Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1895-01-24
Southeast Missouri Mineral Region.

0OuIUeGSL MlSSOuTl MluSIdA 0cSAOA'
III.
THE DERBY LEAD COMPANY'S
property adjoins the Central Mine. and
Flat River runs through it. A shaft is
to be sunk on this property, which con-
talns seven hundred acres and has been
thoroughly prospected with diamond
drill. The lead-bearing limestone
here was struck at a depth from four
to FIVE hundred feet. The drillings
show a we'll defined stratum of dissem-
mated lead rock, varying in thickness
from twenty to sixty feet. Some of the
drillings show the stratum or deposit
to be very rich. There have beer
some thirty or thirty-five holes drilled,
which proves this to be valuable
property. If we take into considera-
ton the number of mines now in oper-
alton in this Flat River district, giving
employment to a large number of men,
and the number of stores it takes to
supply the wants of the people in
those mining towns, their Importance
to the locality is demonstrated. 1t
would surprise great many people to
see the amount of business done from
St. Joe to Doe Run. distance of only
sixteen miles, which is penetrated by
the NJ, B. and Doe Run Railroad.
There is a difference of opinion even
with the geologists, mining engineers,
and mining experts, in regard to the
formation of these lead ores. That
the lead is found in the limestone there
is no question. In a great maLy in
stances it is scattered as evenly as a
sower would SOW his wheat il the soil.
In all of the mines the lead is dissent
mated in every small particles: in some
instances it is smaller than grains of
wheat, while in some places it is near
ly solid from two to four feet thick.
L udt G1o STD dt SoulC POlAou "eso %
great factor in its dissemination there
is no doubt.
Flat River region lies in a basin; its
headwaters extend from near Bis
marck up to the divide which sepa-
rates Doe Run Mines and the head
waters of St. Francis River. 1 am
speaking now of the old Doe Run
Mines, which are located on the head
waters of st. Francis River, and
should be classed with Mine La Motto
lead region, and not with the Flat
River district. We have here a vast
body of dissemination of lead ores,
varying in thickness from two to sew
enty-five feet, in limestone rock.
This dissemination is found in several
beds, separated by beds of limestone
without particle of lead to be seen in
it; in fact, layers of rock occur some
times only few inches thick (between
two deposits of disseminated ore)which
contain no lead whatever. In nearly
every instance where two separate
beds occur, the limestone which sepa-
rates the two ore deposits is general
ly barren of all mineral. Itmust not
be understood that this vast terri
tory is all underlaid with mineral
Whoever is of that opinion will be de-
ceived. While there is large num-
Der of good properties opened up, and
others in course of prospecting, it
will be found to contain no mineral
whatever, or in such small quantities
that it would not pay to mine for it.
In the early days, lead mining in this
State was chiefly clay digging; that is
the lead or galena was found in the
clay near the surface, and latterly in
openings or caves in the limestone.
Washington county is noted for her
lead mines, with her copper and zinc
vet urdeveloped. Jl'It ii' this
county several lead mines in operation,
known as the Old Mines, Palmer, Lam
bert, Kingston, Gum Di ygings, Citadel,
and a number of others. Potosi is the
county seat, and is surrounded with
lead diggings. Here the surface has
been dug over for several miles; in
fact, the whole county has been pros
pected, either by shallow digging or
shafts. There is no regular system of
mining carried on in this county. Min
ing is generally done by the miner
who leases certain number of feet and
pays royalty to the owner of the
land for all lead sold. No deep min
ing has ever been done in this county;
one hundred feet is about the depth
reached by the shaft, and the lead is
always found in openings or caves. In
ST. Francois county the first lead min
ing was done by sinking pits or holes
in the clay to the bed rock. The ga
lena or lead ore was found in the clay,
and sometimes led to the openings in