Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1891-07-03

tana show that the granite is as
favorable formation as any other
for the production of the precious
metals, a specimen in my collection
is a lump of granite half of which
is replaced by native silver.
One of the most runious and unra-
tional beliefs is that with increase
of depth richer and more abundant
ore Is found. The most of mines,
10 my knowledge, contain uniform
grade of ore without regard to their
relative position to the surface,
while quiet number have proven
to contain rich ores only near the
surface, and some OF them kept
growing poorer with depth. The
richest ores of Leadville came from
the outcrops and the famous Tryer
hill bonanzas, like the X. E. Lee
and Matchless were found in the
wash. The richest ore in the Com
stock, solid argentite full of native
shot gold, was only found in the
, apex. Quite number OF the large,
|, low grade silver mines were dlscov-
} cred by the finding OF large slabs
: of natives silver in their outcrops.
: The belief that y true assure
vein is the only type of profitable
2 ore deposits has received such
0 marked contradiction that it should
8 be forever banished from record.
+ The Bassick mine in Colorado Is a
n spent gyser, the Leadville mines
e are blankets, the Eureka of Nevada
r and st. Eulalia of chihuahua are
n irregular limestone ortices filled
e with ore. The Blackhills gold
r mines of Dakota are conglomerate
Q while the tin mines of Cornwall
3 are gashes. Each OF all these
e mines has very probably produced
g as much ore as any of the great
e assures Of the world, the Matchless
o and Comstock excepted.
n The northwest and southeast
course is also one OF the theories
If that cause a great deal OF erring
'e among the miners. All directions
y of the compass mark the course OF
# some vein. If there Is any law
al about vein trends, this is that the
h crown of vein is parallel witf
10 the axes of the mountain upon
ID which the vein exists. The eason
le is simple enough. The faulting 1t
" always parallel with the trend oI
L. the uplift and veins being nearly
le always found in the planes OF fault
III ing. one cannot see how it coule
u D0 OtOeTWlbe.
ID A mine that produces fine speci'
,e mems of gold or silver or any meta
te lie compounds of remarkable
r., beauty is by many miners consider
ke ed treacherous piece OF property
w II is even at present held by som
mt AS valueless. 1t is true that severn
he Instances could be cited whore sue
at was the case, but at the same tim
is exceptions are so much more nun
in erous that such consideration los,
,ts all their weight. No mines hay
.es produced handsomer or richie
IL specimens than the Comstoc
'ly group or the big mines OF Lnh
on Superior with their matches
rs. specimens OF native silver welde
Ill. to native copper, or the far fame
us Batopilas mines of the state
he Chihuahua and the Solid sllvt
ry, mine OF Grant county, New Mexic
en- which have produced millions {
ng dollars worth of the finest silv'
ors ore specimens. These are not a
nit the erroneous views in regard
ore deposits. Others exist whic
ok, being more local and OF smaii
ler calibre deserve no mention.
on A generic and hurtful superst
as ton belief is that held by Il
The superficial men Of the possibili
in of telling by sight the value OF ore
ure 1t cannot be done, it Is contrary
9Th reason and no trusty means exis
yer to tell the value of any ore but u
The assaying of it. Dana says, q
nd galanite is more or less argentife
uld GUS and no sxtenal characters ser
nd to distinguish the kinds that Q