270 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



carbonaceous minerai grapliite, wliicli is found abundant in certain por- 

 tion of tlie crystalline limestones and gneisses -of the Laurentian, lias 

 been for many years regarded by some as also ^f organic origin. If this 

 theory of organic origin for all carbonaceous and bituminous matter in 

 the earth's crust is the true one the presence of anthraxolite in granite 

 and other Ivindred rock ; lof graphite in < diorite dikes ; and of petroleum 

 and its hardened form tar, in great masses of basaltic diabase without 

 visible sign of sedimentary rocks in the vicinity requires careful 

 consideration. 



In point of age it is probable that anthraxolite takes precedence as 

 the oldest form of mineral fuel. Thus, in Labrador it lias been found in 

 veins some inches in ^ddth, traversing the lower Cambrian rocks; in 

 Quebec along .the St. Lawrence, near Point Levis and on the Island of 

 Orleans it occurs in pockety masses in slates and sandstone of upper 

 Cambrian age; in Ontario it is found in large quantities in certain black 

 slates of Cambrian or upper Huronian age at Chelmsford west of Sud- 

 bury, where on its first discovery it was regarded as an impure anthra- 

 cite ; in granite as veins of very pure quality near the Eideau canal north 

 of Kingston; and in limestone of Black Eiver age near Kingston city 

 in association with veins of baryte. 



In so far as yet proven the fuel value of this mineral has failed to 

 be of much economic importance. Shortly after its discovery near Que- 

 bec attempts were made to mine it, and several cart-loads were extracted, 

 the impression at that time being that a new coal-basin had been found. 

 The mineral gave fairly good results as a fuel, but the quantity obtain- 

 able was insufficient to form a supply of permanent value. The occur- 

 rences in the Labrador peninsula are of course too remote to be of any 

 use, while the small exteût of the veins makes them practically valueless. 

 At Chelmsford the thickness of the deposit is considerable, but its low 

 powers of combustion and high percentage of ash cause its fuel value to 

 be greatly reduced, and although attempts to mine the deposit were made 

 shortly after its discovery the exploitation has long since been given up. 

 As elsewhere the mineral at this place occurs in vein form. 



Closely allied to anthraxolite in composition are petroleum and 

 asphalt, as also to some extent the peculiar form albert ite which was at 

 one time largely mined in Xew Brunswick, the latter, however, being a 

 mineral of exceptional purity as regards ash. As a class these minerals 

 are quite distinct from the several varieties of coal proper, varying in a 

 marked degree in the relative proportions of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen 

 and oxygen. They are also materially different as to origin, the coals 

 being apparently formed in ancient peat swamps, entirely from vegetable 

 tissues, while the minerals of the petroleum group are usually regarded as 



