Arizona republican., 1899-03-31
THE GOLD, SILVER AND COPPER MINES
 OF ARIZONA

Arizona is essentially a mineral
 producing territory. There is no other
 part of North America of equal area
 where probably such a variety of min-
 erals can be found. Many Of these
 minerals are extremely rare and occur
 elsewhere but sparingly and as curi-
 osities for the cabinet of the mineral
 ogIst, rather than in commercial uuau-
 titles, as in several instances in Ari-
 zona. But theres is not only a great
 variety of minerals, but the geological
 structure is varied and comprehensive.
 Representative OutcrQps ridges and
 mountains, are found of nearly all
 of the chief formations and systems
 known to the science of geology. And
 so lar there has been but comparative
 " little systematic study of these for
 nations. The field is new: the har-
 vest is ready, but the reapers are few
 This results partly from the immensity
 of the distances, the great scale upon
 which the territory is built, the ab- sence till recent years of railway trans
 portatiOn. the presence of blOodthirsty
 savages, now happily restrained, and the failure, with but few exceptions. of any appropriation of money by the general government or by the terri
 torial legislature to defray the ex- penses of exploration and publication. The unparalleled magnificence of such grand features of the earth as the can yOn of the Colorado and the chain of extinct volcanoes towering above it have, we may say. compelled attention as the monographs Of Powell and of Dutton may testify The rapid recon noissances of Sitgreaves. of Whipple of Parke Emory, Bartlett. Grey. and others are not forgotten, but the fact remains that we yet know but little, in detail of the structure of the mountain ranges of Arizona, and Of the treasures they contain.
 An attempt to show the ge graph ical distribution of the mineral wealth of the territory of Arizona results in the generaliZed statement that all of the mountain ranges are mineral bear ing.
 The chief region of metalliferous | minerals and mines thus commences | on the northwest. in Mohave county. at | the sharp bend of the Colorado river | at Callville, and it extends southeast l ward diagOnally across the territory | for nearly 800 miles in a broad belt of | high and rugged mountains. including the Bradshaw mountains. the Mazat- | gals, the White mountains, the Apache and Pinal mountains. the Santa Cata- lima mountains, the Santa Ritas, Hua- chucas, the Chiricahaus, the Dragons, the Mule mountains (Tombstcne), and other ranges. All these mountains with their spurs and subordinate parts, are known as mineral bearing. They all invite and reward faithful prospect ing. In support of this statement we need to refer only to the discovery in the granite rock of the DragOons in 1898, of valuable deposits of tungsten,
 
 promising vein of the precious metals upon the western slope of the Baboqui- vari range.
 The chief towns, cities. mining camps, and mining districts are dis tributed along the course of these mountain ranges of central and south ern Arizona in one broad belt, extend ing diagonally across Arizona from Ne vada to Mexico Commencing on the northwest end at the Colorado, we have in succession southeasterly Min eral Park, Hillside, Congress, Jerome, Prescott, Phoenix, Florence, Pinal, Mammoth, Tucson, Tombstone, Bis
 e, Pearce. Arivaca. and Gro BlancO. lac Longfellow copper mines and eth $ of Clifton lie upon the northeastern ,order of the belt while upon the 'Outhwestern border we find the cele- rated district of Harqua Haia. Wea- Ter, Nulture and many other districts. Passing farther westward, we come up- n the Zower or Piedmont region of broad and extensive valleys and plains broken by numerous isolated ridges md ranges, all trending northwest and {; parallel with each other and : with the main central axis of noun : aims. These mountain ranges anl valleys f1 ., Colorado on the west and Mexico on c he south. They are all mineral bear a ng. t
 GEOLOGY. r Within the limits of this article there I s only space fer the following brief : eological notes, and it may here be mentioned that Prof Blake, from i, whose preliminary report they are A is now engaged upon an eX ended geological report which he in- 1' ends offering to the legislature for II without charge for his a srvices u Prof. Blake is doing the territory 8 " reat service and the forthcoming re- z. ort will be of inestimable value to L, very one interested in the mineral re- '' 1urces of the territory
 GEOLOGICAL NOTES. 5l The great central mountain mesa Il Arizona generally known as g1 le BradshaWs, includes many sub visions known as Granite Weaver, pl endrick and Wickenburg mountains, T wide and diversified area. of which it bl ay be said that the rocks are crys- T lline and very ancient, representing oy ie Archaean, LaUrentan and HurO- ca an. Granite abOunds around Pres tE tt, and just beyond the Tiger vein si hich is ne3r the contact, this gran ot z is succeeded by states, sandy and m iceOus, forming part of an extensive 5velOpment Ot distinctly sedimentary m 'cks, which form great hills and eX- ar nd over castwardly to Humbug ell eek, the tributary of the Agua Fria. al