CAT
20
546
A
R E P O R T
TO THE TRUSTEES
OF
LAKE SUPERIOR COPPER COMPANY.
BY
CHARLES T. JACKSON, M. D.
1845.
Bentley Historical
Library
University of Michigan



DON
(
LITH.OF E.W.BOUVÉ, BOSTON.
C.T.JACKSON, DEL.
MWIMAT SHT
VIEW OF THE STAMPINC MILLS.
ha 5506

DR. CHARLES T. JACKSON'S
REPORT
TO THE TRUSTEES
OM
LAKE SUPERIOR COPPER COMPANY.
NOVEMBER, 1845.
BOSTON:
PRINTED BY BEALS AND GREENE,
1845.

To the
G
summ
silver
tions a
the me
numbe
from t
opene
quired
soon t
WH
comp
chemi
Much
so as
with
clean
my re
given
assay
the n
value
Or
oper:
grou

REPORT
.
BOSTON, Nov. 1st, 1945.
To the Trustees of Lake Superior Copper Company:
GENTLEMEN—At the request of your Board I spent the past
summer in re-examination and continued survey of the copper and
silver veins on Eagle River, and have directed the mining opera-
tions and the erection of the machinery required for separation of
the metals from the rock. I have analyzed and assayed a great
number of samples of the ores from the mines now wrought, and
from those which have been recently discovered and are not yet
opened by mining operations. Whatever labors may be still re-
quired for your information I shall be ready to perform, and hope
soon to complete the work.
While at Eagle River it was impossible for me to perform many
complete analyses, since I had there but few conveniences for
chemical operations, and but a limited supply of tests and reagents.
Much of the mechanical preparation of the ores was there effected,
so as to diminish the quantity of matter I should have to bring home
with me.
I could there stamp and wash the ore, and pack up the
cleansed metals, which were to be separated in my laboratory, after
my return to Boston. A large supply of samples obtained from
given weights of ore were thus prepared, and are now ready for
assay and analysis. The specimens were taken from all parts of
the mine as the work proceeded, and fairly represent the working
value of the ore.
On reaching Eagle River early in July last, we found the mining
operations had been suspended, there being but few miners on the
ground, since their term of service had expired, and many
had
gone

4
they can
the ore a
The
point in
shaft.
copper a
water of
tom, an
vein cor
a few
rock.
water h
with the
ver, vai
are thic
Particle
termixe
silver,
its app
ore is t
home. The 75 foot shaft was nearly full of water, and the curb
was out of order, so that operations could not be carried on imme-
diately. This shaft was put in good order and the water was
drawn out, while I was there, and an opportunity was afforded to
inspect that portion of the mine. It was obvious that the rock in
which that shaft is sunk is not a part of the vein, but is wall rock
impregnated with numerous globules of copper, and traversed by
small string veins of metallic copper. It is out of the course of the
vein some degrees to the Eastward, and is in the rock which I de-
scribed last year as the "wall rock containing copper, 94 feet North
of the main lode or vein." From the bottom of this 75 foot shaft, ,
a drift had been sent off to the Westward 13 feet, but had not
reached the vein. It will have to be carried about six feet farther
West before it strikes it, for the lode in the 30 foot shaft runs, as is
proved by the 16 foot drift, N. 32° W., while the shaft bears from
the other N. 21 0 W., and the distance is 93 feet, giving a depart-
ure of 20 feet to the Westward as the place of the vein. The ore
thrown out of this 75 foot shaft is poor, but rich enough to repay
the expenses of stamping and washing it with a small profit; but it
will not be worth mining, and I therefore advised that the shaft
should not be sunk any deeper, but that the cross cut should be ex-
tended until it came to the vein, and that a drift should be sent from
it to the second or 30 foot shaft, which will be sunk to the depth
required to meet that drift while the work is going on in it.
I did not advise sinking the '75 foot or first shaft last year, and
suppose the miners saw some indications there which induced them
to operate in that place before sinking the second, or 80 foot shaft,
which I had recommended. It would have been a more profitable
work had my directions been followed exactly; for the labor spent
on the 75 foot shaft would have carried the 80 foot shaft to the
depth of more than 100 feet, and levels could have been sent off
from two points on each side of the shaft, at 50 and 100 feet depth,
running up and down the river's course along the vein, whereby a
much greater number of miners could have been employed, and
richer ores would have been raised in large quantities.
I regard the 75 foot shaft as a valuable means of ventilation, and
it will be made the air shaft of the mine in future work, while the
second shaft will be the main or working shaft. A plan of the
workings ought to be kept, and it may be well to draw a guide plan
for the direction of the miners, which will serve as a diagram which
copper
where
withou
The co
(3-101
trace a
an orig
by the
Som
silver,
the rat
compc
suppo
per ce
rich so
WH
carboi
and ce
that k

e curb
mme-
was
ed to
ck in
rock
ed by
of the
I de-
Torth
haft,
i not
rther
as is
from
part-
2 ore
грау
ut it
shaft
they can follow so far as the nature of the rock and the situation of
the ore allow.
The second, called also the 30 foot shaft, was made at the
point indicated by me last year as the proper place for the main
shaft. It is on the cliff beneath which we obtained our samples of
copper and silver last year. The cliff is fifteen feet high from the
water of the river, and the vein is seen in its wall from top to bot-
tom, and is eleven feet wide on the face of the cliff--six feet of the
vein contains silver, and five feet of it is charged mostly with copper,
a few globules of silver being occasionally intermingled with the
rock. The surface of the vein exposed to the action of air and
water has become disintegrated, and the copper is mostly incrusted
with the green carbonate and red oxide, while the globules of sil-
ver, varying in size from a pin's head to that of a small bird shot,
are thickly implanted in the rotten rock, and retain their brilliancy.
Particles of antimonial silver in thin and brilliant spangles are in-
termixed with this portion of the vein, and add to the proportion of
silver, so that the ore yields more than any one would suppose from
its appearance. The most curious phenomenon presented by this
ore is the occurrence of pieces of pure silver united to metallic
copper without any other union than at their points of contact,
where there is as close a joining as could be effected by plating, and
without the interfusion which takes place in the artificial operation.
The copper sometimes contains alloyed with it a very small portion
(3-10 per cent.) of silver, but the silver never contains the slightest
trace of copper. Hence I suppose the silver was thrown off from
an original alloy of copper and silver in the operation of cooling,
by the segregation of the silver from the copper.
Some portions of the above described rotten rock are very rich in
silver, and one sample assayed by me yielded copper and silver in
the ratio of $1200 per ton, while the general average of the unde-
composed rock gave but from 125 to $129 per ton. It is not to be
supposed that a large proportion of the vein will yield so large a
per centage of silver; but the above example will show how very
rich some parts of the vein are.
Where the shaft cuts through the rotten rock, there is no green
carbonate of copper, but the red oxide of that metal is abundanty
and colors the rock red. I was much surprised by the richness of
that kind of ore, for on analysis I found it to yield in value equal to
e ex-
from
epth
and
hem
naft,
able
Dent
the
off
و thد
уа.
and
and
the
The
lan
Ech

6
depth
Rich o
was se
the silv
in the
true di
should
the de
book, v
10.)
the sha
$748 per ton-its principal value consisting in the silver which it
contains in fine globules abundantly diffused through its mass.
The general character of the lode of the second shaft is not so
good as above mentioned, for the shaft cuts through both copper
and silver rocks and sometimes through comparatively poor ore
and occasional barren seams of hard trap rock. The slope of the
vein of silver ore carries it on one side of the shaft as it goes down, ,
and hence you will have to make a cross cut to meet it again at a
considerable depth. It is seen on the Eastern side of the shaft
throughout its depth from the surface to 25 feet from the top; then
the vein goes out of the shaft to the Eastward.
When I arrived at Eagle River, this shaft was 25 feet deep, and
its walls were left rough and jagged. Miners were set at work, ,
and it was squared down evenly, ten feet in length by eight feet
in width, and a level was driven in from the bottom after sinking
the shaft five feet more. This level was intended to show the rich-
ness of the ore towards the Northwest, and ran N. 320 W. in very
rich ore.
It was discontinued after having been driven 16 feet,
since it was evidently too near the surface to drift economically.
It served to prove the richness of the ore, and the direction of the
lode. A new gang of miners having been hired, we were desirous
of ascertaining how rapidly the shaft could be sunk by them; and
having measured its depth, we set a gang at work in a regular man-
ner, and found that they sunk six inches per day on a bottom of 80
square feet area-hence raised 40 cubic feet of ore per day. On
the drift or 16 foot level, with a head of 30 square feet, a less effi-
cient
corps of miners progressed at the rate of six inches per day,
or 15 cubic feet; but they were delayed for want of tools, and by
foul air, so that no just estimate on drifting could be obtained by
their work. As a general rule, about one-third more rock may be
excavated by drifting than can be raised from the shaft in the same
given time. The cost per foot on the shaft will be not far from
$20, allowing 40 cubic feet of ore to be raised per day. Each
cubic foot will weigh from 193 to 200 lbs.; hence four tons of ore
will be raised per day, at a cost of $20 for mining. It is proposed
that the work should be let out to the miners at the rate of $20 per
foot in the shaft, and they will make their profit by working extra
hours and by doing their own windlasing, which usually requires
an extra laborer.
When I left the mines, the second shaft had been sunk to the
posed
dip is
을
​tion fr
usually
leave
it. I
might
happe
The
mining
the NO
1st.
in len
that s!
richer
its mo
nearly
which
2d.
will n
shaft
raised
3d.
the m
five fe
4th
river,
menc

7
hieh it
s.
not so
copper
or ore
of the
down,
in at a
shaft
; then
p, and
work,
ht feet
Enking
rich-
1 very
feet,
cally.
of the
depth of thirty-seven feet, and was eight feet by ten feet square.
Rich ore was still obtained from the bottom of it, and copper
was seen on every side. There are lines of separation between
the silver and copper lode and the wall rock, which indicate a dip
in the vein of 80° North Eastward. Should this prove to be the
true dip of the vein, the width of the whole lode being 11 feet, it
should run out of the perpendicular shaft to the North Eastward at
the depth of 32 feet, as will be seen by the diagram in my sketch
book, which I send with this Report for your inspection. (See PI.
10.) The ore, as before observed, occurs at the depth of 37 feet in
the shaft; hence it is obvious that the vein is wider than I had sup-
posed from the appearance of it in the cliff at the surface, or the
dip is greater than was anticipated. If there is any dip or inclina-
tion from the perpendicular in the descent of the lode, which is
usually the case in mines, it is evident that the shaft will ultimately
leave the vein, and then you will have to make a cross cut back to
it. I mention this very obvious fact, since inexperienced persons
might be alarmed by the idea that the ore runs out, when the shaft
happens to leave the vein.
The following are the points where the ore is exposed by your
mining operations, in the regular course of the vein, beginning at
the Northernmost opening. (See plan, Plate 1.)
1st. The adit level, made by my direction. This will be 93 feet
in length to the 75 foot shaft, and will be met by a cross cut from
that shaft. In this level the ore was poor at first, and becomes
richer as the work advances to the South Eastward. The adit at
its mouth is 28 feet below the top of the 75 foot or first shaft, and is
nearly on a level with the 16 foot drift in the second shaft, with
which it will ultimately join.
2d. The 75 foot or first shaft, which is irregularly wrought, and
will not be necessary to square down, since it will serve for an air
shaft and need not be made so exact as the working shaft. The ore
raised in this work is poor, but worth stamping for copper.
3d. The second or 30 foot shaft. This is now the main shaft of
the mine, and is wholly in the richest ore. It is opened on ground
five feet higher than the first shaft.
4th. The vein crosses the stream to a point projecting into the
river, (see 4 on plan), and there another shaft has just been com-
menced, which will ultimately be connected with the second shaft
sirous
and
man-
of 80
On
s effi-
day,
d by
d by
y be
same
Erom
Cach
ore
sed
per
xtra
ires
the

S
sleepin
be clea
ready t
The
and he
my im
two th
by levels under the river at 50 feet below the top of the shaft, or 85
feet below the river's bed.
5th. The shaft at the upper end of the vein, where it branches
and sends a walled vein through the felspar and chlorite rock which
leaves the river's bed and runs across the line of the canal, while
another branch runs up the channel of the river and is exposed to
view in amygdaloidal trap rocks. The shaft sunk is 20 feet deep,
and is an exploration work now abandoned, as the vein was too
narrow there to repay expenses of mining, and the rocks were very
hard.
The stamping and crushing mills, with the joggling tables, set-
tling troughs, &c., were put up by Mr. C. C. Douglass, who re-
ceived his directions from me. The plans were selected from the
French works on mining, and a combination of machinery adapted
to the working of the Eagle River ores was made, and has been
constructed and put up by Mr. Cowey, under the superintendence
of Mr. Douglass, who has effected the work in a satisfactory
copper
packed
search
The
the sha
Its wid
200 fe
throug
It is
this ve
manner.
dange
100 fe
Nat
In Eu
of co
those
of th
of su
nency
son to
as the
The mill is 65 feet long on the lower story, and 25 feet wide,
while the upper story is 90 feet long, and rests on the bank. (See
plan, Plate 3.)
The water wheel is 15 feet in diameter and 10 feet wide, and is
on the overshot plan; the buckets are 15 by 10 inches. A double
battery of stamps on one side of this wheel consists of 24 pestles, of
200 lbs. weight each, striking on a thick iron trough or stamping
bed. Each pestle lifts by a cam, and falls 12 inches. They drop
in regular succession, one battery pounding the ore forwards and
the other backwards, (see Plate 5) while a current of water is al-
lowed to pass through and washes away first the fine rock, and then
the coarse metal is driven forward by a more powerful current.
The metals are then separated by joggling tables and other appa-
ratus prepared for the purpose.
On the other side of the water wheel a combination of stamps
and the crushing mill is placed--the battery of stamps being nine
pestles, and the crushing wheels weighing 5000 lbs. each. This
machine works very satisfactorily, and will be employed in crush-
ing the silver ore. (See Plate 6.) Some improvements were made
in it, and the water is to be brought directly to the crushing bed, to
wash out the metals more readily. The receiving trough will con-
tain most of the coarse metal, and the fine will be sent over on the
0ccur
Soi
has n
conse
haust
ed to
vein
whic
W
rite
by th
ther

9
uft, or 35
branches
ck which
al, while
posed to
eet deep
was too
ere very
les, set-
who re-
rom the
adapted
as been
endence
sleeping tables where it will be deposited. The coarse metals will
be cleansed entirely from rock on the joggling tables, and will be
ready to pack up and forward to market.
'The washing apparatus was not completed when I left the works,
and hence I could not have a large quantity of ore wrought under
my immediate superintendence; but I was able to stamp and wash
two thousand pounds of the ore, by using hand jigs or sieves of
copper
wire. The fine ore was left, while the coarse metals were
packed up and brought home for analysis. The results of my re-
searches on those metals are appended to this Report.
The plan in my sketch book, Plate 1, will show the situations of
the shafts. The whole known length of the vein is about 1800 feet.
Its width is satisfactorily proved to be 11 feet for the distance of
200 feet, and it is probable that it will hold a workable width
throughout the whole 1800 feet.
It is obvious, that there is an adequate quantity of rich ore in
this vein to render the work very profitable, and that there is no
danger of exhausting the ore even should it give out at the depth of
100 feet, of which there is no probability.
Native copper, I know, is not usually found in great quantities.
In Europe and in Cuba the ore is apt to change into sulphuret
of copper and iron after attaining a considerable depth—but in
those cases there are sufficient proofs of the secondary origin
of the copper from decomposed copper pyrites, while the absence
of sulphurets and the want of iron ochre both indicate the perma-
nency of the metallic copper in your mines. I cannot see any rea-
son to believe that there will be any change in the ores so long
as there is no change in the character of the rocks in which they
sfactory
wide,
(See
and is
double
tles, of
amping
y drop
ds and
r is al-
d then
occur.
urrent.
appa-
tamps
nine
This
crush-
Some persons object to the Lake Superior mine because the vein
has no regular walls; but this seems to me to be a matter of little
consequence so long as we can see that there is an almost inex-
haustible supply of metals in a linear direction sufficiently compact-
ed to be worked profitably. How can there be regular walls to a
vein when it is of the same age and origin as the trap rocks in
which it is included!
Where the vein runs through the more ancient felspar and chlo-
rite rock at its South Eastern end, there it is most certainly walled
by that rock, and the course of the vein coincides with that of
the metalliferous lode wrought at the shafts Nos. 1, 2 and 3. If
made
ed, to
1 con-
on the

10
suppo
latera
cipal
It i
conta
tains
wide
will
cide
От
enor
rich
state
only
guin
this
the ore runs out at a considerable depth, say at 200 feet, it will
be a matter of little importance to the present generation, though it
might be to posterity: for there is obviously an adequate supply
of ore to occupy your miners for a great number of years in ex-
tracting it. So far as your operations have extended, they have
added to the value of the location by the discovery of several new
veins. Thus the Third Falls vein has been discovered since the
works began; and in making a road from the mines to the mill,
and in digging the mill pond, and in laying the foundations of the
stamping mill, a new vein of copper and silver of great richness
was discovered. It is probable that other new veins will be dis-
covered from time to time, as improvements continue to be made,
and the wilderness is cleared up, and the soil opened to the rocks.
The Third Falls vein pursues a course nearly parallel with the
vein you have been working, and promises to be valuable. The
average ore gives about 9 per cent. of a mixture of metallic copper
and silver. Its width could not be ascertained, since the vein is
only exposed in the bed of the stream. This vein is a continuation
of that at the second falls, discovered last autumn by Mr. Joshua
Childes-and our attention was called to its occurrence at the third
falls by Mr. Foster, of Ohio, who visited the mines this summer.
The new vein at the stamping mills was discovered while blast-
ing away the rocks for a foundation of the upper story of the build-
ing, where it projects over on the cliff. It is a vein of Prehnite,
filled mostly with metallic, green carbonate and red oxide of copper,
but in some places it was exceedingly rich in metallic silver. This
vein is from 3 to 5 inches wide, and has been seen in four places:
1st, in the bottom of the root house; 2d, in the road to the mines;
3d, in the mill pond dug this year; 4th, in the foundations of the
mills. These points are all in a line N. 11 ° W., S. 11° E., and
the dip of the vein is 790 to the Westward.
Where the vein was opened, the course was N. 193° W.,
S. 195° E., which is the true course of the horizontal line of the
vein—the course of the openings differing on account of the differ-
ence of level and the dip of the vein.
I have given directions to have a shaft sunk in the vicinity of the
mill, and I marked its place on the ground, so that it will strike
the vein. A drift will then be sent off towards the place where
we found the richest silver ore; and it may be wrought with-
out damaging the mill, since a sufficient roof may be left to
A
сор
sui
ро1
Lu
OX
of
co
by
al
ai
0
C

11
t will
ugh it
supply
in ex-
- have
al new
ce the
e mill,
of the
support it, while the ore will be taken out below. This vein is a
lateral or string vein, called by the miners a feeder, from the prin-
cipal lode, and is regularly walled.
It is narrow, and will not repay expenses of working unless it
contains silver generally in its mass, or unless the wall rock con-
tains copper, for the drifts will have to be made at least four feet
wide to allow the miners room to work. The shaft sunk upon it
will at present be merely one of exploration, and the result will de-
cide as to future work at that place.
Ore as rich as that taken from beneath the mill would give an
enormous profit, for there are few silver ores in the world equal in
richness to the specimen I obtained there. It should, however, be
stated that the other parts of the vein exposed to view contained
only native copper and its ores; hence we ought not to form too san-
guine expectations from the few specimens extracted thus far from
this vein.
hness
e dis-
made,
cocks.
ch the
The
opper
in is
ation
oshua
third
CHEMICAL ANALYSES OF THE ORES.
er.
last-
uild-
anite,
pper,
This
aces:
ines;
- the
and
Analysis of the red rotten rock, (red oxide of copper, metallic
copper and silver, in amygdaloidal trap rock.) The rock was
suitable for analysis in small portions, being very uniform. The
pounded ore weighed
749.5 grains.
Lumps of copper and silver separated by stamping, 175 grains.
Fine sifted rock and ore,
574.5 grains.
50 grains of the last mentioned ore yielded 11.3 grains of red
oxide of copper, 3 grains of metallic copper and silver, and 35 grains
of rock. The red oxide of copper is 22.6 per cent., and the metallic
copper 6 per cent. in the fine ore.
100 grains of another portion of the same powdered ore gave,
by analysis by acids, 215 grains of copper and silver. The silver
amounted to 0.05 grain, Antimony was detected in the solution
after the silver was separated.
20 grains, an average of the copper and silver analyzed, yielded
0:4 grs. chloride of silver, or 0.3 of metallic silver, or 1.5 per cent.
Hence the yield of 100 lbs. of the red rotten rock will be 40 per
cent. of metals, and the silver in the copper will be 1.55 per cent.
40 lbs. of copper is worth, at 16 cts per lb.,
$6 40
1:55 lbs. of silver, at $20 per lb.,
31 00
W.,
the
ffer-
the
rike
here
ith-
to
Value of 100 lbs. of the ore,
$37 40
or $748 per ton,

12
A sample of the rock from the silver vein was taken from the
broken ore in a shovel by one of the trustees of the Company)
and the whole shovel full being pounded, weighed, washed and an-
alyzed, yielded per ton as follows:
Copper from the coarse washings, 42.86 lbs, worth at 16c, $7 65
Silver,
5.87 lbs, worth at $20, 117 54
Copper w
Silver
Rock
Fine wa
Value of one ton of the rock;
$125 19
Copper, 415
Silver,
Rock, 385
809
Analysi
1 1-2 lb
of which
In this analysis, a little metal was lost in fine waste, and there-
fore, although the rock was the same as I analyzed last year,
with the result of $129 35 per ton, it yielded less than it did in a
well arranged laboratory. The result was, however, quite satis-
factory to the trustees, and confirmed the fairness of my analyses
of the ore obtained at my first visit. The vein from which the ore
was taken is 6 feet wide; and the specimens were blasted off from
the whole face of the vein last year by my direction, and were
broken small for the crushing mill, and piled up at the base of the
cliff.
It should also be stated, that from that rock most of the rich
specimens of silver have been obtained that have been brought
away from the mine, selections having been made while the ore
was undergoing the breaking under the hammer.
Copper weig
Silver,
Rock,
Washed o
From t
Copper wei
Silver,
Rock,
60
Analysis of the rotten rock, on the face of the cliff, at the second
shaft:
Anoth
large pie
which th
9 lbs. of the rotten rock being pounded in a mortar, and washed
with care, gave
230 grains coarse metals,
8230 grains of fine metals;
Copper wei
Silver
Rock
3460 grains of copper and silver mixed.
The
copper separated amounted to 3344.25 = 106.12 lbs
Silver
65.75 = 2.08 lbs
$16 99
41 60
66
66
Antimony-traces; not weighed.
Rock separated from the metals,
Per ton of rock, $58 59
50.00
Anoth
3460.00 grains of washed ore.
and rock
Rock of the silver vein taken from the base of the cliff at the
second shaft:
Copper,
Silver,
Rock,
3 lbs. 2 oz. of the ore, pounded and washed, gave 1338 grains;
of which the
Washed o
From
which t

13
om the
mpany)
66
und an-
66
66
$7 65
117 54
Per ton of rock.
Copper weighed 1239.98 grains 113.4 lbs. at 16 cts. $18 14
Silver
6.02
0:546 lbs. at $20 per lb. $10 92
Rock
92.00
Value of one ton of rock, $29 06
1338.00 grains coarse washings.
Fine washings from the same-809 grains yielded-
On a ton of rock.
Copper, 418073 grains 38.29 lbs. value at 16 cts. $6 12
Silver, 5.27
$20 $9 64
Rock,
$15 76 per ton of fine washings
809.00 grains washed ore.
of the rock.
125 19
482 lbs.
66
there-
385.00
year,
I in a
satis-
alyses
Analysis of rich silver ore (rotten rock:)
1 1-2 lbs. yielded, after being pounded and washed, 592 grains,
of which the
ne ore
from
were
of the
Washed ore,
richi
Per ton.
Copper weighed 381040
72.6 lbs, at 16 cts.
$11 62
Silver,
25.60
4.87 lbs. at $20,
$97 40
Rock,
185.00
Value of rock per ton, $ 109 02
592.00 grains.
From the same, 5760 grains waste was obtained, of which the
Copper weighed 715.49 grains 136.28 lbs. at 16 cts.
21 80
Silver,
4.51
0.858 lbs, at $20,
17 16
Rock,
5040.00
Value of the waste on one ton the rock, 38.96
5760.00 grains.
ought
66
e ore
66
66
cond
Another lot of the same rock, weighing 8 lbs., gave 2540 grains
large pieces of copper, and 4500 grains of metals and rock; of
which the
shed
66
xed.
Copper weighed 2134.15 = 76.22 per ton of rock, at 16 cts.,
$12 19:
Silver
57.85 2.06 lbs. per ton on the rock, at $20,
$41 20
Rock
2308.00
Value of one ton of rock, $53 39}
4500'00 grains.
2134.15
Copper in large pieces,
2540.00
Fine copper,
599
I 60
59
4674.15 grains-whole weight of copper,
re.
the
66
Another sample, weighing S} lbs., yielded 2741 grains of metals
and rock:
Copper, 2253.4 grains
184 lbs. at 16 cts., $29 44
Silver,
37.6
3.07 lbs. at $20,
$61 40
Rock,
450.0
$90 84 value of 1 ton of the rock.
Washed ore, 2741.0 grains.
From the same lot, 3900 grains fine washed ore was obtained, in
which the
28;

14
66
CG
of separati
time. Sub
samples of
brought hc
of the wor
Subsequ
mills woul
66
lbs. of the
silver vein
about 6 tc
66
more am
workmen
1000 lb
mill, and
gave, in
66
66
66
66
Per ton.
Copper weighed 738•8 grains. 404:5 lbs at 16 cts., value $64 76
Silver
11.2
5.74 lbs at $20,
114 80
Rock
3100.0
$179 56 value 1 ton of rocko
3900.0 grains.
Another lot, weighing 1 lb., stamped and washed, gave 594
grains metals and rock, of which the
On the rock.
Copper weighed 521.15 grains. 148.9 lbs at 16 cts., $23.82
Silver,
12.05
3.44 lbs at $20,
68.80
Rock,
60.80
$92 62 value of one ton of rock.
594630 grains.
The waste washings from the same weighed 2880 grains, of
which the
Copper weighed 454.58 grains. 115.5 lbs at 16 cts., 18.48
Silver
5.42
1.548 lbs at $20, 30-96
Rock
2420.00
$49 44 value per ton of rock.
2880.00
A fair specimen from the bottom of the 37 foot shaft yielded 80
lbs. copper in 1000 lbs. of the ore. It was from the copper vein,
and free from any admixture of silver, excepting a few minute
grains.
Analysis of the ore from the newly discovered vein at the third
falls of Eagle River, one-quarter of a mile north of the shaft be-
fore described:
11,170 grains of the rock, reduced to powder in an iron mortar
and sifted, left coarse metals on the seive weighing 830 grains, of
which,
Copper, 823.00 grains.
147-3 lbs at 16 cts., $23 56
Silver, 3.01
0:54 lbs at $20,
10 80
Rock, 4.00
$34 36 value of one ton of rock.
-
Besid
sleeping
I brou
washed
metal a
Anal
separat
jigs:
The
с
S
830.01
The remaining sifted powder washed, gave 210 grains of metals
and rock, viz:
$3 04
1000
Copper, 155.875 grains
Silver, 1.125
Rock, 53.000
19 lbs per ton of rock,
0.19 lbs per ton of rock,
3 80
925
65
7 명
​$6 84 value of one ton of rock.
210.000
Se
Сот
Sil:
The ore yields 9.31 per cent. of waste metals, as above. Value,
$41 20 per ton of rock. .
When the stamping and crushing mills were ready for opera-
tions, I first set them at work on an average lot of the ore from the
mines, without employing weighed quantities, as we had no means

15
el ton of rocko
gave 594
of separating the metals from the stamped and crushed ore at that
time. Subsequently, we prepared copper sieves, and separated
samples of the metals by the operation of jigging; and I have
brought home with me two shot bags of the metals, as specimens
of the work performed by the mill.
Subsequently, I endeavoured to ascertain how much work the
mills would do per day; and at the same time I worked on 1000
lbs. of the rotten rock, and on 1000 lbs. of the solid ore of the
silver vein before described. I found that the mills would stamp
about 6 tons of the ore in 24 hours; and it is probable that with a
more ample supply of water, and with more experience in the
workmen, the quantity may be raised to 8 or even 10 tons.
1000 lbs. of the rotten rock, on being stamped and washed by the
mill, and jigged in sieves and separated by the strake and keive,
gave, in a coarse way, 105 lbs. of clean metals, viz:
3 lbs. of large pieces of copper and silver;
7 lbs. of fine jigged metals;
95 lbs. of fine metals from the keive;
2 ton of rock.
grains, of
of rock.
yielded 80
per vein,
V minute
the third
shaft be-
n mortar
105 lbs. metals per 1000 lbs. of rock.
Besides this, there was a large waste for want of joggling and
sleeping tables for the washing operations.
I brought home with me the 3 lbs. of the coarse and 7 lbs. of fine
washed metals and samples of a few pounds' weight of the fine
metal of the keive and of the waste of each kind.
Analysis of a sample of the coarse metals from the rotten rock,
separated by the stamping and crushing mills, and washed by the
jigs:
1000 grains coarse metals analyzed, yielded
950 of copper and silver,
50
of rock.
The copper and silver separated, yielded-
Copper, 927 grains 1854 lbs. per ton--value, $296 64
Silver, 23
46 lbs. per ton--value, 920 00
rains, of
66
66
on of rock.
-
65
metals
n of rock.
$1216 64
1000 grains of the fine metal of the 7 lb. lot from the jig yielded
925 grains copper and silver, and
75 grains of rock,
Separated, the
Copper weighed 904 grs. = 1808 lbs. per ton-value, $289 28
Silver
Value,
21 grs. = 42 lbs. per ton-value, 840 00
opera-
om the
Value per ton,
$1129 28
means

16
1000
Fine washed metals from the keive:
Per thousand or per ton.
1000 grains yield-Copper, 964.5 grains-value, $154 32—$308 64
Rock, 35.5
Coppe
Rock,
The
Coppe
Silver
1000·0 grains.
Traces of silver not sufficient to be valuable.
Analysis of the average metals of second shaft:
Copper, 957.8 grains 1915.6 lbs. per ton--value, $206 49
Silver, 6.7 grains = 13•4 lbs. per ton-value,
268 00
S Value of 1 ton of average metals
964.5 grains. from the ore heap at 2d shaft, $474 49
Analysis of the ore of the first shaft, which is the wall rock of
the vein—the shaft being to the eastward of the lode:
4500 grains, stamped and washed, gave 130 grains of copper and
rock:
Copper, 44.24 = 19•66 lbs. per ton--value, $311
Rock, 85.76
Wa
Coppe
Rock,
Tra
Ana
cartlo
This
by hai
fine m
1
130.00 grains
This ore is not worth the expense of mining and separating; but
since it was necessary to raise it in sinking that shaft, it will be
worth stamping when the mill is not better employed.*
Analysis of a sample of the metal from the silver vein:
Coarse metal from the first jig:
1000 grains yield copper and silver,
960
Rock,
40
Equal
66
of wa
1000 grains.
Copper sep’d, 922:04 grs. 1344:08 lbs. per ton of metals, $295 05
Silver
37.96
75.92 lbs. per ton of metals, 1518 40
66
An
rotten
lbs. tc
metal
Ope
from
27.872 grs.
392.000 grs.
1 lb
of 40
960.00 grs.
Value of one ton metals, $1813 45
Fine metals from the second jig, (same ore as above:)
1000 grains of the washed metals yield-
Copper, 580.128 grs. 1160.256 lbs. per ton at 16 cts., 185 63
Silver,
55.744 lbs. per ton at $20,
1114 88
Rock,
Value per ton,
$1300 51
1000.000 grains.
Fine washed metals from the keive, (same ore as above:)
1000 grains yield-
Copper, 957.796
1929. lbs. per ton-value, $208 64
Silver,
6.704
19.408 lbs.
-value,
the R
per
16
Silvez
There
Per o
268 16
Rock, 35.500
Value of one ton,
$476 80
1000.000 grains.
* The west cross-cut in this shaft is said to have reached the vein, and rich ores are
now obtained from it, which I have not yet analyzed.

17
per ton,
$308 64
1000 grains of the waste washings No. 1 analyzed, yielded :
Copper, 200 grains;
Rock, 800 grains.
1000
The metals separated weighed as follows:
Copper, 198 grs. 396 lbs per ton-value, $63 36
Silver,
4 lbs per ton-value, 80 00
2 grs.
206 49
268 00
3474 49
$143 36 per ton waste
Waste No. %. In 1000 grains:
Copper, 120 grains. 240 lbs. per ton-value, $38 40 per ton;
Rock, 880
cock of
60
per and
1000
Traces only of silver, not worth separating, were obtained.
Analysis of the average ore from the second shaft, taken by
cartloads, from the broken ore, heaped at the mouth of the mine.
This ore was stamped in the mill, and the metals were separated
by hand jigs by the washers, under my direction. A sample of the
fine metals was analyzed, and yielded the following results:
1000 grains of this ore contain-Copper, 919.95
Rock, 73.50
Silver,
6.55
g; but
rill be
Equal to 1839.9 lbs, copper per ton-value,
to 13.1 lbs. silver
1000.00 grains.
$294 38
262 00
66
66
66
66
per ton
s.
295 05
518 40
313 45
$556 38 value
of washed metals.
An assay of 20,000 grains of the fine jigged metals from the
rotten rock and silver vein yielded 470 grains of pure silver, or 47
lbs. to the ton of washed metals. This was a fair average of the
metals of the silver vein.
Operations to ascertain the cost of separating the silver by acids
from 1 lb. of the fine jigged metals of the copper and silver vein :
1 lb. avoirdupois of the metals required 2 lbs. 5 oz. of Nitric acid
of 40 ° to dissolve it, the acid being the commercially pure acid of
the Roxbury Laboratory. Cost of the acid estimated at 17 cents
85 68
14 88
00 51
per lb.
08 64
68 16
Silver obtained,
146.8 = 41.85 lbs. per ton-value, $837
There remained of insoluble rock, 440 grains;
Per oxide iron-scales from the mill,
80
66
76 80
520 grains.
$
res are

18
coppe
lead a
the lit
inevit
by sir
can e
pract
to din
A sample of the fine jigged metals from the rotten rock was
tried by sulphuric acid, the metal being repeatedly roasted, until the
copper was oxidated, while the silver remained bright.
The oxide of copper was then dissolved by the action of boil-
ing diluted sulphuric acid, (oil of vitriol,) sulphate of copper being
formed, while most of the silver remained, and was collected at
the end of the process. 1 lb. of copper took 2 lbs. of sulphuric
acid to convert it into blue vitriol, which, after it was crystallized,
weighed 3} lbs. The rock remained undissolved, the weight of
which was 359 grains. The silver obtained was melted and weigh-
ed 98 grains; equal to 28 lbs. per ton-value, $560. A portion of
the silver was taken up by the sulphuric acid, from which it may
be separated by chlorohydric acid; 146 grains of silver should have
been obtained.
The cost of acid is from 3 to 4 cents per lb. Before concen-
tration it is much cheaper, and will answer perfectly for parting by
mour
distri
carry
grad
IL
tives
sprir
silve
this process.
no d
сор
If
shir
ploy
you
T
and
shir
and
Lul
In case you could dispose of the sulphate of copper, or blue
vitriol, this process would be the most economical, for it is the
usual method pursued in making blue vitriol. The only obstacle
would be, that the supply you can produce would soon overstock
the market, for there is but a certain quantity required per annum,
by the factories, dye-houses, and paint works. So far as you can
dispose of your vitriol, this method may be used. If, however, a
continued supply of black oxide of copper is obtained, the manu-
facturer will prefer that, as he avoids the trouble of roasting the
copper; thereby saving his fuel, as the black oxide is in the best
state for solution in sulphuric acid.
I have, lastly, to propose a method analogous to the liquation
process employed in the Harz mines, in Germany, but differing
from that in the following respects. The German ore being a sul-
phuret of copper and silver, the lead is used in the form of litharge,
and the copper remains as scoria, after it has become oxidated,
while the lead and silver flow out from the cake of copper ore,
and the silver is separated by cupellation. I have modified this
process, and tried it with success on a small scale:-
The method is, to use metallic lead, (which will not alloy with
çan
02
but
dist
1
dire
fur
* Mr. Hayes, of the Roxbury Chemical Works, informs me that he will undertake the
manuf ure of blue vitriol from the metals of the Eagle River mine, and can dispose of all
that he can make.

19
was
il the
boil-
being
ed at
huric
ized,
ht of
eigh-
on of
may
have
cen-
ng by
blue
copper, but unites readily with silver,) and then to separate the
lead and silver by liquation, and cupel the lead for silver, saving
the litharge produced, and using it again after reduction. There is
inevitably lost only about 6 per cent. of lead by volatilization, and
by sinking into the cupel; so that this is the cheapest process you
can employ. In order to operate in the large way, you must obtain
practical operatives from Germany, and a good master of furnaces
to direct them, and to keep a vigilant superintendence. In the Harz
mountains, at Clausthal, and in several other of the great mining
districts of Germany, you can obtain men who will be able to
carry on this work; and the best masters of furnaces are the
graduates of the school of mines at Freyburg, in Germany.
I beg leave respectfully to suggest, that you should obtain opera-
tives this winter, and have the furnaces erected by them next
spring, so that on arrival of a large supply of copper and
silver, which you will certainly have next summer, there may be
no delay in the separation of the metals, and the melting of your
copper into shape for the market.
If you can obtain the Argentiferous lead ores from New Hamp-
shire, Massachusetts, and Maine, they can be advantageously em-
ployed in separating the silver from the Lake Superior copper; and
you will gain all the silver which exists in the lead ores, also.
The Galena of Shelburn and Eaton, N. H., are rich in silver,
and may be obtained. See Report on the Geology of New Hamp-
shire. Several small veins of lead ore also occur in Massachusetts,
and may be wrought for the silver which they contain. Near
Lubec, Maine, lead ores, containing a small proportion of silver,
can be obtained in large quantities.
Some of the lead of the western States contains a little silver;
but the metal brought here from Galena and from Mineral Point
district does not contain any.
I think there will be no difficulty in liquating silver from copper
directly by means of lead ore, the ore being decomposed in the
furnace during the operation.
Respectfully,
the
tacle
tock
num,
- can
er, a
anu-
the
best
tion
ring
sul-
rge,
ted,
ore,
this
Your ob’t serv't,
vith
CHARLES T. JACKSON.
e the
of all


PL. 1.
Dam
N 30°W
N05
840 ft long 7ftwide 5 ft.deep.
NO 4 New Shaft.
Chlorite& Felspur Rock
Miu
adshart 40 ft
Pont
Silver & Copper Vein
1100
Office
Sq.Yas
VEIN
Houses
Road 1000 ft.
Heighth above Lake
246 ft. 14
01 St Shaft 75 ft
98 ft.
Miner's Houses.
Road
Brook.
93 ft.
MAIN
Adit No1
Diff. of level between adit No1 &
Shaft N°1 is 28 ft.
Adity02
Shafts, N. 21° W. S. 21°E.
.
.
Proin Shaft N° 1 to Shaft No 5 is 1739 feet.
to Mill 1000 feet from thence to N°5. 500 feet.
Level in 2! Shaft, 25 feet from top, is 16 feet in length
Road to Lake 420 Rods
1.17H.OF E.W.SOUVÉ

NIDO
bi DTB
DOV
Strous
ad
8S
HOW
filio
solo con i suoi 100
anggo muito

PL.VI
Stamps weigh 200 lbs. each
பாடா
28
n
U
P
(OMIdiffilittle
149 Cogs -
E0
99
Wheels weigh 50001bs.
lol
5 ft. di
10 in wide
LITH.OF E.W.BOUVÉ.

dai
ES
.

PL. IX
2d Shaft 37 ft.
Course of the Vein.
Course of the Vein
N 32°W.
N 21°W
Course from one Shaft to the other 98 ft.
19 72 ft.
Cross Cut
13 Ft
1 st Shaft
75 ft out of the pein
Is the Eastward. 19 yaft:
Variation
6°E
N
Magnetic N
Plan, indicating the course of the Copper & Silver Vein
al Eagle River Keweenaw Point, Lake Superior.
TOP BOUVE

20
to share
SO
ad Shaft
8 ft.
72545ist
728

2d Shaft.
8 ft.
74045754
728
16 ft Drift in the
Vein, 30 ft.
from the top
Cross cut
24 ft.
50 ft
53 Ft
6 ft.
Cross cut
13 ft
18 ft. 175 feet.
Scale, 25th of an inch to a foot
Plan of the Eagle River Copper and Silver Vein,
Copper and Silver Vein, nip 80°E
PL, X.
Surveyed by C.T.Jackson
184 ft
LITH OF EW.BOUVE

ha

7S
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