Ontario Geological Survey
Permanent Link to this Record:
MDI52A16NE00004
| Record Name(s) | Vert Island Sandstone Quarry - 1882, Chicago-Verte Island Sandstone Quarry - 1883, Cummings and Co. Quarry - 1882, Freestone Quarry, Isle Verte - 1882 |
|---|---|
| Related Record Type | Partial |
| Related Record(s) | |
| Record Status | Past Producing Mine Without Reserves or Resources |
| Date Created | 1996-Dec-18 |
| Date Last Modified | 2022-May-18 |
| Created By | |
| Revised By |
Primary Commodities: Sandstone
Township or Area: Vert Island Area
Latitude: 48° 55' 28.29" Longitude: -88° 5' 37.51"
UTM Zone: 16 Easting: 419880 Northing: 5419642 UTM Datum: NAD83
Resident Geologist District: Thunder Bay South
NTS Grid: 52A16NE
Point Location Description: Quarry on p. 142 in OFR5890
Location Method: Data Compilation
Access Description: GENERAL LOCATION: The quarry is located on the west shore of Vert Island, Nipigon Bay, Lake Superior, 15 km southeast of the town of Nipigon. The quarry is located directly east of La Grange Island on the most westerly part of Vert Island. The site is easily identified by the presence of four old docks, now stone rubble promontories. The quarry face is located approximately 120 m inland from these docks and is illustrated in the enclosed diagram. ACCESS: The quarry is reached by boat launched at either Nipigon or Red Rock.
1881: A deposit of 'brownstone' was staked by Duncan McEachren in the Nipigon Channel. 1882: The quarry was opened by C.M. Cummings and Co. under the direction of C.M. Cummings. During the summer they constructed two docks (one 30 by 100 ft. and a larger cribwork dock), a double tramway with a derrick at each end and buildings. Twenty-five men were employed to extract a large amount of stone, all of which went to Chicago. 1883: The quarry was operated by the Chicago-Verte Island Sandstone Co. under the direction of General John McArthur. Change of ownership may have occurred as Mr. Cumming is not mentioned again. 1884: Fifty men were employed at the quarry. 1885: The Vert Island Quarry was in full operation in February. 1886: Work at the quarry continued with large quantities of stone constantly being extracted. Forty to fifty men were employed. 1887 to 1888: The quarry continued operations with General John McArthur of Chicago in charge. 1889 to 1894: Extraction of the sandstone by the Chicago-Verte Island Sandstone Quarry continued. 1895 to 1902: The quarry appears to have been idle during this period. 1903 to 1912: The Superior Stone Supply and A.I Thompson and Sons gained control of the sandstone quarry on Vert Island. 1912 to Present: No reported activity at the quarry.
Province: Southern
Subprovince: Nipigon Basin
Formation Group: Sibley Group
Geological Age: Mesoproterozoic
Dec 07, 2005 (W Bellinger) - GENERAL GEOLOGY AND STRUCTURE: The island is underlain by Mesoproterozoic Sibley Group siltstones and sandstones of the Pass Lake Formation. They have been capped and intruded by Keweenawan Logan diabase sills.
| Rock Type | Rank | Composition | Texture | Relationship | Sandstone | 1 | Red | Silt To Sand Sizes Grains | Host |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diabase | 2 | Diabase | Logan Sills | Near |
Dec 07, 2005 (W Bellinger) - JOINTING: The unit has sedimentary features such as crossbedding, mudcracks, and ripple marks. These bedding features are a few centimetres to 2 m apart. COLOUR: The stone is a brick red colour. TEXTURE: The stone is composed of silt- to sand-sized grains.
| Rank | Mineral Name | Class | Economic Mineral Type | Alteration Mineral Type | Alteration Ranking | Alteration Intensity | Alteration Style |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quartz | Economic | Ore |
Dec 07, 2005 (W Bellinger) - JOINTING: The unit has sedimentary features such as crossbedding, mudcracks, and ripple marks. These bedding features are a few centimetres to 2 m apart. COLOUR: The stone is a brick red colour. TEXTURE: The stone is composed of silt- to sand-sized grains. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES: Bulk Specific Gravity: 2.46, % Absorption 2 hrs.: 1.3, 48 hrs.: 2.2. Compressive Strength (psi) 16,691, Modulus of Rupture (psi) 2,323. Tests done by Geoscience Laboratories, Ontario Geological Survey, Toronto. Abrasion Resistance (Ha) Specimen 1: 32.2 Location A, 23.6 Location B, 26.9 Location C. Specimen 2: 26.1 Location A, 26.4 Location B, 26.1 Location C. Specimen 3: 23.2 Location A, 20.7 Location B, 19.5 Location C. Specific Gravity 2.45. Tests done by Energy Mines and Resources, Canmet, Ottawa. CHEMICAL ANALYSIS: Sample No. SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, MnO, MgO, CaO, Na2O, K2O, TiO2, P2O5. Sample No. 85MCK-0006: 79.40 SiO2, 6.13 Al2O3, 1.43 Fe2O3, 0.05 MnO, 0.57 MgO, 4.16 CaO, 0.04 Na2O, 3.55 K2O, 0.19 TiO2, 0.00 P2O5 Analyses conducted by Geoscience Laboratories, Ontario Geological Survey, Toronto This quarry still holds a significant amount of quarriable sandstone. The most obvious impediment is its location on Vert Island in Nipigon Bay, Lake Superior. Environmental concerns would have to be addressed in consultation with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ministry of Environment.
Map - Red Rock-Pine Portage sheet, District of Thunder Bay, geological compilation series
Publication Number: P0357 Scale: 1:126,720 Date: 1997
Author: Pye E.G.
Publisher Name: Ontario Dept. of Mines
Location:
Mono - Dimensional Stone Occurrences and Deposits in Northwest Ontario
Publication Number: OFR5890 Page: 157-162 Date: 1994
Author: Hinz P., Landry R.M., Gerow M.C.
Publisher Name: Ontario Geological Survey
Location:
Book - FIELD GUIDE TO THE SIBLEY GROUP,PROT GEOL OF NO. L.SUPERIOR AREA
Publication Number: GB Date: 1982
Author: Franklin, J.M. et al
Publisher Name:
Location: Thunder Bay RGP
Map - Nipigon-Schreiber, geological compilation series, Thunder Bay District
Publication Number: M2232 Scale: 1:253,440 Date: 1973
Author: Carter M.W., McIlwaine W.H., Wisbey P.A.
Publisher Name: Ontario Division of Mines
Location:
File - Industrial minerals geologist files
Publication Number: IMF Date: 1996
Author:
Publisher Name:
Location: Thunder Bay RGP
Publication - Fort William and Port Arthur, and Thunder Cape map areas, Thunder Bay District, Ontario; Geological Survey of Canada, Memoir 167
Publication Number: GSC Memoir 167 Page: 199 Date: 1931
Author: Tanton, T.L.
Publisher Name: Geological Survey of Canada
Location: https://doi.org/10.4095/100799
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