310 BUR WASH — BELLEYEAU MINING OPERATIONS. 



of Albertite occur, and are described in Dr. Dawson's account of 

 the geology of Albert Mine, under the name of Albert Shales. 

 They can be traced all the way from Albert Mine to Belleveau. 

 They, nearly all, contain Carbonate of Lime; some beds having 

 crystals of calcite disseminated through them. They are bituminous, 

 and it is a matter worthy of investigation, whether some of the beds 

 could not be advantageously used for the production of oil or gas. 

 As these shales are supposed to be the origin of the mineral, Alber- 

 tite, the amount of their development and their bituminous charac- 

 ter are matters of great importance to the miner in prospecting for 

 this mineral. 



The conglomerates are in massive beds, forming on account of 

 their weathering more slowly than the softer shales, the summits 

 of the ridges between which the shales form the depressions. They 

 are grey, greenish grey and reddish grey rocks ; some quite coarse, 

 others passing into a gritty grey sandstone. One of the lowest 

 beds of this rock deserves special mention. It has been named by 

 Mr. Patrick "oil rock." It is a grey, micaceous sandstone, 

 thoroughly saturated with, and having the characteristic odor of 

 petroleum. It occurs, as Mr. Patrick informed me at the Albert 

 Mine, and crops out in several places between that and Belleveau. 

 On digging through this rock considerable quantities of petroleum 

 flowed into the pit ; and Mr. Patrick thinks that this is the source 

 of nearly all the oil which has been found in this region. It is his 

 opinion that oil might be obtained in paying quantities by boring 

 where a considerable thickness of this rock is found near the sur- 

 face ; a condition which exists in the northern part of the Company's 

 claims. 



2. — Order of Strata. 



The relative position of these shales and conglomerates is a 

 somewhat difficult matter to determine. The spot selected for 

 mining at Belleveau has the appearance of a centre of disturbance. 

 The character of the beds would suggest the idea that some explo- 

 sive force, confined within the earth, had there found vent. This 

 disturbance and contortion of the Strata is especially seen on the 

 Southern half of the claim. Here, Mr. Patrick thinks there is a 



