ODDS’N’SODS — Optimism knows no bounds

In 1966, New Senator Mines drilled a wildcat exploratory hole in a churchyard in the beautiful village of Margaretsville on the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia.

On the first day that the drill rig was being set up, a retired old seaman came by. “Yes, this unusual looking contraption is a diamond drill,” we explained to the visitor. “Its purpose is to drill a hole in the surface rock and recover core which is then examined for any traces of valuable minerals.” He responded by saying that he did not believe anything of value would be found.

Nevertheless, on subsequent days, as he made his way to and from the local post office, our seaman friend popped in to learn the latest news. We had ample time to explain that people engaged in mining exploration are, by nature, optimistic, about not only their business but life in general. (Indeed, it is optimism that is the basis of our civilization. Christopher Columbus was optimistic, and look what he found.)

Within two weeks, the drill hole was completed — alas, with negative results — and preparations were being made for possibly moving to another location. When our daily visitor heard that there may be another drill hole, he told us that he hoped we would find something. He may not have been aware of it, but within two weeks of his first visit to our drill site, the skeptical seaman had become an optimist.

Not too distant from the drill hole was an exposed cliff facing the seashore. This had obviously been a stopping place over the year for collectors of rock and mineral specimens. The first time I stopped, I casually reached up and easily released a magnificent 2-by-2-inch specimen of oxidized native copper. And in the surrounding volcanic rocks was further evidence of native copper — small shards, sometimes associated with zeolite, which were revealed only after scrutiny.

A vertical drill hole produced no economic results, but it did have some puzzling and startling features. After penetrating 500 ft. of volcanic lavas, it began showing well consolidated clay. This was excellent coring material and came up to surface in 15-ft. lengths.

This material continued for another 500 ft. The hole was stopped at 1,001 ft. in grey clay. It is difficult to believe that this can be the only instance of a clay bed being overlain by 500 ft. of rock.

— The author is a resident of Orillia, Ont.