Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1887-1890, 1888-02-18
GOLD AND SILVER.
MINING REGIONS TRIBUTARY TO
GREAT IL
Rich Gold. SiIser and Copper Deposits in
the Belt Mountain R~egion--The
Districts Described---The
. Coming Copper Camp.

Districts Described---The
Coming Copper Camp.
The mineral region directly tributary
to Great Falls is of vast extent and only
partly developed. 1t lies chiefly IN the
Belt mountains, which are southeast OF
the city and will be connected with 1t soon
by railroad. The Sand Coulee and Nel-
hart branch has been constructed as Tar
as the Sand Coulee coal fields, and will be
extended this year. Appended are notes
on the Belt mountain region by Prot. ".
G.. Iortson, the eminent mining engineer
who has done SO much to promote the
mineral development OF northern Mon
tana.
1t is advisable to haul your load down
hill when practicable. The selection OF
Great Falls as the site of complete and
gigantic refining and reduction works has
been made on that basis. But the noun
tains will not be denuded Of their tlmber
for the production OF charcoal; wood
will not be cut by the hundred thousand
cords to create steam-power for crushing
ores, nor will it be necessary to bring
steam engines at great cost from the
states to each large mine when the work
can be lone here entirely.
The selection of Great Fails for the
works above named shows the foresight
and skilled judgment of the founders. In
view of the geographical location Of Great
Falls and its position as a railroad center,
what other point could have been chosen!
The vast water power will dispense with
steam power and cost only one-tenth as
much. The coal fields, o within thirty
minutes reach by railroad, will provide
coke which will dispense with charcoal,
which by its indirect inroads on the for
ests will affect the water supply OF the
territorial rivers. Moreover as this IS rail
road terminus of the Manitoba railroad,
which is one of the great through lines,
the rates for refined metals will be better
here than those Of any place in the
territory.
THE FOCUS OF EXTENSIVE REGIONS.
Great Falls. situated as it is on the
Missouri river, at the mouth OF Sun river,
will naturally tap all the mines which are
known now to exist in the Rockies at the
head of the latter river. BY the Montana
Central railway it has down grade from
all the mines at Ten Mile creek, Marys
vile. Silver creek and the undeveloped
galena and copper mines of Little Prlckiy
Pear. By the Neihart and Barker branch,
it will receive the products Of those
camps. down grade all the way, and by
the remarkable railroad pass at the head
of Arrow creek, and thence down Otter
easy communication is had with the
whole Judith basin.
ORES IN GREAT MBE
The ores in these vast regions are not
only remarkable for their quantity, but
also for their variety. Nearly all the
useful and precious metals are found
there. Among those present may be
named gold, copper, lead, tellurium,
cobalt, silver, tin, lime, anthony, arsenic,
, iron, graphite, magnesia, manganese aud
gypsum. These minerals are all widely
scattered in large amounts except tin and
tellurium, which so far q been found
in only one locality each. 1t seems
remarkable how nature has made these
deposits. and in such accessible positions.
Where there are rich but refractory ores
the necessary fiuxes are within IL few
miles, and all are found at points which
will be reached by railroad from Great
Falls. Copper, which has recently risen
so high in price, is present In such large
areas, and such amounts, that / consider
the great copper camp of Montana is no
vet developed. 1t is now ali acknowledged
fact. that thin seams Of high grade ore, dc
not nav as we'll as wider veins Of lower
grade ore, and as a rule it is of such veins
that our north Montana mines consist
The one thing required to make these
mines pay is cheap transportation
Wickes never paid till the advent OF +;
railroad, and in a similar manner tht
Barker district has the same require
ment. [ shall now speak Of the Bel
mountain districts in detail.
YoGo DISTRICT.
The Yogo district is the oldest caml
in the Belt mountains. The character o
the lodes is usually a ferruginous COLE
quartz, often honeycombed, and at times
CARRYING some copper. The veins are
what is usually termed blanket-lodes
They are easily worked, being milling
ores. and are often 20 to so feet in thick
ness. The Blue Dick, Azurite and Col
den Chariot are magnificent example
of these kinds of iodes. Other lode
carry magnetic iron, with gold and cop
per, but are not developed sufficiently t.
determine their character. b dlstr'c
is situated on the north fork of the judith
river.
THE KING DISTRICT.
The King district camp is situated a
the middle fork Of the Judith river. Tn
-. =. Inn IL, al,nranfor To tho hI.inEP