Page:Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London, vol. 25.djvu/357

 April 28, 1869.

Daniel Jones, Esq., of Donington, near Wolverhampton, and Thomas Heathcote Gerald Wyndham, Esq., Fellow of Merton College, Oxford, of Sock Dennis, Ilchester, were elected Fellows of the Society.

The following communications were read : —

1. On the Geology and Mineralogy of the County of Hastings, Canada West. By T. C. Wallbridge.

(Communicated by Dr. Percy, F.R.S.)

Contents.

I. Introduction. II. The Geology of Hastings. 1. Recent Deposits. 2. Post-Tertiary. 3. Lower Silurian.

4. Laurentian. III. On the Occurrence of Gold. IV. On the Iron Ores. V. On the other Minerals of Hastings.

I. Introduction.

Within the last two or three years, considerable excitement has been aroused by the discovery of gold in several localities in the North Riding of the County of Hastings. Long previously, attention had been directed to the occurrence of valuable deposits of iron-ore distributed through the northern townships of the county; but although attempts have been made from time to time to explore a few of these deposits, no systematic or extensive workings have yet been undertaken, and at the present time these iron-ores remain almost entirely undeveloped. Looking, however, to the extensive mineral resources of North Hastings, and to its favourable geographical position, it can hardly be doubted that many of the townships are destined to become important mining- districts ; and the object of the present communication is to lay before the Society an account of the chief mineral deposits, so far at least as they admit of description in their present undeveloped state.

Before describing these minerals, however, it seems desirable, for the better understanding of their mode of occurrence, to give a general sketch of the geological features of the country. Much information on this subject may be found scattered through the pages of the admirable Reports issued by the Geological Survey of Canada ; but the following description is mainly the result of personal observation and local knowledge derived from a long residence in that part of Canada.

The County of Hastings is situated on the north shore of the Bay of Quinte in Upper Canada. It was formerly divided into the North and South Ridings, all the minerals of economic value being confined to the former division. The geological formations exposed within the limits of the county comprise, in descending order, the Drift, Lower Silurian strata, and certain Laurentian rocks.