The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1889-11-15
THE DAKOTA TIN BELT
Authentic Information of interest in Re-
gard tc It's Development.

authentic Oh interest III re- I
gard tc It's Developments. S
St. Louis Stove and Hardware Re- r
The tin belt OF the Black Hills, 7
s far as present discoveries show, has i
n extent OF some forty square miles, !
peak, the highest point in the {
ills, $500 feet above sea level, being i
nearly in the center OF the district. The !
in is found mainly in Pennington and E
1uster counties, and is divided into +
What might be called mining districts, as
ollows: Iron Creek, Battle Creek, Bis
narck, Harvey, Hill City, Tenderfoot,
custer and Warrens gulch. Although
great many good prospects are found
n other sections, these comprise the
bulk OF the tin discoveries as far Is
has been prospected. The districts east
and south OF Harvey peak show richer
prospects than most Of the others,
several veins recently discovered
near Custer are very promising. The
first tin discovered was in the Harvey
district, and located as the Eta mine.
This o%utcropping was very rich and OF
vast proportions. On the strength OF
this prospect the Eta tin company, |
now called the Harvey Peak Mining and
Milling company, was first organized.
The Eta claim at present is developed
by'several open cuts, a tunnel about
one hundred feet and shaft about ninety
feet, and has good ore in sight. The
mine is not being worked at present, the
company having transferred their oper-
atoms to other portions OF their proper
ties. In this district, the Harvey, there
are many fine lodges, more or less de-
veloped, and
ALL SHOW GOOD ORE
in apparently unlimited quantity, one
being able to trace the veins thousands
| OF feet. The Iron creek and Battle creek
districts are in the southern hills, about
t%wenty-four miles from Rapid City and
twelve miles from Hermosa, the nearest
railroad point. They are without
doubt the richest seetien SO far kHewn.
! Veins OF ore from ten to twenty feet in
width can be traced mile after mile, the
lodges stand from 600 to 800 feet above
creek levels, and where the Lodges cross
the streams the tin can be found as well
as on the top, showing eyen on one
claim Of 1,5OOx3OO feet ore virtually
in sight OF manv thousand tons. Field
assays made OF ores from different lodges
in this district showed averages OF over
3 per cent. tin to ton OF ore, and in
numerous instances specimens that as.
sayed over 80 per cent. The Bismarck
district is a mere fat formation, many
lodges having been discovered from thu
float, and uncovered by running ope1
cuts. These Lodges will average from
four to ten feet in width, and are rich il
ore, and though not having so many
facilities for mining as the Iron Creel
district, still will be immensely prof
table in the future. The Hill City dis
trict, where the Harvey Peak tin com
pany is making it's head quarters, has
many fine v%eins..of ore, and though not
as wide nor apparently as rich as else
where, are OF great promise. The
Tenderfoot and Custer districts arc
among the later discoveries, and have
not as much development work done on
them as those OF the eastern district
Some Of
TIE ORES OF THIS DIsTRICT
were sent to England, also to the Paris
exposition, under the regime OF the
Harvey Peak company, as remarkably
fine specimens. In Warren's Gulch a
great deal Of work has been done ano
developed fine bodies Of ore. Some rick
ore has also been found in what is
known as Niger Hill district, on the
northwestern limit OF the belt. The vein
system throughout the tin belt is plain
ly defined. The tin oxide, or cassister
lite, is found in greison rock, which has
been forced up through the slate walls
from depths below. The metal bearing
quartz differs more or less in the differ.
ent sections. The metal OF tbs eastern
portion is found mostly in albite, with
more or less mica, the latter sometimes
in large blocks but a depth is obtained
the mica seems to become finer and thu
metal finely distributed through thu
quarts. Other sections show a hard
CLASSY quarts, with punches OF almos'
pure cassitcritc, and in some instance:
pieces OF tassiterite from five to ter
pounds in weight have been found tina
assayed 70 per cent. tin. The tin-bear
ing veins west OF the Harvey peak lie il
a belt running generally in a northerl,
and southerly direction. The width o
the belt is from three to five miles. Til
vein matter is quartz with more or les
mica, but with hardly any albite. Her
the cassiterite is found in coarse crys
tails. The veins are true assures, cut
ting the formation at vairous angles
The distinction between
VEIN AND FIssURE ROCK
is clear and marked, the assures OF tn
deep veins have been made by subtel
ranean action OF movement and thei
: walls frequently bear indications OF th
: movements from mutual abrasion. TIL
. geological conditions are similar t
y those OF foreign countries. In Iro
a Creek district Chicago Company ha
Q been developing with q large force OF me
for some eighteen months, and has II
Gently erected a mill OF 100 tons dali
capacity. This mill is nearly ready t
commence work. The company has
large amount Of rich ore on the dun
for milling. The mill is run by watt
power, and also is fitted with engine
and boilers so that steam can be use
when necessary. This particular pro
erty has more development work tina
any other mine in the hills. Twely
y shafts, varying from 80 to 200 feet
y depth; three tunnels from 20 to Ii
y feet in length and various other prospe
cuts and shafts. The ore is in a trl
fissure vein OF some twenty feet in widt