[keele] MESOZOIC clays AXD SANDS 41 



Glass Sand 



The white sands which underlie the clay beds are composed 

 almost entirely of sub-angular and rounded quartz grains, with which 

 is intermingled a small quantity of white clay. 



A washing test made upon an average sample of 10 feet in depth 

 of this sand showed that it contained 15 per cent, of white clay. 



The sand, when freed from the clay, was found to be of the 

 proper texture for glass making, and the chemical determination 

 indicating 99 . 8 per cent, silica shows it to be of exceptional purity. 



The white clay washed from the sand is very plastic and highly 

 refractory while it burns to a whiter colour than any clay in the over- 

 lying beds. 



The sand in its natural state contains enough plastic fire-clay to 

 act as a bond when the material is moistened and pressed into brick 

 shapes. A brick of this description is known as gannister brick, its 

 use being principally confined to lining steel furnaces. The test 

 bricks were subjected to frequent burnings up to a temperature of 

 3,00X) degrees F., but they remained soft and friable, as the materials 

 appeared to be too refractory to produce a fused bond. The addition 

 of a little iron and lime oxide would be required in order to produce 

 the necessary bond in firing. 



MissiNAiBi River 



Satids 



The sand which comprises the greater portion of the deposit 

 exposed on Missinaibi riv^er is made up almost wholly of rather coarse 

 angular quartz particles coated with white clay. 



An average sample representing about 15 feet in thickness of 

 the deposit was submitted to a washing test, and was found to yield 

 5 per cent, of fine white clay. An analysis of the grain size of the 

 washed sand gave the following figures: 



Retained on 10 mesh screen 8 . 27 per cent. 



" 20 " 



" 35 " 



" 100 " 



" 200 " 



Through 200 " 



(J 

 A chemical analysis of the washed sand, made by Mr. A. Sadler 



of the Mines Branch, resulted as follows: 



