he aim of Martin Frobisher's
first voyage (1576) was to find a Northwest Passage to Cathay,
but after reports of finding gold, interest shifted to mining. During
the second voyage (1577), after which Britain laid claim to
"Meta Incognita" (Baffin Island), a mine was opened
near southeast Baffin Island, and 158 tons of ore were shipped to
Bristol and London. This first mine, and six others nearby, were
worked in the last voyage (1578), which resulted in 1136
tons of ore being sent to Dartford. One ship carrying another 110
tons was wrecked and beached in Smerwick Harbour, Ireland.
Furnaces in London produced high-grade assays, but they were abandoned
in 1579. Later that same year the newly constructed Dartford works
extracted a little silver, but the enterprise soon collapsed. Although
Michael Lok, its creator, went to jail, Frobisher and his captains
became famous.
Frobisher's ore consisted of metamorphosed mafic and ultramafic rocks
characterized by hornblende, unusual textures, an uncommon chemical
composition (high iron and aluminum, significant chromium and
nickel), and two ages (1470 and 1840 million years). The
percentage of gold was phenomenally low, commonly approaching the
abundance in the earth's crust. The spectacular grade reported in
1577-78 may have been due to incompetent assayers or gold and silver
added deliberately to the furnace charge.
By D.D. Hogarth, P.W. Boreham and J.G. Mitchell.
Mercury Series, Directorate, Paper 7 (1994)
ISBN 0-660-14018-7
17.8 x 24 cm, 200 pp.
14 illustrations, 13 maps, 16 photographs
$21.95 (paper) (Price does not
include shipping & handling or GST)
