Mh. J. Beyce on Copper Veins discovered in Bute. 51 



On the Geological Relations of certain Copper Veins recently discovered in 

 Bute. Bj James Beyce, M.A., F.G.S. 



Theee has very recently been discovered in Bute a vein of copper ore 

 which promises to be of considerable economic value. It occurs in 

 Kaimes Hill to the north-west of Port Bannatyne, on the face of an 

 old quarry of clay slate, which has been worked down to the level of the 

 chlorite slate below. The vein is three feet wide, and the veinstone 

 is a porous quartz, with much black matter in the cavities, which 

 analysis shows to contain a considerable quantity of manganese. Much 

 chlorite occurs with the quartz, and also layers of clay slate, in a soft 

 soapy condition. The ores are yellow and black copper ore ; and both 

 the clay slate and quartz are thoroughly impregnated with the oxide of 

 copper. Transverse sections of the slaty laminae exhibit a rich copper ore. 

 The copper lode is properly a bed and not a vein, as the veinstone and 

 ore are interstratified with the slate, and follow the strike of the beds. 

 The direction is 33° east of north, and the dip 57° east of south, at aa 

 angle of about 40°. In order to reach the vein upon the strike, it was 

 necessary to open a shaft through the accumulation of rubbish heaped up 

 in the process of working the slate quarry. The shaft already opened is 

 eighteen feet deep and six feet wide. The bed is about three feet wide, 

 and is intersected by a whin dike about fifteen feet north-east of the 

 shaft ; but the perpendicular distance across to the dike from the shaft 

 is only five feet. The dike is ten feet wide, and ranges 18° east of north, 

 and west of south ; so that it intersects the vein at an angle of 1 5° 

 (33° — 18°). In the slate between the bed of ore and the dike there are 

 several quartz veins without metal. The copper lode underlies with the 

 dip of the slate, in conformity with the slope of the hill, so that an adit 

 of about sixty fathoms, driven through a hiU-side to the hollow in which 

 the quarry is situated, would completely drain any workings which might 

 be established. Messrs. John Taylor & Sons, mining engineers, have 

 expressed their opinion that the promise of the metal is such as to 

 warrant the expenditure of £1,000 in effecting this object. About half 

 a mile towards the E.N.E., the veinstone and metal again appear in 

 another slate quarry on the strike of the beds ; and hence it is probable 

 that there really exists here a considerable deposit of copper ore. But 

 this, of course, can only be determined by the establishment of works, in 

 regard to which the proprietors are now in treaty with several parties 

 who are desirous of obtaining, in the first instance, a lease of the 

 grounds. Asa mere matter of scientific interest, if for no other reason, 

 it is greatly to be desired that the economic value of this lode should be 

 thoroughly tested. Scotland is extremely poor in copper ores, though 



