The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-06-30

SLOGAN district, from 80 10 200 ounces OF
silver Here II occurs In fairly MASSIVE
impure lirnestones and states. Galena dli-
ser,ng In no way IN appearance, coming
from Lower Kootenay lake or the Lardeaa
country, carries far less silver. The same
Is true OF the great galena bodies OF East
kootenay.
This variety forms the largest ore bodies;
IL seems 10 be the mother mineral or the
chief n.surs veins. Calcite crystals and
chalcopyrite are sometimes intimately
mixed with It, as in the great SLOGAN star
mine.
Steel galena Is of granular texture. with
some resemblance TO broken iron. IL oc-
ours In patches through the cubieai variety
but is seldom found in large bodies. Az
SAYS made upon this usually show II 70
carry a higher percentage of silver than
the preceding.
Wayy eaIena Is OF much the same tex
turs as steel galena. but Is more lustrons
and is follated. giving X somewhat IA
minated appearance. The value or THIS
variety often exceeds that OF the others
mentioned The relative values OF these
varieties. together with the fact that 10
cality bears such a strong relation TO their
silver value may go to show that the
silver itself exists outside OF a chemical
combination with this mineral. Silver Is
found throughout the whole range, per-
vaIing all formations and associated with
so many different minerals that the ques-
ton Of the form in which IL Is present De
comes interesting.
Tetrahedrite. or gray copper, IT, widely
REPRESENTED and much sought after ~ ~
usually OF dark gray color Win laitis
irfdescence and a texture like steel gaiena.
SneeIrnens OF this carry from 200 ounces 70
600 ounces OF silver. II occurs associated
with galena. zinc blende and calcite, giving
upon Aeconposition very beauttful ores OF
azurfte and malachIie. Silver has entered
into many curious relations where the
absence OF galena has caused Its associa-
ton with some other mineral one case
occurs near Slokan lake. where little
punches OF native arsenic have been touha
containing 900 ounces to the ton
In one OF the principal producing mines,
the Alamo upon Silver mountain, IL IS
found with anthony. giving very rich
ore. This IS known az antimonial sh-
yer. The mineral is very dark gray, some
times family streaked, and occurs as
small matches included in a matrix OF
cublcal gaiena-
Silver is found in combination. as syl-
vanlte in one mine near SLOGAN lake. as
ruby silver in several places and as native
silver flaments and silver sulphides all
about the limits of the SLOGAN area OF lime
stones in granite.
the district and are rarely found in the
main galcna limestone belt
Argentite is usually associated with iron
pyrites IN a coarseiy crystalilzed gangue
Of quartz often this mineral ia well crys-
tallized. but in most cases II occurs chiefly
as fine black dust or stain. The veins.
having comb-like structure, easily open
70 decomposing agencies.
Usually a paving quantity OF gold is as
ISOLATED with the argentite ores Some OF
the veins are banded. A notable example
occurs az the Exchange mine. near SLOGAN
City. Here there "a first a band OF Opaque
milky quartz. some inches In thickness.
Next 20 this comes an inch band OF iron
pyrites always Wei crystailized) mixed
with silver sulphIde dust An inch from
this, IA a clearer quartz. there occurs =
distinct broken lamlna OF native silver.
This arrangement Is repeated four times.
The pyTitous band ASSAYS 27n ounces IN sill
YER. There are no pyrites with the native
silver hand II would be interesting 20
aRd What relations exsst between the py-
rites and silver suiphide. and II silver ex-
lists as a sulphide below the line OF decom-
position.
As regards gold. there is little evidence
OF tts occurrence IN a free state. II does
occur SO in few places along the east side
% Siocsn lake, in a quartz gangue. but
even here the ore body carries so much
y
unfit for free milling Usually the gold is
Intimately associated with pyrlfous mat
;eT. such as srsenicaI iron. chaicopyrste
and pyrrhOtse as IN the Trail creek coun-
try. One OF the deposits carrying gold IN
free state also carries = In combination
IS sylvanite. bu. this Is rare
Very Httle gold Is found in the galena
mines. What IS produced seems 20 be de-
rived from the pyritcus matter contained
therein.
The Trail creek gold ores are mixture
81 chalc0pyrite ard pyrrho1Ite. greatly ~
ssmbing the Sudbury nickel ores. They
carry from hair an ounce 20 Eve ounces in
gold. Assayers of this ore have come TO
the conclusion that there IS a direct pro-
portion between the amount % chaIcouy-
rite present and the gold contained. Some
such relation as exists between the copper
and nickel IN certain nickel ores.
As this region becomes more develaraA
there VII doubtless be found rnanv rara
and interesting mineral ~0-nf.inatfor,a =.
Is bat four years since s. was a wilderness
~ which some stray prospectors found ths
nrst galena lode.