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Truth is stranger than
fiction - Unless you were reading about the story of albertite. Here, fiction
has, in many ways, becomes the truth. It has been more than 145 years since
mining operations began at Albert Mines. In the intervening years a wide range
of stories has cropped up - all yielding tantalizing tidbits of the albertite
story - a story which riveted the attention of leading North American
geologists at the time.
Some descriptions of Albertite and the Albert Mines Deposit from the 1800's are:
| 1864 "... a specimen of a mineral greatly resembling some descriptions of coal. It has just been found in Hopewell in large quantities, and may yet prove to be exceedingly valuable. Coal, brighter in appearance and more oily than the Albertite, has been found in the parish of Hillsboro'. In the parish of Alma a large number of leases have been taken up by parties who expect to find copper, - among others by our townsman, Edward Allison, Esq., and Alexander Wright, Esq., of Salisbury. Albert is so exceddingly rich in mineral wealth that announcements of new discoveries are scarcely noticed now." |
) Specimen of Albertite, (hammer handle 30 cm long). |
1850 "Mining Information. - From Albert we hear that a very rich seam of the asphaltum or pitch coal is being worked in Hillsborough, on the land of Mr. Duffy. The vein is twelve feet in thickness, but is only worked to a width of eight feet, and seven feet in height. This valuable working is in a ravine in the forest, about four miles from Edgett's Wharf, on the western bank of the Petitcodiac,(South-West of Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada) about twelve miles below the Bend."
)
1865 "Mining Geologist - It lies in an anticlinal fault, nearly
vertical cutting across the strat as distinctly as any true lode of iron or
copper. At the surface nothing can be seen but a film of coal of the thickness
of paper, yet cutting through the strata. This gradually widens as it descends,
till it becomes workable, obtaining a thickness of from six and seven to
twenty-eight feet. Another feature, like that of the lodes, is the intersection
of veins. Two veins cross the anticlinal one; but whether a larger amount of
coal will be found at the intersecting line, as is the case with metallic
lodes, remains to be seen.
If this Albertite is to be called coal, then we must admit that coal is not
continued to beds subordinate to the stratification, but occurs also in lodes,
like metallic ores. This coal must have been injected into the crevices in a
pasty or fluid state, since all the little apertures streaming off from the
main vault, and even large cavities of many cubic yards extent have been filled
in with it. It appears to me that these veins are analogous to veins of
Petroleum. The latter are often found to occupy anticlinal vaults. If we should
conceive a Petroleum vein to solidify, the solid mass resulting would present
all the phenomena of the Albert vein. And on the other hand, the study of the
irregularities of the Albert vein, if it be like Petroleum, would elucidate the
sinking of oil wells.
It is a pity that the facilities afforded by the Albert Company to scientists
for the study of their interesting mine are so meager, on account of this
application for the benefit of oil-borers. At the depth of 950 feet, the Albert
coal is as abundant as ever. My examinations were made for the benefit of the
East Albert Company of Boston, who have found the Albert vein upon their
property, and have as good prospects of success as the Albert Company at the
commencement of their operations. No stock in either company can now be
purchased. The older company, for five or six years, has been paying over one
hundred per cent. annually up on their capital."
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