Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1858-04-13
From the United States Mining Journal,
ZINC ORES OF WISCONSIN.
By EDWARD DANIELS. STATE GEoLoGIsr.

OF our State known as the g Lead RegIon /" have
hitherto attracted far less attention than their
Importance would seem to Justify.
They are mainly eontiaed to the COMMITTEES Of
Iowa Grant, and Lafayette They are USUALLY
found III the lower part of the Cialeua limestone
accompanying the flat and pitching sheets of
lead ore as a gauge beinstone. Ia slme eases
they extend into the upper beds of the lead
bearing rock, aud attend the vertical veins but
this must be regarded exceptional mode OF
occurrence The lead ore is often found euclos-
ed between sheets of zinc ore, sometimes thinlv
coated with 1t, and in some veins the Galena
ana zinc ores are intimately mixed Ii crys-
taIEe form.
In many cases the zinc ore predominases and
forms the Of the contents Of The vein so
that It can no longe. be Protitably mined for
lead alone.
The most common ores Of zinc are The carbon
ate and the sulphuret.
The carbonate Of zinc has very little of the
metiIiIc character IN Its appearance.
IL occurs massive, sometimes assuming a sta
IactItlc or mamInIllary form, with "A spongeous
texture, like encrusted moss. 1t is properly
known as dry bone" among miners etery-
where Its color varies from white with n
pea-ly lustre. to light brown and green This
Is the calam!ne or SmIthsonIte of the Mineral
oSists- IL Is the most abundant In our mines
and the valuable ore of zinc account OF the
ease with which ii Is reduced For analysis see
below.
The sulphuret Of zinc, is known as "black
jack among miners, and blende in the books
1t Is generally massive, color green, yellow
brown or black, with = resinous lustre oiIsu re-
scnbAng rosln. ii IRE quentlv occurs in CRYSTALS
IN our mines and III this form has been mistaken
Tor tia ore. Its composition Is, sulphur 81 zinc
o.. Though more difficult of reduction tAaa The.
Carbonate, It Is used fOr the manufacture Of me-
talIc zinc and Is also ground In its original
state as paint. These ores have been taken
out III large Quantities wherever the openings
OF the lead VEINS have been worked.
Extensive deposits have been broken into in
following up the lead veins at Mineral Point
Dodgeville, Mifflin, Platteyille, Shullsburg,
Franklin and many other places Immense
/ quantities now lie upon the surface or scattered
among the rubbish Of the mine wherc it Las
/ been abandoned as worthless trash.
Heavy deposits are known in numerous To-
calities which could be easily and cheapIy
worked if demand Were created. From notes
taken during the survey of the lead mines, We
can sum up an aggregate Of lJ.0O0000 tons Of
ore already lying within reach where 1t has been
thrown out in working the lead or discovered
within a short distance from the surface.
! TINS II OF course only q fraction of the entire
stock OF ore which our mIaes would be able to
afford II thoroughly worked for znc. Yet this
alone would supply maHufactory producing
20 tons ri metallic ztnc and 40 tons white oxide
} OF zinc daily for 600 years. lis value thus con-
verted would amount to the enormous sum Of
! $500 900 900.
( There ores of zinc be rendered available
/ In numerous ways, the most important OF which
! are the three following
/ lst. For the manufacture of metallic zinc
2d. To unite with the copper of our northern
region IN the manufacture OF brass.
Sd To convert into the white oxide or zinc
/ whi-e.
| The last of these uses is probably tie most
! important of all. The superiority of the paints
based on to those OF lead, has been fully
demonstrated during the last five years. zinc
paints are far more beautiful, durable aud
hf ffBi tb E 10, =,
into general use They were first ~ ported here.
from France, where they made from the
/ metallic zinc. Yankee ingenuity has, however,
discovered methods of producing these paints
directly from the ore, and the discovery has
been very prohtably applied TO extensive oper-
. atluns IN Jew Jersey aad PenHs yvauIa.
The deposits of zinc ore in this county are not
very numerous, and in the northwest, those OF
! Wisconsin are entirely alone. y company oper-
/ atIug here would have no competition at home,
aud would realize local demand quite equal to
its capacity of supply.
These ores are excelleutlv located with ref
erence 10 fuel and the distribution of their pro-
| ducts, They are connected with the great coal
deposits OF the LaSalle basin In northern Illl-
nols, by the Illinois Centarl Il. r.. whose liberal
and enlightened policy offers cheap freight II
the transportation OF coal and ore.
/ Through the great system of railway and wa
ter communication which they eujoy, they can
be seIt 10 every market far and near.
The ores, which have been thrown avav as
. useless for quarter of a century, are now need
. ed in carrying the rapid i'm provemeuts of our
own and dlacent States. They need only the
application of capital skill, and enterprise TO be
converted into vast sources of profit The value
{ OF the white lead and zinc paint used Ia the
States of Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana,
and Minnesota Is about 81 100000 annually
The metallic zinc and brass, though much less
/ would probably swell the sum to 81 500 00J.-
This Will increase for many years as our cuun-
Try iv ftu
/ are framed. and universally painted.
/ In order 10 settle the value OF these ores te-
yond question, employed Dr.. Augustus !.
! Hayes, the distinguished chemist OF Boston. to
aUaiyze them thoroughly. DR.. Havs has made
/ an analyst OF the New Jersey and Penusyi IVA
uIa companies and IS able therefore to speak
with authority Of the comparative yalGe Of our
ores.
/ The specimens Submitted TO him are fair av-
[ erage samples Of our zinc ores.
REPORT OF DR. AUGUSTUS a. HAYES, Urox THE ZINC
I oEs OF WISCONSIN,.
. To EDWARD DANCES. Esq,
Gealogist to St,.:s u IV7scoasi,..
/ DEAR SIR Il am able At this moment to send
you the results obtained by chemical sis
of the ores OF zinc, which were among tie aIu-
able ores aud minerals placed IA my hands
/ No. II OF the series. jDry-bOne di-giugs,
near Shullsburg.) The specimen Is q carbon
ale of zinc, with accidental portions Of carbon
ates OF lime, iron aud manganese.
one hundred parts Of this consists Of
Pure oxide Of z8lc. 5g.-s
ONIaes irOD manganese, sId !ias, 81
SzrtAy matter rock, l4J
Cz-5yiiic acid and water, afOJ
10000
One hundred parts Of this ore. after roasting
or heating to reduess, contain 30 30 pure white
oxide OF ziuc.
No. II Of the series, from Platteville. The
specimen Is carbonate of zine, with a lltIe
sIlIcate OF zinc and carbonate vi lime.
One hundred part. Of this consist u
Pure oxide Of zinc, &C %
sill "a and oxide OF iron,
e.. donate ot lInl-g i J-
( sArbanic acid an s=ter, -4-gl
kaEtG rCck, =
100 o.
Specimen No. I2-One hundred parts of Ais
ore, sl.er being heated 10 redueSs c0aLaIa - ~
Of pure white oxide Of zine