The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-04-26
SOUTH RIVER MINERAL DISTRICT

Valuable Discoveries.
We have frequently called attention Il
what is locally known as the South Riyel
Mineral District. running through por
tions of the counties of Augusta and Rock
bridge. along the western base OF the Blue
Ridge and its spurs The iron ore known
to exist there is of tie best quality, easily
mined and convenient to transportation
The quantity is practically inexhaustlbie
Besides the Crimora Manganese mines
there are other localities south of that de
pcsit where manganese ore exists, and Il
some extent has been mined. That there
are large bodies Of it equal in extent, bu'
not probably to be found in the precise
form that it is at Crim0ra, there is NJ
doubt. At Sherando very superior man
ganese has been mined, and there lies or
the dump. At Kennedy, a few mile:
south, several hundred tons have beer
taken out. and the conditions are favora
bic to a large quantity Of lt-analyzinf
from SO to 50 per cent. of metallic manga
nese. On the Trotter property, adjoining
Kennedy on the south, tie outcropplngs
are very rich and abundant. The same OF
the Shelton tract, south OF that. liner
comes the Fauver mines at Vesuvlus
where considerable quantity, some years
ago, was mined and shipped. A Midvale
south of this. Mr., Ker has been reasonably
successful in getting out and placing OF
market very superior quality of this ore
On the Moomaw property, near Loci
Laird, we see it stated that a good veir
has been uncovered. There has been nc
comprehensive plan or effort resorted tC
for the purpose of showing the amount Oh
manganese that could be exposed Every
endeavor TO mine manganese, except al
Crimora, has been restricted to limited
means, and in most cases, directed by i'm
perfect knowledge. There has been nc
system or large capital employed TO ascer-
tain the extent of these deposits; but that
the ore exists and can be exposed, does not
admit of reasonable conjecture.
1t is in this district. on Irish. Creek in
Rockbridge county. that the Cash Tin
mines are located. Recent work on this
property has brought to light ore bearing
a good per cent, of gold and silver A car
load of the ores taken from the original
opening on the Cash property, and from
another exposure, few hundred yards up
East. and an analysis Of it showed 81 ounce
or $65 of gold, and 200 ounces, or $500 in
silver, with far per cent. of tin. North
of the Cash tin mines, about L miles, the
same micaceous rock is found on the
property of Dr. Shelton, report on which
by Prof. Holmes, was published last
week, in our regular publication OF min
eral analyses. The specimens of these ores
We have seen, and have in our office, indi-
cate fair proportion of tin, and as the
surface find seems abundant, it argues
that it is a continuous vein or seam of the
Cash mines. If this be SO, it is not un
reasonable to conclude that the entire
range of this formation contains the seam,
and that it may develop into yeritahle
bonanza But of this it is not safe to ex-
press an opinion until further and more
thorough examinations have been made.
Intervening between the Cash and Shelton
tracts is the Vesuvius property, owned by
Messrs. Bell & Catlett. Of Staunton. On
this good deposit of tin has been dis
covered, showing the continuity of the
seam On this line of geological formation.
We believe, however, that this South
River mineral district will some day in
the future be found to be one Of the rich
est in the whole country. Whether the
present generation will be brought to a
tangible knowledge of it, we do not know.
But we know that iron ore of the best
quality exist in great ABUNDANCE we be-
lieye that manganese will be found in
large Quantities. and the indications are
that tin will be discovered by proper efforts,
and in paying quantities, to say nothing
of the silver and gold which the ores carry
With such evidence of mineral wealth ex-
isting in this district, attention will be
drawn to it and careful and expert know
ledge employed to make such investiga-
tion as the premises warrant.