1866.] MACFARLANE— ON CUPRIFEROUS BEDS. 17 



of the superintendent of the Franklin stamp-work, I took several 

 samples from various parts of the run-house, and from the waste 

 heap outside, which assayed as follows : 



From head of run 4.93 per cent. 



" middle of do 3. 



« end of do 3.13 " 



" a heap immediately outside of run 



house 0.66 « 



« sandbank 1.00 « 



When it is recollected that the yield of the rock treated in the 

 Franklin stamp-work is only 1.69 per cent, the loss in the refuse 

 products would appear to he very large. At the stamp-works of 

 the Albany and Boston Mining Co., Gates's revolving stamps and 

 Collom's jiggers are employed. This is also the case at the Huron 

 stamp-work. (The Huron mine is on the Isle Royale bed.) It 

 appears to be as yet uncertain as to which system of dressing is 

 the most advantageous, but in view of the experience which is 

 being acquired in the district almost daily, this cannot long re- 

 main a matter of doubt. It is, however, singular that in a district 

 where such an enormous amount of capital is invested in mines 

 and stamp-works, there should be no provision made for testing 

 accurately, by the wet process, the various refuse and other pro- 

 ducts of the ore-dressing operations. It would seem difficult 

 without such means, to come to a reliable result as to which me- 

 thod of concentration is the best. 



The system of dividing the lands into small sections seems to 

 have contributed not a little to the rapid developement of the 

 mines of the Portage Lake district. The sections contain one 

 square mile of 640 acres, and each of these is subdivided into 

 four quarters. Some of the best of the mines have no more 

 length of lode to work upon than may be contained in a quarter 

 section. As a consequence, the attention and energies of the 

 mining companies, and their managers, are, on the discovery of a 

 cupriferous bed, at once turned to exploring and mining in depth. 

 The opposite system, which prevails on the north shore of the lake, 

 of having very large mining locations is as detrimental to the pro- 

 gress of the country as it is to the interests of the owners. The 

 explorations are carried on over too great an area, they are desul- 

 tory, are not easily superintended, and seldom yield any definite 

 result. 



Vol. III. b No. 1. 



