1915] The Ottawa Naturalist. 63 



MINERALS FROM BAFFIN LAND. 



By T. L. Walker, University of Toronto. 



The Royal Ontario Museum of Mineralogy has recently 

 received from R. J. Flaherty, Esq., M.E., of the North Lands 

 Exploration, Limited, a fine series of minerals collected by him 

 on his recent visit to Baffin Land. Most of the material came 

 from near the shore to the south of Amadjuak Lake. 



The geoJogical character of this region is indicated in the 

 following passages from the reports of Dr. Robert Bell*; — 



"The distinguishing feature in the geology of the 

 southern part of Baffin Land is the great abundance, thick- 

 ness and regularity of the limestones associated with the 

 gneisses. At least ten immense bands, as shown on the 

 accompanying may, were recognized, and it is probable 

 that the two others, discovered in North Bay, are distinct 

 from any of these. There would, therefore, appear to be 

 twelve principal bands as far as known, to say nothing of 

 numerous minor ones, between Icy Cape and Chorkback 

 Inlet. The limestones are for the most part, nearly white, 

 coarsely crystalline and mixed mth whitish felspars. The 

 individual crystals in some parts of the limestone masses 

 wotild measure two or three inches in diameter and the 

 crystallization of the felspar is occasionally equally coarse." 

 "The limestones u.sually contain scattered grains of 

 graphite and among the other minerals which commonly 

 occur in the various bands are mica, garnet, magnetite, 

 pyrite, and hornblende. Serpentine of a dark colour was 

 abundantly disseminated as grains and small irregular 

 masses in a band which crosses the head of Canon Inlet. 

 Disseminated specks of bright green and blue serpentine 

 were found in another band at White Bluff Harbour and 

 similar specks of both colours occur in the eastern band at 

 the head of North Bay. The late Mr. Ashe gave me a 

 crystal of sphene, an inch and a half in diameter, which 

 had been brought to him by an Eskimo from North Bay — 

 probably obtained from the limestone there." 

 The series of minerals contained in Mr. Flaherty's collection 

 is such as might be expected from an archaean region where 

 cyrstalline limestones alternate with gneiss in a great complex. 

 In many respects the collection suggests the mineral association 

 fotmd in Ottawa County to the north of the Capital. 



* Report Geol. Survey of Canada, New Series, Vol. XI., p. 24M. 



