Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-05-16
Missouri ArgentlferOus and Other Ores

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Missouri ArgentIferous and Other Ores.
On the waters of st. Francois and Black
Rivers and their tributaries, in Madison and
Iron counties, there exist immense veins of
quartz ranging in thickness from few
inches up to ten feet, carrying lead, silver,
| copper, DC. The veins in this region will
assay from four ounces up to sixty ounces
| of silver per ton. At the Silver Mountain
Mine the vein contains silver, wolfram, lead,
&C., in the outcroppings. This vein is found
in reddish syenitic granite varying in thick
ness from two to five feet. The mining de-
velopments have proved this to be deep
seated true assure vein. We must not come
to the conclusion because the Silver Noun
tain vein contains silver, lead, &c, that every
quartz vein in this region will carry or con-
tain the same kind of ores. If such opinion
exist with any one, be not deceived, for
upon development of those quartz it will be
| found that some of those veins will be bar
rem of all valuable minerals, while other
veins will be found to increase in value as
depth is attained.
| These quartz veins have all been discover
ed in granite or porphyry rocks. This rock
formation is the same or equivalent to the
tin and copper formations of Cornwall and
| England. There is no doubt that the ore
| deposits owe their origin to the granite
which has pushed its way up through the
old sedmentary districts and that the por-
phyries are notifications of the GRANTEES. 1t
is supposed by some that all our GRANTEES
and porphyries were thrown up in liquid
mass. If such was the case and the sedi-
mentary rocks had been formed previous to
that time, the flow of melted matter would
certainly have covered the younger forma-
tions. All of the mining operations that
has been carried on in Southeast Missouri
has failed to carry out any such theory.
There is undoubtedly a change in the rock
formation of the Buford and Cuthsburtson
hill, and this change was caused by internal
heat held by the underlying GRANTEES or
porphyries. There has never been discover
ed any flow of lava in this district This
region is metaiferous bearing region and
actual mining will determine the value of
such veins or deposits that have been or
may be discovered in the future. That the
veins and deposits of ores of this region
with few exceptions) have been formed
and deposited since the formation of the sur
rounding rock, no one can dispute. The
green stones have been formed since the
granite and porphpries of this region.
There are few instances where Il have
been informed) that the granite overles the
porphyry. This Is said to be in Madison
county. There are localities where it is hard
to determine which is the oldest rock form
alton, either the granite or porphyries, but
upon close observation we would have to
decide in favor of the granite being oldest of
the two. That there have been upheayals,
either gradual or sudden, in this district,
there is Io.question. Shepherd Mountain,
Shut-In Mountain and others have undoubt- |
eddy been disturbed either vertically or side |
wise, since the formation of some of the ore
veins, and il such shifting has occurred |
this will account partially for the giving out
of some of the ore deposits so suddenly.
| will cite one instance that came under |
my notice how vein can and was thrown |
out of its course or strike. The great Perran
iron vein WINS discovered at Ligger Bay, |
Cornwall, England. Uron ore in Cornwall |
almost always occur in regular veins aud
are known to extend several miles in direct |
lIne.) This vein will average thirty feet wide
and its course is about thirty-tive degrees
northwest. 1t is first seen in cliff on the |
sea coast, from here 1t can be easily traced |
inward for four miles to Deer Park, where
it takes a turn at first directly east, and |
afterwards, some degrees north of east, and
so proceeding in a curve as far as Gram
pound, a distance of about twelve miles.
In this distance this great vein crops lead,
copper and other veins.