USEFUL MINEKALS. GOLD. 631 



were in their present state at the time when this old gravel of the 

 Lower Carboniferous period was being formed. 



To sura up our conclusions on this subject : — The rocks containing 

 the auriferous veins of Nova Scotia are of Lower Silurian age. The 

 veins themselves were opened out and filled with the minerals which 

 they now hold at the time when these Lower Silurian rocks were 

 contorted and altered, and this probably occurred in the Devonian 

 period, contemporaneously with the production of intrusive granites, 

 and in connexion with the changes of metamorphism then pro- 

 ceeding. It was certainly completed before the beginning of the 

 Carboniferous period, since which time little change seems to have 

 occurred in the veins. 



The " Gold Districts " at present recognised by the Government 

 of Nova Scotia are, — 1st, The Ovens and Gold River, in Lunenburgh 

 County ; 2d, Renfrew and Mount Uniacke, Hants County ; 3d, 

 Oldham, Waverley, Montagu, Laurencetown, and Tangier in Halifax 

 County ; Aih, Wine Harboui", Sherbrooke, and Stormont, in GuyS' 

 borough County ; and, 5th, Middle River or Wagamatcook, Victoria 

 County. All of these, except possibly the last mentioned, and the 

 opening in the Lower Carboniferous conglomerate at Gay's River 

 already mentioned, are in Lower Silurian rocks. 



In all parts of this district, the conditions under which the precious 

 metal occurs in the rocks are similar to those above described ; but 

 at the " Ovens " in Londonderry County we have the remarkable, 

 and, in so far as I am aware, unique spectacle of a modern gold 

 alluvium now actually in process of formation under the denuding 

 action of the waves. The slaty rocks of this coast holding auriferous 

 quartz veins are daily being cut away by the waves of the Atlantic, 

 and the gold is accumulating in the bottom of the shingle produced, 

 and in the crevices of the subjacent rock. The portion of this deposit 

 available at present is only that on the beach ; but there can be no 

 doubt that if the bed of the sea were elevated into land, the alluvia 

 exposed Avould be precisely similar to those of California or Australia. 

 AVe have thus in Nova Scotia marine gold alluvia of Lower Carbon- 

 iferous and of modern date, and there are no doubt others of inter- 

 mediate ages ; but their amount, in so far as yet ascertained, does not 

 seem to be great, and the chief supply of gold is likely to be derived, 

 as at present, from the original repositories in the quartz veins. 



The annual yield of gold from the Nova Scotia Mines is stated in 

 the Report for 1865 to be 24,867 ounces; that for 1866 is 24,162, 

 that for 1867, 27,583 ounces. These amounts cannot, however, be 

 considered as approaching to the possible productiveness of these 



