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NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Opening is close by the road, somewhat distant from the Hmiting 

 ridges of gneiss. Messrs Finch and Potter of Gouverneur have a 

 lease of the property. 



The occurrence of zinc on the Balmat, Streeter and Tamlin 

 places east of Sylvia lake has been known for some time. The 

 Balmat property was prospected over 75 years ago for lead, which 

 is found as a larger ingredient of the ore than elsewhere in the dis- 

 trict. The presence of so much zinc, however, proved an obstacle 

 to its utilization, which apparently could not be overcome by the 

 methods then employed, and little ore was mined. The property is 

 now owned by the Northern Ore Co. which is holding it as a 

 reserve for the future. The Streeter property has a good showing 

 of ore which forms a well-defined band, much like the deposit now 

 being worked at Edwards. 



In the vicinity of the Balmat property a deposit of zinc has been 

 uncovered by the Dominion Company in the extension of an old 

 shaft which was once worked for iron ore for use in the furnace at 

 Fullerville, now dismantled and in decay. The iron is present as 

 hematite of soft, paintlike texture, which deeper down changes to 

 a harder siliceous ore in which sulphides are found. It would 

 appear probable that the hematite is simply the oxidized outcrop of 

 the sulphides. The latter occur in finely divided particles, with a 

 quartz gangue. The deposit seems to be a pipe or shoot, rather 

 than a lens. 



Northeast of Sylvia lake, between there and the hamlet of Little 

 York, are several small showings of sphalerite and pyrite, mostly 

 of disseminated character. Some of them are on the Austin place. 

 The limestone of this section of the district is characterized by a 

 larger proportion of impurities than is usually found; vitreous 

 quartz, chert and serpentine make up a large part of the mass. On 

 the weathered surface the Hmestone is ribbed by the quartz which 

 has a tendency to aggregate in parallel bands that are brought into 

 prominence bv the solution of the included carbonates. 



A showing of blende is found on the cemetery lot, near Balmat 

 corners, just off the Gouverneur sheet. It has been prospected by 

 Arthur C. Scott of Fowler and occurs on the east side of a lime- 

 stone ridge that parallels the road. The limestone is seamed with 

 white quartz which stands out in prominent ledges and also con- 

 tains much serpentine and talc. The ore forms a band that is ex- 

 posed by the opening only for 10 or 12 feet on its course along the 

 hill, with a stringer making off at right angles into the hanging wall. 



