Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-02-27
THE IRON DYKE
Probably Largest Body Of Gold Ore
in New Mexico Opened and
Blocked Out.
EXTENSIVE DEVELOPMENT
Millions of Dollars in Sight Northern New
Mexico Magnificent Field for Genius
and Capital Natures Store House
of Mineral Wealth.

Probably the largest body OF ore III
New Mexico, opened up and blocked out
in the mine so that it a be accurately
measured, is in the above named prop
erty. This property was secured by
bond and lease from the owners more
than a year ago, by O. Il. Steen, who as
ISOLATED with him Major Eugene Fechet
of the regular army and some New
York gentlemen and started the deve
lopment in April, 1898. The work has
been pushed continuously since that
time. The mountain being PERCEPTIONS
where the vein outcropped a tunnel was
| started and has been pushed in a dist
ance of about $50 feet along the foot
wall, At intervals of 100 feet across
cuts have been made across the ore body
to the hanging wall. In each cross
cut the ore has been continuous from
wall to wall, averaging thirty feet
in thickness between the walls.
The mountain having a pitch OF
about As degrees, the breast OF
the tunnel has at present a
vertical depth of over 300 feet. The
ore blocked out at present measures
over $50, OO0, 900 tons, while theoretically
there is in sight at least 1000, 900 tons
more. the continuity of the vein having
been proven by open cuts and shafts Tor
a distance of 5000 feet. This ore
body is all mineralized but low grade in
value. The surface shows an average
of about SIS; at a depth of 100 feet it had
increased to Z per ton, and at the pres
ent depth shows about $50. Small
stringers and seams show better values,
giving assays of three and four ounces
in gold, and some rich quartz was re-
Gently picked up on the surface that
run into the thousands in value. 1t is
no exaggeration to say there is $1 ,O0O,-
600 in sight ready for stopping as o as
a method of treatment is decided upon
that will save the values at a profit. 1t
is believed that a solution of that prob
lem is near at hand, as two tests already
made have been satisfactory. and tests
on a larger scale will probably lead to
the adoption of the one showing the
best results. Mr.. Thomas A. Edison
has made some tests of the ore
with a view of paoviding a treatment
and will probably visit the property in
the spring to make personal examina'
ton and further tests. There is a large
per zen of magnetic iron in the ore,
which accounts for the interest Mr.. Ed
ison has in the matter, as it is in line
with the methods used by him in his
big plant in New Jersey, where he il
successfully extracting IS per cent mag
netic iron from a bed of gneiss for the
value of the iron alone. Efforts have
been made for years to get Mr.. Edison
to pay some attention to the treatment
of low grade gold ores, but not unit
the past year has he shown any inter
est in the matter.
Northern New Mexico mining districts
have dozens of big low grade gold prop
critics that require local treatment to b'
operated at a profit. 1t is a magniticen
field for genius and capital, genius tt
provide the plan and capital to construc
the plants for the extraction of the I'm
told millions of gold now lying dormant
in natures storehonse of minera
wealth. The great Iron Dyke veil
cross cuts the formation of Cole
Hill for 5000 feet. Many vein!
of good ore that have recently becl
opened intersect this great vein and it II
believed by many competent mining en-
gineers who have examined it to be the
mother lode of the country. Mr.. Steen
the manager of the property, has grea'
faith in its future and believes that a
depth it will become sulphide in char
acter and car then be concentrated at :
good profit. He also believes that ricl
ore chutes will be encountered at OF
near the junction of the intersectine
veins, as is the case in many other place.
under similar conditions. The future
development of the Iron Dyke will BIZ
watched with interest in mining circles
as it is thought by those informed thai
it will become the Homestake of New
Mexico. Mr.. E. l.. Ish, who is in charge
of the work at the mine, is a Colorado
miner with years of practical experience
He has unbounded confidence in the
future Of the Iron Dyke and has proven
his faith by becoming interested in thu
property. The work will be pushed
rapidly during the next six months.