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By S. E. Malouf, W. Thorpe

"The Chibougamau Explorers property comprises 35 claims or 1,726 acres in La Dauversiere and Rohault Townships along the west shore of Norhart Lake. The property is serviced by a twelve-mile all-weather high-way leaving the main St. Felicien-Chibougamau highway at mileage 121. This road junction will be a railway siding on the C.N.R. St. Felicien-Chibougamau branch line in early 1957. The property lies 30 miles due south from the town of Chibougamau. The mine-sponsored Chibougamau Explorers town has a population of 250 with 28 residences and a well equipped recreation centre.The original showing was found by Rider Storn, a prospector financed by Val d'Or interests during the 1950 field season. This showing did not stand up to detailed prospecting but it did lead to the discovery of the main zone by A. Oakley during the following winter.The company was incorporated in I 950 under the presidency of E. Ayrhart. Financing following the initial drilling involved an increase of capitalization from 3 to 5 million shares and the advent of financing and management control by Anacon Lead Mines Limited.Exploration and development to Jan. I, 1956, has included 42,331 feet of surface diamond drilling; 31,363 feet of underground drilling; a 3-compartment shaft to 1,245 feet, with 8 levels at 150-foot intervals; and I 1,054 feet of drifts, crosscuts, and raises. Ore reserves to the 900-foot level, proven and partly developed, total 546,725 tons averaging 0·30 ounces gold and 0·93 per cent copper. A mill with capacity of 500 to 750 tons will be installed by January 1956.GeologyThe Chibougamau Explorers property lies along the belt of Keewatin volcanics striking through Bachelor Lake, Opawica Lake, Doda Lake, Coapatina, Norhart Lake, and Rohault Lake, where it is in close proximity to the paragneisses of the Grenville series. The boundary of the paragneisses, a gradational contact, lies within a mile of the Chibougamau Explorers shaft collar."

Jan 1, 1949

By J. R. Thoenen

Occurrences of titanium, zircon, and other heavy minerals are widespread in Florida. Deposits concentrated as "heavy sands" by wave and wind action have been mined an or near Atlantic coastal beaches since 1916. An important inland concentration at Trail Ridge; .believed, to have formed along an ancient share line, was disclosed by preliminary investigations (1947) by the Bureau of Mines. This report describes investigations to determine the extent and grade of "heavy-sand" concentrations in other inland stabilized dune areas in the central and northeastern parts of the peninsular region of the State (fig. 1). Portions of the central highlands south of Trail Ridge and terraces and dunes in the coastal lowlands region, east and northeast of the ridge were investigated. Holes were drilled in 10 areas (see table 1 and fig. 2) along State and County roads and on private property. They were spaced 250 to 2,000 feet. apart to obtain a cross-sectional picture of "heavy-sand" content in the dune areas. These sections were generally placed in east-west directions normal to the general trend Of the peninsula to intercept one or more of the ancient shore lines in the various areas (figs. 3 to 13, incl.). A total of 433 drive piped and 333 jet holes were drilled, and 7,293 bulk and core samples were taken. Intermediate holes were placed at closer intervals when field analysis indicated 1 percent or more of heavy minerals present. All of the holes drilled and the analysis of samples that contain 1 percent or more of heavy minerals are listed in table 2. Profiles (figs. 14 to 20, inclusive) show the more favorable concentrations, which are irregular in outline and erratic in mineral content. The highest concentrations averaged 1.0 to more than 2.0 percent heavy-mineral content, but a few individual hole samples exceeded 3.0 percent in grade.

Jan 1, 1949

By Ernest V. Deshayes

The Colorado Minerals Co. calcite properties in Archuleta and Hinsdale Counties, Colo., (fig. 1) were examined by Bureau of Mines engineers in 1943. The demand for optical calcite during the war prompted the examinations and resulting development programs on the Meadows and Seavy ranch properties near Pagosa Springs, Archuleta County. Development was begun on the Meadows property in November 1943 and continued to the Seavy ranch property. The work consisted of stripping the overburden from the calcite areas and excavating pits and trenches with a bulldozer. The pits and trenches exposing the most promising calcite veins were then deepened by hand, and one shaft was sunk to a depth of 30 feet. A total of 36 trenches and 9 pits were excavated by bulldozer and. hand methods (figs. 2, 3, and 4). The calcite deposits occur as veins and irregular bodies filling fractures in the Mancos shale of Cretaceous age. The fractures persist for considerable distances along the strike, although the calcite filling may not be continuous for more than a few feet. The widths of individual veins range from a few inches to several feet. The calcite crystals uncovered at the surface and in pits, trenches, and shafts were found to be unsuitable for optical purposes because of fracturing and color in the crystals.

Jan 1, 1949

By A. M. Cummings

During August 1943, the Bureau of Mines undertook sampling and measuring of the Kennedy zinc tailing pile near Hazel Green, Lafayette County, south-western Wisconsin, as part of a general investigation of this lead-and zinc-producing area at a time when it was extremely important to increase the production of metals for the Nation's War program. The tailing pile was the residue from old jigging plants that treated ore from the Kennedy mine, one of the oldest and. largest mines in the district. Because retreatment of tailing by modern milling methods was proving economically successful at other sites in the southwestern Wisconsin field, the Bureau?s investigation was designed to assist the potential operators in evaluating the feasibility of a retreatment operation at this site. The study involved measurement of the tailing pile and sampling by means of auger to determine the average metal content within the narrowest possible limits. A total of 46 auger holes ranging in depths up to 40 feet and aggregating 886.5 feet of bore were drilled in the tailing pile, and weighted samples from each hole were analyzed and averaged to determine the zinc and iron content of the tailing.

Jan 1, 1949

By M. Howard Berliner

The Harding pegmatite dike is well known for the production of spodumene and lepidolite in the period 1920 to 1930. It attained greater prominence during the last war by being the largest producer of domestic tantalum ore from the rare mineral microlite. The deposit is believed to be the only proved reserve of tantalum ore in the United States today. In 1943 the main portion of a large tantalum-bearing zone in the Harding dike was developed by the Bureau of Mines with the assistance of the Federal Geological Survey. Analysis of this zone from 39 diamond drill holes and quarry exposures showed a large deposit containing 2 pounds of microlite per ton and 21 percent spodumene, In September 1948, the Bureau of Mines resumed development of the deposit with a view to extending the tantalum-bearing zone farther to the southwest or delimiting the ore body. Seven diamond-drill holes failed to penetrate the ore zone in its southwestward projection, Much of the following general information is summarized from the report on the first exploratory work of the Bureau of Mines by John H. Soule.2/

Jan 1, 1949

By Paul Zinner

An exhaustive program of geologic studies and mapping has been conducted by the Geological Survey in the Iron River district of Michigan since May 1943. Means of contributing to the success of these studies were sought by the Bureau of Mines, and eventually a program involving geophysical studies and core-drilling was undertaken in the area. All of the work was done either to develop data that would contribute directly to geologic studies or to investigate geophysical methods that might be used as a primary means for the discovery of minable iron ore.

Jan 1, 1949

By A. M. Evans

Because of an urgent national need for manganese, the deposits in the Little Florida Mountains of Lune County N. Mex., were visited by O.H. Metzger, an engineer of the Bureau of Mines, on June 12 and 13, 1940, accompanied on the second day by S. G. Lasky, a geologist of the Federal Geological Survey. After this preliminary examination, it was recommended that exploratory work be done by the Bureau of Mines on several properties in the district. An exploratory project of trenching, sampling, and core drilling was started by the Bureau of Mines in September 1940 and completed in May 1941.2/ Work was done on three properties - the Luna mine, the American group of claims, and the Manganese Valley mine. The Little Florida manganese district is situated on the eastern slope of the Little Florida Mountains about 2 miles south of U. S. Highway 80-90, 12 to 14 miles southeast of Deming, Luna County, N. Mex. The principal claims comprise the Luna Manganese, American, and Manganese Valley groups.

Jan 1, 1949

The Waukon iron deposit comprises about 210 acres situated 2-1/2 miles north of Waukon, in Allamakee County, northeastern Iowa. The deposits have been exploited intermittently since 1899 and have produced about 67,000 tons of concentrated iron ore. From January to May 1943, the Bureau of Mines investigated the deposit to determine the extent of the ore-bearing material and its amenability to concentration, Seventy-one test pits were sunk. Those that indicated are of a grade high enough to warrant concentration tests were sampled. Average grade of ore was indicated to be 37.02 percent iron and 27.78 percent silica on a dry basis. Beneficiation tests indicated that the percentage of recovery might be relatively low.

Jan 1, 1949

By McMillan W. D.

Vermiculite is the name of a group of micaceous minerals characterized by their property of exfoliating when heated and thereby increasing many times their original volume. The resulting product has excellent heat-and sound-insulating properties, is used as a lightweight aggregate, and has numerous other industrial applications. Deposits of vermiculite occur in areas of pre-Cambrian rocks of the Llano uplift of central Texas, particularly in Burnet and Llano Counties. Because of the growing economic importance of vermiculite products, the Bureau of Mines undertook a detailed investigation of several deposits in Llano County. This investigation was completed in February 1947. The work comprised topographic surveys of five deposits, drilling with a 4-1/4 inch Parmanco power auger drill, and laboratory evaluation of samples. 342 drill holes, aggregating 4,905.5 feet, were completed, and 377 samples were taken. Laboratory evaluation of the vermiculite comprised expansion tests on both crude and beneficiated samples. The products obtained were compared with commercial-grade vermiculite from Montana.

Jan 1, 1949

By Paul T. Allsman

The Salt River range vanadium deposits are situated 3 to 6 miles east and southeast of Afton, Lincoln County, Wyo. The vanadium occurs in a continuous bedded shale zone of the Phosphoria formation extending from the vicinity of Afton into southeastern Idaho. The Bureau of Mines explored several of these vanadiferous-shale deposits between December 1942 and December 1943 and conducted metallurgical tests on the ores. The areas investigated were west Swift Creek, the Dry Creek, and the Cottonwood Creek. The vanadiferous-shale beds have been folded sharply into a series of tightly compressed, eroded anticlines and synclines, which form the Salt River range. The vanadium occurs in a series of narrow shale or mudstone beds contained within the phosphatic-shale member of the Phosphoria formation. Exploration by the Bureau of Mines consisted of surface trenching and underground work over 18 miles of outcrop of vanadiferous shale with an average assay value of 0.866 percent V2O5.

Jan 1, 1949

By M. B. B. Research Council of Alberta Crockford

Introduction Kootenay strata of Lower Cretaceous age contain much of the highest rank coal produced in Alberta. These strata outcrop in the foothills and mountains of southwestern Alberta and southeastern British Columbia, and the economic value of the coal seams contained in them was evident to the earliest explorers, who refer co them in their journals. Lacer, investigation of the .coal measures was undertaken by prospectors and by a succession of geologists, most of whom were in the employ of the Federal government, but some acted for private interests. Surveys by these men proved chat foothills and mountain regions hold immense quantities of high-grade coal within easy reach of transportation facilities, and their conclusions have accelerated the development of the coal-mining industry m Alberta. Among geologists who have contributed much to our knowledge of the region are J. M. Dawson, G. M. Dawson, R. C. McConnell, D. B. Dowling, J. D. Mackenzie, B. Rose, J. R. Marshall, B. Rose, J. R. Marshall, B. R. McKay, J. A. Allan, and J. L. Carr. The present paper is to a great extent a compilation of the work of the above men and of several others who have investigated the area lying between Bow river and Crowsnest pass. Space does not permit a list of all the sources of information so chat only chose of prime importance are given in the text. Data for the map and ?cross-sections of Figure 1 were taken from the following published maps of the Geological Survey of Canada: Cascade Coal Basin, Pub. 933; Canmore, Maps 322 and 323; Upper Elk River and Upper Highwood Rivers, Pub. l980; Blairmore, Pub. 1584; Southfork Coal Area Map l03A; and of the Research Council of Alberta: Highwood-Elbow Area, Map 20; and Ribbon Creek Area, Map 21. In some cases, the cross-sections have been simplified or otherwise altered, and for these revisions the writer cakes full responsibility. The stratigraphic sections of Figure 2 have been taken from published reports of the above mentioned organizations. The area covered in this paper is shown in Figure l. It is wholly within Alberta, and reaches from township 5 to township 27 and from range 1 co range 11, west of the fifth meridian. Its location is about fifty miles west of both Calgary and Lethbridge. Topography of the area ranges from foothill on the east to mountainous on the west. In this paper' the foothill region is considered to be chat which lies immediately east of the most easterly mountain ranges, such as Livingstone and Highwood. There are two principal coal mining districts in the area, one served by the main line of the Canadian ?Pacific railway and centring about Canmore, the other by a branch line of che same railway and centring about Bellevue, Blairmore, and Coleman.

Jan 1, 1949

By Albert L. Toenges

The development of Alaska depends on the existence of an adequate fuel supply in the Territory. The need to investigate coal deposits was recognized as early as 1911, when the first investigations were conducted in Alaska by engineers of the Bureau of Mines. Conditions existing in the Bering River and Matanuska coal fields, as found by Dr. Robert A. Holmes, former Director of the Bureau of Mines, are described by the Honorable W. L. Fisher, former Secretary of the Interior./ Following Dr. Holmes' investigation, a party of Bureau of Mines engi¬neers headed by R. Y. Williams visited the Bering River field in 1912 in cooperation with the Navy Department. A detailed examination was made of the Bering River field, and 855 tons of coal were mined from three prospects on Trout Creek. This bulk sample was delivered to the Navy for steaming and other tests. A description of the work of the field party and results of tests of the coal by the Navy Department and the Bureau of Mines has been published.

Jan 1, 1949

By Frank J. Wiebelt

The Veta Chica and Cerro Colorado chromite deposits of the McGuffy Creek area, Siskiyou County, Calif. were selected as worthy of investigation by the Bureau of Mines in accordance with the Strategic Minerals Act of 1939. These were two of many chromite deposits examined by engineers of the Bureau of Mines during their extensive wartime mineral examination and exploration campaign. Exploration by the Bureau of Mines consisted of 2,234 feet of diamond drilling, surface trenching, and sampling during the months of May and June 1942.

Jan 1, 1949

By Westwater, J. S.

The Mather mine of The Negaunee Mine Co. embraces nearly all of Sections 1 and 2, T47N, R27W. within the limits of the cities of Negaunee and Ishpeming on the Marquette iron range of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Operations of the Negaunee Mine Co., the stock of which is jointly owned by Bethlehem Steel Co. and The Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Co., are under the direction of the latter company. The opening of the Mather mine was described by C. W. A1len. Mather "A" shaft was completed to an initial depth of 2352 ft in early 1943. The shaft capacity of over one million tons yearly is in prospect of being realized by orderly development and mining, and sinking of the second or "B" shaft then started in accordance with previous planning. Mather " B, " also a vertical shaft, was designed as a twin to Mather "A" shaft and the sinking technique developed at Mather "A" was utilized in "B" shaft operation.

Jan 1, 1949

By A. S. Swanson

In view of the necessity or increasing production of metallurgical fluorspar to satisfy wartime demands, 0, M. Bishop, former district engineer of the Bureau of Mines, L. W. Carrier and. J. S. Williams, senior geologist of the Federal Geological Survey, and E. H. Dawson, mining engineer of the War Production Board made a joint survey of the Illinois-Kentucky fluorite district in July 1942 to determine what steps should be taken to increase production. As part of their recommendations, a program for exploring the idle Klondike mine in Livingston County, Ky., was outlined. All the ore produced at the Klondike mine was mined above the 325-foot level, where some tonnage remains. Factors that influenced selection of the Klondike mine for exploration were favorable geological conditions, the state of mine development and the availability of pumping equipment and some usable mine and mill equipment. In December 1942, the Metals Reserve Co. leased the Klondike mine from the Salem Fluorspar Co.

Jan 1, 1949

By W. R. Bacon

"MAGNETITE HAS BEEN found in many .parts of the coastal area of British Columbia, but the more important deposits are on Vancouver Island and Texada Island. The locations of these deposits are shown on Figure 1.Interest in the magnetite deposits dates back to the 1870s, when land was acquired on the southwest coast of Texada Island by the Puget Sound Iron Company. This ground included the Prescott, Paxton, and Lake deposits. During the years 1885 to 1903, and 1908, 28,898 tons of magnetite ore was shipped to the company's blast-furnace plant at Irondale, Washington, U.S.A. This production was almost entirely from the Prescott open-pits.In the years following the Texada Island discoveries, other magnetite deposits were found in the coastal area, and various plans were proposed to utilize the local ores in the establishment of a steel industry in the Pacific Northwest. None was carried to fruition but, in 1951, open-pit mining was begun at Iron Hill, Vancouver Island, to furnish iron concentrates for steel mills in Japan. In 1952 mining of the Texada deposits was resumed to supply the same market. Production figures for these recent operations are as follows:"

Jan 1, 1949

By John W. Cole

Ore deposits in the? vicinity of Philipsburg, Mont., have been mined continuously since discovery of the Hope mine in 1865. Although originally famed chiefly for its silver production, since about 1917 the district has been the only important producer of battery-grade manganese ore in the United States. Also, it has produced substantial quantities of zinc ore and during World War I and World War II contributed notable amounts of manganese for metallurgical consumption. Nearly the entire production of base metal ores has been mined from the outcrop area of? a dolomitic limestone bed that plunges beneath overlying beds of limestone and shale northward from the outcrop area. The Hope silver mine, with a production record of over $4,000,000, was in one of the overlying limestone beds about 3,000 feet north of the base-metal producing area and about 1,000 feet vertically above the projected downward position of the dolomitic bed that has produced the base-metal ores. Furthermore, the Hope ore bodies were controlled, in part at least by east-west fractures similar to those that controlled the deposition of the base-metal ores.

Jan 1, 1949

By William H. King

The Mining Division of the Bureau of Mines has been making development and power-requirement studios for the Interior Department Missouri Basin Field. Committee. The studies by the Bureau of Mines have as their purpose, the summarizing of potential future power requirements in the mineral industry within the Missouri Basin, special emphasis being placed on possible expansion of these requirements through construction of new mining enterprises by private capital. In preparing a proposal for the production of phosphoric acid from phosphate rock near Lander, Wyo., it was found that the basic information on the physical and chemical characteristics of the phosphate beds to determine costs of mining and treatment was lacking.

Jan 1, 1949

By Frank J. Weibelt

In accordance with provisions of the Strategic Minerals Act of 1939, the Bureau of Mines surveyed the chromite occurrences in California. The Seiad Creek deposit afforded excellent opportunity for developing reserves that could be used by the nation in case of critical shortages of the mineral. Subsequently an exploration and development program was undertaken in April 1941, which was concluded in October of the same year. Work included road construction, diamond drilling, drifting and crosscutting, surface trenching, and sampling.

Jan 1, 1949

By G. L. Oldright

In the first Report of Investigations of the present series?(No. 4562) the usual course of progress ill reducing the minerals of low-grade ores to their valuable metallic components had been noted as advancing along two lines to concentrate a usually diminishing percentage of these minerals to a smaller bulk of richer product, and then to smelt the smaller bulk more cheaply per pound of metal produced. Fundamental properties of lead compounds made it difficult to treat much richer lead products than are treated at present in several steps of conventional lead smelting, unless ?marked modifications were made. No limits to the richness of the feed itself' were set by the ore (Scotch) hearth; on the contrary, the richer the feed, the better the results given by the hearth. The natural field of operation of the hearth, as determined by the ores available, was seen to lie in the Central United States, with their lead concentrates containing negligible quantities of precious metals and. with few ores of such metals available for use as fluxes. It was noted) however, that even in its chosen field, the Scotch hearth, or "ore" hearths developed from them, was not always used; the usual smelting practice was followed, at times, of sintering followed by blast-furnace smelting for even rich ores.

Jan 1, 1949