Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-08-16
NEW EXICOMINERAL
The Great Variety Found Within
the Limits Of the Great
Territory.
PROSPECTING NOW GENERAL
Mines Worked Three Centuries Ago-Al-
most Every Species Of Mineral Known
May Be Found-Gold, Coal, Silver
and Copper in Abundance.

New Mexico, perhaps, has a greater
variety Of minerals, economic clays and
stones, than has any other state or ter
ritory in the Union.
Generally speaking, there are but
comparatively few minerals not COM
mon to the rock formation of the terri
tory. Many of the purest and finest cab
non and rare minerals, come from New
Mexico.
The natural diversified formations
with their local peculiarities make New
Mexico one of the most interesting Sec
tions for geological study Of any Of the
sister states.
We find exposed within the territory
almost the entire geological column;
from the metamorphic contorted strata
Of the Archaean to the Goa beds of the
Tertiary, is here exposed. These rock
formations are not only exciting the at
tention of our local biologists, but are
attracting eminent scientists Of our
eastern and foreign universities, who
find geologic features here, the like no
where else to be found in the world.
Everything concerning the geology,
Photography and mineralogy of this ia
vored field is always read with interest
ter of fact that the Territory of New
Mexico, so far as concerns the noun
famous portion which comprises about
two-thirds of its area and is most all
mineral bearing, is less known geologi-
cally, perhaps, than any other section of
the United States, Alaska and the new
possessions excepted.
A brief study Of the plateau region of
the northwestern portion Of the terri
tory has been made, a few years ago,
under the direction of the United States
geological survey, but this was done in
a somewhat general and abbreviated
way. No attempt has ever been made
under government auspices to investi-
gate closely the geological structure
and neurological features Of the New
Mexican mountains such as has been
carried out in other Rocky mountain
states and territories.
Absolutely no work has ever been at
tempted by the general government in
the study of the conditions of the miner
al deposits of New Mexico, as has been
done in Colorado by Emmons, in Neva-
da by Curtis, in California by Becker,
and in other states by distinguished in
vestigators.
In view Of the Importance, necessity
and lack of such scientific investigation
in the economic geologic of
New Mexico, the territorial legislature
wisely passed a joint memorial, memo
rializing the congress Of the United
States to set aside, and appropriate the
sum of $4,000 annually, to be expended
under the direction Of the trustees of
the Territorial School of Mines at So
zorro, for Investigating the geological,
meteorological and Photographed fea-
lures and resources Of the territory, and
in the experimentation of metallurigical
methods of ore treatment.
Should the territory succeed in obtain
ing this appropriation, the good derived
therefrom would be Of inestimable
value. The people Of New Mexico ex-
pect and demand earnest work on the
part of Hon. Pedro Perea, delegate to
congress, for this appropriation.
1t is the writer's opinion that no Sec
ton of this country offers a more invit-
ing field for prospecting and invest
ments in mining enterprises than is to
be found within the borders Of New
Mexico.
The early Spanish explorers recog-
nized the unlimited Of this
territory and worked it's mines Of gold,
silver, copper and lead more than three
centuries ago.
The great deposits of copper at Santa
Rita and Hanover bear unmistakable
evidence Of profitable mining and met
allurgical operations in this important
conscious of the existence Of these
deposits.
The old bells Of Santa Fe and Socorro
the first to ring out in the United States,
were likely cast from copper transport
ed from the Santa Rita and Hanover
mines.
The gold placers existing in the coun-
ties Of Santa Fe, Rio Arriba, Taos, Mo
ra, western Colfax and elsewhere will
in the near future be worked by more
modern methods and will no doubt
prove very profitable to the investor.
Some Of these placers have already
produced almost fabulous wealth, and
nuggets Of very pure gold have been
found, varying in value from $500 to
$1,000.
The great silver, lead and zinc depos-
its Of the Black range lie almost DOR
mant, awaiting to be tickled by the
miners pick and shovel.
The rich districts Of Magdalena, KEEL
ly, Rosedale and Water Canon will con-
vince the most skeptical of the favor
able neurological features Of that Sec
ton Of the country.
Elizabethtown, long known for its
golden nuggets, with the Red river, Am
izette and La Belle districts, simply lie
at the southern limit Of the range which
electrified the world In the riches of
Cripple Creek.
The mica deposits near Tres Piedras
have recently passed into the hands Of a
syndicate, and will oon be q steady
producer. The quantity Of mica is said
to be very great and the quality excel
lent.
New Mexico is the producer Of a very
rare and precious stone-turquois. This
exquisite turquois is considered by ex-
perts to far exceed in beauty the gems
of the Orient. The American Turquois