III. MINERALS APPLICABLE TO CERTAIN CHEMICAL MANUFACTURES, AND THEIR PRODUCTS. Iron Pyrites. Elizabethtown, O. . . . . . . { Brockville Chemical and Superphosphate Works, 256. Cobaltiferous iron pyrites. An important deposit of iron pyrites occurs in the Laurentian quartzites and gneisses at Elizabethtown, near Brockville, O. According to the determinations of Hunt and Macfarlane, the pyrites contains about half of one per cent. of oxide of cobalt. Small quantities of both nickel and cobalt have also been recently detected in the pyrrhotite, which is sometimes associated with the pyrites. In 1869, sulphuric acid works were erected in Brockville, about three miles from the pyrites mine. They were, however, destroyed by fire in 1871. Work was commenced at the present sulphuric acid works at Elizabethtown in 1872. The pyrites contains, on an average, about forty per cent. of sulphur, and a ton of pyrites produces nearly a ton of acid. Most of the pyrites used in these works is now imported from neighbouring deposits in the state of New York. (See Report of Progress of the Geological Survey, 1882-4, p. 10 L.) Darling, O., lot 5, range 4. 348. Iron pyrites. ..... W. H. Wylie, Carleton Place, O. 348a. Limonite, resulting from the decomposition of the pyrites. Knob Mine, Madoc, O., lot 18, range 2.... { Central Ontario Railway Co., 398. Pyrrhotite (magnetic iron pyrites). Trenton, Apatite or Phosphate of Lime. Among those mining industries of the Dominion which have of late years attained important dimensions, none have grown more rapidly or promise better for the future than the mining of apatite or phosphate of lime. The existence of this mineral in the Laurentian rocks of Canada, and its value for the manufacture of artificial manures was pointed out by the Geological Survey many years ago, but its importance was not at first generally recognised. Gradually, however, the deposits were worked to a limited extent, and during the last ten years mining has been carried on very extensively. The following figures show the amount shipped from the port of Montreal (through which, practically, all the apatite exported passes), for the past four years : The amount shipped in 1873 was only 195 tons, the shipments of the succeeding year showing a rapid increase. The mineral, which, as above-mentioned, occurs in the Laurentian system, is generally found either in pyroxenite, crystalline limestone, or garnetiferous gneiss. The largest deposits are generally found in or associated with the pyroxenite, which is always regarded by the miners as a good indication of "phosphate." This pyroxenite varies in colour, but is usually light green, and consists of pyroxene often with but little admixture of other minerals. It seems, in Canada, to occupy to a certain extent the place of the "gefleckter gabbro" of Norway, which latter rock, however, also occurs in Canada, but apparently does not stand in the same intimate relation to the apatite deposits as it does in the former country. It is very difficult to say whether the pyroxenite is, or is not, a bedded rock. Evidences of foliation are usually very obscure. When the apatite occurs in the limestone, it is usually as crystals of various sizes, but often attaining large dimensions. (See No. 93 and Figures 6 and 7.) As all the limestone must be separated before the apatite is ready for shipment, the cost of mining when the mineral occurs in this manner is considerable. By far the most productive apatite district is that situated in Ottawa county, in the province of Quebec. Of the 23,908 tons exported in 1885, no less than 22,408 tons came from this county. The principal apatite mines of this district are situated in the townships of Templeton, Wakefield, Buckingham, and Portland, and the apatite is shipped to Montreal, either by the Ottawa River, or by the Canadian Pacific Railway, which passes along the front of the county. A considerable quantity of apatite has also been mined in the townships of North and South Burgess and North Elmsley, in the province of Ontario. The apatite occurs sometimes in veins (as shown in figures 3 and 4), associated with pyroxene, scapolite, sphene, zircon and other minerals, but in other places in immense deposits of irregular shape which it is difficult to characterize as either beds or veins (see figure 5). In figure 4 the diagonal shading represents the country rock (pyroxenite), the arrow-head markings, calcite, and the white, apatite. See Dr. Harrington's Report on the Minerals of some of the Apatite-bearing veins of Ottawa county (Report of Progress of the Geological Survey, 1877-78.) Until within the last few years the mineral was extracted by means of open workings, but recently shafts have been sunk on many of the more important deposits, and the mineral is being taken out by means of proper underground workings, which in addition to being a more economical method of mining, enables the miners to work as comfortably in winter as in summer. The quantity of apatite in the Dominion is very great, many large deposits being known which cannot at present be worked owing to their inaccessibility, but which will be opened up as means of communication are improved, and other deposits will undoubtedly be discovered as the country becomes better explored. In a report on this industry made to the Government of the United States by Mr. Hotchkiss, its Consular Agent at Ottawa, that gentleman says "When the Canadian phosphates were first introduced in the market they were naturally looked upon with great suspicion, through a want of reliable knowledge of their value as a fertilizer; but at this time the condition is entirely reversed, every pound of the output being contracted for in advance of its production. As mined it is of every shade of colour, from light grey to nearly black. From irregular 'pockets' in small deposits, as well as in large blocks and masses, in apparently inexhaustible volume, superficial, shallow, and down deep in the bowels of the hills. Now mixed with pyroxenic rock, gneiss, mica, &c., which usually accompany the deposit in this county, and in solid masses of almost pure phosphate. "Being a more concentrated phosphate than is known to exist in quantities in any other part of the world it is greatly sought for to bring up the acid phosphate fertilizer to a high percentage of phosphoric acid." In 1877 Mr. C. Hoffmann made a series of analyses of typical Canadian apatites. They were all found to belong to the class of fluor-apatites, and generally speaking to contain only small quantities of oxide of iron, the amount present often being quite insignificant (Report of Progress of the Geological Survey, 1877-78.) The apatite is shipped almost exclusively to Great Britain and Germany. It contains, as shipped, from 75 to 85 per cent. of tricalcic phosphate, 80 per cent, being about the average from the best conducted mines, though lots, where care has been exercised in selecting and dressing the mineral for shipping, have yielded 84 to 85 per cent. The cost of mining is stated to vary from $2 to $8 per ton. Prices fluctuate a good deal, but the mineral is worth about $20 per ton in Montreal. Sebastopol, Renfrew county, O. W. Allan, Ottawa, O. 393. Collection of crystals of apatite, sphene, and pyroxene. These crystals occur in the various limestone bands of the Laurentian system; the most perfect specimens are generally those which have been liberated from their matrix by the disintegration of the limestone. Laurentian. Wakefield, Q., lot 18, range 2 381. Crystals of apatite.-Laurentian. Wakefield, Q., lot 18, range 2 76. Crystals of apatite. A. H. Taylor, Ottawa, O. Isaac Moore, Ottawa, O. "Moore's Mine," These crystals are very abundant in the opening known as either lining the walls of large cavities or imbedded in pink crystalline limestone. One large limestone vein which was opened a year ago contained several hundred tons of them, individual crystals ranging in weight from a few ounces to several hundred pounds, and basal sections of some of them measuring as much as eighteen inches. Several hundred tons of these crystals have been exported.-Laurentian. Wakefield, Q., lot 12, range 1 148. Apatite (phosphate of lime). .M. Haldane & Sons, Aylmer, Q. This deposit was first opened in 1878, and is said to have yielded up to the present time between two and three thousand tons of apatite. The mineral varies in texture from coarsely crystalline to finely granular, the latter being the predominating variety. It sometimes encloses crystals of scapolite, pyrite, chabazite, epidote, and natrolite.-Laurentian. Templeton, Q.. Anglo-Canadian Phosphate Company (Limited), 3, Chapel Street, Liverpool; 28, Gracechurch Street, London, E.C.; Robert C. Adams, Managing Director, Montreal, Q. 92. Apatite (phosphate of lime).-Laurentian. This mine was opened in 1878, and has since been in continual operation, producing annually about 2,000 tons, the amount exported to England and Germany during these years amounting to 14,000 tons. The value of the mineral at the mines is $17 per ton. The apatite occurs as a network of veins which intersect calcareous and pyroxenic rocks. Two small veins are often seen uniting to form a single large one; at other times the veins are found to be abruptly terminated by the dislocation of the surrounding rocks. Large quantities of black mica are often found in the mine, but seldom so mixed with the apatite as to detract from the commercial value of the latter.-Laurentian. Templeton, Q., lot 10, range 9 .J. H. Post, East Templeton, Q. 140. Apatite (phosphate of lime).-Laurentian. |