An Accidental Discovery Opened Up Mining in the Canadian Shield.
The Canadian Shield is the original heart, or core, of the North American continent. The rocks date to the earliest millennia of the planet.
Today, scores of mines operate in and around the Shield, extracting a vast variety of useful metals and minerals. The region has given up everything from gold to silver, nickel and diamond and shows no signs of running out of useful minerals. This was not always the case; just over 100 years ago, little mining was going on for a number of reasons. The area was vast, remote and inhospitable. Heavy snows and bitter cold during the long winters, and wild animals, voracious mosquitoes, and black flies during the warm months discouraged all but the brave or foolhardy. Even in the 1970s, when I ventured 100 miles north of Montreal in early June in search of fluorescent minerals, I found myself in the midst of the black fly season. I itched for the rest of that summer. Imagine what it must have been like prospecting the region in the 1800s!
Then in 1903, something happened that changed mining and prospecting in the Canadian Shield forever. Silver was accidentally discovered 300 miles north of Toronto. In a few short years, massive silver production—exceeded only by that of Mexico and the United States—financed the search for and discovery of countless valuable mineral deposits across northern Canada, where mining is still ongoing today. How did all this happen?
Denne historien er fra March 2017-utgaven av Rock&Gem Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra March 2017-utgaven av Rock&Gem Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
This News is for the Birds
The amazing range of the would-be birds!
CALIFORNIA MAGNESITE PLASMA AGATE
California magnesite plasma agate is a kaleidoscope of minerals. Much like its neighbor from Clear Creek, it contains chalcedony, serpentine, jadeite and chromite.
HOW TO CREATE A CABBING MATERIAL
Even though Mother Nature creates almost unbounded types and numbers of beautiful materials for cabbing, often I struggle to find a slab that will work for the project that I want to do.
PINWHEEL - VIET GEMS 149
I am frequently asked what my favorite gemstone designs are and where to find them. After my trip to the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show, I updated my list of favorites to include gemstone designer, Phan Thanh Trung.
Copper Minerals: My Favorite
I have lived in the “Copper State” of Arizona for 65 years so it should not surprise readers that copper minerals are among my favorites to collect.
OPPENHEIMER, TRINITY SITE AND TRINITITE
The widely acclaimed, 2023 Hollywood biographical movie Oppenheimer recently won seven Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Actor (Cillian Murphy).
Clearing ,Smudging & Setting Intentions for Stones
Why do you believe what you believe? Are your beliefs true because you choose to believe them? Whether it is religion, science or the metaphysical, your belief and faith make it real to you in mind, body and soul.
Rhode Island's Hobbit Stone Age
Rhode Island may be 22nd out of 30 states in miles of total coastline but when you compare coastline length to land acres, it ranks second only to Maryland.
Black Range Amethyst
Amethyst in Southwest New Mexico
EQUINE Bling!
How an Oklahoma Saddle Maker Uses Moissanite, Gold, Silver Turquoise tc to Adorn Saddles Jewelry