The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-04-22

ZIsc MINES IN New JEssxy.--valuable zinc
mines have recently been discovered in Sussex
county, New Jersey. A new company, called the
New Jersey Exploring and Mining Company, has
recently got TO working at Sterling Hill, the
westerly side Of the Waikiki, some four miles from
Sparta, which promises = most abundant yield.
The Newark Daily Advrtiser publishes long ac-
count Of the geographical formation Of this region,
Of which the following il a summary made by the
New York E1sning Post:
"a narrow belt Of white chrystaline limestone il
found, commencing near the New York State line,
which extends southerly along the valley ofthe Wal
kill about twenty miles, and terminates near
Waterloo. in the southerly part of Sussex county.
II 10 bounded on each side by blue limestone forma
ton, which appears TO have been originally one,
the blending Is gradual that the line Of union is
designated with difficulty. The white limestone is
supposed to owe its color and chrystaine structure
to igneous agency, and is the matrix of many val
liable minerals, as well the repository of all the
red zinc ores and veins of Franklinite that have
ever been discovered.
g The red zinc vein has been described by mine
ralogists as presenting the appearance OF reddish
mass with imbedded grains and imperfect chrystals
of Franklinite disseminated through it. The
Franlinite vein has been supposed TO contain but
seventeen per cent Of oxide Of znc-the amount its
chrystals were found TO contain when chemically
combined. Recent examination has shown about
twenty per cent. of the entire mass to contain
twenty per cent of free oxide of zinc mechanically
"The outcropping of the veins on Stirling Hill
its eastery face about forty rods west Of the
Waikiki and about hundred feet above the level
of its bed. No regular mining operations have
ever been attempted there until within the last two
months A small gallery was cut through the
limestone to the vein about fifty feet below It's out
crop few years since, under the direction OF a
scientific engineer from the /" School Of Mines"
sent out by a French company to examine this
mine. Fras. Alger, esq, caused the rubbish to be
removed, exposing the outcrop for about six hun
dred feet, and made several small openings at diff
ferent points, but very little has ever been re-
moved except for purposes Of experiment and TO
obtain cabinet specimens.
''The New Jersey Exploring and Mining Com
pany commenced mining operations on this hill at
the southerly point uncovered by Mr.. Alger, by
level about fifty feet below the gallery before
mentioned. The limestone and rubbish thus re-
moved have served the purpose of forming plat
form for breaking and piling on, and also SER
viceable material for making road. The vein 10
now exposed at much lower point than we have
hitherto been able TO examine IT, This demon
strates two important facts in an economical view
first that the vein increases ather than diminishes
in thickness it descends; secondly, that il as
cations that in descending there will be found
more perfect separation of the zinc from the Frank
Unite. Nearly eight hundred tons have been mined
and broken this spring, and are ready for trans
portation. With the force now working, from one
to three hundred tons can be mined every week
through the season. Foliatcd, or lamellar zinc
ore, which has hitherto been considered rare pro-
is becoming more abundant at the depth now
worked, and mass weighing over 1900 pounds,
seventenths of which is foated, will be on its way
to Newark next week"