CHAPTER A'. 

 MINERAL RESOURCES. 



THE FIRST MIXES. 



It wa.'^ not till a comparatively recent date tliat Xewfoundlantl 

 Avas known to contain mineral treasures of immense value. Tlie 

 late Mr. C. F. Bennett was the pioui-er of mining enterj)rise. 

 Mr. Smitli McKay was the tirst discoverer of copper ore at a 

 small fisliing-hamlet called Tilt Cove, in the year 1857. Here a 

 mine was 02)ened in 18G4 under the joint management of Messrs. 

 Bennett and McKay. During the following tifteen years Tilt 

 Cove mine yielded about 50,000 tons of copper uw, valued at 

 31,572,154; and nickel ore worth §-32,740. It continues to l)e 

 worked till the present date and now gives em[iliiyineut to some 

 500 miners, and the village cuntains over a thousand inhaliitants. 

 In 1875 another cojij^er mine was opened at P.etts Cove, about 

 a dozen miles south of Tilt Cove. In four years the ([uantity of 

 ore exi:)orted from it amounted to 122,556 tons, valueil at $'2,982,- 

 836. In 1878 a still richer depo.-it of copper (irc was opened at 

 Little Bay, at no great distance from Bett"s Cove. Up to 1879 

 the total quantity of ores exported frnm all the mines reached in 

 value ^4,629,889 or nearly a million jwunds sterling. This placed 

 Newfoundland sixth among the copper-producing countries of 

 the world. 



VAI.IE OF 3IIXEKAI. EXI'OIITS AT IMtJCSENT. 



That it still maintains its character as a mining cnuntrv ap- 

 pears from the Customs Returns for 1891 and 1892. In the 

 former year the value of all the ores exporte(l was .5'G24,750 ; in 

 1892 the value rose to ^1,006,592. Thus, at the present time, 

 mining constitutes one of the leading industries nf the country ; 

 though it may be safely aftirmed tliat it is yet in its infancy, and 

 the near future -will witness great advances when the lailway has 

 opened the country. 



