240 CRUISE OF THE NEPTUNE 



barren quartzite. Most of the ore of this locality would prob- 

 ably require separation and concentration from the admixed 

 quartz before being of a grade sufficiently high for smelting. 

 The position of the deposits on the west side of Ungava bay, 

 where the tide rises and falls forty feet or more, is not very 

 promising for shipping. 



More attention has been given to the iron deposits of the east 

 side of Hudson bay than to any other of the mineral deposits 

 of the north. In 1S7Y, Dr. Bell explored the east shore of 

 Hudson bay as far north as Cape Dufferin, and in his report on 

 this exploration called attention to the deposits of iron ore 

 found in a bedded series of rocks, chiefly sandstones, cherts and 

 dolomites. These rocks he found forming the islands along that 

 coast from Cape Jones, at the mouth of James bay, to Cape 

 Dufferin, some 300 miles farther north. A strip of the same 

 rocks occupies the mainland from the vicinity of Great Whale 

 river to beyond the head of Richmond gulf, a distance of 120 

 miles. 



The iron ores of value were found to be confined to the 

 ISTastapoka chain of islands, which extend northward from 

 Little Whale river for a distance of 100 miles. 



A further examination of these iron-bearing rocks was made 

 by the writer during the summers of 1898 and 1899, and more 

 closely during the summers of 1901 and 1902 when engaged in 

 this work for a private company. 



These iron-bearing rocks of the east side of Hudson bay have 

 a close resemblance to those of Lake Superior, so famous for 

 the amount and quality of their associated ores of iron. They 

 consist of bedded sandstones, cherts, shales, graywackes and 

 dolomites, associated with great outflows and sills of trap. The 

 following general section of the rocks of the N^astapoka islands 

 will give a good idea of the rocks there, while on the mainland 

 other strata, free from or poor in iron, are found. 



