Wason !>.;■ -^^i^ \ ,. 113 1^ / /\ r' r --.-^> P6 B39+ ASIA \...^^^ ^.a' r. :..^*- •• , fc^ 1 r r fyxmll WivAvmxi^ pitatg THE GIFT OF .a% ..VriitL.. 4j.m^^i 4 'Z !• Cornell University Library TN 113.P6B39 Memorandum on the mineral resources of t 3 1924 023 616 471 *^ Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924023616471 MEMORANDUM ON THE MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS BY GEORGE F. BECKER B. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WASHINGTON, D. C, NOV . 17, 1898, Hon. Andrew D. White, Ithaca, New York, Sir: I have the honor to send herewith 'JMemorandum on the Mineral Resources of t]ie Philippine Islands", prepared "by Mr. George P. Becker of this office and now on special detail duty in the Philippines. Very respectfully, Director, CONTENTS. Page. Introduction 687 Coal 688 Petroleum 690 Golil 690 Copper 691 Lead and silver 692 Iron 692 Quicksilver 692 Nonmetallic substances 692 III MEMORANDUM ON THE MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. By Geobgb F. Bbckek. INTRODUCTION. This brief memorandum probably covers all the main discoveries in the geology of the Philippines which are of economic interest. It is drawn up from data recorded in the Spanish Mining Bureau (Inspec- cioii de Minas) but not published, manuscript mine reports by the late William Ashburner, verbal information obtained in Manila, and various technical publications of Semper, Santos, Eoth, Drasche, Abella, and others. Only about a score of the islands are known to contain deposits of valuable minerals. These are arranged below in the order of their latitude, to give an idea of their geographical distribution and to facil- itate finding the islands on the map. The latitude of the northern end of each is taken as that of the island. The character of the valuable minerals stated in the table will afford a general notion of the resources of the islands. Mineral-bearing islands and their resources. Island. Latitude (nortli end) , Character of mineral resources. Luzon . ...... . C ' 18 40 14 8 13 34 13 32 13 21 13 19 13 15 12 37 12 37 12 36 Coal, gold, copper, lead, iron, sulphur, marble, kaolin. Gold. Lead, silver. Coal, gold, copper. Coal. Do. Do. Coal, copper. Marble. Coal, gold. Catanduanes Marinduque Oarrarav .-.. Bditaiii ---. .-..-. Rapu-Rapu Masbate Eoml)loii - S^mar . . .... 687 688 MINERAL RESOURCES. Mincral-'bearivg islands and their resources — Coutiuuecl. Island. Latitude (iiortli end). Character of miueral resources. Sibuyan Semirara Panay o / 12 30 12 7 11 56 11 43 11 35 11 17 11 10 10 10 10 9 50 6 30 Gold. Coal. Coal, oil, gas, gold, copper, iron, mer- cury (?). Sulphur. Coal, oil, mercury (?). Coal, oil, gas, gold, lead, silver, iron. Coal. Gold. Do. Coal, gold, copper, platinum. Pearls. Biliran Ley te _ . Cebii Negros . Bohol Panaon Mindanao Suln Archipelago . Tbe distribution of each mineral or metal may now be sketched in somewhat greater detail. In many cases the information given in this abstract is exhaustive, so far as the available material is concerned. The coal fields of Cebu, however, have been studied in some detail by Mr. Abella, and in a few other instances more extended information has been condensed for the present purpose. COAI.. So far as is definitely known, the coal of the Philippine Islands is all of Tertiary age, and might better be characterized as a highly car- bonized lignite. It is analagous to the Japanese coal and to that of Washington, but not to the Welsh or Peunsylvania coals. Such lignites usually contain considerable combined water (8 to 18 per cent) aud bear transportation ill. They are also apt to contain much sulphur, as iron' pyrite, rendering them subject to spontaneous combustion and injuri- ous to boiler i^lates. Nevertheless, when pyritous seams are avoided and the lignite is properly handled it forms a valuable fuel, especially for local consumption. In these islands it would appear that the native coal might supplant English or Australian coal for most purposes. Lignite is widely distributed in the archipelago ; some of the seams are of excellent width, and the quality of certain of them is high for fue in this class. Coal exists in various provinces of the island of Luzon (Abra, Camariues, Bataan, Sorsogon). The finest beds thus far discovered appear to be those in the small island of Batan, lying to the east of the southern portion of Luzon, in latitude 13° 19', These seams vary from 2 feet 6 inches to 14 feet 8 inches in thickness. Analyses have MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. 689 been made in the laboratory of the iDspeccion de Minas, and the mean of seven analyses gives the following composition: Analysis of coal from Batan, one of the Philippine Islands. Constituent. Per cent. Water 13. D2 37.40 ■ 44. 46 4.56 Volatile matter Fixed carbon Ash Total 100 One pound of this coal will convert 6.25 pounds of water at 40° O. into steam at 100° 0. The heating effect is about three-fourths that of Cardiff' coal. The same beds are known to exist in other small adjacent islands, Carraray and Eapu-Rapu. A number of concessions for coal mining have also been granted on the main island of Luzon just south of Batan, at the town Bacon. No doubt the beds here are either identical or at least closely associated with the coal seams in the little islands. The coal field of southern Luzon is said to extend across the Strait of San Bernardino into the northern portion of S4mar. Here coal is reported at half a dozen localities, but I have been able to ascertain no details as to the thickness or quality. In Mindoro there are large. deposits of coal in the extreme southern portion (Bulacao) and on the small adjacent island of Semirara. This fuel is said to be similar to that of Batan. The islands of Masbate and Panay contain coal, the deposits of which thus far discovered do not seem of much importance. Specimens from the southwestern portion of Leyte, analyzed in the laboratory of the Inspeccion de Minas, are of remarkably high quality, but nothing- definite about the deposit is known to me. The first discovery of coal in the archipelago was made in the island of Cebu in 1827. Since then lignitic beds have been found on the island at a great variety of points. The most important croppings are on the eastern slope within some 15 or 20 miles of the capital, also named Oebu. Though a considerable amount of coal has been extracted here, the industry has not been a profitable one hitherto. This is, at least in part, due to crude methods of transportation. It is said, how- ever, that the seams are often badly faulted. At TJling, about 10 miles west of the capital, the seams reach a maxi- mum thickness of 15J feet. Ten analyses of Cebu coal are at my dis- posal. They indicate a fuel with about two-thirds the calorific effect of Cardiff coal, and with only about 4 per cent ash. Large quanti- ties of the coal might, I suspect, contain a higher percentage of ash. The island of Negros is nearly parallel with Cebu, and appears to be 690 MINERAL KESOURCES. of similar geological constitution, but it has been little explored and little of it seems to have been reduced to subjection by the Spaniards. There are known to be deposits of coal at Oalatrava, on the east coast of Negros, and it is believed that they are of important extent. In the great island of Mindanao coal is known to occur at eight different localities, but no detailed examinations of any kind appear to have been made. Seven of these localities are on the east coast of Min- danao and the adjacent small islands. They indicate the presence of lignite from one end of the coast to the other. The eighth locality is in the western province called Zamboanga, on the Gulf of Sibuguey. PETROLEUM. In the island of Cebu petroleum has been found associated with coal at Toledo, on the west coast, where a concession has been granted. It is also reported from Asturias, to the north of Toledo, on the same coast, and from Alegria, to the south. IJTatural gas is said to exist in the Oebu coal fields. On Panay, too, oil is reported at Janinay, in the province of Iloilo, and gas is reported from the same island. Petroleum highly charged with paraflflu is also found on Leyte, at a point about i miles from Villaba, a town on the west coast. GOLD. Gold is found at a vast number of localities in the archipelago, from northern Luzon to central Mindanao. In most cases the gold is detri- tal, and is found either in existing water courses or in stream deposits now deserted by the current. These last are called " aluviones" by the Spaniards. It is said that in Mindanao some of the gravels are iu an elevated position and adapted to hydraulic mining. There are no data at hand which indicate decisively the value of any of the placers. They are washed by natives, largely with cocoanut shells for pans, though the batea is also in use. In the province of Abra, at the northern end of Luzon, there are placers, and the gravel of the river Abra is auriferous. In Lepanto there are gold-quartz veins as well as gravels. Gold is obtained in this province close to the copper mines. In Benguet the gravels of the river Agno carry gold. There is also gold in the province of Bontoc and in Nueva ficija. The most important of the auriferous provinces is Gama- rines Korte. Here the townships of Mambulao, Paracale, and Labo are especially well known as gold-producing localities. Mr. Drasche, a well-known German geologist, says that there were 700 natives at work on the rich quartz veins of this place at the time of his visit about twenty-flve years ago. At Paracale there are parallel quartz veins in granite, one of which is 20 feet in width and contains a chute in which the ore is said to assay 38 ounces of gold to the ton. One may suspect that this assay hardly represented an average sample. Besides the localities mentioned, many others in this province have been worked by the natives. MINERAL RESOURCES OP THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. 691 The islands of Miudoro, Catanduanes, Sibuyan, Stimar, Panay, Cebu, aud Bohol are reported to contain gold, but no exact data are acces- sible. At tlie south end of the small island of Panaou, which is just to the south of Leyte, there are gold-quartz veins, one of which has been worked to some extent. It is 6 feet in thickness aud has yielded from $6 to $7 per ton. In the island of Mindanao there are two known gold-bearing dis- tricts. One of these is in the province of Surigao, where Placer aud other townships show gravels and veins. The second district is in the province of Misamis. Near the settlement of Imponan, on the Gulf of Macajalar, there are said to be many square kilometers of gravels carrying large quantities of gold with which is associated platinum. The product of this district was estimated some years since at 150 ounces per month, all extracted by natives with bateas or cocoanut- shell dishes. COPPER. Copper ores are reported from a great number of localities in the Philippines. They are said to occur in the following islands: Luzon (provinces of Lepanto, Benguet, and Oamarines), Mindoro, Capul,^ Mas- bate, Panay (province of Antique), and Mindanao (province of Surigao). Many of these occurrences are probably unimportant. The great island of Mindanao, being practically unexplored, is full of possibilities, but as yet no important copper deposit is known to exist there. An attempt was made to work the deposit in Masbate, but no success seems to have been attained. On the other hand, northern Luzon contains a copper region which is unquestionably valuable. The best- known portion of this region lies about Mount Datii, a peak given as "2,500 meters'?" in height, lying in latitude 16° 53', longitude 120° 58' east of Greenwich, or 124° 38' east of Madrid. The range of which Dat4 forms one peak trends due uorth to Cape Lacay-Lacay, and forms a boundary for all the provinces infringing upon it. Dat^ itself lies in the province of Lepanto. In this range copper ore has been smelted by the natives from time immemorial and before Magellan discovered the Philippines. The process is a complicated one, based on the same principles as the method of smelting sulpho- salts of this metal in Europe and America. It consists in alternate partial roasting and reduction to "matte" and eventually to black copper. It is generally believed that this process must have been introduced from China or Japan. It is practiced only by one peculiar tribe of natives, the Igorrotes, who are remarkable in many ways. Vague reports and the routes by which copper smelted by natives comes to market indicate that there are copper mines in various por- tions of the Cordillera Central, but the only deposits which have been examined with any care are those at Mancayan (about 5 miles west of ' I am unable to find this island, wliicli probably is a Tery small one. 692 MINERAL RESOUKCES. Mount Data) and two or three other localities within a few miles of Mancayau. The deposits of Maucayaii are described as veins of rich ore, reaching 7 meters in width and arranged in groups. Mean assays are said to show over 16 per cent of copper, mainly as tetrahedrite and allied ores. The gangue is quartz. The country rock is described as a large qaartzite lens embedded in a great mass of trachyte. An attempt has been made by white men to work these deposits, but with no considerable success. The failure does not seem to have been due to the quality or quantity of ore found. LEAD AND SILVER. A lead mine has been partially developed near the town of Gebu, on the island of the same name. The most important deposit of argentiferous galena is said to be at Torrijos, on the small island of Marinduque (latitude 13o 34'). A metric ton, or 1,000 kilograms, is said to contain 96 grams of silver, 6 grams of gold, and 565.5 kilograms of lead. In Camarines, a province of Luzon, lead ores occur, but are worked only for the gold they contain. IRON. There is iron ore in abundance in Luzon, Oaraballo,' Cebu, Panay, and doubtless in other islands. In Luzon it is found in the provinces of Laguna, Pampanga, and Camarines Norte, but principally in Bulacan. The Jinest deposits are in the last-named province, near a small settle- ment named Camachin, which lies in latitude 15° 7' and longitude 324° 47' east of Madrid. A small industry exists here, wrought iron being produced in a sort of bloomery and manufactured into plowshares. The process has not been described in detail, so far as I know. It would appear that charcoal pig iron might be produced to some advan- tage in this region. The lignites of the archipelago are probably unsuitable for iron blast furnaces. QUICKSILVER. Eumors of the occurrence of this metal in Panay and Leyte have failed of verification. Accidental losses of this metal by prospectors or surveyors sometimes lead to reports of the discovery of deposits, and ochers are not seldom mistaken for impure cinnabar. NONMETALLIC SUBSTANCES. Sulphur deposits abound about active and extinct volcanoes in the Philippines. In Luzon the principal sulphur deposits are at Daclan, in the province of Benguet, and at Oolasi, in Camarines. The finest ' I have not found this island on the map. MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE PHILIPPIIJE ISLANDS. 693 deposit in the archipelago is said to be on the little island of Bilirau, which lies to the northwest of Leyte. Marble of line quality occurs on the small island of Eomblon (latitude 12° 37'). It is much employed in churches in Manila for baptismal fonts and other purposes. Marbles are also quarried at Montalbau in the province of Manila, and at Binaugonan in the province of Marong. There are concessions for mining kaolin at Los Bafios, in Lagana Province. Pearl fisheries exist in the Sulu Archipelago, and are said to form an important source of wealth. ■^ ^ N -^1 ''' "* i' '^ ■ - ^ ■ ^l' ' i --^^' / "^ » "W A 4 \ •'^u ■^ -^ ■'- ^.T-'^^S^- ^ ■/ ' ,i^-'. •••^^ '}^^1 ^