458 Macfarlane on the Acton Copper Mine, 



distance from this vein, the limestone was destitute of copper, and 

 had the following composition : 



Silica, 1.50 



Alumina and peroxide of iron, 2.85 



Carbonate of lime, 'Zl.lO 



Carbonate of magnesia, 24.12 



99.57 

 Previous to September, 1861, No. 2 shaft had been sunk through 

 shale, and into the limestone to a depth of seventy-eight feet ; and 

 a drift carried from it, at this depth, both towards the hanging wall, 

 and towards the foot wall. The direction of this drift was N. 10° 

 E. ; consequently not at all at right angles to the direction of the 

 strike, (which in this part of the mine appears to be N. 20^ E.) ; 

 but rather parallel with it. The length of the drift from the 

 shaft to the hanging wall was forty-two feet, to the foot wall sixty 

 feet. This latter, which was partially cut through, was found to 

 be of greenstone, or rather a shaly greenstone, composed of alternate 

 layers of that rock, and of shale with copper pyrites. This con- 

 stituted at least the lower part of the face of the drift. The upper 

 part was of limestone. In view of these circumstances, and although 

 a gallery had been driven twenty-seven feet along this foot wall to 

 the west, it was deemed proper to continue the main drift. This was 

 done for a distance of sixty feet in the same direction of N. 10° E., 

 always in limestone ; the bottom of the drift consisting almost the 

 whole distance of the same shaly greenstone. Some good patches 

 of purple copper were met with, and also some veins of calcspar 

 with purple copper and copper pyrites, dropping down from above ; 

 these veins led to the belief that the drift was being carried along 

 underneath the ore. At the distance of 1 20 feet from the shaft, the 

 direction of the drift was altered to N. 63° W. (iu order to meet 

 No. 3 shaft) ; the drift was then carried sixty-three feet further, al- 

 ways on the foot wall, which gradually rose, until the driving was dis- 

 continued ; when it was found to have an inclination to the N. W, of 

 40°. In driving this sixty-three feet, some little copper was discov- 

 ered, principally in veins of calcspar from one to three inches thick. 

 Shortly after the driving here was discontinued, No. 3 shaft, which 

 was meanwhile being sunk, was carried down to the drift, and 

 made to communicate with it. No. 3 shaft had, previous to Sep- 

 tember, 1861, a depth under the floor of Pike's pit, of twenty- 



