CANADA'S GOLD

Evening Star, Issue 20058, 26 December 1928, Page 10

CANADA'S GOLD

OUTPUT INCREASING NEW SOURCES WORKED UNITED STATES DECLINE. There Is a possibility that by the end of the present year Canada will have exceeded the United States as a producer of gold, and thereby come to occupy second place in this regard among all the countries of the world (states the ‘ Christian Science.' Monitor’). This will leave two components of the British Empire, the other being South Africa, to vie for supremacy m gold production. Authoratative estimates of the value of the gold output in Canada in 1928 vary Irom 44,000*,000 dollars to 47,000,000 dollars. A figure about midway would see Canadian and United States productions meet, and thereafter Canada can bo expected to forge ahead while the United States slips back, the distance between them ever widening. Even should the Canadiant output not overtake that of the United States by the end of 1928, this will bo only postponing the inevitable. This situation has come about with surprising rapidity as the result of the opening of Canada’s actual era as a gold producer. Within the last decade the dominion has in this regard gone forward by leaps and bounds, and no authority to-day would vcntnro_ to put limits to her future possibilities. Canada is at the present time the only country appreciably increasing its annual gold output, and yet it can he said to be no more than getting into her stride. Gold production in Canada in 1927 has been placed at 157,7-31,080 dollars, an increase of 1,407,971) dollars over the previous year. That of the United States in 1927 is estimated at 40,270,299 dollars, a decline of 1,630,704 dollars from the previous ycarfis production. The production of gold in the United States has been steadily declining since 1915, when, with 101,035,71)0 dollars, a pinnacle was reached. Between 1920 and 1927 United .States gold production fell by 4,109,400 dollars, or 9 per cent., and between 1910 and 1927 the decline amounted to 45,109,400 dollars, or 50 per cent. Thus gold production in the United States is at the present time loss than half of what it was in 1910. On the othu- hand, since 1920 Canada’s gold production has increased by 21,910,982 dollars, or by 138 per cent., and against the production of 1910 an increase of 27,523,255 dollars, or approximately 270 per cent., is recorded. MANY BUG VINCES STARTING. The future increase in Canadian gold production should bo of an even greater rate, for whereas a single province has been responsible for practically this entire growth, others—one at least of which has apparently equal potentiality—are just arriving at a stage where they will become real Jactors in annual production. Just Avhore this may eventually lead Canada is easily seen. Transvaal gold production in 1927 was something more than five times that oi Canada. The South African field, however, lias been increasing its output hut very slowly in recent years. In 1927 the Transvaal accounted for roughly 50 per cent, ol the world’s gold output, and Canada for 9.3 per cent. In 1920, however, when the South African production represented 47 per cent, of the globe’s output, Canada’s share was only 4.3 of the total. Canada’s first gold camp proved something of a fiasco, so that, after the exuberant heralding the Klondyke received, Canada was inclined to treat any now discoveries which might be made witli extreme conservatism. The rush to the Klond.ykc took [dace in 1397, and to all intents and purposes that cam]) petered out in .1901, when it recorded its greatest production of 570,7500 z of gold Since that time production has steadily declined there, and it has become an almost negligible factor in Canada’s annual output, representing in 1920 hut little more than 1 per cent. It is only through putting low-grade ore through elaborate and expensive processes that any production at all is maintained. It was probably disappointment over the Klondyke which caused Ontario camps, which began to show aspirations just prior to the war, to he sceptically regarded. Yet Ontario has boon almost entirely responsible for Canada’s meteoric rise as a gold producer in the last decade and a ' half. Each year Ontario has compelled greater attention and speedily made the record of the Yukon camp Ipok puny indeed. The development of the Porcupine group, of which the Hollinger is the most notable mine, has been little less than sensational. Exhaustion there cannot bo foreseen during the present or next generation, while the newer Kirkland Lake group seems likely to nnike a similar record. ONTARIO’S OUTPUT. Ontario in 1927 accounted for a gold production valued at 33,409,247 dollars, or 2,405,130 dollars more than the previous year, and representing over 88 per cent, of the dominion’s total’ production. The Porcupine group, due to the Hollinger having to mill an amount of low - -grade ore in the summer, recorded as light decline at 23,681,042 dollars, which has been • speedily made up this year. Kirkland Lake group, with a production value of 9,727,005 dollars, recorded an increase of 2,531,194 dollars. This camp may he the deciding factor in sending Canadian gold figures over those of flic United States this year, its output for 1928 being estimated at. 12,000,000 dollars. Ontario, it is expected, will this year account for gold Valued at between 38,000,000 dollars and 40,000,000 dollars, and this province would thus itself soon be responsible for Canadian supremacy. Nor is Ontario gold possibility limited to these two groups with sucii a vast area of tho. province yet mi prosper-ted. There is at least one other potential camp, at Rod Lake, into which section of tho Ontario wilderness a rush- took place not long ago. Vigorous development is taking place witli the aid of a regular aeroplane service, and in time this camp .will bo, turning out gold on a yet quite indeterminable scale. . Other provinces are assuming important roles. Possibly the most significant of these is Quebec, which this year makes its debut as a commercial gold producer, with an output estimated at 1,000,000 dollars. _ What Quebec may ultimately accomplish it is quite impossible to forecast as tho copper gold deposits cover an enormous area, but there lire already several mines which appear to have all tho potentiality of Hollingers. tn tho Roiiyn area of Quebec the people of the continent have had the opportunity to see a modern gold camp develop in contrast to the hectic flareup, in the Klondike, Tho discovery of gold there wnk treated sceptically ami staking discouraged until the .field' had been roughly proved by Government experts., When the rush to the wilderness took place the camp was separated from civilisation by live clays of canoeing and portaging. This was cut clown to something over two days by a fleet of motor boats operating Over a chain of lakes into the area. Then for the first time the aeroplane entered into the development of a mining camp, bridging tho - wilderness gap

in an hour, and taking in daily mail, express, etc. A solid winter - road was built into tho area for tho transport of heavier supplies. Relatively there was little hardship in exploiting the new Bonanza. CAME BECOMES MODERN TOWN. Rouyn town, which in 1925 consisted of six small log cabins, has become a modern town with iip-to-dato homes, streets, stores, a church, and a school; telephone connection, and its own newspaper. ■ Another province to similarly take the stage for tho first-time this year as a commercial gold producer is Manitoba, Manitoba’s first gold bricks have come out of the area. This year the Central Manitoba Mines arc expected to have quite a respectable little production. .Manitoba’s mineral area, after Jong neglect of the province, is ‘just opening up. The absorption of the Thu Elon copper deposits by New York interests has imparted a tremendous stimulus to general mining development in the province, and much more rapid exploration can bo expected. The gold camp hero is developing in the same modern way as did the Quebec field j with an aeroplane service maintaining a daily touch with civilisation. British Columbia accounts for something like 12 per cent, of all dominion production. Gold has been produced in the Pacific Coast province since its discovery in 1858, which was followed by the Cariboo rush two years later. Placer mining has accounted for the greater part of this, and lode mining has not reached the stage of the province’s potentialities warrant. It is confidently felt that with greater commercial exploitation British Columbia can be brought closer into lino with the loading province. Nova Scotia is a province where gold production is becoming more important. This province has been producing since 1801, but the search has never been anything more than desultory. Recently" tho provincial Government instituted an exhaustive inquiry into provincial gold resources, which gave a pronounced stimulus to mining. The 1925 gold output was 50 per cent, greater than that of 1924, and 1920 showed a further increase. Operations were carried on very actively in 1,927, many of the old mines, once good producers, undergoing tests with modern machinery, with the result that experts believe they have considerable possibility. There is even a small production of gold from tho northern areas of the Prairie Provinces and the North-west territories up to tho arctic circle, where some dredging is carried on in tho rivers. The extent of the resources of this tremendous area is a totally unknown quantity, though many believe them to lie extensive and arc confident that ultimately it will contribute in magnitude to the dominion’s annual gold output.