The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-01-11
LLANO COUNTY.
Talk with Professor Cummins-Its Min
eral Wealth.

D
eral Wealth.
Professor w. +. Cummins, of this city
has Just returned from a trip to LlanC
county, where he has been for the las
month making an examination of the min
erals in that county, in the interest of som,
gentlemen from New York, who own land,
in thai county. A HERALD reporter called
on Professor Cummins, and found him
busy labelling and classifying the geological
collection made by him during his trip
Duringa general conversation some very
intcre sting facts were elected, and among
other things the Professor said;
In many respects Llano county is the
most interesting county in the State to the
geologist and mincralogist, for the reason o
the great variety of geological formation.
exposed, and the number OF minerals found
there. The iron ore is found in great
abundance in many localities, and of differ
| ent varieties; the most abundant is the hem.
elite and magnetic, In one place there is
an apparently solid mass OF iron ore, SlO
feet long 10y 800 feet wide, with an elevation
OF from . to IS feet above its visible base,
and in all probability it extends to consid-
cradle depth, being surrounded by granite.
and was evidently raised up from below at
the same time OF the granite Loose masses
of ore, of several tons in weight, lie seat
tered over and around this iron hill in var
iOus directions.
A large bed of similar ore lies few miles
distant; it lies between two granite ridges.
anu Is trayersed by veins of quartz in var-
Gus directions, Here, too, there is ore
enough for all practical purposes to make
metallic iron for ages. There is no ore
known in any country which gives Il larger
per cent, OF metallic iron than this, nor nv
that will make u better quality of iron
Copper ore is found in various parts of the
county, and of several varieties, blue and
green carbOnatcS, malcChite, and pyritcs
being the most abundant. The copperin this
county occurs Ill the GRANTEES, and their as
soclatcd mctamOrphiC rocks, and there
Is but little dou that when these veins
have been properly examined and pros
pccted copper will be found in paying quan-
titles. There has been a good deal of su-
perliCal prospecting done in this county
at various times for gold silver and copper,
but,owing to the fact OF the hardness Of the
quartz veins the work has been abandoned
before the veins were properly explored.
Silver ore has been found in several locai-
ties, and has been mined To some extent.
There are several old shafts and furnaces in
the county, and are supposed to have been
operated by Mexicans before the DAYS ofthe
Republic. The silver ore is found in the
quartz veins penetrating the ozoic
rocks Nothing definitely can be
known as TO the probable
quantity of ore until further explorations
shall be made All mining has ceased for
the present, owing to the want Of sufficient
capital. Lead has been found in small
quantities in the county, but not in paving
quantities; it is all silver bearing. The
lead is generally found in the calcicrous
sand rock associated with the magnetism
limestone of the lower siluran. Large
rhomboidal crystals of calcite, some.
times termed the blossom of
lead" by some miners in Missouri,
where the lead is found in the
same geological formation Gold is found
IN the sand in the bed of Sandy Creek and
its tribu taries, in small quantities. and has
been found in the quartOsc veins in the mica
slate. The quantity found is so small tina,
no one has ever succeeded in getting more
than one dollars worth per day There is
u small vein of bituminouS coal near Honey
Creek Cove, and it is barely possible that
col. will be found in sufficient volume TO
pay for working. Probably the most i'm
portant thing in Llano county, after the
iron and copper, is the marble quarries,
which only await the arrival of railroads to
be OF immense value.
The lower siluran rocks of Burnett and
llano counties contain some very fine
marbles of various shades of color:
white, black, teSh-color and clouded.
These marbles are not equal to the best, but
of very fair quality. 1t is said the finest
block of marble in the Washington Monu-
mcnt nj Mount Vernon, was sent from this
county. Moiybdenite, very rare mineral,
occurs in a lew localities. Stcatite is quite
abundant. Graphite is found in some To-
calities, but of an inferior quality.