Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-04-23
Mining Items.

|
development of the ore bodies. This is
quite an old property having been work
ed off and on for period Of Is years,
but notwithstanding, no considerable
depth has ever been reached on the
ledge.
THE LIZZIE GROUP.
The work of development upon the
above group Of mines, located near this
place, is still progressing, two shifts
being employed. The main shaft, being
sunk from the station in the tunnel, has
attained depth of about 40 feet, maxi
ing the vertical depth from the surface
about $50 feet. The vein has steadily
increased in. width from the surface,
and is about 8 feet wide in the present
workings. This ysinj occurs in a
quartzite formation, and crosses at al
most right angle an immense quartzite
dixie, which is fully 800 feet in width.
This dixie runs southeast and northwest,
forming high mountain ridge of
quartzite Of the primitive variety, and
is bounded on either side by the coun-
try rock, which is of slate of archean or
micaceous character. This dixie has q
dip to the southwest of about 20 degrees
from the horizontal. Tns ore in the
vein is silicious, and highly mincralized
with iron and copper, carrying GOLD and
some silver. The walls are very solid
and smooth, with a tale gouge matter
intervening. The copper ore occurs
largely in the tale at present depth, and
is mostly composed Of green carbonate
and copper glance. 1t is expected that,
at water level, this will change to a
sulphide, or copper and iron pyrite.
This is essentially a smelling ore, and
would be, with the addition of a little
lime, self fluxing, entailing small ex.
pense in its reduction. The vein runs
from southeast to northwest, cutting the
formation, and has all Of the character
istics of true fissure.
The facilities here for cheap mining
and reduction, with a plant established
on the ground, are most excellent. The
| elevation from the creek, which flows
at the foot Of the mountain, up to the
| level Of the tunnel, is sufficient to admit
of the ore being delivered into the top
Of the mill by its own gravity. There is
an abundance of water in Freu.ch creek
for all purposes, and plenty Of timber
for mining purposes is found, not only
upon the Lizzie mine proper, but on all
Of the claims comprising this extensive
group. Numerous tests of the ore have
been made both in the Hills and abroad
which range from $500 to $4,000 per
ton in gold. The copper occurs in kid
ney form, and sample tests show con-
tent of from 5 to 50 per cent metallic
copper. There are a number Of very
promising veins in this group, which
from all indications will prove in their
development equally as good as the one
above described, which it is but fair to
suppose will eventually prove to be of
material benefit to the district in which
they are located, and to the Black Hills
at large.
| A NEW DISCOVERY.
A Custer correspondent writing the
Rapid City Journal under date of April
Is, and over the nom deplume OF
"Sylyanite," says: "a new gold find
has recently been made about nine
miles northeast of this place by w. w
Challis and Alex Madill. The gold is
found in quartz associated with sylvan,
ite and tetradmite. The vein is about
eighteen inches in width, and assays all
average Of more than sixty dollars pei
ton. The concentrates show values Of
from 5000 to $1,000 per ton.
I'm 1875 squaw man named Al Gay
while out hunting near this find pick ed
up several pieces of ore which were
extraordinarily rich in free gold. Not
knowing whether it was really gold oil
not he brought them 10 Custer. After
being assured that it was gold he wen
to Ped Cloud agency and got party O
friends and bis brother, William Gay
and came back to secure his find. After
putting in part of two years looking fol
it he failed to locate the place. 1t j!
known by several old timers that be
tween French creek and Squaw creek
Gay put in most of his time looking fol
his lost mine. The ore shown by Gay
was of brown color, showing consider
able decomposed iron with liberia
sprinkling Of coarse gold. 1t is rot now
believed that the new find of Challis &
Madill is Gays lost mine, but it confirms
the opinion of all old timers that Gay
did find the gold as he represented. In
regard to Gays finding the gold as h,
said he did, there can be but little doubt
No one would put in several months
time looking for rich gold ore in on'
locality unless he was satisfied that
was there"