OCCURRENCE OF TIN IN NOVA SCOTIA. PIERS. 241 



f-th of a mile south of the Dalhousie road, and about th of a 

 mile south-south-west of the southern extremity of Lake Ram- 

 say, to the west of New Ross, 16 miles inland from Chester* 

 Basin, Lunenburg county, K". S. With the expectation of find- 

 ing diamonds, Mr. lieeves and a neighbor, Benjamin Meister,. 

 dug a shallow pit where the crystals were observed, and soon 

 were in a deposit of white kaolin in which occurred large 

 crystals of auartz, mostly with a faint smoky tint, and also a 

 little purplish-black fluorite. Specimens of these minerals were 

 first brought to the Provincial Museum on 29th August, 190Y, - 

 and other samples subsequently. 



Charles Keddy, the prospector before-mentioned, examined 

 the material thrown out by Reeves .and Meister in the course 

 of their operations, and found a few small pieces of a heavy,, 

 dark-colored mineral which he brought to the museum in the 

 middle of October, 1906. This proved to be cassiterite (tin 

 oxide), a mineral which, when pure, contains theoretically 78.6 

 per cent, of metallic tin. This was the first discovery of tin 

 ore in situ in Canada in anything approaching economic quan- 

 tity, and the first discovery of it in situ in Nova Scotia. Mr. A. 

 L. McCallum, assayer of Halifax, produced a button of metallic 

 tin from Keddy' s samples. This interesting button is now in the 

 museum. Upon discovering the character of his find, Keddy 

 took up the property on 22nd October, under a license to search, 

 in the names of John Reeves, Benjamin Meister and Charles 

 Keddy of Lake Ramsay, and E. E. Bishop of Halifax. Since- $ 

 then I understand Reeves's and Meister's shares have been 

 transferred. ~N\o work was done on the prospect for the rest 

 of the yesir, owing to the lateness of the season and lack of 

 harmony among those interested. 



As the find was one of unusual interest, I was directed by 

 the inspector of mines to make an examination of it, and pro- 

 ceeded to the locality accompanied by M. H. McLeod of the- 

 Geological Survey, who wished to obtain samples for that 



