Upon the development of the copper ores of the Boundary and Rossland districts in 1900, British Columbia became the principal producer of copper. The diagram (Plate VII) shows the production of copper of the principal provinces since 1886. In 1910, British Columbia produced over sixty-three per cent. of the total output of Canada; of the remaining thirty-seven per cent., Ontario produced by far the largest share. The map (Plate VI) shows the principal copper and lead deposits of Canada. BRITISH COLUMBIA.-British Columbia contains at least three copper districts of importance: the Rossland, Boundary and Coast districts. The Rossland district became of importance in 1896, producing over 1,500,000 pounds. The production increased to a maximum in 1902, amounting to 11,667,807 pounds in that year. In 1910, the output had fallen off to 2,600,000 pounds. The production in the Boundary district was 5,672,177 pounds in 1900, and increased to 40,181,790 pounds in 1909. In 1910, the output had fallen off to 29,400,000 pounds. The Coast and Cassiar districts produced 3,230,000 pounds in 1910. ONTARIO. The copper production of Ontario is derived mainly from the nickel-copper ores of the Sudbury district. There are many copper deposits, however, some of which have been worked extensively in former years, such as the old Bruce mines on the north shore of lake Huron. The copper production of Ontario has increased at a very rapid rate, increasing from 165,000 pounds in 1886 to over 19,000,000 pounds in 1910. As the nickel-copper resources are large, and, as the mining of this ore is independent of the price of copper, it is reasonable to suppose that the present output will increase or, at least, be maintained for a number of years. CONCLUSIONS.-Copper deposits differ so completely in their occurrence from coal beds that known reserves, like those of coal, cannot be expected. The present reserves of copper ore in Canada are greater than that of any other metallic mineral, excepting iron, and while probably few of the mines have reserves sufficient for ten years' work, each year's development will add new reserves, and upon more thorough prospecting, new deposits will possibly be found. CONSUMPTION.-Only a part of the copper produced is consumed in Canada. Nearly all of our production of matte and blister is exported for refining. In 1910, Canada exported 56,964,000 pounds (practically the whole of the production) of copper contained in ore, matte and blister, and imported in the same year 30,237,106 pounds. Of the imports, over 25,300,000 pounds, valued at $3,729,592, were in the form of manufactured articles, such as copper bars, rods, plates, strips and wire. WASTE. It is not believed that the waste in the mining of copper ores is excessive. Ores too poor to extract at prevailing prices are, of course, left in the mine, but treatment is now so cheap that very low grade ores are handled profitably. In some cases, pillars of ore are left, but these are generally chosen so as to include only low-grade ore, and the shape of the deposit is generally such that all ore can be extracted without much loss. In industries like copper mining, where the "ore" has rapidly changed its meaning within the last decade,-where, in other words, ore containing one, two or three per cent. of copper can now be mined profitably where it was formerly considered waste-it is clear that large bodies must be left now which, later, may possibly be extracted with profit. This also applies to ores mined under unfavourable conditions. On the betterment of conditions, ore left in the mine as too low-grade to extract, may eventually be recovered, provided the mine does not go to wreck in the meantime, and provided that sufficient records of the old workings have been kept. The Dominion and Provincial Governments could do much to ensure the keeping of records by making it compulsory for the owner of each mine, at the time of its abandonment, to file an accurate plan on a suitable scale, showing the boundaries of the workings up to the time of abandonment, together with an assay plan showing the position and value of any low-grade ore left in the mine. This would not be too much to ask from the owners, as all well-managed mines possess this information. Such plan would not only throw more light on the geological features of the region, but would be of great use in re-opening an old mine and would, also, safeguard an adjoining mine from breaking through into the old workings, thereby endangering life and property by the inflow of water and the fall of ground. This rule is embodied in some coal and metal mine regulations and should be extended to cover all metal mines. In the smelting of copper ores, the loss is, to a great extent, represented by the small quantities of gold, silver and copper left in the slag. The slag should be stored on the dump and not granulated and allowed to pass into the rivers. The practice of dumping tailings and slag into the rivers represents a two-fold evil-the loss of valuable mineral and the pollution of streams. The following is taken from a paper given by Dr. James Douglas": "Certain lessons, however, the above recital of experience teaches. One of them is, never to throw away anything that contains mineral of any value, even though it may seem to be valueless. The time inevitably and invariably comes when, through improved conditions or better methods, what was waste to one generation becomes of value to another. Most of the filling of the old stopes in the Copper Queen mine and in the old Dominion mine has already been re-treated. In the case, therefore, of sulphide ore, which is too lean to handle, it should be stored underground rather than exposed to the weather at the surface. I am not sure whether we are justified in ballasting our railroads with the slags which we are making now-lean as they are. One cannot see a Transactions, A. I. M. E., Vol. L. |