I

HAVE the honor to present the first annual report of the Provincial Assay Office, which was opened for public assay and analytical work on July 3, 1898. The report includes the operations of the office up to December 31, 1898.

The Record for Six Months.

Instructions were given me by the Director of the Bureau of Mines on May 29 to Organizing proceed to Belleville and attend a the Office meeting of the City Council when the agreement between the Bureau and the Council was made. The latter leased the present quarters of the Laboratory for a period of one year at a rental of $200 free from taxes. Three days were spent in Montreal personally selecting apparatus and supplies. The occupant of the two rooms in the Falkener block provided by the Council moved out on June 10, and July 3 the laboratory work was started, the intervening time being spent in cleaning the rooms, setting up furnaces and apparatus and directing the plumbing and carpentry work.

Advertisements were inserted in the local newspapers and the following circular was sent out to the Crown Lands agents and to the various mining and prospecting centres :

Analyses of Limestones, Marls, Clays, Peat and Economic Minerals at corresponding rates.

Gold ores tested as to free-milling qualities by Amalgamation Assay.

DIRECTIONS for proper Selection of Sample: If the commercial value of a deposit is desired, an average sample for assay may be taken thus: Detach a small piece (to lb.) every 10 or 12 inches across the whole width of the deposit. Repeat this operation every 8 or 10 yards. going the whole length of the deposit. The total amount of ore collected represents an average sample. If the deposit is opened up, samples from each shaft and level taken in a similar way must be included with surface samples. Amount of ore for average sample, 5 to 40 lb. Deposits of variable character (e.g. gold ores) require more than those of uniform character (e.g. iron ores.)

DIRECTIONS for Quartering Down-Large quantities of ore for assaying may be reduced by "quartering down" thus: Crush the whole amount to size of a walnut make into a round heap, mix thoroughly and divide into four equal parts. Select one quarter, crush to size of a bean, mix thoroughly and quarter as before. Proceed in the same manner until the quantity is reduced to 1 or 2 lb. weight.

DIRECTIONS for sending Samples to be Assayed-Crushed samples representing the average of large quantities, or samples less than 5 lb. in weight, may be sent by mail as 5th class matter (1c. per oz., limit weight 5 lb.) or per parcel post (1c. per 4 oz., limit weight 24 oz.) Place in a canvas bag, tie securely, and address to the undersigned. Write your own name and address plainly on the tag and send instructions with money in payment of fees in a separate letter. When more than one sample is sent at one time, each sample must be distinctly marked or numbered, so that they may be identified by instructions in letter.

TERMS-Money in payment for assays and analyses must invariably accompany ore. Assays and analyses are confirmed in each case by a check or duplicate and guaranteed correct. The pulp of each sample is held

for future reference.

J. WALTER WELLS, B. Sc.,

Assayer to the Bureau of Mines,
Belleville, Ontario.

Shortly after the announcement of the opening of the Laboratory by the Bureau, Operations samples for assay were sent in from of the Year. various points. The receipt of

samples has steadily increased in number up to the time of writing. The first certificate was issued on July 5, and to 31 December 239 samples were received for assay or analysis. Of this number 41 were done for the Bureau of Mines, on which no fees were collected.

The total number of assays made was 227, and the total number of analyses 116, being in all 343 tests or determinations on the 239 samples.

The Scale of Fees.

The fees charged by the office for assays and analyses are nominal. They are based on the cost of the materials-chemicals, fuel, etc.-used in each operation. The fees for gold, arsenic and iron ores are relatively lower than for others, as most of the prospecting and development work is done on these ores. As may be seen in the circular, a liberal discount is allowed on a number of samples sent in at one time. Up to 31 December the fees collected by the office aggregated $241.30. The cash receipts were forwarded to the Bureau of Mines at the end of each month as follows:

Samples for

tion.

Numerous samples were received for identification. In each case a full description of the rock or mineral as determined Identifica by field tests was given, accompanied by information as to uses, market value, probable value of sample, etc. No fee is charged for this class of work, although in many cases it involves the getting of the mineral in solution and applying wet qualitative separation tests. This work often saves an assay or analysis, and is greatly appreciated by the public. No record was kept of samples received and reported on in this way until November 6. From that date to the end of the year forty-five samples were reported on, either personally or by letter. In each case, when necessary, full information was given as to commercial uses, market value, etc.

Two trips were made to the back country to become better acquainted with the district.

1 A scale of fees for this class of work has been adopted for 1899.

Trips to the Mining Centres.

One of these was to Madoc and the surrounding country, where the various deposits were visited as far north as the Craig gold mine in Tudor township. The other was to the Coe Hill iron ore mines and the adjacent deposits of iron ore. Samples from each of the deposits visited were collected and placed on exhibit. I am often obliged to answer enquiries regarding the minerals in Eastern Ontario, and the most satisfactory method of obtaining reliable information is to visit the deposits personally,

Equipment of the Laboratory.

The Laboratory is at present located on the ground floor of two rooms. The equip ment is adapted to the needs of a Equipment for Assay Laboratory prepared for assay work ing Work. on gold, silver, copper, lead and nickel ores; also for the quantitative analysis of common economic minerals and ores. such as those of iron, corundum, nickel, zinc, lead, peat and coal. The assay part of the Laboratory has a first-class modern equipment. For those assays requiring fluxing down or fusion a complete set of gas furnaces, consisting of roasting, crucible fusion, scarification and cupellation furnaces is used, together with a universal Hoskios' muffle furnace

heated by gasoline under pressure. For testing gold ores as to free-milling qualities, a laboratory arrastra together with amalgamation pans is used with good results. Copper and nickel estimations are done by both fire and electrolytic methods, the metal in the ore being deposited in the latter method on platinum cylinders by an electric current from a set of gravity cells. In the fire assay the system of breaking crucibles, rather than pouring and using again, is employed. The ordinary requisites, such as pulp balances, ore scales, fluxes of various kinds, reducing agents etc. are in use.

The ore samples received for treatment are prepared by crushing in a small hand crusher and pulverized from 80 to 100 mesh in a mortar. With regard to the sampling down of large quantities of ore sent in for treatment, the commonly approved methods are adopted. All assays and analyses are done

in duplicate, the results being checked off so that errors can be reduced to a minimum. This method can not be adopted however unless a sufficiently large quantity of ore is received. The samples are in each case, both the rough and the pulp, retained for future reference. The Laboratory is prepared to send out the returns on samples received for gold, silver and copper assays the same day that the samples are delivered providing there is no rush. Under present circumstances the Laboratory cannot handle more than a limited number of samples for gold and silver assay in duplicate per day. A fine Becker assay bead balance in use allows the weighing of gold residues down to 20c. per ton in gold.

The analytical part of the Laboratory is not altogether satisfactory as regards location and equipment. Since expenditure Equipment for Analyti- of capital often depends on the cal Work. results of an analysis of ores, a firstclass equipment in proper quarters is a necessity. In fitting up the Laboratory it was not expected that many samples for quantitative analysis would be received at first, but the record for the past six months shows considerable work done in this line and justifies the fitting up of this part of the Laboratory in a more elaborate manner. present analyses of ores are done in the front room, which is also used as an office and contains three cabinets for the exhibit of mineral specimens. The public has free access to this room, which in some measure interferes with careful analytical work.

At

vertical current of air, preferably that of a large chimney flue. There are three working tables. One is for volumetric estimations of iron, zinc, etc. supplied with standardized solutions. Another is for general purposes, being supplied with water taps, sink, filter pump, steam bath connected to exhaust fan, shelves for solutions and cupboards underneath for various apparatus. The third is for ignition of precipitates and fusion of ores, being supplied with a bath, platinum crucibles, blast lamp, etc. Distilled water, used almost exclusively, is secured by an automatic Jewell still heated by gas. A Becker analytical balance reading to onetenth milligram is used in weighing precipitates. The pulp balance, assay bead balance and analytical balance, each with a set of weights, are at present placed in a vault at the back of the suite of rooms. This is very damp in winter, but is otherwise satisfactory. The following forms of certificates are used in sending out reports on samples. Certificates. They seem to answer the purpose fairly well, being convenient to carry in the pocket and for reference.

Forms of

Laboratory of the Assayer to the Bureau of Mines, Belleville, Ontario. J. WALTER WELLS, B. Sc., Official Assayer.

State Assay Offices Elsewhere. Several of the mining States of America, notably Colorado, have at some period in their history maintained State assay offices.

Practice

ern States.

The general practice has been to maintain such an office for a more or less indefinite time during the prospecting and in the West- developing stages of the mineral industry. This has been done by the State Governments as a direct aid in stimulating the industry. In almost every instance the action has been received with favor by the prospectors, mineral property holders and mining men in general who require the assaying and analyses of ores. Where the mining industry is best developed, the State aid seems to be the least, the necessary assay or analytical work being done more by commercial laboratories in proximity to the mining centres. States having a Bureau of Mines as a sub-department of the Government invariably maintain an assay laboratory in connection with the department, which in several instances are located in the mining districts.

Many of the States maintain a Geological Survey staff in connection with the State University or School of Mines, and all of these institutions have testing laboratories— assay, analytical and metallurgical--some with elaborate and expensive equipments. The State of Colorado, the principal mining State in the Union, has for many years conducted a State assay office and a Mining Bureau at Denver, where the economic minerals of that district have been elaborately advertised by means of exhibits, lectures, literature, etc. A considerable amount of money seems to have been spent by the State in this way. The results have amply justified the outlay, as Colorado has steadily advanced as regards production of metals, such as gold, silver and lead.

The Province of British Columbia has maintained a Government assay office for the past twenty years. There seems to be no doubt that it has proved a stimulant to the mineral industry in that Province by giving to prospectors and mining men reliable returns upon which they might invite or safely invest capital. The British Columbia Assay Office is at present located in a building constructed for the purpose, and the equipment is to be elaborate.

There seems to be a movement on foot at

present in that Province to prevent the Government Laboratory from entering into competition with private laboratories. The proposal does not seek to abolish the office entirely, but to limit its function to that of acting as an umpire assayer; that is, in case of dispute between parties handling ore the certificate issued by the Government Laboratory on the value of the ore in question is to be accepted as final. It is suggested by the petitioners to the Government in regard to this matter that the fees charged for the latter work should be double the ordinary commercial rates, thus compensating for the limited function of the Laboratory.

In Hamburg, Germany, there is a Government assay office which has been operating since 1895 with remarkable success.

The quantitative analysis of ore in British Columbia is $25 to $50 according to constituents, while in Ontario it is $5 to $10.

Some of the States in the United States have followed the practice of doing the work for the public free of charge, lodging discretionary powers with the assayer as to what samples are worth testing. Other States, on the contrary, have charged nominal fees to prevent the testing of worthless samples which might otherwise be sent in for examination.

In Ontario as in other countries a great deal of unreliable assay and analytical work has been done which has encouraged in some cases the outlay of capital without reason. Work done by the Government tends to pre

vent this, and the results are guaranteed so far as the samples are concerned. A number of such unreliable reports, more especially in gold and silver assays, have come under my observation during the last year and it has been shown that those who have paid for such assays have been simply humbugged. State of the Mineral Industry in Eastern Ontario. The outlook for the mineral industry in eastern Ontario is encouraging, as there seems to be no doubt as to the existence of workable deposits of Industry. various economic minerals. More capital is being spent at present in actual development than ever before in the history of the district, and the mines treating ore are getting good results. The ores showing the most activity are those of gold, iron, arsenic and lead.

Evidences of a substantial

Gold.

As for gold, three mines are raising ore for treatment. At the Belmont mine, owned and worked by the Cordova Exploration Co., of London, England, a low-grade quartz carrying a small percentage of sulphurets is successfully treated by a well-managed ten-stamp mill made by the W. B. Hamilton Co. of Peterboro. At the Deloro mine, near Marmora, owned by the Canadian Gold Fields Syndicate Co., of London, England, an arsenical ore is treated by a modern Fraser and Chalmers tenstamp mill, the concentrates being treated by the Sulman bromo-cyanide bleaching process with excellent results. At the Boerth mine, near Ardoch, a Detroit company is working a free milling quartz, apparently high grade, which will shortly be treated by amalgamation. Several other properties are being developed with every promise of becoming mines, notably the Diamond at Queensboro, an arsenical ore body carrying high values in gold.

arsenic and its products, as fuel, labor, and high grade arsenical ore can be got cheaply in North Hastings. White arsenic is rising in value owing to apparently diminishing ore supplies in Germany and England, which now control the market, combined with increasing uses of the article and the various products made from it in the arts. White arsenic is quoted in the New York markets at an average price of $80 per ton. The process of extracting it from the North Hastings arsenical ores is comparatively simple and should yield a fair profit on money invested.

Iron Ores.

Iron ores (hematite) have been shipped steadily from two deposits near Madoc, and from Calabogie station on the K. and P. Railway to the Hamilton blast furnace. A magnetic iron ore has also been worked near Malone on the C. O. R.; also at Bedford on the K. and P. Railway. The Deseronto Iron Co., making charcoal pig iron, is also in the market for Ontario iron ores of Bessemer quality.

The large number of iron ores received for analyses at this Laboratory indicates a considerable activity in this district. Judging from the samples analyzed and from personal inspection, there seems to be numerous deposits of magnetite of more or less extent which may be classed as lean ores. Some of these can no doubt be made into Bessemer grade by magnetic concentration. Similar deposits of lean magnetic iron ores are being successfully worked in New Jersey and the Southern States by a system of magnetic concentration. Much of the Swedish charcoal iron which commands such a high price in the markets is made from more or less low grade magnetic iron ores. With an active demand for iron ores in Ontario, there seems to be no reason why these low grade ores cannot be placed on the market at a profit.

Lead ore (galena) is being shipped to Belgium from a deposit near Bannockburn, Hastings county. It is reported

Galena.

at Madoc.

that a lead smelter is to be erected

A few shipments of felspar from Bird's Creek, in Hastings, have been sent to the English potteries, which pay about $8 per ton delivered at Liverpool. There are several