Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1891-11-28

Methods OF Testing Float and
Groupings.


The following is from the pen Of
a writer in the Denver News. and
we adsise all orospectors in this
section to read Il carefully. and next
spring, when they go forth on their
annual hnnt for hidden treasure.
keep an eve open for tin. In this
section we have the granite, mica
and all other indications of tin ore
menti ,ned below:
'For many years the general sup
position has been that there is no
tin ore in America, and / believe
that the Government at one time
offered a large reward for the dis
covery of that ore in this country.
] do not know that the reward has
ever been claimed, but | do know
that there is tin ore in various places
in the Western States and Terrific
ries, and the time is not far distant,
in my Judgment, when tin in album
dance will be produced here, not
only to supply our own wants in
that line, hut enough to supply for
eign lands, aud thereby keep at
home about $30.000,000 annually,
that is now sent abroad for that
metal alone in its various shapes.
] AS there il now very strong in
ducement for miners to prospect for
il, | want to give a few pointers as
to where and how to look for the
ore, and how to know it when they
do find il.
WHERE TIN Is FOUND.
There are several facts to bear in
mind connected with tin ore. Tin
is never found in its metallic state;
at least our best authorities on the
subject claim that a pure tin crystal
is the nearest approach to pure
crystal that has ever been found
A pure crystal runs IS 4-l0 per cent
metallic tin. This is known as cap
itherite by its scientific name, but
is simply the oxide of tin.
What is known as stream tin, are
pieces of crystal broken off by the
action of the elements from the
crystal of the tin in the vein or lode,
and have been worked down the
gulches and streams below the lodes
for thousands Of years past This
stream tin is found in all beds Of
alluvial gravel that lie between the
veins Of ore, and is obtained by min
ing precisely like placer mining.
In every pan Of dirt washed in the
tin district in the Black Hills there
is more or less of the stream tin
along with the placer gold.
A great many miners throw this
away as Of no use, thinking il il
iron. In some instances it is pure
iron, but if you find these little mug
gets below lode or vein where you
know there is mica, save all of
them yo get hold of and test them
for tin, and in most cases you will
get good assay of that metal.
Tin ore in America is almost in
variably associated with mica, and
mica is found in the granite forma-
ton in true fissure vein that car
ries white or cream-colored spar,
or what is known as alabite, fire.
qucntly a stratum of crystalized
quartz in the same vein, and in all
Of my many wears of experience in
searching tor tin ore | have never
found any other ore or metal in the
vein. except in one instance in the
Black Hills. Then | found gold in
the quartz that was imbedded in
spar. The spar contained the mica
and oxide of tin, and nothing else.
In nearly every instance the mica
is found in books, and these books
range in thickness from half an
inch TO three inches, and are lying
in every conceivable shape you can
think of except a horizontal posi-
ton. At the bottom end Of the
book you find piece of ore which
you will at once pronounce an iron
ore and of no at count, but defer your
Judgment awhile-it may be iron
and sometimes is iron, but in most
cases 1t Is an impure tin crystal.
HOW TO TEST IT.
Now, then, YOU need to test it. If
you think it is a tin crystal, take
pound or two and puiverize it as
fine as it is possible to get it-you
can not get it too fine-then pan il
out until the water is clear, and you
will find heavy powder where you
would find the gold if hunting for
that metal: but as YOU are aftor tin
you work little differently.
This powder-if it is the oxide Of
tin, as you think il may he--will be
one Of five different colors. II may
be IA light or dark brown, steel
gray or blue black in color. After
you get this far with il, unless you
are fully competent assayer. dry
the powder, send il to the best as
sayer you know of, call for an ASSAY
for tin, send him a 50 bill. and il il
is tin il is worth ten times that
amount