The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1896-05-15
MINING MATTERS.

son gold belt lying to the south OF the
Denver & Rio Grande railroad and be-
tween the Cochetopa and the Cebolla, a
district about forty miles long by from
twelve to fifteen miles wide. Mr.. Tonge
was accompanied by Prof. Lakes as geo
logist, and among the places visited were
the mining camps Of Iris, Chance, Vul-
can, Spencer, Du Bois, Carpenter Hill and
Tolifero, and the iron and manganese
mountains at Cebolla.
Mr.. Tonge says: Denver people 90
not seem to realize the probable richness
and greatness of this new district as a
gold producer, simply because there has
been no stir made about it. Shrewd, prae-
teal mining men Of many years expert
ence, however, have for some time past
been quietly securing the more developed
properties. For instance, at Iris, where the
country rock is schist, penetrated by num-
erous gOld-bearing quartz leads, traceable
in some cases for miles, such an expesi-
enced mining man as o. p. Posey of the
celebrated Tom Boy mine at Telluride.
has with several others secured and de-
veloped the Mineral Hill mine, which Is
now 175 feet deep, with about 1000 feet
Of drifting, the average width OF the pay
vein being five feet of free milling ore.
A twenty-stamp mill has been built, which
it is proposed to enlarge to fifty stamps in
the future, and on the completion OF 4
pumping station and pipe line from
Stubb's gulch to furnish the necessary
water the mill will start with a capacity
of sixty tons per day. Mr.. Posey and his
colleagues, after very careful investiga-
ton, acquired for a nominal figure a
group of claims with good surface show
ings, and have since spent in sinking and
drifting, in the erection and construction
of hosting plant, stamp mill and pumping
plant, about 100000, and as a result have
now practically in sight in the mine 10000
tons of ore, which can be mined n
milled for about So per ton, leaving an
average net minimum profit of $40 per
ton. These particulars are given simply
for the reason that within a radius OF 4
few miles there are numerous properties
more or less partially developed, which
present better surface showings than did
the Mineral Hill group when the present
owners took hold of it, and where there is
every reason to believe that the judicious
expenditure of capital will open up just
as good, if not better, mines than the
Mineral Hill.
The vicinity of Chance shows veins
from four to five feet thick Of almost
pure quartz, carrying a high percentage
of gold, between well-defined walls, argu-
ing strength and continuity both in length
and depth. In fact the whole region
from Mineral Hill to Vulcan shows some
what similar characteristics and fully JUS
titles the expenditure of money in de-
velopment work.
"At Vulcan, as shown in the Vulcan and
Mammoth Chimney mines, both now
closed pending the results of litigation,
there has been geyser action producing
bonanza gold deposits near the surface,
and with depth gold-bearing pyrites.
THE Spencer district is in the more
massive schists, characterized by large,
strong quartz, leads of varying values,
low grades predominating. In this dis
trict Iowa capital is developing the Iron
Cap mine with encouraging results so
Far.
THE Du Bois district on Goose creek
seems favorable for long tunnels to cross
cut q series Of strong parallel veins which
have assayed high in gold on the surface,
and Iowa capital is pushing the Du Bots
tunnel.
While at Cebolla we inspected the
great iron deposits, comprising 800 acres,
or about one and one-third square niles,
Of mineral. There are three hills, 600,
800 and 1000 feet high, respectively,
about two miles long by half a mile wide,
that is, with circumference of five miles,
composed entirely Of hematite iron and
manganese. Between sixty and seventy
openings in the form of open cuts OF
shafts, of more or less depth, all reveal a
solid formation Of either iron or manga.
nese, the area of the hemat:te being abou,
two-thirds to one-third Of manganese. ST
far as at present known this is the larges;
deposit of the kind in the world. II
comparison the celebrated Pilot Knob and
Iron Mountain of Missouri are not q cir
cumstance. In the ordinary course OF
events it can only be a few years a
furthest before the immense and valuable
deposits is opened up and utilized, in col
nection with the deposits Of hematite, coal
fire clay and lime in other parts of The
country, by a railroad up the Cebolla ant