New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-01-09
Tn. mineral Lapds of the United states.

partment the following facts with regard 10 the le
raj Lands of the West. These lands under the So
pervision of the Ordnance Department. The Lead
Mines of the Upper Mississippi or Galena District
embrace seventeen townships and parts OF town
ships in the North West corner OF Illinois, the w Is
consin Mines from the Illinois line North 10 the Wis
consin River. and those the opposite side OF The
Mississippi in the Territory of Iowa These lands
are leased by the Government at rent OF per cent
of the pure lead Obtained from the mineral dug or
its equivalent in money. During the last year 9l=
leases have been granted in this District 34' oil
which were in Illinois los in Wisconsin, and ~ III
Iowa The amour, Of Mineral dag during The year
is 81, 1913 pounds This will yield about 20 per
cent. or s. a79, 4OC pounds OF pure lead No leases
have been taken in the Shawneetown District IN
the Southern part OF Illinois, though the lands there
are reputed rich in Metals The same is The case
with the mines on the Northern corner Of Arkansas.
The great rush now seems to be 70 the Copper
regions OF Lake Superior We have recently pub
shed an excellent article on American Copper,
from the Boston Post, in which the operations about
Lake Superior are pretty thoroughly exhibited
bat there are some additional facts in this report
which we think will interest our readers 1t
seems that the South shore OF the Lake permits
have been granted TO locate $50 lots mostly one mile
square each-a few of them however are three
miles square l76 lots only have been located. In
addition TO those already granted, DOS persons have
applied for permits 10 select tracts in this district
since the 18th of July last, who required to await
the result of examinations going on TO ascertain
if the circumstances will warrant the farther issue OF
such permits. Isle Royale an island lying about on
miles North ofthe South shore OF the Lake is divided
into 80 lots of three miles square EACH and they are
all spoken for. No operations in the way of digging
have been commenced on this island yet. Ga Point
Keweena, on the South shore Of the Lake, thirty
four veins or lodcS have been discovered of which
Q contain metallic copper and red oxide native
copper and silver; metallic copper and silver; Il
metallic copper; = black oxide and scate OF cop
per, containing small parcels of native copper; !
native copper and spar lodes; native copper
native copper in vein stone of calcarlous spar;
green carbonate in cacarious spar and ! native
copper in calcarious spar There are now 275 men
employed in these diggings, and 2i6,967 pounds OF
ore have been taken out. 33,5l5 pounds OF which
have been shipped to the seaboard. Among the
buildings at Point Keweena are 80 log dwelling
houses, saw mill, crushing and pounding mill, 10
backsmiths, carpenters and coopers shops; 10
store. houses and powder magazine. There have
been eleven shafts sunk and over ten miles Of road
made.
During the last Winter Hussy & Co. and one
other firm asked and obtained from the Department
the privilege Of taking their ores out of the mineral
region in crude state on condition that they should
not carry them beyond the bounds Of the United
States, and should pay the same rent TO the Govern
ment 10 per cent? as if smelted where dug. The
reason for this was that in the present condition OF
the country, they could not advantageous!y smet
THEN ores in the mineral region Another reason
for removing them in a crude state is that the black
oxide Of copper, the only kind which has been re-
moved, is more easily converted into sulphate Of
copper blue vitrioD for which there is good de-
mand, than the metal could be which mi ht be OBJ
tanned from it by smelling and ofcourse will yield
better profit to the miners by being sold in that
state. Ii is even asserted that the other descriP-
tons Of "copper" after being crushed and washed are
also in better condition for the manufacture Of
vtriol than if smelted, and that by this process of
conversion into vtrol, the silver which the may
contain is parated and left in the best condition for
farther treatment.
No rents have been received by the United States
for the products of these mines. The expenses
from the first establishment of the Agency in 343,
up to the 30h September last have been sl9,355 81,
which sum has been paid from the appropriations
for the Ordnance service.