New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-08-20
GOLD IN THE BLACK HILLS.
VII.

OLADhODD MINES. NOl ON HE BELL
TWO KINDS OF THEN, VEINS AND DEPOSITS
FEATURES or EACH-THE MOST IMPORTANT OF
THESE MINES AND WHAT IT IS DOING.
iFRoA AsTAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRBUNE.l
DEADwoOD. ID. T., Aug. 81 believe that the
development of the mineral resources Of the Black
Hills has only just begun. Two years ago neither
the extent nor the great vaue OF the ore bodies of
the belt was known or appreciated, although all
/ OF the mines now upon it had been located and
were being worked in a small way. But unscien-
/ tine. one-hOrse mining did not and could not be
made TO paw here IL was the skill and experience
OF the great California companies, backed by their
| large capital. that transformed these half-dozen
| doubtful properties into yeritabe bonanz,s; and
| have no doubt that other mines have already been
found, or will be discovered, which, when worked
IN the same manner, VIII make the fortunes of their
owners. there are certainly indications in many
parts of the Black Hills as promising now were
| those found IN any Of the great mines TWO years
/ age. and IN some places a good deal Of work has
already been done, and large masses of ore have
been found. Capitalists already giving their at
teEtiOn TO these new mines, and some of them will
certainly be proved within the next year or two.
The mines in the immediate vicinity Of Dead
wood, not on the great belt, Of two knds-veins
and deposits. Ii Is hardly necessary to explain the
| difference between these two classes, and | need
only say that a true fssure vein consists of a mass
OF foreign matter. generally quartz mixed with
other rock and minerals, which fills a cleft in the
country rock-Or the rock composing the bulk OF
! the mountain. The betty is a mammoth vein of
| this kind. The vein matter is supposed to have
been forced up through the cleft in the rock from
the bowels Of the earth in the form Of an aqueous
solution, and a rule richer gold or silver in
its lower parts than the surface. This descup-
ton does not, of course apply 10 contact VEN,
which Is different IN character iu that 10 formed
| by an opening between two layers of rock.
deposit Is an irregular mass Of gold OF silver
bearing ore, generally the former. that has been
/ left IN the position in which it Is found by some
| operation OF nature, and which has no immediate
| connection with the source from which ii came. A
| placer is q deposit formed generally by the action
of running water upon vein. Particles of the lat
ter containing the precious metal are worn off and
washed down into the bed of the stream. At points
where the fall OF the stream Is slight and the cur
| rent comparatively slow the puiyerIztd rock and
/ gold sinks TO the bottom and remains there.
Other deposits seem 20 have been formed in the
/ beu OF an ocean or lake. the gold, sand and peb-
blas having been washed off from the shore and de-
/ posted on the bottom, and the entire mass
subsequently cemented together by the presence
Of oxide Of IRON or some other mineral substance.
Their scldlty has caused them TO be called by the
miners cement deposits and a mine containing this
kind of ore is called cement mine. These cement
deposits have frequently been found in the beds of
the streams covering loose placers which, being Of
later formation, must have been deposited by the
undermining OF the cement by the water. Cement
beds when found in placer mines detract from then
value no matter how rich the cOug'Omerate mass
may be in gold Placer miners have no means Of
extracting the precious metal from the cement and
the cost Of removing il in order get at the loose
placer beneath is considerable. .GeologicalIy the
cement deposits P0tsdam sandstone.
Deposits are very irregular IN shape and extent.
Sometimes the boundary of one is come upon very
suddenly and unexpectedly. When the limits Of
the deposit are reached that Is the end Of The mine,
there being nothing to Indicate where other ore
may be found. A cement deposit might be COM
pared to q bed Of marine shells found on the bottom
Of an extinct ocean. Their presence might suggest
the probability Of finding other similar beds in the
same vicinity but If the whole bed should be exca-
waited, nothing would be found to guide the ex-
plorer IA searching for others. In VEIN which has
become barren or has pinched out. the miner has
still indications which point to ore beneath or at
distance, and which he may follow with greater or
less confidence just as q traveller on the plains will
follow a strange trail expecting that 1t viii lead
him to some town. camp or ranch.
The ore Of some of the cement mines Of this Vi
entity is very rich, yielding many times as much
gold TO the ton as the ore taken from the mines on
the great belt. THIS fact, which has caused mines
of this class TO give quick returns to their owners
and made it possible TO operate them proftably
without the investment of much capital, has caused
their stock 10 be a fayorte investment with many
Eastern pcODle. In cases where the purchasers Of
.ucn stock have understood exactly the nature OF
tine mines in which they have bought shares, and
have satisfied themselves that the cement deposit
I'm question is large enough and rich enough 10 in
sure q return of their capital with fair interest
on their investment, no loss will be prob
able, and large profits may be possible.
ON the other hand, as ! remarked IN
prevous letter, attempts have been made IN one or
two instances al least 70 sell cement deposit mines
I'm the East without any hint m the prospectu7es as
10 their real character, ana am AFRAID some per-
sons have bought shares IL them supposlng tbat
they were obtaining an interest IN NINE perma-
pent in its character and possibly 70 De atNeoped
into bonanza. Prudent ana eApei lehceu ilNestOts
understand that the value OF gold or SILVER mine
depends quite as much uDOn Us general character
a. upon the amount of ore that may be I'm sight
or tie richness of its ASSAYS. chamber deposit
mine NAV have all the ore when IL contains III
sjgut.D while strong VEN Win very niue ore III
sight may develop into Homestake.
M the mines in the vicinity or DeadWood tnat
are on veins but which DO not constitute part OF
fbe great bell" described IN former letter, the
most important is the Caledonia, some 81 the STOCK
Of which Is now being offered ~ New-lOrk. ms
company owns three claims. the CALEDONIA, the
Queen ~ tbe fIIlls and the Grand Prize aud these
nave now been consolidated with the Clara Number
One. The first three claims cover territory l'5Go
TIar, nroneTty is 1000 feet long and 200
feef wide. The former lies 1000 feet west
Of the Golden Terra property, and the latter 100
feet from the HOmestake VI ne. inns properly
IS nnrcbased about a wear ago by Mr.. J. W. Cash
yiIer. of California who paid $4,000 for the Gale,
donia and $50 600 for the Queen OF the Hlils ana
the Grand Puze. The Clara cost $4,000. ,d iHe
frst company was formed IN San Francisco, lUV'-
600 shares being issued at a par value OF 800 Inc
Clara was not included IN this organization Apput
~ 600 shares w-re sold at from 81 10 80 encl Ihe