Site # 4 – Little Silver Vein

     This vein was discovered by a young lumberjack turned prospector in the autumn of 1903. Tom Hebert was a member of a prospecting syndicate formed by Arthur Ferland of Haileybury, and this vein was his third discovery. A few weeks later, the Ontario Provincial Geologist, Dr. Willet Green Miller examined this showing and described it as “a vein such as one reads of in textbooks, but which is rarely seen, being so clearly defined and so rich in contents.” The vein averaged eight inches in width with vugs and branches in the wall rock and with native silver lying on the rock ledges.

     The Ferland Syndicate sold this claim and several adjoining claims to the Nipissing Mining Company of New York. The Little Silver Vein produced 700,000 ounces of silver. All of Nipissing Mining operations in the area ceased in 1932.

     To the west of the Little Silver Vein is a trail that leads to the Nipissing 96 adit about 250 metres away. This adit was driven to facilitate mining of the 96 vein which outcropped on top of the cliff above the adit. Ice and snow that accumulates in the 96 vein open-cut during the winter produces a cool draft from the adit all summer long. Part way to the adit on the left is a short side trail that illustrates the start of an adit. Also along this trail is an old growth white pine which is thought to be the largest in the Cobalt area.

 

GPS Co-ordinates: 47.387190′, -79.686220′

 

Historical Photos of the Little Silver Vein

 

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YouTube Video – Little Silver Vein