44() COPPER VEINS IN THE ROCKS 
junction; but here it is found not to be a hopeful sign. The trap is not of a uniform 
structure, and is not soft and open in texture, but is close and tough. Theoretically, 
therefore, we should not anticipate well-defined and regular veins. The sections I 
have given, show that the trap-rocks are very changeable at all these points, which 
is a discouraging circumstance. Occasionally, a band of amygdaloid trap may be 
seen apparently as good as any on Point Keweenaw or the Ontanogon, which in a 
few steps is replaced by black flinty rock, approaching to hornstone. Veins and 
fissures passing from the amygdaloid to the flinty trap become compressed and 
crooked, are pinched and obstructed altogether, or degenerate into mere fractures 
or cracks. It is from this unpropitious irregularity, that seems to be everywhere 
prevalent, both in veins and the embedding rock, that I infer that for extended 
and profitable mining, the Bad River Range does not offer sufficient inducement. 
fter crossing the Kast Fork, the rocks answering to the greenstone become 
coarser in grain, more crystalline, and are augitic and hornblendic. The black trap 
belt, however, continues, and on its northern face contains particles of copper and 
of iron pyrites. In the augitic and hornblendic portions, there are, as represented 
on the map, patches of syenite and even granite, containing red felspar and epidote.* 
This belt of black trap no doubt continues westerly, though not seen by us on 
account of the drift and red clay, as far as the portage to Long Lake, and probably 
protrudes into the drift, at intervals, to the Brulé and the Aminekan. Mr. Thomas 
B. Cumings, an active and close observer, saw it, in 1846, between the Maringouin 
Fork and the Middle and Main Fork. But neither Mr. Beesly nor myself found 
it in place, although there were signs of its being in the vicinity. Its breadth can- 
not be here very great, for the granitic, syenitic, and hornblendic rocks between Lac 
des Anglais and the Maringouin Fork occupy most of the space. The low uplifts 
seen west of Tyler’s Fork, have the same or nearly the same bearing as those east of 
it, that is to say, northeast by east, northeast, and northeast by north. As they 
are situated on Long Lake and the Brulé, entirely out of the line of the eastern 
ranges prolonged, it follows that they are the terminations of parallel ranges less 
developed, their extremities only being seen. Probably there is an underground 
connexion with the trap rocks of the St. Croix, Kettle, and Snake Rivers. So 
far as I have examined, or could collect information, the prospect of regular and 
profitable veins along the whole line of the black trap uplifts, from the Montreal to 
the Aminekan, is no better than at the Montreal River, where a faithful trial was 
made and abandoned. 
Copper doubtless exists in the quartz veins of the igneous rocks of the interior, 
but as yet seen only in scattering specks. The veins themselves are without system, 
. and the rocks are almost everywhere inaccessible, on account of erratic deposits, so 
that no encouragement is offered for mining operations.+ 
The sections and their explanations will furnish an idea, in connexion with 
the foregoing remarks, of the details of the beds in which copper was supposed to 
exist in valuable quantities. 
* See specimens No. 16 to 20, inclusive, of my collection. 
7 Specimens No. 95 and 96 of my collection contain carbonate of copper. 
