Sharp County record., 1880-02-19
THE SIERRA MOJADA MINES.

United States Consul Schuchart Of
Piedras Negras, Mexico, refers in a
recent report to the Sierra Mojada mines
as follows:
The Sierra Moiada mineral district
lies about 60 leagues (l5O mileS) north
east from Cuatro Cienegras, and is
about 5000 feet above the level OF the
sea. The formation of the valley or
canyon is a conglomerate of stones OF
plutonic origin, with granite and por-
phyry and pertains to the permian
epoch. On this formation, which is dis
tinguished at a great distance from its
red color, is a layer of compact lime
stone rock, which English geologists
call magnetism limestone. b" Upon
this is deposited layers of the jurassic
epoch, as is shown by various petrifac-
tions and fossils.
The Sierra Mojada is between the
sixth and seventh degrees Of longitude,
with direction east to west, and where
the mines have been discovered, are
about 300 meters high, and in places
nearly perpendicular. At the front OF
this mountain, on the north side, min
eral vein of about 1000 yards long and
from 20 TO 80 meters wide has been dis
covered. The dip in this vein is to the
south, with inclination of 30 degrees.
On the west side of the vein large
masses of red oxide of iron, with copper,
and " plata verde Chloride of silver),
while on the east the character OF the
ore is limestone, with ferruginous, ochre
and manganese, showing more distinct
lysthe lead ores, especially the carbonate
of lead, with lay of silver OF from five
to II ounces to the carga OF 800 pounds,
and 20 to 80 per cent. of lead.
There have been no mines as yet
opened to a greater depth than 30 me-
ters, the most of them having not in
cluded the poSo de guia (the hole in the
vein necessary to mark its ownership
under the mining law 21 by Y feet),
and therefore it is difficult to form an
opinion of its production; but taking for
our base what is actually in sight, we
calculate that for the length Of 1000
meters there exists ledge Of lead half
a meter wide, which, if rarified to a
depth of 200 meters, will give 100000
cubic meters, and calculating the cubic
meter at 25 cargas, we have 2,50O,00O
cargas, which even at one mark (eight
Ounces) to the cargas, will give you 2O,-
OOO, 900 ounces of silver. This is neceS-
sarily very superficial calculation, be-
cause l have taken but half meter in
width as my base, yet in the Esmeral-
da the vein is two meters wide at the
surface, and varies in other mines.
Some pesimestas (sore-heads) say that
the metal of this vein will soon run out,
but on the contrary, all the indications
and probabilities are, that its richness
will increase as it descends.
The mines to the west of this vein are
the Blanco, Cruz and Jesus Maria; ;
are of iron ore mixed with copper and
plata verde Chloride silver. The
assay of these ores at Matehuala by the
fire process yielded from three to seven
marks, or from S24 to $50 to the carga
of 800 pounds, and of course
were ores from the surface. The
Blanco mine is found in the mountain
standing by itself 400 meters north Of
the foot of the Mojada. The vein runs
between two formations of conglomer-
ate and limestone, with dip to the east,
and surface front of 20 to 80 meters.
Its ores are: Argentiferous copper, with
matrix of banta; some rocks have
been found encrusted in chloride of sill
yer, and from these have been made
the assays which have caused such ex-
aggerated accounts. The Jesus Maria
mine has been opened for 80 by 20
yards, say five meters deep, and tierras
cobrizes yellow dirD have been
discovered, apparently OF most
valuable lay. The vein is compact iron
ore with particles of chloride of silver.
In addition to the mines mentioned
on the principal vein, there have been
more than 100 locations in all direc-
tions. Some of them promise well,
others not worth the paper the claim is
written on. At the distance of five
miles from the above mines, on the
same side of the mountain, other lead
veins have been discovered, and at the
spring, and near the village of San
Francisco, there have been found cop
perish metals, such as at the Blanco.
All lead ores require smelling by fire.
Wood is not very abundant, neither is
it as scarce in some mines in the States
of Chihuahua and Zacatecas, and there
are discoveries of coal in the vicinity,
said to be of good quality.
The copperish metals (metalos cob
rizos) require other modes of smelling,
as the case or patio, but as water is
scarce and lead abundant, they can also
be smelted by fire. -..r
/ found water near the village they
call New York, sufficient for 800 men
and multitude of animals, and many
wells have been commenced. .r.'
SmeltinO works on a very limited