Silver leaf

A small but lovely example of native silver leaf, this specimen captures the distinctive brilliance and character of Ontario’s famous silver mineralization. The silver occurs as a thin, metallic sheet, bent just so, that it can stand on its own. Despite its modest size, the piece displays great texture, making it a fine representative of this world-renowned ore type.

The specimen originates from the Siscoe O’Brien Mine, also known historically as the Miller Lake O’Brien Mine, one of the premier silver producers in the Gowganda–Cobalt camp. The deposit was discovered in 1908, acquired by the Miller Lake Company in 1909, and later by Siscoe Mines Limited in 1945. By 1962, the underground workings had reached a depth of 1,300 feet (Precambrian magazine, June 1962). Over its productive life, up to 1965, the mine yielded an extraordinary 36,830,000 ounces of silver and 786,000 pounds of cobalt, placing it among the richest and most historically significant operations in the entire district.

This specimen makes for a very nice historical example of Cobalt Camp native silver, embodying the elegant metallic leaf habit and mineral associations that make these classic Ontario pieces so treasured among collectors and historians alike.