise parTagent d'aiK' conij>ngnie anierieaine. Dans les deux travaux, le (piartz et le gres, apparennnent interstratifii's, courant N. K. a h. ()., out t'te rencontres sur unc iargcur moyenuo de liuit a dix pieiis. J'ai reniar(|uc, dans Texcavation ((uc J';ii ouvertc, uu petit tilon cri'Jseur d'un (piartz plus i'n\w6 et plus caric, d'unc cpaisseiir de tmis a ((uatrc pouoes, sc dirigeant K. a (). Le gfto dc (juartz (pii traverse la riviere (lill)ert, sur le lot No. 20 de la Uivirro(Jilijeit. concession de Lcry, parait ctre le pi'olongenicnt de cclui deja signalc sur le lot No. 21 de la concession St. Charles. 11 a etc examine, sur la rive droitc, an ">oycn (Vunc excavation dans laipielle ajiparait le tilon mesurunt de aept a huit pieds entre les deuxmursdc sciiistc ai'gilcux. Le tilon court N. E. si S. 0. avcc plongement vers le 8. E. et il est partagc en deux veines s(:pardes par des d(^bris et des matieres [irovenant dcs roclies encais- santes: ces deux veines, (pioi(iue trcs distinctes a raiiieurcnicnt, tcndcnt dvidenimont a se reuuir en profondeur. Les matieres ((iii, en outru du (iuart/i.cari{l, constituent le filon, ainsi que les terrcs voisines, sont g(!'nera- lement ocrcuses. Sur la rive gauclic de la riviere (iilbert, le travail de recherche consiste en une galerie ouverte dans le Hanc dc la collinc et le filon y a 6t6 rencontre, toujours divisc en deux veines, mais beaucoup moins impr(5gn<^e8 d'oxyde defer : del'or alluvial a aussi ^tc trouve dans les gravicrs ] du 1 er rang nord-est . N. O., pnrmi lcs(|uellcs une veine bien caraotcrisce, d'lU! pied d't'-jiais- gn ,i(i 80 sc'iir. I'll iH'ii Ti I'csl III' (H't iillliMircniciit dc i^ivs, iui en i\'nco itrc uii dc ((iiivrtz (jui !i ('tt' li! .s\ijt't d'liu travail (rcxauioii ci-iisistaiit vn uiil' tranelu'c lt»ii;^iti ii.ialc ayaiit luirt Ic iiiiiK^ral a tU'couvcrt suvnnoloiij^uoui'de troute h (|uanuito [Avih. La niasao dn gtto ost ]ilii,s on moinsirrc'^ulioroinent divisoc par (les fissviivs (|ui sont souveiit rompliL's de luatic'irn torreuses. On vcii- iMintre en outre, sur cc lot, d'antics aflliMuviiionts d'lui (luartz l)laiic |mr jiaraissaiit aiiiiartonir h dos aiuas isoU's. J'ai cs^iayd iiu'cairKiueiiu'iit ciii- quanti' livrcs de ces ([iiartz, sans ohteniv luic .seule particulc d'or visil»k' dans los ri'.-idns du lavaj^e, tandis (nie I'ossai d'nnc memo (jnantit(! do (juartz, extrait (ralHourementssituds surlc lotf)! A, (Wpendant de la memo propn('t(^, a en pour resultat la constatation de cin(i fines parcolles d'or. Jo vons ai onvoy('( des (■chantillona provenant do cc lot, ainsi (juo d'autres, extraits du lot T);). (No. 7.) En pareonrant les terrains do la seiifneurio dc Vaudreuil,j'ai rcncontr(!, a Tcxtremitd N. E, du lot No, 2 do la cimcession St. Charles, rafflcuremont d'une veine do (piartz examinee par un travail tres supoi-ficiel. Ello court N. PL a S. (). et mesurc environ cinq picds a rafflourement. J'ai essayd ni(^canii[ueincnt, sans le moindre r(fsultat favorable, un ("cliantillon du poids do vinj^t livrcs. Dans le lot No. l(> dc la concession Cliausscgros, un travail de recherche a ('t6 ouvert sur raffleurcment d'une voino de (piartz courant N. N. E. a S. S. O. II (!tait encoro trop supcrficiol, lors do ma visitc, pour permettre rappr^-ciation do Tallure de ce gisemont, ot les riguem'S de la saison, ayant uocessite la suspension dos travaux, m'ont aussi empecho d'y rotournor. Je vous ai envoye nn (ichantillon do ce (piartz, ct j'en ai essayd m(jcani(iue- ment vingt livrcs (pxi out produit cincj petitos particulcs d'or. Un afHourement dc (juartz m'ayant 6t6 signald sur lo lot No. 40 A du lor rang nord-est, je suis alio Tcxaminor, mais il ra'a etd impossible d'en dtudior I'allure, lo sol dtant convert par la noigc. D'autre part, auciui travail dc recherche n'avait 6t6 entropris sur ce gite, i[ne je vous signale commo mdmoire, apres vous on avoir envoyd un specimen. Un autre gtte de (piartzm'a ('td indicpie sur le lot No. 59 A du lor rang nord-ost, tout proche "■ Bolduc Crook. " En effot, un travail tres supcrficiol a mis a ddcouvort, sur une largeur do treizo pieds, une masse minerale inct)h(;rentc, formee par le ipiartz confnsemont meld avec lo schistc ct le gres calcaire, mais paraissant ndanmoins constituer un filon so dirigoant N. E. a S. O. Le sol dtant convert de noige, I'cxamen de ce gisement en a dtd contrarid, ct, d'ailleurs, il out dtd udcessaire d'unc exca- vation j)lus approtbndie pour en appi'dcior I'alluro. Jo vous ai euvoyd un spdcimen du tpiartz. L'essai radcani((ue do vingt cincj livrcs m'a domid, pour rdsultat, six parcolles d'or tros mdnuos. (No. 8.) Ssr le lot No. 9 du lor rang do la seignourio Avdjhi-Dolisle, un puits »co iti'c nil do uiii' tnim'lu'*' '111- do trt'iito a TUicnt tVivisc'o usoH. On veii- vrtz Wane \)\\y in([\icinent cin- ilc d'or visiWc e (iuantit('^ dt' lint do la niomo •colics il'or. Jo ii {[\\e d'autros, 'ai vcncontr('', a I, rafHeuvcmont icl. EUc court it. J'ai csscin(j j)ieds, sur raffleuroment d'u)! filon do (piartz so dinj2;oant E.N.I''. a O.S.O. avoc plongoniont vers lo S.S.K. La niasso iuin<''ralo, oncais8(''o dans lo scliisto argiloux <_st tbnn(^o do pliisiours voinos do (piartz, (hnituno niosurant environ i|uatro piods, ainsi (pio do dolivis prnvonant])r()l)a'iloniont lies p irois du ;j;ito. D'autros afllonronionts do ipiartz apparaissont (;a ot la sur CO memo lot, et j'y soup(;onno Tcxistonco d'uno niasso inuK^rale ("tondue sous tonne do couoho. Jo vous ai apport(^ un spf^oinuMi du (puvrtz do ce gite. (No. !t.) Je vous montionno, pour niomoiro soulonient, un gito do (juartz (|Uo je Anbort-Gail- n'ai pas I'xaniind, H\t\\6. sur lo lot No. .'50 du ler ran^ do la soignourie Aubert-lJaillon. Je vous en ai apport^*' un spochuon. (No. 10.) IJn gite do (juartz, i\ I'otat d'oxamon, niais dont I'oxploration t'tait sus- ponduo lors(iue je I'ai visito on janvior dornior, a M' doeouvort sur lo lot No. 76 du lor rang du canton do ijinioro. Jo n'ai pu di'S('ondro dans lo puits alors ploin d'oau ot do glace. Le filon, d'uno jiuissanco do cinij piods, courre N. N. E. !\ S. S. O. : il ostfornid par lo ijuartz hlanc encaiss(( dans ' le sclnste argileux. Dans lo fond du puits, il a ot(; rcncontro, m'a-t-on dit, mie autre petite veine avoc do Tor visible. On ni'a assure (pio I'ossai fait, a ;- Now-York, d'un sp(^cuuon du (piartz, attribuo an iiiiuorai une tonour en i or de $54 par toiuio. Je vous en ai apporto un (i-chantillon. (No. 11.) Un travail de recherche consistant on un jiuits ayant doja atteint la pro- : fondour de vhigt-cin(i pieds, a 6X6 entropris sur ratfleuronient d'un gite de ; quartz traversant le lot No. 2 du ler rang do ce memo canton de Liniere, Liniiiro. I fort pros de la frontiore, et courant N. E. h S. 0. avoc inclinaison vers lo I 8. K. La masse mindrale encaiss^-e dans le schisto argileux est jjuissanlo : % olle est constitu(5o par plusieurs vouies de (juartz niosurant do ((iiati^o a six i pouces. Tune d'elles ayant un pied d'opaisseur, et cimcntoes ontr'olles par ^ des matiorcs dcrouloes des (''pontes. Je vous ai ai)port(^ un (^chantillon do ce gite. (No. 12.) Sur ce memo lot, une autre excavation a mis a jour un assemblage de petits filons ocreux se croisant en tons sens, dans lo schiste argileux. Jo sais pcrihiomment ipio d'auti-es affleuroments de ((uartz out 6t6 constatds dans cette mC'me localito, ainsi ((u'en d'autros places des cai'.tons i do Liniere et de Metgormette ; mais lo sol otant doja convert de plus d'un ,; pi('(l do n(/igo, il no m'a pas eto possil)lo de les e,ndout souvont ,'s ocluintillons. s-ditc voiiie do a propriety? do ircctioii, devoir sto unc j^rande ■i sur lo lot No. du ]8ome raii<^ it mention, uno calitos no sont ■on deux milles. avoir traverse ar dos afllcurc- lots Nos. 8 ct ;st convert de lit une certainc No. 8, pour COS terrains, cessairea pour ais Tor alluvial I rencontrais vi t, Texamen di; :ho, j'ai essaye No. 8, ot j'ai t essai. torne rexamen on s'oceupait [e somniairc et 88 Miconi|il»'to des ;^itos, dont, pmir la pliipart, ni tuit ni nmr n'olaient cncuri- ilrliiiis ii)i'S(|iic jc Ics ai visitos, c't'st pari'o i|u'alinit's |ui-alit('s, pi'iit oiiiltm-iHtT, dt-s Iirnl.al/ditt's di- hiiccm, tuiitt- ri'tciidiic d.' la iv;ri"ii iiurilV'iv du I5a.s-Caiiada (■iiiiititm'i' par ccs dcii^tci'iaiiis. .I'ai riiipiiiiciii' d'rh'c avcc rcsiu'ct, Mitiisic'iir, Vnti'i- tirs-limiililc I't olic'isHiiiit .sorvitciir, A. Micin<:L. I m (liiiis t'crtaiiiH liluiis a|i|iui'to- iiiitifs ^-..», .l,».nl,„h„„ „f ,„M i„ L,„v..,. ,,„„„,„, ,„,„„. ,,:.„;„•!» 1„ -.■...c.,l.v,,,,,. „,,»,.,.,,„„», ,„ „,,. ,^|„ „,,^„.^ _,,. ^, , ;■ .■'■I.>..l..al oftnt., „.„1 to ,k. |K.,-s..vo.a„c.o of . fow .,f ,1,, i„l,„l,i„„„ ' f I".- ...ceo,. „v. ,,|„e„l this ,,.,io„ a,„„,„ ,„„, i ,',,|,y, „,;, ^^ v'..-^...;? ..f M.0 „li,„i.l ,K.,,oA. ,„„, of ,1,0 ,,„,,H„„.i„„ ,,,„,,,' i.«I..»t.-.y, l,av.„^. it» d,„„«-» of .succo.. an,l f„il,„,. " .....c-n.u, „.,l,„.a,.i..s, a« well a, ,1„. salo ,„a,I.. 1,^ ,|,o Ho.,r». .1 (l«uc,.,) „„,.|„ l,av,. I„,.„ ,,-,„.„.,l ,o l,av,. ,i,,,, a„ i,„;,„|s,. .luri,,', i T I L'J-iHL'Lli'JL 36 ■rti !!t 11 pa.sl year to tiic workiii;; for ;:;()l(l in tliis district, or it" not, at least to proper explorations directed l)y skilful miners. Such however has not l)een the case ; none of the companies, since their or;!;anization, have undertaken any important -workings ,nor even any serious e.\]iloration of their proper- tics, while at the same time the country people have ahandoned their search for alluvial gold, and the influx of strangi-rs (who came there for the same purpose in great numbers in 1S(I4) entii-ely ceased in ISlJo. It is not to the still unsettled difficulties which in many cases exist as to the mining rights, nor yet to the high prices demanded Ity proprietors for the privilege of woi'kiny;, that is to he attributed this abandonment of the alluvial gold di'posits by the workers who were so numerous in 1(S(!4. If I am to believe reports, this discouragement may be in part attributed to the inactivity of the large organized companies, but in part also to the speedy exhaustion of the rich deposit of the Gilbert River, Avhere the successful workings were confined to a very small area, trials botli above and below Avhich were unremunerative. After the extravagant illusions of some, and the cxag- gci'ations of other ami interested parties, a reaction was inevitable, and great numbei's of those who unwisely coviipared the alluvial deposits of the Chaudiere to the richest valleys of California and Australia, seem to-day, with as little judgment, to despair altogether of the future prospect of the alluvial g, page 742. In offering these general considei-ations as |iroliminary to the details which I have to place before ycju relative to the present condition of things iu the auriferous region which you charged me to examine, I am animated by the same spirit of moderation which inspired certain articles published ])y me on this subject in 1(S<54,* and I am desirous of warning the public, to a certain extent, against the ftiscination which the Morkiiig of gold mines exercises upon many imaginations. ]>ut inasmuch as I owe to you a clear and precise statement of the impressions left upon my mind by the stuily of tlie region, the facts already established, and theresidts obtained, I do not hesitate to say that the various causes which have prevented the general exploration of the region by the searchers after alluvial gold arc very nuich to 1)0 regretted. All the pro))a'.ilities appear to me to be in favor of the .existence and conse(piently of the ultimate discovery of other depctsits as rich as those of the Gilbert, and 1 do not doubt that the distribution of gold ;' in the alluvion of certain localities will eventually be found suflicicntly ^abundant to authorise regular and methodical workhigs, which, if conducted I with intelligence, activity and economy, will yield satisfactory vosults. This "'favorable judgment of the auriferous alluvions of the basin of the Chaudeire |will not seem strange to you, since some ye rs since you coneluded from ithc facts then established, that " the quantitij of (fold in thr lutl/cj/ <>f tJw tChaxdu^re ix niu'h an ifo'dd he rviHiincradvc to skilled Idlxn^ and xhaidd 4c)ii- of the specimens assayed, the presence of appreciable quan- tities of gold. Hut the conditions of regularity or irregularity, of thickness, and of mean richness in gold ; in a word, all Hie conditions which render the mining of a deposit of auriferous (juartz })rofitable or unin-ofitable, must 39 places. On tlic I ascen(liii<:; the I that generally ivn examinations the information Rapids, where und within the rectness oF this \t these alluvial icinity ; hut an r>site conclusion, rally so smooth, to have come II imhedderl in exceptions. If the destruction e gold angular, le gold shows it and gi-ound hy )rc ascrihe the le vichiity, hut remain matters of luiccrtainty, until they can he settled hy woi-knigs in()i'e extended and more serious than have hitherto heen made. As to the mean richness of the (piartz in gold, it wo\dd he inisafe to deduce a confident opinion from the results even of numei-ous assays, so long as the distrihution of the gold hi the (pxartz is irregtdar. Multiplied assays from the same vein have nevertheless their importance, since tliey estahlish the auriferous character of the quartz, prove its constancy, and conse(|uently assure the possihility if not the prohahility of ohtaining satisfactory I'esults iii working on the large scale. This in my opinion is all that can he determined hy assays. The real value of the gold deposits of Lower Canada can nevei- he known until a numher of them are actively wrought. This invohes, douhtless, a considerahle risk for those who are the first to emhark in the enterprise, for nothing is more uncertain than the working of auriferous quartz veins, especially in a region where there are no precedents to guide. Nevertheless it is much to he desired that serious working trials of the gold- hearing veins in Lower Canada should he made: the risks would diminish with experience, and hesidcs it should he said that the facts already known as to the aurifeisnv'; character of several quartz veins in this region are fur from discouraging. Alluvial Golm. t'handlcre Valli'jj. The auriferous alluvions of Lower Canada cover an u„ia alluvions. extended region, and we find that hi 18r)2, the Geological Commission had al- ready shown their extension over more than 10,000 square miles (Report of lS52,page71.) The gravels, through whichthe gold is very irregularly distri- huted are generally covered hy a layer of vegetahle earth, und often hy a iied of clay. They repose, as you have hidicated in your Reports, in part upon metamorphic Lower Silurian rocks, consisting of schists, generally talcosc, micaceous or chloritic, associated with diorites and serpentines. But to the southward, these Lo\w'r Silurian strata are uncouformahly overlaic^ hy others of L^pper Silurian ag<'. " i''ch are also covered hy gold-hearing alluvions. 'I'liesc upper rocks consist of ;!'•• laceous schists, with sandstones and lime- stones, all more or less altered. The rocks of these two formations, Init espe- cially of the Upper Silurian, are traversed hy numerous veins of quartz running in the direction of the stratification, or hetween N. E. and E. Many of the gold seekers hi this region, imagine an analogy hetween the auriferous alluvions of Lower Canada and those of California and Australia, c(nintries which I have never visited. If I were to compare tiie gold deposits of Lower Canada which I have examined, with those of any other country, it woi Ul he with Siheria. There, in the Ural and Altai Mountains the auriferous sands are rarely found rei)osing on granitic or syenitic rocks, 40 i as ill South Anu'ricii, I)ut alirmst always oii schistose rocks in tlie vicinity ol ilidiites and sfrjH'iitim's, which lias led the Russian mining enyiiieors to considci- tiic ,l!;ii1(i as having "its piincipul source in the ferruginous (juarlz of the nietanioriiliic schists, and in the vicinity of the serpentines and diorites." In the instructions with which you favoured me, I was directed to deter- mine the facts relative to the distribution of gold in the gravels and clay, to study the (jiiartz veins, and also to give an account of the gold-mining operations of the last two or three years. But at the time (the 1st October last,) the favorable season for explorations was already far advanced, so that while occupying myself more or less with the Avhole district, I Avas compelled V.niiJnnii. to restrict my special examinations to the seigniory of Vaudreuil (Boauce,) where up to the present time, the greatest activity in the search for alluvial gold has prevailed, and where the largest (pmntities of the precious metal have been found. In this seigniory also, the (juartz veins already opened oifered greater facilities for study than elsewhere in the region. Chiuui'uro. Alluvial gold has been profitably soiight for in the Chaudierc river itself, at its junction with several rapid tributary streams. But it is at the place Dovii's Uapiiis. called the Devil's Rapids, where the Chaudierc makes a sharp turn and runs west-south-west, that gold has been most abundantly found in the cavities, fissures and cracks of the clay-slates, which often form the bed, both of this river and its tributaries, and are here seen running in the direction just mentioned, forming parallel ridges which are uncovered in low water; at which times the country pettple are enabled to break up and search these slaty rocks to the depth of several feet. The fissures of these rocks are filled with a clayey gravel in which the gold is met with, and I have seen the metal to the value of several dollars extracted from between the layers of the slate. In one of these bands of slate, which the country people call veins, the gold is tarnished by a black earthy coating of oxyd of manganese. This deposit of alluvial gold occupies a distance of about a mile of the river's bed, ;j(iM vein. and is situated below the gold-bearing (piartz vein which you have described hi your Report for lHr)8-r)(i, page 370, and which is more known in the locality as the ( )'Farrell vein ; it has now l)een broken away down to the level of the slates. I was assured that the alluvial gold is found in greater abiuidance and in larger pieces in its vicinity. I observed at the Devil's Rapids an excavation on the right bank, and about twenty feet distant from and l)elow the Kennebec road. Here on lot 68 of range 1, Northeast, a gallery was opened, having the slate rock for its floor, and continued for aboiit 200 feet in a hard alluvial conglomerate cemented by clay. According to the uiforaiation given me, the whole amount of gold obtained in this working was only about $150. Gold has also l)een found in many places in the bed of the Cluuidiere 41 nt low water, and I do not doubt that companies willing to incur the noccssarv expenses might work with profit certain portions of this river between the rapids just named and its junction with the Du Loup. Itivirrc Giiillaume ur Dts Phaitcx. — The river known bv these two names le iiuantiticsof gold, and would not, I am assured, have been abandoned but for the want of skilful management. A company of miners took up this old working last summer, but their explorations, conducted without energ}', were not long continued, notAvithstanding certain satisfactory results, among which may be mentioned a nugget of gold of six ounces weight. In following the course of the stream acioss the concession St. Charles, I observed on both lianks and in the bed of the stream the traces of numerous explorations. In entering the concession De Lery, wc approach the rich deposit of alluvial gold which has been recently wrought. As it was important to 42 ^# (U'ttM'mino tlio limits of this deposit, I commenced my explorations on lot 14 of this concession. I here niiuU^ an openin;^ on the right side of the stream, at a distance of about six yards from low water, and on a hank about two yards above its level. T\w excavation was rectangidar in form, eight by twelve feet, and Avas carried to the bed-rock, a depth of seven feet. Three distinct hiyers were met with in this opening; first a foot of sandy vegetable soil, second a yellowish sand with pebbles, and third a clayey gravel containing gold, the latter layers having each a thickness of three feet. The washing, by means of a rocker, of one hundred cubic feet of this gravel, gave only seventeen grains weight of gold, the greater jjart of which was extracted from the fissiu-es of the sandstone Avhicli formed the bod. On the same lot, about forty fathoms further up the stream, the company which has purchased the mining rights for the seigniory of Vaudreuil, undertook in July and August last certain explori;tions, partly in the bed of the stream and partly on the right bank. The expenses of these explorations, which emi)loyed six workmen, were $300, and but two oiuiccs of gold were obtained. I have these details from the agent of this comjiany, who assured me that he saw a company of four miners extract three ounces of gold in a week, fi'om an excavation not tAveuty-five feet to the right of the spot where he had wrought with so little success. Both sides of the stream on lot 15 are full of excavations, and I was assured that several among them had given profitable results. The two branches of the Gilbert meet upon lot !(!, which, like the preceding, is marked all over its surface by pits and excavations from which the aurifer- ous gravel has been extracted. The distribution of gold was found to be very irregular, and the gravel generally pooi-. I saw upon this lot an ex- cavation then in progress by the Recijirocity tV pany. It was a rectangular pit, twenty-five feet by twelve, opposite the junction of the two branches of the stream, and on the right bank. The sides of the excavation offered the following section in descendhig order : — 1 . Three feet of sandy vegetable soil : 2. Three feet of sandy gravel : 3. Two feet of yellowish clay without boulders : 4. Two to three feet of a yellowish clay with boidders : 5. A bluish clay. This excavation was I believe abandoned a few days after my \isit. Before following the Gilbert across the lots rich in gold, I resolved to examine the branch coming from the northeast. It crosses the two concessions, De Lery and Chaussegros, upon the lots 1(i, and has been wrought with success on the first-named concession, as 1 was assured, and as seems to be attested by the niunerous workings which I observed alike in the bed of the river and on the two sides. These workings diminished in number and in importance in a[>proaching the concession Chaussegros, where none of them are seen. The case is similar on lot 17 of the conces- itioiis on lot 14 e of the stream, I a hank about ■ in form, eiglit 1 of seven feet. I foot of sandy tliird a clayey L'kness of three ;uhic feet of this ;reater part of lich formed the mi, the company of Vaudreuil, :ly in tlie bed of ose explorations, :es of gold were ny, who assured lees of gold in a P the spot where ivations, and I results. The he preceding, is lich the aurifer- ivas found to he 1 this lot an ex- as a rectangular two branches of ation oifered the andy vegetable sh clay without boulders : t5. A few days after I resolved to osses the two and has been as assured, and observed alike ings diminished »n Chausscgros, r of the conces- 48 sion of St. Gustave, where exploring pits are found only here and there. Tlic beds observed in many of the excavations in this vicinity are similar to those which I shall have to describe farther on in giving an accoiuit of my explorations on tlie otiier branch of the (nlbort above tlie ridi lots ; but I may here notice the existence of a very thin layer of sandy gravel i-esting upon the blue clay, and covered by another stratum of clay. 1 was infoi-med that this thin layer contained gold enough to pay the expenses of the exca- vations, and had been followed as far us possible. The rich alluvions of the (Jilbert which were wrought in 18t!;5 and 1«()4 with considerable success (although the results were exaggerated by the spirit of speculation), are now considered to be exhausted. They were found on the lots 1(1, 17, 18, 19, and 20 of the conces&.ion Do Lery. To form a notion of this area, we may regard the deposit as enclosed in a rectangle, havhig for its length the breadth of the four lots just mentione(l, and for its breadth a measure of ISO feet, including the width of the river and a distance of eighty feet on cither side. Let us farther imagine this area divided like a chess-board into sijuares, each of which is occupied by a working. Many of these scpiares have been -wrought with profit, and some have given results of exceptional richness, while the yield in the adjacent stpiares has been much less, many not having paid the expenses of excava- tion. We thus obtahi, at the same time, a notion both of the irregularity of the working and the irregular distribution of the gold over the area. When in October 18(ji] I visited the Gilbert River for the first time, I fjund upon the lots 18, 19, and 20 from 100 to 120 gold miners, divided into companies of from four to ten. Their workings consisted of a series of open excavations ten or fifteen feet deep, and of dimensions varying accord- iig to the number of workers. These open pits were sunk side by side, without method or regularity. Wliile it is certain that large quantities of gold were extracted from these excavations, it is ecpially certain that a great ({uantity has been lost and left behind. The walls, often of considerable thickness, which separated the different pits, constitute in themselves a con- siderable volume of alluvion as yet untouched ; and if we add to this the gold which was certaiidy lost by imperfect wavshings, it is safe to sup- pose, that a regular and methodic re-working of the deposit, including both the portions of undisturbed gravel and the refuse of the previous wash- ings, would be profitable to whoever would undertake the operation. The Reciprocity Company in fact planned a work of this kind, and ma;lit. The thickness of tliis clay was ei^'ht feet, the whole depth of the pit to the rock hein^j; thus fifteen feet. Notwith- statidiriji!; the proximity of the str(>aiii, no infiltration of water occurred till near the l)ottom, when twi> pimips were re((uiredto keej) it dry. The wash- inj: by the rocker of thirty cubic feet of the gravel from this pit, did not yield a single particle of jj^old. It seems then to be established that tho rich deposit of tlie Gilbert River has for its upper or northern limit lot 21 of the concession de Lery, beyond which point, so far as examined, the alluvions, althonup. as you iiuve there nientimietl, hold the precious metal in their sands ; and it has also been found in many of the tributary streams of the ('haudiere in the townships of Jersey and Marlow. Wlii'ii I commenced my explorations early in October last, 1 conld not count ti]ion more than three weeks of weather favoralde to the examination of llu' al luvial deposits. It was therefoi-e impossilde for me to extend my explora- tions to these localities, which I much regretted. I was however able to assure myself that no im))ortant mining operation had as yet been under- taken in the townships of Liniere and Metgennette, so that the thorough exanunation of the alluvicms would have presented great dillicnlties. I have therefore but a very bi'ief account to give you of the alluvions of the Famine and Du Loup, and their tributaries. Altliough I did not neglect the information which I received f'oni various parties, or which was to lie gleaned from publications on the subject, su(!h as the Parliamentary Report "On the Canadian Gold Fields and the means of their development, " I could not make such information the basis of a report to be submitted to you. I may however state that in conseiiuence of the encouraging re- sults of a series of explorations, large tracts of land in this region have been purchased by various parties. What is now reipiired is the investment of capital in regular workings upon the rivers Famine, Du Loup, Metgermetto and Oliva, as well as upon the other streams along theKenneitec road, from the forks of the Riviere du Loup to the frontier. If we take into conside- ration the results already obtained, and the facts established as to the dis- tribution of gold in the Chaudiere valley we may 1 think entertain legitimate hopes for the success of such enterprises. Valley of the St. Francis. You have indicated in your Reports the existence of gold on the River Magog above Sherbrooke, and have also stated that it has been found along the St. Francis valley, from the vicinity of ^Felbourne to Sherbrooke, and in the townships of Westl>ury, Weedon and Dudswell, as well as on Lake St. p». Francis Francis. Having been charged by R. W. lleneker, Es(|uire, to examine during the months of July, August and September last, several lots of land belonging to the British American Land Company in the Eastern 'J'ownships, I now, with his authorization, give you an accotmt of the results of my in- vestigations. 48 Orforfl. I ( A of Opford, piTscntetl a spfcial iutcri'st owin;; to the discovcrK's roportod to Imvo hccii miule on tho lu'iirlihoriii;; lots, si'verul of which hat! hvvu sold at hi;;h jiricos as ooiitain- iii;i wui'ka'ik' aiiiifiToiis alliivi; Kiver. Heiieath a layer of vo^etahle earth the ari^illaceous ;^i'avel is foui. I restini!; directly upon the slate. The ;^old is distriliuted irre^^^iilarly and very sparely throu^diout this hiver of ifravel, whose thickness is extremely variahle, and did not seem to be more al)undaiit nor in larger ;:;rains on the bed-rock than elsewhere. «.*>ie of the excav- ations however offered an exception to the conditions just described. Jt was sunk to a depth of twenty-nine feet, and after two or three feet of ve^^c- table S(til and a similar thickness of auriferous gravel, presented a mass of extremely compact bluish clay enclosin;; boiddfi's, and continuin;^ down to the bed-rock, which consisted of white tpuirtz and black slate. Thirty cubic feet of the ^'ravel washed by the rocker yielded a few small particles of ;^old, Imt not a trace of the ))recio\is metal was found in the residues from the washin.LT of twenty-five cu'tic feet of the bluish clay extracted from various depths. It contained however small crystals of black ferruj^inous sand, besides numerous boulders and small rolled ])elibles of divers colors. Ancut. Lot G of ran;:;e 1;» of Ascot, is traverseil lengthwise by (jrass Island Crook, a mile and a half hi;i;her up on which an American company known as the CJolconda Mining Company, has made explorations and ])lanned an estalilishment which 1 have visited. Three excavations were opened by me on this lot, one in the bed of the stream, and the two others upon its banks. The bed-rock was met at an average depth of six feet The sections resembled those in ( )i-tord, and the j:;old seemed irregularly dis- tributed in the jj;ravel, but more abundant. I doubt liowevei-, if the aurifer- ous zone havinj:; this stream for its axis and extending about twenty-five feet on cither side, could be wrought with profit. On an adjacent lot, (J of range 14 of Ascot, six excavations were made, in none of which was found a trace of gold. The stratum of auri- ferous gravel was entirely wanting, and the vegetable soil, sometimes sandy, rested directly on tiie bluish boulder-clay. None of the juts, one of which was sunk to the depth of sixteen feet, reached the bed-rock. The washing of a large (piantity of the matters extracted from these excavations showed the presence of grains of pyrites and black ferruginous sand, but not a single particle of gold was met with. No outcrop of rock was obsei'ved either on this or the adjacent lots, although loose masses of (piai'tz were seen in the bed of the brook, !" i p.t It wmiltl ;i|ip('ur IVoiii the results of iiiv <'X!iiuiii;itii>iis, as well as IVkiii tlic iii>nriii!itioii n-ccivt'il frnin tlif i-niintrv iifn|ilc wIki Imvc smi^rlit for ,i:i>lil in tliis vicinity, tlmt iiltlioiiL;li tlic iilluvions of tlic Ma^ro;;; may '•«• nai»l t(» lie aiinliToiis, the prcfioiis metal in tiieni is in tno small i|uantity to warrant workin.L!;. K.\ce|.tioiially rich deposits, wliicli are found in all alluvial ;.'old re':;ions, and of whicli that of the (iilhert is a strikinir i'xani|ile,niay liowevei- of eotn'se he met with. lleinarkaMi' results are sai November 14, iSd'), there were extracted from this mine hy •W5 hours of lahor an amount of ;fold ('i|ual to ^Wi\ — correspondin;:; to ,t"" I^ivor, visos from a V udr '•;"".?' "' '" ^'"^^'^' ''''''' "'^ -'^^^ from Sherbrooke to Lalo S F ^'"^^^oc A, and lot 1 1 of range 3, before falling into found ot T\ '""^' ^''"^''^ '''^'^' '' ^-''"^^'ton that gold has been found at several places, and in appreciable quantities in tl^s stream, I detenmned to examine it. Two excavations were therefore made on lot S of range A, of Lambton, about one hundred and fifty feet apart, and in the bed of the stream, and continued the one into the left and the other into the ri.dit hank. I here found gold disseminated throughout a layer of gravel resthr^ upon a decomposmg slate, which was so tender as to be readily^-emoved with he shove , to a depth of from one to two feet. The gold seemed to me to be more abundant on either side than in the bed of the stream, and its .mantity was such that the gravel miglit be wrought with profit if the auriferous area were more extcnde.' , The superior limit appeared however to be the lot H which hke 8, was traversed by veins of ,,„artz ; explorations on the lots 10, 11 and 12, gave but insignificant .,uantitics of gold. The precious metal in Ins vicmity IS generally so rough and angular, an.l even dendritic in form, as to suggest that it has not b»en brought from a great distance. Gexkhal Considerations on Alluvial Gold. The rule which appears to govern the distribution of alluvial -old in all }. According to him two men, by this hydraulic method, can do in a week die work which would occupy ten laborers for thirty-five days in the onliuary methods of working. I am of opinion that large areas of the auriferous region of Lower Canada are situated at levels which would allow of the advantageous application of hydraulic methods. It is therefore probable, as you have already said, " that before long the* deposits of gold-bearing eai'th which arc so A\ndcly spread over LoAver Canada will be made economically availa- ble." (Report for 1868, page 74.*).) Quartz Veins. The old rock formations upon which the gold-])earing alluvions of Lower Quartz veins Canada repose, contain numerous veins or bands of (juartz, which run ordi- narily in the direction of the stratification, north-east and south-west. Although these veins, with their encasing rocks, present numerous outcrops, they arc concealed from view over large aretis l»y a covering, variable in thickness, of vegetable soil or other superficial deposits, so that ti-euches or excavations become necessary if we would I'ollow their course. As already observed, it is especially in the slates and sandstones of the Upper Silurian series that these veins have been oliserved in the greatest numbers. It is not yet certain whether the attitude of these masses of (juartz is that of in- tercalated beds or whether they cut the surroundhig strata. This ([uestion can only be satisfactorily determined after extensive workings, without which morecn'cr it is impossilile to arrive at any con-ect idea of the interior structure and composition of these veins. Their thickness and their aspect are very variable. The ([uartz however is generally white, although r>4 i SDuictiun's ciilort'il ]\y oxyd of iron, iijiparciitly (iuc to the decomposition of Kome foreign minonil, wliicli has given to the mass a cavernous or carious structure. Some of these vehis seem almost free from foreign minerals, while others, as you have indicated, contain metallic sulphurets, such as cubic pyrites, arnonioal pyrites, hlendc, argentiferous galena, and sometimes native gold. Itappears also from the analyses published by the Geological Survey that the ])yrit(!S and blende arc sometimes auriferous. The Reports of tlie Survey have shown the presence of native gold both in the veins belonging to the crystalline schists of the Lower Silurian near Shcrbrooko, in Leeds, and in St. Sylvester in the seigniory of St Giles, and in those ti-avorsing the Upper Silurian rocks in the seigniory of Aubert- (idi.liii (iiiartz. Gallion (St. George,)* and in that of Vaudreuil at the Devil's Rapids in the Chaudierc. While thus establishing the presence of gold in the veins of both the upper and lower formations, both of which might have contri- buted to the auriferous alluvions, the Reports of the Survey express the opinion that tlie greater ]»art at least of the alluvial gold of Canada is derived from the Lower Silurian rocks. I may mention in support of the facts just cited several specimens containhig visible grauis of native gold in vitreous copper extracted from a (juartz vein which crosses the two con- st. Giles, cessions known as *■' The Handkerchief," in the seigniory of St. Giles, one of the localities to which you have already referred. But inasmuch as visible gold has also been fi)und in the veins of the Upper Silurian rocks, and as the largest specimens of gold in the gangue yet found in Canada are from the vein at the Devil's Rapids, I am led to believe that it is desirable to explore carefully all this part of the auriferous region in the hope of favorable discoveries, vau.irouii. Tlic lots 4S, 49 A, T^O A, 50 B, r>l A, f)l B, .52 A, 58, and 54, in the range 1 Northeast of the seigniory of Vaudreuil were particularly examined. 1 there remarked numerous ridges of clay-slate and sandstone rising above the soil and traverse A, 50 A, and 50 B, seem to indicate the existence of an extended mass of (piartz intercalated in the form of a bed ; but as already remarked, only extended explorations can show whether a similar character does not behmg to many of the (piartz masses of this Altliough the veins which are now attracting most attention arc those in the seigniory of Vaudreuil, numl)ers of similar (piartz vchis are found all the way southward to the frontier; and many have been discovered in the seigno- Kisi|uiii.so Goului!i(|iio du Cunadiii paRO 03. oinposition of >us or carious i;^ minerals, such as cubic etimes native 'gical Survey ive gold both Silurian near St Giles, and J of Aubert- I's Rapids in in the veins have contri- exprcss the •f Canada is pport of the ative gold in ;he two con- t. Giles, one nasmuch as iirian rocks, in Canada that it is gion in the land 54, in articularly sandstone ill veins of Ihc general In E. S. E. [dicate the I of a bed ; |vhether a >s of this those in Ind all the \si scigno- ries of Aiibin-Delisle and Aubert-Gallion, and in the townships of Jersey, Marlow, Linierc, and Metgernjetto. Several outcrops of (pxartz appear along the Kennebec road ; and at low water many of them can be seen hi the bods of the Famine, Du Loup and their ti-ibutai-y streams, such as the ()li\a, tlie Metgermette, and others already mentioned hi speaking of tlie alluvial gold. I may here notice especially the (piartz veins which were, at the time of my visit, behig examined in Liniere, very near the frontier. The encasing rocks here, as elsewhere, were clay-slates and sandstones more or less calcareous. These rocks and their veins are already described in your report for llSlio, pages 430487, and more int 21 of the concession St. Charles, with a very slight diji to the south-east. An excavation seven feet by twenty, had here been sunk to a depth of eighteen feet, and the adjacent clay-slate was only visible on the south-east * Tliis iiiid Uic i'ollowiiig miiubors in imrfiillii-sis refer tti tlui iissiiys in tins lollowing Hcport ol' hr. Iliiiit. ii») side of the vein, whose tliickness here is at U'ast seventeen or eighteen feet. it is ilividetl hy joints into in-egnlar uiasses separated hy ochreous and earthy matters, I)nt seems more eompact at the hottom. 1 remarked near the north side of the exeavation, a vein of brown deeayed material, having a tliickness of from four to twelve inehes, and running parallel with the ijuai'tz vein. It was said that a portion of this (juartz, assoyed at Toronto, gave ^IvjO of gold to the ton, and that another assay by Mr. Colvin gave ^")4 ; the certified assay by Dr. A. A. Hayes of Boston, gave for the ([uai'tz of this vein $77.50 in gold and $"2.55 of silver to the ton. After my visit in October, the i)it was sunk to thirty feet ; but on my return in January, the working was suspended, so that I could not examine the bottom. The specimens sent were taken in October. (No. 2.) On lot (52 of range 1, Northeast, there is an outcrop of a vein of quartz, from wliich a few cubic feet have been removed by a very superficial work- ing. The bi-eadtli of this vein was from four to five feet, }»ut as it was neither uncovered nor examined, it was hnpossiblc to determine its attitude. It is said that an assay of the (piartz, made in New York, gave $lo in gold and $22 in silver to the ton of rock, but that by the assay of Mr. Colvin, it yielded not less than $100 to the ton. I have sent you a specimen of this quartz. (No. 8.) An opening two or three feet deep on lot 19 of the concession St. Char- les, has ex{)0sed a vein of (juartz in clay-slate, running N.E. with a south- east dip. The vein has a thickness of twenty-four feet at the outcrop, and an irregular jointed structure like that on lot 21. The assay by Dr. Hayes, of this ([uartz, a specimen of which I send you, gave $70.95 of gold, and $2.00 of silver to the ton. (No. 4.) I have sent a specimen from an outcrop of ([uartz runiiing N.E. on lot 39 of the range 1 Northeast. Although my attention was called to this locality, the superficial workings which had been made, were covered by snow, so that it was not possible to examine it. (No. 5.) I also observed an outcrop of (piartz hi clay-slate a little above the open- ing made by me on lot 20 of the concession De L(!ry. It has a breadth of three or four feet, and runs northeast, but its attitude co\ild not be deter- mined. The mechanical assay of twenty pounds of this (juartz gave me no trace of gold, and it Avas not judged Avorthy of further trial. In describing the alluvial deposits, I have already noticed a pit made by me on lot 14 of this concession, a little beloAV the Avorking undertaken by the agent of an American company. In both of these openings (|uartz and sandstone, ai)parently interstratified, and running northeast, Avere met with, and in one of the excavations Avere transverscd by a vein of dark coloured cai'ious (puirtz, having an east and west course. The vein of ([uartz Avhich crosses the Gilbert on lot 20 of the concession ru De Lerj, appoar^ to l»o a coiitinuatiou (if that already ruet with on hit 10 of tho concession St. Charles. It was examined on the ri<^ht hank by un ex- cavation, in which the vein showed a hreadth of seven or ei;,'ht feet between its two walls of clay-slate. Its course is N.E., with a dip tlj the S.K., and at the outcrop it is divided by matters derived from the wall-rook into two distmct veins, which evidently tend to unite below. The quartz of the vein is cavernous, and the otlu'r matters in the vein and adjacent to it are ;^ene- rallj . %reous. On the left Iiank of the (Jilhert the examination consisted in an adit opened in the side of the hill, where the vein was met with as before, divided into two parts, but nuich less impreld was found in the ,i,n-avel from this adit. 1 submitted to a mechanical assay, by pulveriziii^ and wasluny-, twenty pounds of the ipuirtz from the ri;,dit bank, and found in the residue twenty-two particles of ^old, very minute, but visible to the n^iked eye. T was assured that the assays of Dr. Hayes had ^nriven for this, of which I send you a spr-cimen, from $\i'> to $16 to the ton. (No. (1.) Two other outcrops of (puirtz, bearinj: hi this case E.N.E., were pointed out to me on lot 21 of the same concession. As the cxplorin A of ranj.'c 1 Northeast, 1 went to examine it, hut the soil heinj^ covered >vitli snow, and no exploration having Iteen made, I eould not do so ; I however notice it and have sent you a specimen of the (puirtz. Another locality of (juartz having heen hidicated on lot 5!) A, of range I Nortlieast, near IJolduc's Creek, I went to examine it. A superficial open- ing has here exjjosed for a hreadth of thirteen feet an incoherent mineral mass, consisting of (juartz mixed with the en'-asing clay-slate and sandstone, hut seeming nevertheless to form a vein runnhig N.H. The surface being covered with snow, the examination of this deposit wasdirficult, and besides a deep excavation woidd have been necessary in order to determine the attitude of the vein. I send a portion of the (pmrtz, of which a mechanical assay of twenty pounds gave me six very small scales of gold. (No. 8.") Aubin-Dciuic. V>»i l<>t !• of range 1, of the seigniory of Aul)in-l)elisle, a pit six feet by eight has been simk to a depth of twenty-five feet on an outcrop of (juartz which runs cast-north-cast, and dips south-soutli-east. The mineral mass, Avhich is imbedded in clay-slate, is divided by an admixtiire of the wall-rock into sevei-al veins, one of which is four feet witle. Other outcrops appear here and there on the same lot, and lead mc to susi>ect the presence of a considerable mineral mass in the attitude of a l)cd. 1 send a specimen of (juartz. No. U) I here notice in passing a deposit of quartz, whicli I have not examined, situated on lot 80 of range 1 of Aubert Gallion, and of which I send you a specimen. (No. 10.) Another deposit of ([uartz which has been partially exj)lored, is found on lot 7() of range 1 of the townshi[) of Lhiiere, but at the time of my visit in January last, the working was suspended and the pit filled with water and ice. The vehi, which has a width of five feet and runs north-north-cast, is of white (puirtz imbedded in clay-slate. It was told that visible gold had been ol)served in another small vein, at the bottom of the pit, and that an assay of the quartz made at New York, gave $o4 of gold to the ton. 1 send you a specimen of the quartz. (No. 11.) A shaft to the depth of twenty-five feet has been opened on lot 2 of range 1 of Liniere, very near the frontier, on an outcrop of quartz running north- east with a dip to the south-east, it is a large mass consisting of scAcral veins from four to six inches, and in one case a foot in width, with inter- vening portions of wall-rock. I send you specimens of the (juartz. (No. 12.) Auhcrt-Oal- lion. LiiiicTc. 69 Another oxoavation on the same lot has exi)o?0(l a not work of small veins, more or leas ochreous, and inihedded '.n the cla^'-slate. 1 know tri.ni reliuMc sources that other outcrops of «|uartz have heen observed in this locality and in other placesin the township (,f' Liniere and iretirerniette, hut as the country at the time of my visit was covered hy more than a foot of sncnv, I was not ahle to examine them personally. While 1 was examining the lots of tlic British American Land Company, in the basin of the St. Francis, I made an examination of certain deposits of (juai-tz, with the followin;; results : — The bed of the Ma^o;^ River where it passes through lot l!> of rang" h Orford of the ti>ll(/iirc of Burat, that althongh the theory of metalliferous deposits, based as it is upon numerous facts which are the same in all parts of the world, may now be regarded as established, the jtractieal conditions, that is to say those which regulate the character and richness of mities, are altogether local." The study of metalliferous deposits in a district where none of the same kind are actively worked, is thus surroiuided with difficulties and uncertainty; so that in attempting the examination, with which you had charged me, of the Chaudiere region, it was neither possible for me to judge by analogy, nor to establish compari- sons. A knowledge of local conditions moreover facilitates the estimation of the economic value of metalliferous deposits, for in some districts veins slender and poor at the surftice, may augment in size and become richer in descending, while in others wide and rich veins, in woi'king, grow ]X)or and Ui.rrow. We must therefore in a new country, work in the dark as it were, until experience shall have fixed certain rules for gtiidance. With these reservations, and relying on the facts established and made known in the Reports of the Geological Survey, on the results obtained by the gold miners in the region during the last three years, and finally upon my personal examinations as set forth in the preceding pages, I conclude with the following oljservations. CONCLrSIONS. Ooneimions. !• The auriferous deposits which cover a great region in Lowei* Canada in all probability contain, particularly in the valley of the Chaudiere, considerable areas whose regular and methodic working on a large scale by hydraulic processes may be made remunerative ; in additioii m which limited deposits of exceptional richness, such as have been already found, may be looked for. 2. Althon-I, the cvatiilivitiou of the all.ivial yol.l from the deposits Inthorto workod .l.,eH „ot pern.it us to attrihuto its source to veins of (murtz •n the immerliato vicinity, it in nevertheless ostahlinhed that this alluvial ;,'ol(l 18 derived from the roeks (•f the re;^i„n. •i. The existence of native -old havTn- been estahlished, alike in the ven.s ot the altered [fpper and Lower Sihn-ian rocks of the district, the search for gold-bearin;,' veins should not be confined to a few localities, but my be extended with probabilities of success to the whole area occupied by the altered rocks of these two divisions. I liave the honor to be, Sir, very respectfully. Your most obedient servant, A. MICHEL. REPOET OK MR. T. STERRY HUNT, L.L.D.. F.R.S.. CIIKMIBT ANU MlXKtt.VI.OUmr TO TIIK (IKOI.OdlC*!. SL'UVKV, A t) li K S S K l> TO SIR W. E. LOGAN, L.L.D., F.R.S., DiREOTOU Of TIIK Okolooioal Survkv 01' Canada. IS I It, I luivi' now the honour to submit to you my report on the spccinicns of ((uartz collected by Mr. Michel from the gold region of Eastern Canada, and described in his report. To the results of my assays I have joined, as not without intei'est to those engaged in gold-working, some explanations as to the manner of assaying, the distribution of gold in nature, the nature and origin of the gold alluvions of Canada, and the mode of occur'-'-nce of allu- vial gold in some other countries, as compared with Canada, ^ gether with a brief notice of the hydraulic process employed in California. ASSAYS OF QUAUTZ FOR tlOLD. Before giving the results of my assays of the quartz specimens selected by iSIr. Michel, it may be well to explain briefly the mode in which gold occurs in ores, the processes adopted for its extraction, and the mode of assaying. While the gold most frecpiently occurs directly imbedded in (piartz, (or in bitter-spar as in Leeds, or in calcareous spar,) it is some- times contained in metallic sulphurets, as in iron pyrites, which is often auriferous ; :n vitreous copper ore, as hi St. Giles ; in blende, as at the Chaudiere ; or in arsenical pyrites, as in Nova Scotia. Sometimes the gold in these sulphuretted minerals is in particles visible to the eye, but often in a state of minute division, and although the notion has generally U.S.. jcimoiis of 1 Caiuula, joined, as Illations as lature and CO of all 11- ctlier Avitli \s selected rliicli gold e mode of ibcddcd in it is sonie- ^h is often , as at the etimes the D eye, but I generally (i:S liecn <|U('sM(.iiidi |iciliii| s in chciiiical imiun with siil|ili\ii' and the othi r tiictals. In (|iiiiit/, III' in H|iars, it is dnnljtlcss niei'hanifally disseminated in particles of various sizes ; Imt tlie o|H'niti.iu of piilveri/in;ii the i|iiart/, tends (^mui/- to heat these into thin Hakes, and tims reduce the metal to a still greater '''''•''''""• degree of division. The conse((uence is, tliat the i;ol(l-boarin<2; quartz consists in fusing it, previously reduced to fine powder, with a mixture of carbonate of potash or soda, and oxyd of lead. In this jirocess the quartz is completely dissolved, and if in such a solution a por- tion of metallic lead be present in a highly divided state, it unites with all the gold (and silver), and cariies it to the bottom of the liipiid mass. To effect this it is only necessary to add to the mixture, either before or after fusion, a little powdered charcoal, whicli i-educes a portion of lead from the oxyd of this metal which was added. It is not necessary to reduce the whole, as the first portions of lead thus sei)arated carry down with them the whole of the gold. Moilo uf a.ow how .uicertain and how irregular must necessarily be the results of laboratory assays, which are v;uv]y made on more than two or three ounces <'t th.> pulverized .p.artz, for the reason that the manipulation .,f much larger ((uantities by such a process l)ecomes difficult. In til. following assays five or six pounds of .puartz. taken at hazard from a larger <,uantity. after being heated to redness and .pienched in water to niake ,t rnor.. friable, were reduced to a powder, from which were taken |.oi'tions for assay ; these were more finely pulverize.l and sifted. Now it IS obvious from what has been said about the irregular distribution of the gold m rpiartz that different portions of 100 grammes each of this powder may contmn very variable amounts of the p.-ecious metal, and moreover that another mass of quartz fnm. an adjacent portion of the vein may be much richer or much poorer than that selected for trial, llonce in an ore like gold-beavmg .juartz, in which the metal is generally invisible toor.linary inspection, the results of assays of ..lected portions have but a very dwts to the ton. This lode was of quartz, Avith some carbonate of lime, yellow copper ore and telluric bismuth, a not unfre(nient companion of gold in other regions. — (Quar. Jour. Science, Oct., 1805.) Of the quartz from the twelve localities specially indicated in the Report of Mr. ^licliel as having been the subjects of some explorution, there were made in all thii'ty-one assays, each on portions of 100 grammes, and with the followhig res\ilts calculated for the ton of 2240 lbs. ; the valvie of the gold being estimated at $20.(57 the ounce troy of 4S0 grains. The silver was not determined in any of the assays, but it did not appear in any case to exceed the small proportion which is always alloyed with native gold, and which in that from the alluvions of the Chaudiere, as appears from the mean of several analyses given in the Geology of Canada, to be about 12 per cent. It is well known, however, that both the copper and lead ores of the Eastern Townships contahi portions of silver, so that where these ores are associated with the gold, a larger alloy of silver may be looked for. Thus, in an assay of a pyritous copper ore from a ipiartz vein m the Lower Silurian rocks in Ascot, more than five parts of silver were found for one of gold. (Geology of Canada, p. 517.) 1 . Vaudreuil, lot 8:J, 1st range Northeast. Two assays gave )io trace of gold. 2. Vaudreuil, lot 21, concession St. Charles. Five assays: of these four gave an average of only 6 dwts. 13 gra. of gold,= $0.7r) ; while the fifth, in which a large scale of gold was seen in sifting, and was added to the assay, yielded at the rate of 4 ounces, 18 dwts.= $10l .29; the average of the five assays being $25.60 per ton. 8. Vaudreuil, lot 02, 1st range Northeast. Two assays gave me no trace of gold. 4. Vaudreuil, lot 10, concession St. Charles. Sii assays ; of these the mean of four gave 4 dwts. 21 grains of gold,= $5.03 ; aaid that of two others, in which, as in No. 2, a scale of gold was seen and was ground up with the powder, was 3 ounces 2 dwts. ,= $04. 07. The average of these assays is thus $24.71 to the ton. 5. Vaudreuil, lot 39, 1st range Northeast. Two assays yielded no trace of gold. 0. Vaudreuil, lot 20, concession Dc Lery. Two assays, the mean of which gave 14 dwts. 10 grains of gold=$15.15 to the ton. n H7 7. Va.iulrpuil, lot o^, 1st range Northeast. Two assays gave no trace of gold. 8. Vaiidreiiil, lot ol), 1st range Northeast. Two assays gave no gold. H. Aubin-Delisle, lot 9, range 1. Two assays gave no gold. 10. Auhert-(rallion, lot '60, range 1. Two assays gave no trace of gold. 11. Lhiiere, lot 7l!, range 1. Two assays gave no gold. 12. Liniere, lot 2, range 1. Two assays gave a mean of G dwts. 1^ grains of gold=$G.7(J to the ton. If we com])are the results of these assays with those mentioned by Mr. Cuniiianson oi Michel, we sliall see farther proof of the irregvdarity with which gold is dis- '"**"*"■ tributed in the gangue. The (juartz from several of these veins has been examined by Dr. A. A. Hayes of Bijston, whose results, which are worthy of the highest confidence, are given by Mr. Micliel. together with other assays Ijy persons urdaiown to nie, but probably reliable The (juartz of No. 1 had given in Boston $87, and in auothei- assay mad. on the spot, $10() of gold to tlie ton; the mechanical assay also yielded a portion of gold to Mr. Michel ; while two assays of anothei' sample from the same vein gave me n<> trace of the precious metal. Again, in the case of No. 2, Dr. Hayes ob- tahied $77.5(3, pri-l Me. Colviu $54.00, while one assay of the same vein yielded me not less than $101.29 ; and four others, as seen above, a mean fi of only $6.70. No. o, in like manner, is said to have furnished gold, ^ though none was found in the specimen just assayed. Nos. 4 and have yielded gold both to Dr. Hayes and myself; while of No. 8, which gave traces of gold by Mr. Michel's mechanical assay, and of No. 1 1 , which is said to have yielded gold to an assayer in New York, the specimens fur- nished me yielded no traces. The specimens of (piartz collected by Mr. Micliel are all from the U))per Nature of the Silurian strata, and, although generally numing with the strike, appear to be ^"""'' from true veins. In many cases they enclose angular masses of the wall- rock, and evidently fill up fissures produced by fracture. T'ose veins ap- pear to differ hi their greater extent and apparent continuity , 'in those which traverse the adjacent Lower Silurian rocks, and Avhich are generally small and interrupted. The quartz of the above veins is generally white and crystalline, often calcareous with drusy cavities lined with crystals. It frecpiently contains |M>rtion8 «»i' ^^^' a brownish cleavable spar, closely resembling ordimiry bitter-syiar oi- dolomii", which, as is well-known, often contains a portion of carbonate of iron and weathers brownish. On .'inalyzing, however, a portion of the spar from 10, it was found to be a com|Ktund of carbonate of lime and carbonat*- oi' ivon, Avith traces only of carbonate of msignesia, being identical m asfw^ct anIineralogy, 4th Edi- fift Poiircn (if gOlMU. (xold in lower rook. tiou, page 438. This sparry carbonate is slowly decomposed by the action of the air, giving rise to a vei-y light pulverulent form of hydi-ous peroxyd of iron, wli'ch at the outcrop of some of these veins is seen still retaining the cleavage of the spar. The decomiKtsition of this, or of a similar spar is appa- rently the origin of the t/ozsati or ferruginous matter which forms, in some cases, the outer layer or selvage of the (piartz veins in this region. In the case of No. 10, it forms a considerable portion of the vein towards the walls, and pi-esents b>v)ad. curved cleavage-planes. The accompanyhig (piartz, which is generally .vhite and crystalline, is sometimes stained gi-een by chlorite, which forms small masses in the vein. Minute grains of galena are also present. The presence of the spar, or of the result of its decom- position, was also conspicuous in the veins 1,2,4, 0, and 12. In some cases, as in the vein at the Devil's Kapid-^, tiiis spar contains a portion of carbonate of manganese, and then the result of its decomjtosition is black or brownish-black from the presence of oxyd of manganese. If gold were imbedded in this spar, as it certainly is in the bitter-spar of Leeds, it would )»e liberated during the decomposition of the spar, and ap|iear neiir the outcrop of the veins. From such a source may be derived the angiilar and unworn gold which Mr. Michel found at St. Francis, and of wliich occasional particles have been found elsewhere in the alluvions, offering a marked contrast to the ordinarily worn and rounded condition of tiw alluvial gold. While the results of nmnerous assays of (juartz from tlie L'p[)er Silurian rocks are certainly such as to encourage us to look fi>r noi-kable deposits in the rocks of that sei'ies, it should not be forgotten that specimens of native "•old are also found in the veuis of the jjower Silunaii ii Leeds aiid St. (files. An assay of the (piartz fnmi the latter is ,aid lo have yielded Dr. Haves (*).', dwts. of gnld to the ton. Gold has also Ueen found h» similar geological conditions at the Halifax Copper Muie, in a veinstone, whose a.'ssay gave about the same (luantity as the lust. (Notes on the (lold of Eastern Canada, published by the Geologic^. Survey, pace ol.) It seeumfi tiierefoi'c (|uite as |)robable that workable gold veins mav be foimd in rhe Lower as in the Upper Silurian rocks. Indeed, the ophiion lias already been expressed in the Reports of the Survey, that the chief scMirce of the alluvial gold has I)een the disintegration of tlie crystalUaie rocks oif the LoAver Silurian series, which form the chain M' hills to rhe m^rthwest of the anv'- ferous alluvions. It would seem, in iwc^ that tli* 'old resting on the Upper Silurian rocks beyond these hill- must \«c deri\ed from a source »nniewhat remote; since it i? difficult to conceive of a force which could break up the rock, separate the gold from its gangue, and give it a worn and rounded aspect, which should not be, at the same time, an energetic transporting agency. The derivation from the Lower Silurian rocks to the north, of a large portion of the materials making up the auriferous alluvions which rest I no si I i on the Upper Silurian strata is evident; tor intermixed with the dark- coloured clay-slates of the latter are numerous worn pebbles of epidote, jasper, diorite, dialla^e, serpentine, and red ari^illite, Avhicli arc derived from the Lower Silurian scries; toifether with magnetic, titanic, and chromic ironoi'cs; all three of which, but es])ecially the latter, ap])ear to charac- terize the older rocks. It is further to be noticed that one of the richest alluvial deposits of gold yet observed in the Chaudiere district is ahw^ the Ltiviei'e des Plantes, which runs (,'ntii'ely on the Lower Silui-ian rocks, and about a mile to the north of the boundary of the Upper Silurian area. As miirht be expected, Mr. Michel, who has carefully examined the alluvions of this stream, informs me that thev differ from those of the Gilbert and other streams further southward, in which the ruins of the Upper Silurian strata are mingled with those of the Lower Siluvian series. With regard to the black sand in auriferous alluvions, and the erroneous Black sami. notions which prevail with regard to it, it should be remarked that similar black sandy residues, consisting chiefly of various ores of iron (sometimes with oxyd of tin and other minerals), may be obtained from the washing of almost all sands and gravels derived from ci-ystalline rocks, and that the occurrence of a black sand, therefore, in no way indicates the presence of gold. When however this metal is present in a gravel, it, from its great weight, remains behind with the black sand and dense matters in the residue after wasldng. As long ago described, the black sand of the auri- ferous alluvions in Canada consists chiefly of chromic, titanic, and magnetic iron ores. The examinations of the auriferous alluvions above described, sIioav the UouUierciay. existence of a peculiar deposit of clay, bluish on the Gilbert River, but yellowish in Ascot, Orford and Lambton. It is veiy stiff" and coherent, and encloses large (piantities of boulders and rounded fivagments of rock, but seems from the testimony of the miners and from the repeated trials made by Mr. Michel on the Gilbert and elsewhere, to be destitute of gold. It is worthy of record that on lot (> i-ange 14 of Ascot, he detected in it shells which were t(«) imperfect to be jtreserved, but from a drawing made on the spot, appear to be a species of Mi/a. This clay, which seems to correspond to what has been called the boulder-clay of the St. Lawrence and Cham- plain valleys, is like it found distributed in an irregular manner, partly no doubt from the effects of subse(pient denudation. While, on the borders of Lake St. Fi-ancis, which is S!)0 feet above the sea, the bottom of the boul- der-clay was not reached at thirty feet, it was often foimd by ]\L'. Michel to be only two or three feet in thickness, and in many places was absent. Auriferous gravels are found resting on this boulder-clay, but the general tes- timony is that they are poorer than those found lying on the bed-rock ; and the important fact is shown by numerous workings on lots 19 and 20 on the 70 fidiii hoii.w tiio (iilhcrt, and jilso in Ascot, on lot 2 of ran^'c 18, that a rich layer of aiiri- liouldcr clay. ... n •> j torous gravel lies hclow the bouMer-clay, resting upon the clay-slates be- neath. The ro.sidiie ohtainoil hy Avaahing a portion of this barren clay from the (Jilbi-rt Piiver was not without interest. Besides the rounded fragments, which wore, with very few excejitionrf, of U)»per Silurian clay-slate, there were numerous worn and rounded masses of iron pyrites, which also made u]) one-third of the finer and heavier sand remaining after washing. This, after the separation of the pyrites, was found to consist of magnetic, chro- mic and titanic iron ores, resemliling those of the auriferous gravels of the same vicinity, I)ut in very nuicli smaller grains. It is worthy of note that the grains, as well as tiio small rounded pebbles of iron ])yrites from this boiilder-clay were bright, and free from any discoloration or tarnish, a fact which would seem to show that they had been carefully protected from the air by the clay ever since the time of their erosion. Such grains of pyrites, had they existed in a j)ermeable gravel, would have been more or less cwn- ])letely destroyed by oxydation, which may ex|)lain the general absence of unoxydized pyrites from the aui'iferous alluvions. The occurrence in this sterile clay of the chromic and titanic irons which elsewhere accompany the giild, is a fact which suggests farther in(iuiry into the origin and history of the superficial deposits of this region. Australia. In iVustralia the gold fields of Victoria have deriveil their precious metal, as in Canada, from ipiartz vehis in Silurian rocks, but the breaking-down of these took place at a remote period, the great deposits of alluvial gold l)eing in a series of sands, gravels and clays apparently of fresh-water origin, containing lignite, and of Miocene or Middle Tertiary age ; which are covered in places by overilows of a volcanic rock, there called blue-stone. A partial disintegration of this ancient auriferous drift took place near the close of the Tertiary ))eriod, glvhig rise to the second gold alluvions, and the present action of rain and rivers on these two produces the third or re- cent alluvions. As a general rule, the portion richest in gold in all of these is found at their base, where they rest directly on the Silurian strata. In some cases these several deposits overlie one another, so that t\vo or even three auriferous strata or gold bottoms are found at different depths. These details ai-e from a paper by M. A. Selwyn, Geologist to the Colony of Victoria, (Qiuir. Jour. G-eul. Soc, 1858, p. f)oiJ.) Bolivia. The not(!s furnished me by Mr. iMichel, and the result of his observations during a residence of many years employed in gold mining in South Ame- rica, show that the alluvial gold of New Grenada and IJolivia occurs in con- ditions not unlike those met with in Victoria. The gold which thei-e, as elsewhere is derived from the disintegration of (piartz veins in the neigh- bouring mountains, is found most abundantly in an ancient gravel, enclos- !♦ ial gold (4 71 ing, besides many ])ebble8 and boulders, the trunks of trees converted into lignite, and often cemented into a very firm mass, resting on the bed-roek. Above this are found successive strata of clays and gravels of various kinds, l)eneatli Avhicli the auriferous layer is sometimes so deejily buried as only to be reached by subterranean mining. Althongli generally sterile, these overlying strata sometimes include a second bed of aurifci'ous gravel, ordhiarily however less rich than tlie lower one. 'I'liis series of strata, which in some districts is not more than twelve or fifteen feet in thickness, attains in othei-s more than seventy-five feet. Sections of them ai'c exposed in the banks of the rivers which have cut through these clays and gravels down to the bed-rock. The materials excavated fi'om the valleys and car- ried to lower levels, constitute the secondary alluvions, which are some- times of great richness. A similar condition of things exists in California, where however the Californin. gold-beanng <[uartz vehis are in much more recent rocks tlian those of Aus- tralia and Canada, tlieir age l)eing chiefly newer secondary. The alluvial gold washhigs are divided into two classes, the older or (Iccp p/acrrH, as they arc called, and tlie nhdlDiv phiirvH. The latter, wliich were superfi- cial and local, and arc now nearly exhausted, Averc derived from the wash- ing down of the more ancient alluvions or stratified auriferous gravel ; which rests upon the bed-rock, and attains a thickness of ioO feet where it has not been denuded. This ancient gravel, which like that of A\istralia, con- tains large (luantities of lignite or fossil wood, forms in many parts the sur- Deeiii'iacers, face of the country ; but in others is covered by a thick and hardened layer of volcanic ash, which caps the hills. It is where this auriferous gravel has been partially denuded, that it is now Avrouglit by the hydraulic method. The upper part of the deposit is poorer than the lower, and the richest por- tions arc near the bed-rock, where deposits of immense richness are sometimes found ; but at the Forks of the Yuba River, whei-e it presents an average thickness of about 120 feet, it yields, accordhig to Prof. Silliman, who visited the region in 186-4, from thirty to forty-five cents worth of gold to the cubic yard. This applies to tlie gold actmilly saved by the h^nlraulic method there employed ; besides which a large portion is washed away, and is partly recovered in subsequent washings by the Chinese labourers in the rivers below. The canal, with its reservoirs, for the purpose of working this region, has been constructed at a cost of ^600,000, and the amount of gold extracted from an area of about 200 square miles at the Forks of the Yuba, has averaged for several years past ^2,000,000 annually. For a detailed account of the mode of working in this region, the reader is referred to a paper by Prof. Silliman in the American Journal of /Science for July, 1865, from which these details are extracted. In the Report of the Geological Survey for 1863, some description of the hydraulic process 72 Hydraulic methud. ltd eust. Working cnX- ciilatiuns. Old alluvions. 13 given ; but a much more extended account of it, with its various improve- ments, will be found in the paper just cited. Prof. Silliman gives, from a report by Mr. George Black, a skilful English engineer long resident in California, many details, and among others the following estimate of the comparative cost of handling a cubic yard of gravel, estimating a miner's wages at four dollai's u-duy , with the i)an, twenty dollars ; with the rocker, five dollars; with the long-tom, one dollar; and with the hydiviulic process, twenty cents ; thus making the cost of washing gravel by this meihc^l one twenty-fifth of that by the rocker, commonly used by miners at the Chaudiere. The estimate as to the minimum fjuantity of gold which may be ex- tracted with profit by this method, as stated by ]Mr. W. J'. Blake, and copiod in the Report of ISO;}, he has since informed me is subject to some revision, and the recent data above given will enable us to revise the cal- culation. We may assume that with labour at one dollar a day, the cost of washing gravel l)y this method in Canada would be one-fourth as much as in California, or five conts the cul)ic yard. Now, it was shown that the auriferous alluvion over an acre at the fiirks of the Du Loup and Chaudiere yielde