Report on Mining Operations in the Province of Quebec During the Year 1920 Province of Quebec, Canada

OM 1920(A) REPORT ON MINING OPERATIONS IN THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC DURING THE YEAR 1920 PROVINCE OF QUEBEC, CANADA Department of Colonization, Mines and Fisheries BUREAU OF MINES Honourable J. E. PERRAULT, Minister -- S. DUFAULT, Dep iniéter THÉO, C. DENIS, Superintendent of Mines REPORT ON MINING OPERAT'IONS IN THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC DURING TIME YEAR 1920 QUEBEC LS.-A. PROULX PRINTER TO His MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE KING. 1921 S i ii:iPFCL OF QUEBEC, CANADA Department of Colonization, Mines and Fisheries BUREAU OF MINES Honourable J. E. PERRAULT, Minister -- S. DUFAULT, Deputy-Minister TRW. C. DENIS, Superintendent of Mines REPORT ON MINING OPERATIONS IN THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC DURING THE YEAR 1920 QUEBEC LS.-A. PROULX PRINTER TO HIS MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY THE KING 1921 . THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC 3 Province of Quebec DEPARTMENT OF COLONIZATION, MINES AND FISHERIES To the HONOURABLE J. E. PERRAULT, Minister of Colonization, Mines and Fisheries, Quebec. SIR,--- 1 have the honour to transmit to you the "Report on the Mining Operations in the Province of Quebec" for the year ending December 31st, 1920. This publication is the annual report of the technical branch of the Bureau of Mines. I remain, Sir, Your obedient servant, S. DUFAULT, Deputy-Minister. Quebec, May 4th, 1921. 4 MINING OPERATIONS IN Province of Quebec DEPARTMENT OF COLONIZATION, MINES AND FISHERIES I3IJIZP:AI- OF MINES Mit. S. DIJF AZ'L;r, Deputy-Minister of ( 'olonization, Mines and Fisheries, Quebec. DEAR SIR, I beg to transmit to you the Annual Deport of the Bureau of Mines of the Department, for the year ending December 31st, 1920. This report entitled "Mining Operations in the Province of Quel during 1920", gives the statistics of production of the mines and quarries; of labour employed in the mining industry in the Province; of ruining accidents which occurred; a synopsis of the mining operations and development dining the year. As in the past years, the "Report on Mining Operations in the Province of Quebec in 1920", was preceded, on February 24th, by a statistical statement of the mineral production, giving provisional figures subject to revision. The present report gives the revised statistical figures, and the tables in this volume supersede those of the preliminary statement. Yours very obediently, 'l`HÉO. C. DENIS, Superintendent of Mines. Quebec, May 4th, 1921. THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Statistical review 7 Table of mineral production 10 Notices and reports to Department 11 Chemical Laboratory 12 Mining operations in 1920 14 Asbestos 14 Asbestos production 15 Exports of asbestos 16 Quebec Asbestos deposits 17 Asbestos in other countries 30 Copper and Sulphur ores 41 ('hrontite 42 Gold and Silver 45 illolvbdenite 46 Zinc and Lead 50 'V1agnesite 52 (; rapt' ite 57 Mica 59 Feldspar 62 Silica 63 Marl 67 Nickel and Aluminium 69 Building materials 73 List of producers S0 Statistics of accidents 96 6 MINING OPERATIONS IN NOTE In the statistical tables and in the review of the mining industry of the Province during the year, the term "production" is synon- ymous with "quantity sold or shipped'', and does not necessarily represent "output". The ore and other mineral products remaining as "stock on hand" at the end of the year are not included in the production figures. The ton used throughout is that. of 2,000 lh., except when specially nientioned. The year referred to is the calendar year, ending December 31st, unless specially stated. We endeavour to give values Of the mineral products, raw or prepared, as estimated at the point of shipment or at the pit mouth; this, however, is sometimes difficult to obtain with accuracy. THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC 7 MINING OPERATIONS IN THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC DURING 1920 The value of the products of the mines and quarries operated during 1920 in the Province of Quebec reached a record figure of $28,392,939. This is the highest figures yet attained and the upward trend of our mineral production has been continuous for the last six years. As compared with the preceding year, when the value of the production was $20,813,670, we record an increase of $7,579,269, or 36.4 (7e. 1f we go back 20 years and take the value of the mineral production recorded in 1900 which was $2,- 546,076, we observe that the mineral industry of the province has grown more than ten-fold in that period. The prosperous slate of our mining industry during 1920 is a matter of congratulation, for the world, as a whole, is still in the throes of a process of readjustment towards normal conditions, after the more than four years of warfare during which roost of the efforts of production went to satisfy the needs of war, and when costs were a very secondary consideration. The diversion of products to peace uses, and the stoppage of their waste, necessarily threw on the market large surpluses which had accumulated in 1919,. following the armistice, and during the last two years the process of readjustment has been marked by an MINING OPERATIONS IN industrial and commercial depression which has caused the closing down of many plants. Metals have been especially affected in 1920. Copper fell from 19 cents to 12 cents; lead from 81 cents to 5 cents; zinc from 91 to 5 z ; silver from $1.321 to 70 cents. The costs of operation, and especially the exigencies of labour, were barely reduced from the high prices which prevailed during the preceding years, and as a consequence all metallic mines had to reduce production and many entirely stopped operating. At the end of the year the wave of depression winch is sweeping over the world had not yet reached it s lowest point, but better conditions in a near future were hoped for, and active resumption of business was expected. Several of our mineral products have felt the adverse effects of this readjustment period. The output of the province in copper and sulphur ores, and lead ores, show decreases; mining of niolyb- denite, which was so active during the war, has now been discon- tinued; although the shipments of chromite show a slight increase as compared with 1919, yet towards the end of the year, the industry was fast declining owing to the resumption of production of this mineral ni South Rhodesia and New Caledonia. Fortunately the asbestos industry more than held its own during the first ten months of the year, and although in November and December, the demand had become less keen, and the American market appeared to have become nearly satiated, the shipments for 1920, both in tonnage and in value, reached record figures. [n 1920 the value of the metallic products of our mines only figure for $483,888, or 2% of the whole. This is a decrease as compared with 1919, when they amounted to $1,014, 088, or F% of the mineral production, and to $2,855,120, or 1,5% in 1918.---On the other hand the non-metallies, at the head of which appears asbestos, show very gratifying results. Asbestos, Magnesite, Mica, Graphite, Silica, Kaolin, and other minor products represent a value of $15,771,852, or 55X, as compared with $11,709,341, or 50% in 1919. Building materials show the largest proportional THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC 9 increase, as they figure for $12,054,857, or 49% instead of $8,090, 241 or 39% in the preceding year. TABLE OF VALUE OF ANNUAL MINERAL PRODUCTION OF QUEBEC, FROM 1900 To 1920 YEAR VALUE YE Alt VALtiV4 1900 $ 2,546,076 1911 $ 8,679,786 1901 2,997,731 1912 11,187,110 1902 2,085,463 1913 13,119,811 1903 2,772,762 1914 11,732,783 1904 3,023, 5fi4 1915 11,465,873 1905 3,750,300 1916 13,287,024 1906 5,019, 932 1917 16,189,179 1907 5,391,368 1918 18,707,762 1908 5,458,908 , 1919 20,813,670 1909 5,552,062 1920 28,392,939 1910 7,323,281 As during the preceding years comparatively little prospecting was done, owing to the high cost of supplies on one hand, and the very attractive wages offered in several of the industries on the other hand. Common labour in mines, both in Ontario and Quebec was paid $4.50 to $5.00 a day. Lumber and pulpwood men in the bush commanded $150 a month and board; some of the labourers and miners in the asbestos mines made $60 a week on contract work. So that under these conditions it is not to be wondered at that prospecting, with its uncertainties of returns, did not attract many followers. But with the return of more normal conditions and prices there is no doubt that prospection will regain some of its former activity. 1(l MINING OPERATIONS IN TABLE OF THE MINERAL PRODUCTION OF THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC DURING 1920 No. of S1J BST .ANC1Sti work- Wages Quantities Value In Vah1e nt men 19211 1919 ~D Asbestos, tons 3,795 4,846,0L0 171),591 :14,749.048 10,932,289 Asbestie, torts 19,716 43,559 63,011 Chromite, tons 143 145,629 10,555 247,730 223,331 Copper and Sulphur ore, tons 123 9(i,(i40 15,186 98,854 447,623 Feldspar, tons..... 30 9,45(1 841) 11,252 11,665 Kaolin, tons. 2( ) 17,808 871 16,681 ; 13,744 (loll, oz ((1 4,730 935 19,3-1629,430 Graphite, lb (i9 55,7fi(i 466,420 31,913 ~~ . 400 Iron ore, tons Titaniferous Iron ore; tons.

Load more