Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1885-02-14
TIN.

N
gave al impetus to prospecting that has
developed numerous tin locations Of IN.
doubted value, and proves beyond doubt
that Custer is the toe.cork of the horse
shoe tin belt described by Professor
Bailey in the annexed extract from a
Chicago paper.
This week Messrs. Hamilton, Snively,
Geo. Clark and others have been testing
ores from the numerous locations sur.
rounding Custer. The tests are made
by first pulverizing the rock and paning
the same as for gold-the tin stone hang.
ing back in the pan the same as that
mineral-thcse concentrates are then
taken and mixed with an equal part of
cyanide OF potassa, placed in Il crucible
and subjected to a cherry red heat for
about ten minutes, when, if the ore con-
tains tin, the white metal will be found
in the pure state at the bottom Of the
vessel. To make assurance doubly SO
place the button 10 received between
lie ttCtil, z ~ SilGilL DICsSNIS Will
make the metal cry Or creak.
The above mentioned gentlemen test.
ed, as stated, ore from three different
locations and in each instance were re.
warded by buttons that assured ore that
carried 20 per cent Of white tin. At this
writing nearly every blacksmith's forge
in the city is surrounded by amateur
and one Of them who has not
run ont q button or bar is the exception
and not the rule.
WORD TO RosPECToIs.
All Nf you are ware that it is not
necessarily the case thas the ore which
shows free gold will yield the most pro-
fit to the operator. Generally it is the
ore hat has the gold scattered through
it in such minute particles that it can
not be distinguished by the naked eye,
that pays the best. Why should not
this be the case with ore carrying tin
Faniliarize Yourself with the character
istics Of the spar and rock that is the
affinity Of tin stone and look for and
test it in the pan and don't spend your
time looking for a min that lis solid tin
crystals, for that such should be the ex-
ception is as natural as is the gold mine
that has that mineral sticking out in
chunks from the size Of marbles to
those as large rs your fist.
Prof. Bailey "The belt is horseshoe
in shape, about thirteen miles in length,
and from two to three miles in width,
lying along the line of contact Of the
slate and granite-geolog:cal conditions
similar to those Of the tin regions OF
England, France, Germany, and Spain,
excepting that the veins Of the Harvey
Peak regions are remarkable for their
width and the purity Of the ores. The
properties nov being worked, number
ing owe fifty lodes, vary from three or
iour feet to about 300 feet in width. All
the lodes are undoubtedly true veins
possessing the usual characteristics OF
polished wills. showing clay between
the veins and the wall, and all cutting
the slate at sharp angles. The work al.
ready performed upon these lodes is
such as to leave no doubt as to their
! characteristics, and | have no hesitation
in saying that they can be worked for
years to come. Take, for example, tn,
work done upon the Eta lode. This i.
over 800 feet wide by actual survey
The outcrop forms what is locally knowr
as Tin mountain, rising $50 feet above
the creek that flows at it's base. 1t ha,
been developed to a depth Of l75 feet b,
over ] 900 feet Of tunneling, shafts, cut,
etc, in different directions. Over 5000
tons Of ore have been extracted in tn,
course of development, and are now or
the dumps. The present development
are sufficient to supply now 200 tons PEI
day to a mill, and this daily supply cal
be largely increased by proper develop
ment.
Journal, 9th: A group Of tin mine'