88 NEW MINERAL DISCOVERIES IX NOVA SCOTIA. GILPIN. 



coveries are seldom announced. Already the vast iron ore deposits 

 on the Canadian side of the great lakes are engaging the atten- 

 tion of the more far-seeing of the United States iron masters 

 At present these deposits are not available. England, France 

 and Germany draw large supplies of Bessemer ore from Spain 

 and Algiers, This source now shows signs of weakening, and 

 the magnetic ores of Sweden and Norway are gradually being 

 drawn upon in amounts annually increasing. 



There is no known geological reason why Labrador, New- 

 foundland, and Cape Breton should not contribute to this 

 demand, ever increasing and never satisfied. The existence of 

 iron ore at many points in Cape Breton is already known. The 

 attempts made to find deposits, and to test them are scarce 

 worth noticing. In the forest and swamp-covered tracts there 

 may be masses of iron ore worth an empire's ransom. 



It must, however, be remembered that these deposits, to be of 

 any value, must be pure, extensive, and capable of cheap mining 

 and shipping. The output must be large and the expenses low 

 to enable the Cape Bretoner to enter into the world's competi- 

 tion in selling iron ore in the markets of the world. 



Wolframite. 



Last spring a discovery of this mineral was made at North- 

 East Margaree, Inverness County. Full particulars of this deposit 

 are not yet available. It is stated to occur in a vein, in places 

 three feet wide, and to be present in amounts permitting readily 

 of concentration to a high percentage. The mineral is of a dull 

 gray color, in places almost black, and with a somewhat 

 metallic lustre. Jts specific gravity is 7.1 7.5, and its hardness 

 5 5.5. It is sometimes feebly magnetic, and contains 67.47 

 WO . The price quoted for the mineral on the continent is 

 stated to be $375.00 per ton of 65 per cent ore. The demand at 

 present is not large, and is met by an annual output of a few 

 hundred tons. Its principal, if not its only commercial value, is 

 as an alloy for steel. It is believed that, if a large and per- 

 manent supply of the mineral could be secured, it would be 

 utilised for hardening armor plate and similar purposes. 



