Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1880-04-08
1HE coMs1ock.
WHAT NAY BE EXPECTED OF
Ar oREArER DEPTHS.

ar 0REArER DEPTHS.
-
-n.rtse. Of the Lodo with
c.ner silver Bearing Fissures,
nd D~educsions Thersfrsm.
In q previous number tho yield Of the
twelve ore bodies found in the Com.
stock between the surface and tho 1000
Lowell was compared with the yield OF the
two ore bodies found between the 1000
and 1000 levels. showing that the latter
returned to the stockholders in dividends
nearly 400 per cent. more than the
former, thus leading up to the conclu.
sion that while fewer ore bodies were
likely to be uncovered at great depths,
they would be found to be both larger in
extent and Of richer matrix than those
nearer the surface. and that. consequent
~. the prospects Of the lode were such
that it might be expected to yield moro
than o fair return for the Investments
necessary to continue its exploration at
still greater depths than pr0spectings
have yet been carried. The object Of
the present item is to compare tho Com.
stock with other silver bearing lodes,
and by that comparison to show what
may DO expected Of 1t in the future.
History shows that wherever q true
assure vein has been found 1t has never
been worked out. Such veins have been.
in fact, worked for ages without any
| p~erceptible diminution in their yield.
Where ores have decreased in value, the
| ore bodies have increased In size. the
| increase OF the one compromising for the
loss OF the other. Some have even in
creased their yield. the quality OF the
ores remaining unchanged. Others have
| been found to deteriorate from veins OF
silver to those OF bassr metals. The
latter is. in fact. the most disastrous OF
all the vicissitudss attendant upon silver
mining.
Some OF the silver mines Of Mexico
have been abandoned time after time
and have a. often been reopened BY adj
venturous spectators and found to yield
largely. The reasons for their abandon
ment have been various. Some have
been closed on account OF lawsuits,
others on account Of political changes,
others again because the ores became
low grade or gave out entirely as was
supposed, but when titles have been
perfected or peace restored or new
methods Of working ores invented
whereby those Of lower grade have been
made to pay. and the mines have been
reopened. they have in all cases yielded
q fair remuneration for the expense OF
working them. In some rich bodies OF
ore have been discovered where before
none were supposed to exist.
The valenciana mine on tho Veta
Madre Of Guanajuato was reopened In
l7GO on q part Of the lode considered
formerly to be OF no value. and az the
depth Of . few hundred feet q bonanza
was struck which yielded, up to 1910,
$50. 43O, $50. During that fine q place
Of 1000 inhabitants sprang up there.
Then the rich ore OF the mine gave out
at the 1900 level. A large shaft was
then sunk 1000 feet and ore found. but
OF too low grade to pay for working;
consequently the mine was abandoned
aud allowed to al with water. In 1873
the Anglo-MsIican Company drained
| the mine Of water. but the expense OF
pumping consumed all the profits OF
mining, and It passed into the hands OF
the United Mexican Company and has
since been made to yield largely.
The vsta Grsnde. at Zacatecas. from
1913 to 1882, yielded $500. 000, 900. This
lode has about the same dip and Is Of
the same general formation al the Com.
stock. Its clay selvages inclose large
portions Of country rock. 1t is. how
ever, much narrower than the Comstock,
VARYING from o few feet in width to ~
feet at the widest place. Near the sur.
face tho ore was exceedingly rich. but
became poorer with depth, although
more evenly distributed throughout the
vein. For sometime 1t was abandoned
on this account, but at present il yield
ing well. go,
In the two mines above mentioned the
ores are Of lower grade AZ the depth Is
increased, but the equal distribution OF
the ore throughout the lode. together
with the larger amount yielded, make
them the sources Of an immense pro-
duction Of silver bullion.
1t Is important to note, however, that
throughout all the levels Of these mines
the ores retain their silver. bearing quail.
ity. In the central part OF Mexico this
il also the rule, while further north
whore on and near the surface the ores
were rich in native silver, the ores grow
poorer with depth owing to the FREEDOM.
nance Of lead, rendering them OF baser
quality. This il true OF mines also In
the Carpathian mountains, in the mines
of Shemnitz and in the vein OF the Gross
CRUDE in Felsobanys, all Of which yield
ed immensely near the surface where
they were worked by the Romans. In
depth all the ores OF these mines. how.
ever, changed to base metal ores and
they consequently yield but small profits
although worked in the economical man.
der characteristics OF European mining.
The veins Of the Hartz mountains
show the same deterioration. and 1t IL
only on account Of the large quantities
Of low grade ores extracted that they can
be worked with profit. The veins OF the
Hartz mountains have been followed
down over 1000 feet, and those Of the
Shemnitz nearly 1000 feet.
In contrast to these mines are those
Of Freiberg whore the ores, like those OF
the Comstock. increase in richness with
depth. The mines Of Quatorcs. in Mex.
leo, belong to the same class.
The veins In all Of these mines, how
ever, arc narrow and frequently cross
themselves. forming . kind OF net work