The Placer herald., 1871-05-27
Quartz Mines of Auburn. Placer County.

The following able, excellent and very correct
ly descriptive article of some of the mines in this
vicinity we clip from an editorial in the Grass
Valley Union Of Wednesday last. We are pleas
ed to give it place in our columns
'As the quartz mines around Auburn Placer
County, are attracting much attention and as
they are sure to attract still more attention from
capitalists OF this country as well as of Europe,
We deem il proper to give sketch of the min
ing industry of orr neighboring county. We
make our statements from careful personal OBJ
seivation and inspection. and we made the in
specton because we wisher to prove the propo-
sition that mining i'll California, so far from be-
ing i'll decline, is but comrcncing. The Au-
burn district is the most notable instance and
witness in favor of our favorte proposition.
That district was 'payed ont as the cant phrase
has i. years ago, as q mining district, and had
settled down inlo n semi-a9ricultural region
with the population now and then scratching on
the groupings of the numerous quartz ledges
there to find gold-baaring pockets. The dis
trict is now mining one, and mining is the en-
crossing business of the people of the Auburn
neighborhood. A review of the mines thero
will show why labor, energy and capital, seek
the Auburn district rs field for mining opera
tons.
Saint Patrick Mine
is located about three miles, almost due west from
Auburn. This mine is the best developed one
of the district. and is, so far, one of the most
successful mines in the State. The total depth
of the shaft is 220 feet. From this shaft three
levels have been run. The first level is at the
depth of so feet, and has been run in toward
the west distance of 20 feet. In this level the
ledge is two and half feet thick The second
level has been opened at the depth Of l25 feet
The second level h been run in to the east,
the distance of 80 feet and in this level the
ledge is two apd half feet thick. The second
level has also been run to the west % feet and
in it the ledge is two feet thick. The third lev
el is at the depth Of 200 feet and has been driven
to the east the distance of 100 feet and has
vein 30 inches thick; and to the west distance
of 20 feet, with Il vein q feet thick The shaft
is down 20 feet below the third level and in the
bottom of the shaft the ledge is four feet thick.
The mineral bearing qualities of the ledge may
be inferred from the fact that ont OF the excay.-
tons and openings have described gold to
the value of over so, 900 has been eXcavated.
THE ore in sight may be calculated in this
manner
Depth of shaft .......................2 220 feet.
lower level opened. d..................14 140 feet.
These numbers multiplied give 80, 500; aud
that multiplied by 2 feet which is the average
thickness of the ledge gives i GG0 cubic feet of
ledge developed. Dividing this by II the num-
bcr OF cubic feet in ton OF quartz We have 100
tons in sight On the dump there are 200 tons
Of ore. This gives total of 1900 tons in sight.
For convenience. and because of the upper
and shorter levels having been run, we throw off.
100 .oas, and call the total OF ore in sight at
least 1900 tons. The last crushing Of average
ores yielded nearly $50 per ton. The next
crushing. as good judges of ore inform us, and
rs we believe, will pay over 500 to the ton.
The openings in the mne show ledge which
is remarkably uniform in its mineral bearing
1ullitie5 Tn, value OF the ore in sight at that
ba 10 or ~ mo- cAptp ppnr
the price Of the whole property at the market
value of the stock. In every instance the rich
ness of the ore increases with the depth, and the
81. Patrick mine, SO far, is no exception to the
rule. The St. Patrick ledge descends almost
perpendicu!arv for 180 feet and then takes an
angle of about - degrees pitching south. The
ledge is enclosed in hard and smooth walls and
has not yet shown fault. Two gentlemen OF
his place familiar with mines and who have
worked in the Eureka and Idaho mines OF Grass
Valley visited the St. Patrick mine with us, and
! they pronounce the latter trdc ledge, and one
Of extraordinary richness. The hosting is lonc
With t. small ''donkey en- zine, and no pumping
! is required. The water IS easily controlled with
| tubs In addition to the st. Patrick ledge the
| company own two Other lcdges Gale tha big
! Doig." and the Little Doig," so named from
| .he locator of them. The little Doi5 runs near
~ cast and west par del to the 81. Patrick. The
! BIG Dog runs from northeast II s1lthW ~,
! sing the St. a r.cl and Little Doig ledJos
| lGconally. Both of the Doig hedges have been
very rch on IA croppings when formerly work
/ ed zig DJiB o@p3 tally beingrich. Itis said
n good authority. that james Dog, the locator,
t,,k o.it abo.t $40, 500 from the groupings of
/ ehe tw0 lei "a ~ 'cA bear his nan,. The crop
p'nI3 Of til st. Patrick ledge AID the Little
! Do.s ledge ato distant from each oth,r abJlt l25
f=ot. The p III lnent working shaft OF tho '{c
II iel9 as, Giil be near the junction of the B;g
Ooig led, e Win the st. Patrick. The croppngs
# all the led 5cs can be traced, on the surface,
| ior long distanco-say nola than mile. The
st. Patrick mino is under charge of Dir. John
". Roberts, Superintendent, with Mr.. Harry
MIL formerly of Grass Valley, and a thorough
miner as fugcmcn. The success of the st Pat
rick in tho past, and its great prospects for the
future have done mrch to make Auburn district
a mining one