of a Crib. The The construction of the crib and shaft, etc., is as follows: There is first a crib containing Construction an outer and an inner shell, the former 60 feet square and the latter 40 feet, leaving 10 feet of space between all around, and making a total area for mining operations of 3,600 feet. The shells are constructed of eight by eight inch timber laid horizontally, skin to skin, with joints properly broken. A similarly constructed bottom has been provided between the shells, and sets of braces connect the latter every 32 inches in depth. The crib, which is 30 feet in height, has been sunk two or three feet into the clay, which is at a depth varying from 18 to 24 feet, according to the rise and fall of the water; the top of the crib having in consequence of the variable water level a variable elevation above the water. On December 22, 1898, this was eight feet, as marked on the sketch. There is from 3 to 16 feet of clay at the bottom, the variability being due to the sloping rock surface. outer space of the crib is filled with broken stone. Inside the crib a coffer-dam has been sunk to bed rock. This is 16 by 22 feet in size, and constructed of timber sets 26 inches apart, the timber being 10 inches square for the first 12 feet from the bottom and eight inches square for the remainder of the distance, which is to the top of the crib. Inside the coffer-dam is the shaft, which is six by 12 feet in size with three compartments, two for hoisting and a manway. For the first 15 feet of depth the shaft is timbered with sets several feet apart; below this, extending to a depth of 16 feet below the rock surface, the timbers are laid skin to skin, forming a neat and substantial cribbing. From the bottom of the cribbing a concrete seal three feet thick has been carried up to a height of three feet above the rock surface; the excavation in the rock being enlarged of course for this distance, and the seal being interposed between the rock and the crib-work. The composition of the seal is as follows: First, four feet from bottom, one part cement, three parts sand; second, four feet, the same number of parts of cement and sand with three parts of broken granite, 1 in. diameter; the balance has five parts broken granite. of Crib Con An account of the progress of the work with all the attendant difficulties, etc., up to the Difficulties time of getting the crib in place struction. and the work of sinking in the rock well advanced would form an interesting contribution to the literature of mining engineering. As stated in my last report, the crib was built on an island about half a mile from its present site, and towed out by a steamer to the point where mining was to commence. It was then sunk to the bottom by filling the outer space with broken stone, something less than 2,000 tons being required; this was transported in barges. The cofferdam was then sunk in the centre on the "drop-shaft" principal, that is, the clay was excavated underneath and the timber work allowed to descend. It was at first thought that this clay would be sufficiently fluid to allow of its being pumped out; but the case proved otherwise, and excavation methods with hoisting by bucket, were employed under considerable difficulties, owing to the pressure of the clay from the outside. The experiment was made of driving 3-in. planking all around on the outer side of the crib through the clay, with the intention of sending it through to bed rock, thus shutting off the further encroachments of this clay, and hence relieving the pressure inside; but as the depth of the clay was so great at some points the planking could not be driven through to the rock, and the attempt to facilitate operations by this means was given up. Owing to the same fact, viz., the unevenness of the rock surface underneath the cofferdam, only a small portion of the latter rested upon the rock, but the clay was effectually shut off by driving in 3-in. planking underneath the timbers, filling in all the space between the latter and the surface of the rock; excavating the clay of course as the work of driving the planking was continued. A comparatively dry and clear space was thus secured for the building up of the crib work of the shaft, which was commenced from the bottom, and also for the filling in of concrete and cement, which was done concurrently with the timbering. A substantial shaft has thus been secured with compartively little seepage of water. Shaft. The depth of the shaft below the top of the crib is now (Feb. 14, 1899) 141 feet, Sinking the and sinking is being continued as fast as possible. At a depth of 110 feet a drift has been driven south 58 feet, and discontinued for the present. The next level will be 75 feet below the first. Instructions were left requiring that sinking below the second level or below the 200-foot point be done under a substantial pentice, preferably of stone. A ladderway 28 inches wide has been provided, but is not in suitable condition for travelling up and down, and instructions were left that it be properly constructed to the 110-foot level, with suitable division between it and the hoisting compartments, and a hanging or temporary ladder provided from the 110-foot level to the bottom of the shaft, so that travelling up and down may be safely effected without the use of the bucket. The country rock is a massive porphyritic granite similar to that of Sultana island. At a depth of 60 feet a quartz vein eight feet wide. dipping 75° northwest, was passed through; but was concealed by the casing under the shaft timbers. Both of these veins are said to carry encouraging values. There is now about 18 or 20 inches of vein matter, mostly quartz, at the bottom of the shaft. A cistern has been excavated in the drift at the first level, and a Northey pump with a capacity of 75 gallons per minute Machinery. under a 300-foot head installed. Mining There is also a small Worthington sinking pump with 2-in. suction. Mr. Flaherty imforms me that about 25 gallons per minute were coming in altogether. Drilling is done by compressed air, two drills being in use. The compressor is a 3drill Ingersoll-Sargeant, which also supplies compressed air for the sinking pump. The hoisting machinery consists of a five by eight inch duplex hoist, 1,300 lb. steel bucket and a g-in. crucible steel cable running over a 48-in. sheave. This will be replaced by a larger plant when the next level has been reached. A 85 h.p. horizontal boiler supplies the hoister, the compressor and the pump. There are two pumps on the surface; a boiler feed pump, and a Cameron pump with 3-in. intake for fire purposes. Inclined trap doors have been provided at a distance of 10 feet above the shaft mouth, serving as gates for dumping waste rock and ore separately. Short teamways lead from the shaft to the edge of the crib. At the manway a flue has been carried 30 feet above the shaft mouth for ventilation purposes, a good draught being thus secured. There is a total force of 20 men, including nine miners working in three eight-hour shifts. Buildings of the Mine. The following buildings have been erected on the crib. Boiler and compressor house, 19 by 40 feet, including dressing room 10 by 10 feet, and woodshed; hoisting engine house, 12 by 12 feet; blacksmith shop, 16 by 20 feet, and small store house. A gangway has been constructed for hauling material to top of crib. The boarding camps and office consist of roomy and neatly constructed buildings situated on Chien d'Or island, about a half mile from the crib; this island. as well as the Queen Bee, close to it, belongs to the Queen Bee Gold Mining Company. The powder magazine is situated on an island at a suitable distance from the workings. The manager was instructed not to store powder on the crib; and to keep any stored underground in a box with a lid. Queen Bee Location. On Queen Bee island there are two parallel veins with a strike of N. 20° E., similar to Climax Gold Climax Mine. On August 4 I visited the Climax mine, situated east of Heenan's point, about 10 miles from Rat Portage, with Mining Co. steamboat communication from the latter place. The property consists of location 325 P, containing 256 acres It is owned by the Climax Gold Mining Company of Ontario, Limited. Head office, Winnipeg; capitalization, $1,000,000 in $1 shares; president, W. Redford Mulock; vice-president, Thomas Black; secretary-treasurer, B. E. Chaffey. Mr. Fred. Wagner is manager of the mine; a force of three miners is employed. Work has been going on for about a year. of the Pro The formation is hornblende schist and trap in contact with granite. Considerable testDevelop- pitting and other surface work had ment work been done on the different veins, perty. etc., on the property, without satisfactory results until within a short period of my visit, when a vein had been discovered crossing the contact; this has been traced for about half a mile by a number of test pits sunk at various intervals, and from all appearances is a deposit worthy of exploitation. The greater part of it occurs in the trap, into which a tongue of felsite extends south from the granite for a few hundred feet, the vein following the felsite. Where the vein extends beyond the felsite it consists of a sheared zone of greenstone and quartz the latter cementing the fragmentary masses of the former. In the granite the vein is a simple quartz body, not very wide nor distinctly traceable for any great distance. The best part of the vein is where it is associated with the felsite. Test pits at intervals of about 100 feet show it to range from three to eight feet in width. Visiting the property on October 11, I found a shaft in process of sinking on the vein, at a distance of about 50 or 60 yards from the contact, in the greenstone; it was 26 feet deep. There was six or seven feet of vein matter at the bottom, consisting of quartz and greenstone intimately mixed. Mr. Wagner later informed me that work ceased on October 18, a depth of 31 feet having been reached. Hay Island Mine. I visited the Hay Island mine on August 4, and found that a new shaft house and engine house had been built. Work had ceased, as I learned, months before, and as no one was in charge I could get no information; the doors and other entrances of the shaft house, etc, were securely boarded up to prevent entrance. From casual information I learned that the shaft has been sunk to a depth of 100 feet, with drifting north and south at the bottom, and as results were not satisfactory work was discontinued; steam hoisting and air compressing plants had been installed, but the latter has been removed. The appearance of the dump seemed to justify the statement regarding development work. Triumph Mine. The Triumph mine, an account of which is contained in last year's report, was in operation until the latter part of September, 1898, since when work has been suspended. A force of four miners had been employed, with Mr. Joseph Hicks of Rat Portage as manager. The shaft, which is six by 10 feet in size, had been sunk 226 feet and discontinued. At Extent of a depth of 107 feet the first level development Work. has been established, with drifting east along the vein 36 feet, and west 42 feet; the drifts being 4 ft. 6 in. by 6 ft. 6 in. in cross section. Both drifts curve sharply to the east until about parallel, forming almost a half circle. At a depth of 182 feet the plat for the second level has been put in, but no work has been going on below the first level on account of the ventilation. A good ladderway has been constructed to the first level, properly cased off from the hoisting compartment and provided with suitable platforms. The surface is properly fenced. A neat shaft and engine house has been built. The hoisting machinery consists of a 15 h.p. duplex hoist, with 24-inch drum, inch steel wire cable and wooden kibbles running on pole skidway. Steam is supplied by a 25 h.p. locomotive style boiler. The buildings consist of a boarding camp, blacksmith shop, shaft and engine house and an old mill building, not in use. The property is reached by a road seven miles in length from Rat Portage. The travelling in summer time is bad, especially if the season is wet. Bad Mine. In the latter part of November I visited the Bad mine, which is situated south of the railway track at Margach, a station ten miles east of Rat Portage. Connection with the railway station is secured by a winter road three-quarters of a mile in length, and by a summer road of one mile. The property consists of location 349P, containing forty acres. It has been bonded to Messrs. Hugh Armstrong, James Hildreth and William Peters of Rat Portage; they paid ten per cent. of the buying price down, with an agreement to complete the payment in a given time, pending results of exploitation and milling. Some work had been done on the property by previous parties, the present operators having commenced on November 1. The total force is 13, including eight miners, working in three eight-hour shifts. William Peters is manager, and James Hildreth foreman The Vein As the ground was covered with snow a satisfactory examination of the formation could not be made; but it appeared and Work to consist of eruptive granite in ings upon it. contact with coarse-grained amphibolite; dikes of felsite cutting the amphibolite near the contact, which extends along the face of a hill about 92 feet high. The vein is an irregular lode, varying from a few inches to three or four feet in width, extending along the contact, and said to be traceable by a series of exposures occurring at intervals for a distance of 200 yards or more. About 30 feet below the top of the hill a six by 10-foot shaft has been sunk on the vein to a depth of 70 feet, with a dip of 50° southwest. At a distance of 25 feet from the surface a drift has been driven southeast along the vein 36 feet, and one northwest 30 feet. From the end of the latter drift a cross-cut has been driven west 10 feet; and from the same point drifting has been carried east 12 feet, along what is apparently a branch of the main vem. At a depth of 32 feet the shaft is cribbed and covered over. Two test pits, three or four feet in depth each, have been sunk on the vein, one on each side of the shaft, at a distance of 20 or 25 feet from the latter. At the bottom of the hill a tunnel, 4 by 6 feet in cross-section, is being driven southwest to cut the vein near the shaft. At the time of my visit it was in 29 feet, and 100 feet of driving was calculated necessary to reach the vein. I learned later from Mr. Peters that this had been driven the necessary distance and discontinued." The quartz has a yellowish tint, with a somewhat saccharoidal structure, and is evidently all high grade. In Febru Mill tests of the Ore. ary, 1898, four car loads of 20 tons each were milled at the Keewatin Reduction Works, with results ranging from $22 to $24.25 per ton from the different cars; and in January, 1899, 94 tons milled at the same place gave a return of nearly an ounce per ton. An equal amount was ready for milling in February. At the time of my visit a chute was under construction from the dump to the bottom of the hill, to facilitate loading the ore on sleighs. The buildings consist of boarding camps and blacksmith shop. Regina Mine. Mining and development work has been steadily progressing at the Regina mine during the past year. The milling Progress during the Year. machinery has been entirely renewed and alterations made in the cyanide works, involving on the whole important changes in the method of treating the ore, which will be dealt with later. Henry A. Pringle fulfilled the position of manager until October, 1898, when John F. Mieville, the present manager, assumed these duties. John M. Jones is mine captain, and W. H. Rudd cyanider. There is a total force of 52, including 24 miners. With the exception of a little surface exploitation, operations have been confined entirely to the main shaft workings. Over 100 feet of stripping has been done a few hundred feet south on the main vein, which is small and ragged, corresponding to an uneven line of faulting roughly following irregular tongues of felsite extending from the granite on the north. The main shaft has been sunk to a depth of 452 feet, and will be continued about 30 feet farther with the present hoisting plant. No drifting has been done in the tunnel or in the first, second or third levels since the former report. At the fourth level, 248 teet from the surface, the north drift has been driven 75 feet altogether, and the south 254 feet, and both discontinued for the present. At the fifth level, 298 feet down, the north drift has been driven 48 feet and the south 178 feet. At the sixth level, 360 feet down, the north drift has been driven 292 feet and continued (the last 100 feet being directly under the lake), and the south drift 217 fee'. At a depth of 420 feet the seventh level has been established, with drifting north 43 feet and south 83 feet. Previous reports of the Bureau deal with the geological features of the vein, but a Geological the Region. repetition to a certain extent may features of not be uninteresting. It is well known that the main vein is a fissure running north and south, crossing the contact between granite on the north and trap on the south. The contact dips north at an angle of between 50 and 60 degrees, so that the shaft which was commenced in the granite passes through the contact between the third and fourth levels into the trap. The east wall of the vein has been faulted 30 or 40 feet north, leaving a contact zone of that width. A peculiar feature is that this zone represents the rarrower and poorer part of the vein, which is in direct opposition to the case of the Mikado, where the ore shoots correspond to the contact zones. Another peculiar feature (mentioned in former reports) is that the vein dips west in the granite and east in the trap, so that the shaft which follows the vein changes its dip from west to east at the fifth level, which is slightly below the contact zone, the skidway being changed from one wall to the other accordingly; and the bottom of the shaft, which runs into the west or foot wall is now vertically under the mouth. Mine. Most of the stoping has been done south of the shaft, where a vertical chimney or shoot representing a rich and wide porStoping work in the tion of the vein passes through all the levels. From the end of the third level south, which is driven 229 feet, an upraise inclined 45 degrees south has been made to the second level, meeting the latter at a distance of 300 feet from the shaft. Stoping north from this raise has been carried for a distance of 18 feet, with a width of four feet, up to the second level; and at the third level the vein has been stoped out north from the raise for a distance of 50 feet, with a raise of 28 feet above the roof of the drift and a width of four feet. In the fourth level south the length of the stope is 71 feet, the height 48 feet above drift and the width 4 feet. It will be broken through to the level above as soon as possible for ventilation. In the fifth level south the length of the stope is 60 feet, the height 40 feet and the width three to nine feet, averaging about four feet. In the sixth level south the length of the stope is 52 feet, the height 35 feet and the average width about 4 feet. The vein continues quite strong to the bottom of the shaft. At the seventh level it is seven feet wide at the shaft, consisting of solid quartz with distinct walls. This, of course, does not represent its width at all points in the level. It was the intention of the manager to test veins on either side of the main vein, and also the latter itself, by diamond drill Explo- drilling from stations underground Diamond ration. in the main workings, and if results were satisfactory to cross-cut and work these veins from the main shaft. One drill station was in the second level south 387 feet from the shaft, and a cross-cut had been driven west 13 feet. Stulls were set along the floor of the level, covering the stope underneath, and a tramway laid. The other station was in the sixth level north, at a distance of 145 feet from the shaft, where a cross-cut has been driven 31 feet east. A bore was to be made to the magazine vein, a parallel lode outcropping down the face of the hill about 200 feet east of the main vein. I learned later that |