Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1895-05-02
COPPER IN s W. WISCONSIN.

RHeH anu NAcEe II was Ftfsl Uncovered
The Galena Gazette OF last week had
and item TO the effect that a vein OF
copper p to feet thick had been dis
covered on Blue River, at a point
eight miles from Highland and seven
miles from Muscoda. The item entire
may be found in another column Of
this paper
The statement that it is the first
copper ever discovered in Southwest
ern Wisconsin is however incorrect.
Many years ago 'considera bic copper
ore was raised in Mineral Point and
there was a furnace operated for a
time in smelling the ore raised. Cop
per ore has been mined in this town
to some extent, we think about forty
or fifty years ago. 1t does not seem,
however, to have been found in suffi-
cient quantities in Mineral Point or
this town to be profitable and hence
the digging of copper was many years
ago abandoned.
The main significance of the discov-
cry reported. assuming the same to be
true, is in the fact that the location of
the find is what used to be called the
Lower Magnetism Limestone, north of
St. Peters Sandstone. and north of
the mineral producing district Of
Southwest Wisconsin, as bounded by
the biologists whose dictims have
come to be generally accepted. Elk
Guiding Percival and Murrish possibly
also Owens. the general concurrence
of geologists has been that the above
named ned of limestone was barren.
1t has been an idea of theory that has
damned the Lead Mine section for
years. As mining country ours has
been reported as one of simply '.gash
/ veius''. and them confined to the Up
per Magnetism, now called Galena
Limestone. 1t was true that it was a
! theory that did violence to sound and
established geological principles,
| being in truth the now exploded Wer-
merriam theory applied to our region;
but If has been effective in thatit hasde-
tered prospectors from going through
the St. Peters Sandstone into the Lower
Magnetism Limestone.
| The new find, taken in connection
with the finds of lead ore north of
fact that the Lower Magnetism is a
mineral bearing stratum. II we link
that fact to the general geological
principle now held To be established
with respect to mineral veins, that
the deeper you 90. the stratums being
chemically equally favorable for the
/ deposit of the ore with that above, the
Ia. - Tie deposit Of ole viii be found
to be. we establish the great prob
ability of the Lower Magnetism Lime
stone under our lead bearing belts
being very rich in lead ores. 1t is
true that there is an apparent objec-
ton to such a conclusion in the fact
that no veins penetrate the Sandstone.
That stratum is, as it were, dead
wall. And yet, as matter Of fact,
the apparent objection in the light OF
actual knowledge and experience is
not of special force. In the lead dis.
tricts of Derbyshire, England, the
upper lead bearing stratum is sue,
ceeded by one of considerable thick.
ness and exceeding hardness locally
called the ..Toadskin.'' In that nc
veins penetrate and no ore is found
1t is absolutely barren. But below il
land for long time it was a barrier
to miners as our Sandstone has beer
ores in greater abundance were
found; though as we remember the
lead gave place to zinc ind copper
ores. The lead ore district of Silesia
Germany, also presented to the frs
miners a barren statum below tn,
first mineral bearing one. Upon tn,
whole we are fully persuaded that thu
Lower Magnetism Limestone as min
eral bearing rock: furthermore we ar,
inclined to the idea that it may b,
more rich in zinc and copper than il
lead
What this country needs is pros
pector with diamond drill Their,
is a great Field here. And in this
connection we remark that gentle.
man of Mineral Point is thinking o.
getting such an outfit The boon
may be just at hand. Southwes
i Wisconsin.
Holm Walters