Ontario has some of the oldest rocks on Earth. It is made up of ancient Precambrian igneous and metamorphic rock, and overlain by younger sedimentary rocks and soils. About 61% of the province is covered by the Canadian Shield, and all of North Kawartha Township is within the Shield.
Hard-rock mining has taken place in the province for about 150 years, due to the World-class mineral deposits that are found here. Ontario produces more than 30 different metal and non-metal mineral products, and is responsible for a major percentage of Canada's nickel, gold, copper, and platinum-group metals production.
The extraction of metallic minerals is concentrated in Northern Ontario (much of it due to a massive meteor strike), while the southern portion of the province produces salt, gypsum, lime, and structural materials (sand, gravel, stone), along with some uranium and petroleum. Many of the structural materials deposits are a result of glaciation.
Specifically, in our area, Bancroft is known by mineral enthusiasts from around the world, and is widely respected as a classic Canadian mineral locality name, the "Mineral Capital of Canada". Bancroft is known internationally for having significant deposits of a rare "fine" form of sodalite. First discovered in 1811 in Greenland, sodalite typically occurs in much coarser or more massive forms, but only became important as an ornamental stone in 1891, when these vast deposits of fine material were discovered in Ontario.
Discover the history of mining in the area, learn about mineral collecting, or explore over 400 local specimens, all on display in the 1200 square-foot showroom of the Bancroft Mineral Museum. For hobbyist rock collectors, other area sites that may be of interest, can be found by clicking here.
Significant quarries at Blue Mountain and Nephton, near Havelock, produce high-quality nepheline syenite used in the production of glass, ceramics and polymers.
In 1866 gold was discovered on the farm of John Richardson. The next year the Richardson Mine became the site of Ontario’s first gold mine, and the town of Eldorado was founded. Although the Richardson mine ceased operation not long after it opened, it spurred a small gold rush to the area and a number of other small mines were established. This is part of an area known as the Miner's Loop.
The Marmoraton Mine, possibly one of the most successful in the area of Marmora, was started when a very large deposit of magnetite ore was discovered under 120 feet of limestone, in 1948. The first of the iron ore was shipped in 1955, by owners Bethlehem Steel Mills of New York. The site would be mined for more than 20 years creating a huge open pit more than a half-mile long and 700 feet deep.