The Phoenix herald., 1879-07-30
PLANCHA DE PLATA. Translated Expressly fer The Phoenix Herald. Location of the PIacers and How
 to Reach them. Conclusion of this Inter
 esting Article.
onARAcTER oF rHE couNrRY.

CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY.
 The district is situated on gradu-
 ally rising ground separated by
 small ravines, which come together
 at the point, where ihe camp is situ-
 ated. The peaks of the mountains
 are from 300 to 600 feet above the
 level of the camp The sides arc
 generally smooth, with openings and
 are covered with grana grass, giving
 excellent pasture. Trees of good size
 are also scattered over the sides of
 the mountains. At short distance
 the summits of the larger mountains
 are covered with thickets, principally
 oak, and some pine. All the canyons
 contain rnnning streams of water and
 according to my experience, having
 made my visit at the close of an cx-
 traordinary dry season, I am com
 pelled to believe that the water here
 will never fail. Many fine sites for
 mills may be found in the valleys.
 The character of the rock is granite
 and porphyry. It generally has
 covering of conglomerate of porphyry
 extending to different depths in the
 different mountains. On the eastern
 side of the ridge which divides the
 Planchas, is thick ledge of volcanic
 basalt over the conglomerate, but this
 disappears on the western side, and is
 not found in the vicinity of the mines.
 Veins are scattered in many places in
 the district showing in every case
 good metal. The general direction
 of the veins or ledges, is nearly mag
 netic N. E. to s. ". The first mine
 I examined was the Megia or Raous- set, as 1t is at present called. This
 mine was opened in 1871 by Don Mo desto Borquez and was worked by him for one year. It is situated in an apex of the mountains above and to the north of the camp, a number of excavations have been made and quantities of metal taken from each. The metal is found in the conglom- crate and appears to be in series of continued veins, each from two to five feet wide, very close together and covering the entire surface of the hill.
 THE MANNER OF WORKING.
 The work is, for the greater part, simple cuts. Seven of these are on the western slope of the hnl and GOV. CT length of 25o feet by 75 feet wide. The greatest depth at present is about 9 feet. Their elevation is from 100 to 275 feet above the camp, and all show metal in the sides and bottom. Five hundred feet to the east of cut No. 4, is another excavation which shows good results. This is super ficial cur in the hill, 100 feet from the lines of the other excavations freely | showing the metal and the c1opglom- crate.
 Later at Tucson, I fortunately met Senor Borquez who informed me that in the above excavation, Ee had in 1871 worked to a depth of 45 varas da, which still exists. At the bottom he found very rich ore and in large that in fact you can find the metal almost anywhere, the whole HILL BEING ONE MASS OF MINERAL. And wherever the surface was remov- ed, the metal was found. This ap- peared to me to be the actual truth, as q large portion of the metal was found by Mexicans, who search for this residue and work it in arastras. They have been engaged in this for working in 24 hours, goo pounds. After pulverizing it was amals samated according to the Patio process, producing from S9 to S11 to the cargo, or at the rate of $50 10 the ton. The rock was all porphyry, con taining principally bromides and chlorides of silver, without gold or other valuable mineral The miners themselves do not believe that they worked any of the bromides in their patios, consequently the greater DOT ton of the silver was lost. obtained several specimens from the dumps where the men had been searching for months. These have been assay ed, and the result has proved that they have good cause to search. The ap- pearance and situation of this mine L liked very much. Following the di- rection of the vein one-half mile to the southwest are other excavations, showing the same character of ore no doubt a continuation of the same vein. About one-half mile to the south and running parallel with it, is another mine, at present being work ed by Mexirans and is called the "El Hilo de Pesquira.'. The principal excavation is n~ar the top of peak, at an elevation Of 4, 100 feet above the sea level, and about 800 feet above the canyon This vein was opened.in 1872 by General Scrna, and appeared at the surface to be thread of very rich chloride. They said, that from a cut, 30 feet in length, feet wide