Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1871-09-22
MINING DEPARTMENT.

have called the grouping of mineral
ranges, or productive points, along CIV
en- line, such as | referred to in my last, a
belt of mineral land not simply because
they are thus arranged, but because the
rocks all along this line, even where the
assures are not productive, are marked
with peculiar features, which the rocks
outside of these lines do not possess.
Hence We shall find as we proceed, that
The lead district is divided into mineral
belts, or ranges of mineral and5rulmiag
parallel to each other, giving US a contin-
uation of the beautiful system of grouping
that commenced with the fssureS, and
viii probably lead us OF to a point. where
we may discover the cause thai underlies
it,
To the north OF the belt of mineral land
last described we find no important mines,
or mineral lands until we reach town
three Following the line of this town
west to where 1t nterSects the Mississippi,
we find ourselves almost on the west end
of another belt, along which we find
another range of mineral districts.
If at this point on the south line of
town three we measure north four or five
miles, and then start two miles east as be-
fore, with the same bearing, we shall in
clude within those lines the mines Of POI
tosi, British Hollow, Rockville, Pin Hook,
Red Dog, Wing and Plattcville, in Grant
county. In extending in La Fayette
county this mineral range or belt, encoun-
tiers the elevated lands of the Platt
Mounds, and but little is seen Of it until
we reach Calamine, Fayette and Argyle,
where it is distinctly seen as a mineral
belt, and can be traced from Argyle to
Sun River.
The west belt Of mineral land, and
range of mineral districts north, is found
under the south line. Of town five; and
| though we'll defined through three ranges
of townships IN Iowa county, and one in
! Grant, (including the mines of Mineral
! Point, Diamond Grove, Lost Grove, ana
/ Mif1in in the former and New California
ami Crow Branch in the latter, Is never
theiess disturbed at the west end, as it
comes in contact with the geological
breaks along the valley Of Grant river,
/ where it seems to be borne down a little
out of its course TO Beet0wn, where it
again takes It's regular course west To-
wards the east end it encounters very
heavy ridge, or elevation of land coming
down from the northwest OF D0dgevllle,
and extending in southeast direction
through the county. This belt coming in
contact with this ridge. follows its course,
and groapS of mineral ranges are found
along it's tanks for ten or fifteen miles.
The next belt north, Che fou til and
last Of the lead district in this direction)
is we'll d2finc,I and extends through
large portion Of Grant county, the whole
of Iowa county and for several miles into
Dane county. The mines of Fennmorc
Wingyille, Dodgeyillc, Ri3Geway, Porter's
Grove and Blue Mounds firm chain OF
mineral ranges extending through nine
ranges Of townships, and their course l.
as distinctly marked as the lines of the
town (6) in which they are found.
This belt in town six presents some
features not found in the others. 1t is
situated along the south side Of an c,eva
ton of land, or ridge, extending from
| Prairie IA Chen or the west, to Blue
! Mounds on the east This ridge has the
| same bearing as the mineral belts, and
about the same eastern and western eX
| tension and it is impossible not to notice
the relation that seems to exist between
! this elevated ridge and belt Of mineral
| land They seem to obey the same dlrtc-
tive force, and are apparently the results
Of the same original cause. What is true
Of this elevation Of land and the belt run
ming through town six, is evidently true
of all other belts in the lead district, for
they have the same parallelisn, aud the
same eastern and western extension.
1t must be acknowledged that 1t j.
those groups Of mineral ranges that work
so distinctly the Typography of the lead
district and that seem 60 divide it oil IN
to parallel belts. But for their presence
it night be diff ,ult to prove TO casual
observer, that the lines along which, and
within which, they are found are belts Of
mineral land But the fact that these dis
tricts are mining centers. where productive
mineral veins are found and probably
worked, is, or ought to be, sufficient proof
that they are arranged along a belt of land,
related in its origin to belts of mineral
land in other mining regions.
This beautiful system of grouping,
which have hut imperfectly presented,
is plain, practical question that every
miner can study for himself, and with
which he may become familiar. 1t is also
a question of practical importance, mas
mach as it reduces our mineral strata to Il
system, and brings it as it were within
given lines. Each one Of thes belts is a
mining district Of itself, and furnishes
material for very extended report.
The scientific deductions to he made
from the relation Of this elevation of land,
town six, to the mineral belts of the lead
district, if not the key to unlock the sec
rets of our mineral veins, will at least evil
IDENTITY present them to US in very diff
erent light to that in which we have been
accustomed to view them. shall not
stop to make these deductions now, but
rise to higher system of grouping, to
which those we have been considering be-
long as minor parts.
j. MURRIsu.
Mazomanie, Sept, p 1871.
Z