Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1884-11-08
SATURDAY. NOVEMBER 8. 1884


IL q very hard, but malieable metal,
resembling nickel or iron in its luster
and color, but in a finely comn'inuted
state occurring as a black powder. 1t is
q comparatiyely rare metal, and found
in but few places in the world, and then
only In limite,, guam les.
It has been found Ia Hungary in
small quantities; in Wales In combina-
ton with tin in NORWAY and Sweden
in very small quantities, as also in Colo
RADIO, Arizona and Connecticut.
1t exists in the form Of a green and a
black oxide. 1t is used rs a pigment
for coloring china, glass and porcelain
ware, ard the demand far exceeds the
the supp'Y. The brown Is much more
valuable than the green, and is quoted
in the New York market at 800 a
pound, about double the value Of gold.
It need not surprise the readers of
the Pioneer that uranium has been
found i'm the Hills in imnc ise quanti-
ties, as the discovery of tin has put them
In a condition of mind TO believe that
every known metals are her in the
greatest profusion.
Lewis Won Davier, well known In this
city and the Hills country as an intel
ligent and thoughtful miner, about four
years ago made a location on the divide
about one and a quarter miles south
west of the Portland mine, and about
one mile this sile Of re Spearfsh cross
ing of ie Bear gulca rad. 1t was locat-
ed for liver, and since that date Mr..
Uavier has put in his entire time devel-
oping it. In the course of his develop
me-. he c. me across a ledge of rock that
was covered with scales Of a beautiful
green and 3rowa color, that Ian his opin-
ion we're an sd atiol of silver deposits
beneath, and ne went down, but found
the same material as he went. 1t was
shown to Prof. Sterowitz, state geologist
Of Texas, when he was in the Hills, end
at the first glance he pronounced it
uranium, as die also POT. Riotte.
Since that date Mr.. Davier has sent
specimens of ihe ore to- the school of
mines and government universities OF
Germany, and in each one of them thor
ough assays have been made, and re
ports have been made of the value and
quantity, az also the demand in the
worlds market for the mineral.
These reports we have seer and they
place the green oxide at four to five
pounds, and the brown oxide at seven
to eight pounds per ton, and offers for
all that can possibly he produced and
delivered, $3.50 . pound for the green,
and SiCo q pound for the brown.
A IL offer was also made to take
the ore snd extract the mineral, and in
o very hort time We expect to be able
TO chronicle the flct that this ore is
being sacked and shipped to Germany
for reduction.
The process Of reduction il similar to
that Of gold ores, crus hing by stamps,
concentrating and separating. This ar
rangement is not for all time to come,
but simply until susi time as the owner
will be able to.erec5 reduction works OF
his own at the mire.
The extent Of Inc deposit is at present
unknown. The ledge was found crop.
ping out on the surface, clea,ly defined.
rock in place, with a direction of north
west and southeast and it has been
cross-cut over 100 feet, and the foot wall
has not yet been reached.
These are all facts, unreasonable as
they may seem, an ! have been known
70 exist by a few persons for the last
year. but -sasr . pledge of secrecy, un-
Gil positive evidence could be received
from Germany, this reporter has re-
Trained nom giving them 20 tho public.