Eureka weekly sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1887-1902, 1889-07-13
CnRRkNRoNnENCE.
a Good showing o Some of the
Mines In EhIs nfstriet.

1887 extracted from its mines and re-
duced 473, BOG tons Of ore Of the actual
value Of S34 a ton. During the same
period the Richmond Mining Company
OF Nevada extracted from its mines and
reduced 446, Gal tons Of ore Of the actual
value Of S34 a ton. 1t would be a very
difficult task to ascertain the average
assay value of the ore worked by the
two companies during this period. but it
must have peer approximately S45 a ton.
Each company has paid out 10 dividends
about -, 900, 900. Both have purchased
and reduced "outside ores" but the
bulk of the 81. 600, 900 paid by each com.
psny was made upon ore taken out OF
their own mines. Now, there are 1872
mines in this and adjacent districts,
chiefly in this district, that have yielded
ore Of an average grade higher than that
taken out of the mines OF either the
Eureka or Richmond Company during
the above period. Six mines have each
yielded ore of an average actual value OF
$3.50 a ton. Six others have each yield
ed ore OF an average actual value Of over
$3.50 a ton. Fourteen others have each
yielded ore Of an average actual value OF
over 500 q ton. Fifteen others have
each yielded ore of an average actual
value Of over S75 a ton. Forty others
have each yielded ore Of an average act
ual value Of $50 a ton. Thirty seven
others have each yielded ore Of in aver
age actual value Of over $40 a ton. Six
teen others have each yielded ore of an
average actual value of over S35 a ton.
The average assay value Of the ore
taken on. Of each of the other 1874 pro.
ductive mines of the district could not
have varied materially from S35 a ton.
In a few instances it will run below, but
that figure may be accepted as approx
mately correct in most cases. Some Of
these outside mines have yielded very
large quantities Of high grade ore. With
this showing we certainly have no reason
to despair. | have already allued to the
fact that no deep mining has been done
in the district; that in fact in most cases
the surface has been merely scratched.
But several of our principal mines have
been worked down to the water line.
No considerable amount of ore can there.
fore be taken out Of these mines without
the expense of working being largely in
creased. There is also some difference
of opinion amongst the managers as to
the probability Of finding ore below the
water line. The Eureka Con. sunk be.
low the water line and found ore, but
before its extent was ascertsined they
were driven out by water and have made
no effective effort since to prospect it.
The Richmond Company has used the
diamond drill in several places and found
no ore, but in hunting for ore with the
drill one has to rely upon the core
brought up by the drill or the water that
flows up from it in order to determine
what it is passing through. Now, if the
drill at any point does not bring up a
core or the water does not flow up but is
lost, it is impossible to tell what the
drill is passing through. Now, if the
Richmond drill brought up no core at
any point it has passed through and the
water has also been lost at such point,
the search for ore with the drill can
hardly be considered conclusive. Con-
sidered in the light of these and other
fscts the question of ore or no ore below
the water line is still one in regard to
which persons may honestly differ widely.
But in regard to the grade Of
the ore if found below the water
line there can be but little doubt.
The great body Of the ore in the mines
Of the Eureka and Richmond companies
was carbonate Of lead bearing gold and
silver. bat in these large bodies of car
Donate Of lead, scattered here and there,
galena and sulphate Of lead were found
surrounded by the c~arbonates. The ga
lena usually contained double or treble
the quantity Of silver and gold that the
carbonstes surrounding it contained.
Now, there can be no question that orig.
inally all of the ore was galena, and of
the same grade in gold and silver as the
galena that was found unchanged by ne.
ture's processes among the carbonate ores.
The sulphides of lead and silver are not
soluble in water. The form in which the
gold existed as originally deposited can
hardly be guessed at, and the form in
which it exists in the ore to-day is IN.
known. 1t is certainly not 10 the metal
lie state. In the gradual change wrought
by the alchemy Of nature in these ore
bodies, from sulphides of lead and silver
to the s~ulphates Of those metals, and sub
~seguently in the change of the sulphate
Of lead to carbonate, the watsr percolat-
ing through the ore bodies, found the
silver, and perhaps the gold, changed
from an insoluble to a slightly soluble
form, and operating through ages OF time,
the water dissolved out and carried off a
considerable portion of the silver and
probably a large part of the gold. The
small nuggets Of galena found scattered
here and there among the carbonates are
unchanged in character and grade. If this
be true, and it is entirely consistent
with the surrounding facts. and simple
and well.known chemical laws, il seems