The evening times., 1899-05-09
PORTO RlCO'S GOLD
AND :OfABR METALS
Insular Boards Reportto Treat
of Mineral Wealth.
American Capital Soon to Develop
Rich Iron Deposits.
Thirty-nve Million Tons of Magnetic
Ore in SiEht-Fuels, and LaEoOns
That Produce Salt.

The Insular Commission, in the report
which 1t is engaged in preparing for pres
entation to the President, will treat espe-
cially OF the mineral resources OF Porto
Rico The Commission has been Impress
ed with the mineral wealth of Americas
West Indian possession. The metallic min
erals most frequently found are gold, car
Donate and sulphide Of copper, and mag
netic oxide OF iron. Traces of lead and
Indications of mercury, manganese, and
bismuth have also been observed.
Almost since the date Of the discovery
of the island 1t is said that gold has been
washed in small quantities from many OF
its rivers, especially those OF the north and
cast end, notably the Luquillo and Lola.
Gold also occurs in the streams near Cor
ozal, a village on the north central side of
the island. 1t is said that it has Fever
been found in great quantities, so cents to
81 representing the average product OF
hard days labor The gold is obtained by
the natives from the river sand and gravel.
The mother rock Of this metal has never
been determined. Lately a great many
American prospectors have been search
ing for quartz veins toward the heads OF
the streams.
Robert T. Hill, Of the Geological Survey
after an examination of the gold-bearing
territory. has given the opinion, however,
| that no true quartz veins will be found,
though he suspects the presence OF some
small stringer veins. 1t is considered
probable that the vein material Of the gold
in the mother rocks is pyrite. Experience
has shown that the placer deposits are not
rich. American prospectors find that the
matrix is entirely different from that with
| which they are familiar, the general geo.
logical conditions resembling those of Co
| Iombia and Panama. more than those of
the North American gold fields.
Porto Rico is rich in iron. Nine-tenths
| of the rocks Of the island are OF basic
nature and contain a large proportion Of
iron. 1t is said that inasmuch as these
| have long been undergoing oxidiZation and
alteration the conditions are theoretically
, favorable for the occurrence Of valuable
| deposits and, In one or two instances,
| these undoubtedly exist, notably north of
Juncos. At this place there is large de-
posit of magnetic iron ore OF great purity,
containing 66 per cent of iron and an ex-
| ceedingly small percentage of phosphorus.
| A French engineer has calculated that
there are at least 81. eco tons of this ore in
! sight.
| II is the opinion OF the Insular Commits
| sion that this is the most valuable mineral
resource of the island, and American CAPT
| tai will soon develop il. 1t is said that
| the conditions of this deposit could not be
more favorable. The ore is encountered
| in compact masses, easy of extraction and
is covered only by light layer of earth.
Ii constitutes a small hill. at the opening
! of a plain which leads to port by per
! cent grade. The shipping port, Naguabo.
| is said to admit ships Of twenty tset draft.
Copper pyrite and the stains OF carbon
ate of copper are frequently met with in
| the central mountain region. Gypsum oc-
ours rather abundantly. IL Is said. in for
nation consisting Of yellow mari. which
is extensively developed along the south
ern side OF the Central Mountains. just
north CT the village Of Juana DiaZ. 1t has
also been reported in other localities. no.
| tably near Ponce. 1t Is said that the de-
| posits are Of an impure character. being
largely mixed with sand and clay. but are
| of sufficient value for the manufacture of
a low grade Of plaster. such as Is exten-
| sively used in the country for stucco and
for fertilizers. This material is used ex-
tensively for plaster in the city Of Ponce.
| Chalk. clay. and silica for artificial ce-
| ments also abound in the coast formations.
There are said to be vast deposits OF fer
| tilizing earth in the island. Greens and
| marls occur in great abundance on the
| road from Lares to San Sebastian imme-
diately adjacent to a rich and productive
| coffee region in which many abandoned
acres of 'renate." as exhausted lands in
| the tropics are called, may already be
| seen Line marls abound everywhere
around the coast A large area of the
southern coast consists of rocks similar to
those of Sombrero. Navassa. and other ISL
ands which abound in phosphates.
In the matter OF fuels. 1t is said that
near Moca there is a deposit of Ignite
we'll worthy Of development Amber has
also been found in these beds. In the
western part OF the island, near San Sc
bestian. there is an extensive formation
Of bituminous clay which contains large
percentage Of Ignite.
There are many lagoons around the ISL
and from which large quantities of salt are
obtained by natural evaporation Of the
brine The principal deposits are the sa-
lines Of Coama. Guanica. and Cabo Rojo
1t is said that salt enough to supply the
island may easily be obtained from thess
deposits.