Mining Prospects in 1922 



Whilst Canada's metallic mineral production 

 for the year 1921 has a value of only about two- 

 thirds of ihat of the previous year, this deprecia- 

 tion is by no means confined to Canada, and 

 when compared with the productions of other 

 mineral producing countries, Canada's output 

 may, on the whole, be considered satisfactory for 

 the year. The concern now, however, is Cana- 

 dian mineral development in the year ahead, and 

 the prospects over the entire Dominion are that 

 the opening of spring will see great activity in 

 all mining districts. Mining experts are unani- 

 mous in anticipating substantial ^development, 

 whilst all indications are for a much increased 

 output in 1922. 



In British Columbia the copper mining situ- 

 ation is very bright, and there are a number of 

 important projects in view which are likely to 

 assume definite shape with the opening of the 

 spring season. These include a large concen- 

 trating plant at Anyox, the smelting centre of 

 the Granby Company; the new mill of the Brit- 

 annia Company; and the proposed new mills at 

 the Sunloch and Old Sport mines on Vancouver 

 Island. It is anticipated that operations will be 

 resumed on a substantial scale at the Copper 

 Mountain mine, Princeton, whilst the Iron Mask 

 at Kamloops and many similar properties now 

 .idle, will become active. The Granby Consoli- 

 dated Mining and Smelting Company has been 

 shipping as much blister copper as at any time 

 in its history, two steamer loads per month going 

 south en route to the eastern refineries, and this 

 same activity promises to continue. 



Gold Mining Industry Expanding 



The gold mining industry of Canada is par- 

 ticularly healthy and expanding lustily. There 

 promises to be a substantial development in this 

 phase in British Columbia mining in 1922. 

 Placer gold strikes on Cedar Creek near Quesnel 

 Lake have been staked for seven miles each way 

 and there is every prospect of favorable develop- 

 ment. Gold discoveries on Iron Creek, Tuseko 

 Lake district, have been attracting much atten- 

 tion. Much of the ground has been staked and 

 something of a rush to the district is looked for 

 in the spring. 



It was recently announced by the Hon. T. D. 

 Pattullo, Provincial Minister of Lands, on his 

 return from England, that definite action towards 

 the establishment of an iron and steel industry 

 in British Columbia might be looked for at an 

 early date. Subsequent to this statement, 

 Major A. Belton, representing influential British 

 interests, has arrived in the province and is wait- 

 ing for government information as to what 

 assistance the government is prepared to extend 

 to any corporation undertaking the production 

 of pig iron in the province and also to obtain 

 detailed, authoritative data concerning the 



magnetite, hematite, and other necessary re- 

 sources of British Columbia. 



The Calcium Carbonate Company at Merritt 

 has resumed operations with new machinery and 

 is turning out a Ion of the finished material in 

 an hour. 



Northern Manitoba Area Promising 



Mining men are looking for the most signal 

 progress in the newer Northern Manitoba area 

 in 1922. A good deal of both United States and 

 English money is flowing into the mining dis- 

 tricts of this section, and aggressive development 

 may be expected in that region this spring and 

 summer. Gold discoveries which have been 

 made in the Rice Lake and Herb Lake districts 

 encourage the belief that important gold mines 

 will be developed in the Middle West in the not 

 too far distant future. The entrance of the 

 Hollinger interests, of Northern Ontario fame, 

 into the Northern Manitoba field has occasioned 

 a good deal of satisfaction. Work has com- 

 menced on the Murray property they are expect- 

 ed to acquire, and a considerable amount of 

 money is to be spent on diamond drilling. 

 Promoters of Northern Manitoba fields would 

 appear to be having little trouble in obtaining the 

 money to finance 1 heir schemes in England. 



At the end of the year all mines in Saskatche- 

 wan were working to full capacity, and at the 

 outset of 1922 faced a period of promised, unin- 

 terrupted activity with a maintained output. 



The gold mines of Northern Ontario had the 

 most successful year in their history in 1921, in 

 the declining months extracting mineral to the 

 extent of about $21,000,000 per year. The year 

 1922 will probably see an increase of possibly 

 $2,000,000 in Hollinger production and $1,000,- 

 000 on the Mclntyre, making a total of close to 

 $25,000,000 within the range of possibility this 

 year. 



Canadian Oil Exploration 



By G. G. Ommanney, Development Engineer, 

 C.P.R., Montreal 



In an article which the writer contributed to "Agricul- 

 tural and Industrial Progress in Canada," March, 1920, 

 entitled "Canadian Oil Exploitation and Prospects," occurs 

 the following: 



"If we examine the geological map of this area 

 (referring to Western and Northwestern Canada), 

 we find that the great oil-bearing strata of the North 

 American continent which have produced the richest 

 and most prolific oil reservoirs of the world, consti- 

 tute the principal geological formations of this vast 

 Canadian territory. It requires, therefore, no more 

 than an average share of optimism to predict that 

 Canada's future as a world oil producer is certain and 

 only awaits the assured result of capital expended 

 on exploration by the drill." 



A Prediction Confirmed 



Since these words were written our prediction has been 

 strengthened in a most striking and important manner. 

 But a few months later, a new and highly productive oil 



35 



