1869.] WALLBKIDGE CANADA WEST. 267 



at least highly suggestive. Moreover the presence of the carbo- 

 naceous matter, not in cavities in the dolomite, but imbedded in 

 the rock itself, is a point of considerable significance to the palge- 

 ontologist, as indicating the existence of organic remains in rocks 

 which have been referred to so old a formation as the Lower Lau- 

 rentian. 



The gold yielded by the pockets of the Eichardson Mine usually 

 occurred in a finely divided state, or in the form of small scales 

 and dendritic fragments, but never exhibited distinct crystalline 

 forms. It presented a reddish -yellow colour, and was remarkably 

 pure. A specimen assayed in Toronto was between 22 and 23 carats 

 fine, the native metal being thus quite as pure as the standard gold 

 of this country. The auriferous material extracted from the pockets 

 (consisting of the carbonaceous and ochreous substances) yielded from 

 <£3 to £4 worth of gold to the pound. How much of tlus gold-stuff 

 the mine actually produced it is extremely difficult to estimate ; for 

 whilst the workings were in the hands of Mr. Richardson, consi- 

 derable quantities were surreptitiously carried off by parties who 

 gained access to the mine, and were distributed to so large an 

 extent that, even at the present time (now more than two years 

 after the discovery), specimens may readily be purchased in the 

 neighbourhood. It is said that upwards of 60 lbs. of the auriferous 

 material were sent to the United States by the first purchasers of 

 the mine, and subsequently three barrels of the same material were 

 forwarded to New York. It is commonly supposed that the total 

 value of the gold yielded by the pockets of the Kichardson Mine 

 was not less than .£10,000. 



When, however, the two deposits were exhausted the supply ceased, 

 and attention was then directed to working the surrounding " coun- 

 try," where the gold exists either in so finely divided a state as to 

 escape detection by the eye, or in combination with iron-pyrites 

 and other metallic sulphides. 



It has been said that the metal was confined exclusively to the 

 fissure, and that it could not have been derived from the adjacent 

 rocks, as these, if not entii'ely destitute of gold, are impregnated 

 with it only to a very limited extent in the immediate neighbour- 

 hood of the crevice. Such a statement however, is, entirely con- 

 tradicted by a chemical examination of rocks broken at a consider- 

 able distance from the pockets. Several assays have been made by 

 Professor T. Bell, of Albert College, who has kindly furnished me 

 with the results. Two specimens of dolomite from the Richardson 

 Mine yielded respectively 9 oz. 11 dwts. 16 grs., and 4 oz. 5 dwts. 

 17 grs. of gold per ton of 2000 lbs. ; whilst the metallic sulphides, 

 chiefly iron-pyrites, washed from these two specimens contained as 

 much as 88 oz. of gold to the ton. The average value of the gold- 

 stuff at present crushed at the mine is only about £1 per ton ; but 

 even this is found to be more than sufficient to cover the working- 

 expenses. It should be noted, however, that all the gold thus ob- 

 tained is extracted by amalgamation ; and as the rook contains a 

 large percentage of auriferous sulphides, it is probable that larger 



VOL. XXV. PAKT I. U 



