MINERAL INVENTORY FILE NO.
944
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PRODUCT
PEAT MOSS
NTS AREA
62H/16
REF.
PEA1
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NAME OF PROPERTY
Julius Bog
OWNER OF OPERATOR ADDRESS
Western Peat Moss Limited
Seddons Corner, P.O.
Manitoba R0G 1X0
OBJECT LOCATED
Peat bog and plant
MINING DIVISION
Winnipeg
Latitude
49°59'10"
Longitude
96°08'00"
Uncertainty (m)
50 m.
UTM Zone
_____
Easting
_______
Northing
_______
L.S./Quarter Section
___
Section
2,3,10,11
Township
12
Range
10 EPM
DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSIT
Sphagnum peat moss is quarried at the Julius Bog for use in horticulture, as a soil conditioner, and as a packing material for the shipment of perishable fruits, vegetables, and cut flowers. Coarse shredded peat moss is used as stable litter and poultry litter. (Other uses for peat are: in metallurgical and brewing industry as a deodorant; as an insulator, in absorption of oil spills, etc.). A special dark peat moss is used in processing of malts.
The moss was generally a light yellow, only slightly humified, elastic, porous, and appreciable light in weight. The area of good sphagnum moss formed a high moor in the central part of the bog; two distinct types of moss were present in the central region; a white sphagnum, consisting of decayed moss only, and a brown sphagnum. The white sphagnum is confined to l.s.d. 3 of Sec. 11, and the brown sphagnum is covered with young spruce and tamarack trees. The surface of the southern part of the central bog was heavily wooded with spruce, tamarack, poplar, alders, and other kinds of bushes. The bottom material is chiefly clay, and in some places marl, sand and rocks are found.
Outside the central area of sphagnum moss, the depth of the bog decreases, and the moss becomes darker and more humified. The sphagnum moss is intermixed with Carex, humified peat, other aquatic plants, and roots of trees. The margins of the bog are heavily wooded, with the exception of an open area along the south part of Sec. 14, 15 and 16.
Chemical Properties: See Bannatyne 1964, p. 8: moisture, ash, N, pH.
Physical Properties: See Bannatyne 1964, p. 8 absorptive values.
Uses: Leverin, 1943, and Cameron, 1951, p. 4-5.
Poultry litter (-31.6 cm + 6.2 cm); horticultural peat (-6.2 cm.); finely screened, for use on golf greens, bowling greens. Special dark peat for smoking of malt.
ASSOCIATED MINERALS OR PRODUCTS OF VALUE
N/A
HISTORY OF EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT
The bog is located 72.3 km east of Winnipeg and 1.6 km east of Winnipeg and 1.6 km west of the town of Shelley. The bog is located on Crown land controlled by Western Peat Moss Limited. The main line of Canadian Pacific Railway bisects the bog.
1912 – The Julius bog was investigated by A. Anrep, who estimated the bog contained close to 1.8 million tonnes of recoverable peat litter (dry basis). The Winnipeg Supply and Fuel Company, Limited was incorporated in June.
1940 - The company carried out an investigation of the Julius Bog peat moss deposit in Sec. 2, 3, 10, 11 of Tp. 12, R. 10E. The preliminary survey of the bog indicated a workable depth of approximately 3.6 m. was possible, with the upper 2.4 m being of a high grade, and the lower 1.2 m of a low grade. Buildings for a camp and a plant adjoining the C.P.R. on the north were started in July and completed in September. A drainage operation of the bog was undertaken. The bog was drained into the Whitemouth River via a creek.
1941 - Production commenced in the summer. The area on the north side of the railway was put in condition for quick production. By 1941 approximately 149.7 hectares had been cleared and drained. After the area was thoroughly drained during the summer months, the peat moss was cut into blocks 10.1 cm by 30.4 cm., which were piled intermittently in coils for complete drying. During the fall the blocks were transported to the plant for processing.
1942 - Peat Lease No. 1, for 277 hectares in Secs. 2, 3, 10 and 11 of Tp. 12, R 10E, was issued to C.M. Thompson on April 1, for the Winnipeg Supply and Fuel Company, Limited. Quarry Peat lease No. 2 was issued to J.H. Frith in January and was later assigned to McCabe Grain Company Limited. The lease covered 35.7 hectares in portions of Sec. 1-3, Tp 12, R. 10E. The company erected a shredding and baling plant, south of the railway, at Shelley, in l.s. 6-1-12-10E, and produced a considerable quantity of air-dried stacks.
1943-1946 - McCabe Grain Company Limited suspended operations.
1947- The Winnipeg Supply and Fuel Company Limited bought out the plant at Shelley; the plant was dismantled due to drainage problems of the south part of the bog.
1949 - On June 1, Western Peat Company Limited purchased the bog and the treatment plant owned by The Winnipeg Supply and Fuel Co. Ltd. Production between 1940 to 1949 ranged from 1023.1 tonnes to 2017.4 tonnes. A fire destroyed the plant.
1950 - A new plant was erected at the site of the old plant.
1952 - Quarry Peat Lease No. 1 was re-issued to Western Peat Moss Limited. It comprised 491.1 hectares in Sec. 2, 3, 10 and 11, Tp. 12, R. 10E, and included portions of the original Peat Lease No. 2. Production ranged from 1121.1 to 14731.6 tonnes between 1951 and 1959.
1960 - A new method of recovery was used in part of the bog north of the railway track. Spring-toothed cultivators plow up moss to a depth of 5.0 to 7.6 cm. After airdrying for a few days, the loosened material is raked into windrows and then picked up by suction machines, equipped with a large storage bin, which transport the peat to the plant. Here it is shredded and separated into various products.
1963 - The company’s holdings of Julius bog were assigned to Western Peat Moss Limited. Production of Peat Moss ranged from 14 333 to 20 033 tonnes between 1963 and 1969.
1967 - Peat Lease No. 5 was issued for a period of 10 years to Western Peat Moss Limited. It comprises of 66.9 hectares in parts of Sec. 2 and 11, Tp. 12, R. 10E.
1969 - The company opened Medika bog for production (see 52E/13-PEA 1) and trucked moss to the Julius plant.
1972 - The Quarry Mineral Leases were renewed for a period of 10 years.
1977 - A fire in the plant in the late fall destroyed the screening section of the plant. Moss from the Julius bog, during the winter of 1977-1978, was trucked to the former Evergreen plant, which was been acquired by Western Peat Moss Limited in 1977.
1978 - The clearing of the north Julius bog by the company began in January.
HISTORY OF PRODUCTION
1940 - Winnipeg Supply and Fuel Company, Limited was incorporated in June.
1941 - Production commenced in the summer. The processing of the Peat Moss was done at Moss Spur.
1949 - A fire destroyed the plant.
1950 - A new plant was erected at the site of the old plant.
1969 - The company opened Medika bog for production.
1973 - The company opened Evergreen bog for production.
1978 - The clearing of the north Julius bog by Western Peat Moss Limited began in January. Production is approximately 33 500 tonnes.
Shipping Point: Moss Spur Distance from Mine: 73 km
Material Shipped: Peat Moss Carrier: C.P.R.
Destination: Winnipeg, United States
REFERENCES
Ann. Repts.; 14th, p. 76; 15th, p. 16, p. 94-97; 16th, p. 98.
Anrep, A, 1913: Investigations of the Peat Moss industry of Canada, 1910-1911; Mines Br., Ottawa, Rept. No. 151.
Bannatyne, B.B., 1964: Preliminary Surveys of Bogs for Peat Moss in Southeastern Manitoba; Man. Mines. Br. Publ. 63-5.
Bannatyne, B.B., 1975: The History of Peat Moss Industry in Manitoba; in: Campbell, J.D. (q.v.)
Bannatyne, B.B. (In press): On the value of remote sensing methods (infrared aerial photography) in the evaluation of peat bogs for Sphagnum moss; in: Industrial Minerals of Canada, C.I.M. volume.
Bannatyne, B.B., 1978: Sphagnum Bogs in Southern Manitoba and their identification by Remote Sensing; Man. M.R.D. Report.
Cameron, E. Lee, 1951: Peat Moss in Manitoba; Man. Mines Br. Bull. NO.48-1.
Leverin, H.A., 1943: Peat Moss Deposits in Canada: Investigations in 1942; Mines and Geology Br., Ottawa, Mem. Series No. 83.
Leverin H.A. 1946: Peat Moss deposits in Canada; Mines and Geology Br., Ottawa, Rept. No. 817.
Manitoba Industry and Commerce Bull. Sept. 1941; Manitoba Peat replaces European, p. 9-11.
Smith, R.E. and Ehrlich, W.A. 1964: Report of the Soil Survey of the Southeast Map Sheet Area; man. Soil Surv., Soils Rept. 14.
Smith, R.E. and Ehrlich, W.A. 1967: Soils of the Lac du Bonnet area; Man. Soil Surv. Soils Rept. No. 15.
Campbell, J.D., ed., 1975: Proceedings of the Seminar on peat: a Resource in Manitoba’s Agriculture and Industry; Plant Science Dept., Univ. of Man.
MAP REFERENCES
Map 62 H16, Vivian (Topo.), 1:50 000; Surveys and Maping Br., Ottawa.
Map 12, Industrial Minerals Producers (Index), 1:1 000 000; Man. M.R.D.
Figure 1, Preliminary Survey of bogs for Peat Moss in Southeastern Manitoba, Bannatyne (1964)
URL
N/A
REMARKS
The total area covered by the bog is approximately, 1,576 hectares, and covers past or all of Sec. 2, 3, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15 in Tp. 12, R. 10E.
The Quarry Mineral Leases 66, 67, 68 represent the same area held by Western Peat Moss Company Limited prior to 1952.
The Julius bog comprising some 259 hectares of good sphagnum moss is traversed by the main line of the Canadian Pacific Railway. The moss from Julius bog has high absorptive properties.
The former Peat Leases 1, 2 and 5 have been converted to Quarry Mineral Leases 66, 67, 68.
NOTES
N/A
Compiled/Revised by:
CWJ
Date
08/78
