Omaha daily bee., 1899-01-16
MINING IN THE BLACK HILLS
OF WOlframite Ore in North
Lead District hOwn to- He Very
Itch Mine Owners Excited.

LEAD, 8. D., Jan. 15.-(Special. )-What
will undoubtedly prove to be one OF the
greatest discoveries ever made in the Black
Hills mas Just been made known in nlis
city. In the North Lead mining district
is located the Harrison mine, owned nv
the kuester Bros. and associates of this
city. The property has been a heavy pro.
Queer OF gold for several years, the value
OF the ore being exceptionally high. The
main shoot OF ore was twenty-five feet
wide and four feet thick, underground, and
a few months ago another large ore body
was opened on the west edge OF the claim.
at the surface.
In the last few weeks the gold values In
the underground ore shoot have been pinch
Ing out. The bre looked so rich that the
owners sent samples of it east to experts,
who made a careful analysis of it and
found 1t to be very rich wolframite ore.
The owners Of the Harrison mine have kept
the matter quiet for a month or more. To
make sure of the character and value OF
the ore they sent for a representative OF
the Phoenixville Metallurgical Steel and
Iron works OF Phoenixville, Pa, to come
out and examine the ore deposit. Prof.
D%illinger, representing thai company, ar
rived this week and after examining the
ore Immediately placed an order with the
Harrison people for forty tons Of it, paying
5000 a ton. The ore was shipped yester-
day. There is but little gold value left In
the ore shoot In the mine. the gold having
been replaced by the wolframite. As soon
as the new discovery was made known in
this city. and samples OF the ore had been
placed on exhibition, nearly every old
miner saw in 1t a we'll known ore that
has been found In many parts Of the Black
Hills. but has not been considered valuable
for the reason that the proper tests for
wolframite ore had not been made.
There was a general hustle among the
mine owners to their mining claims and
samples Of what resembles the Harrison
wolframite ore have been coming In from
all directions to the assayers of the city.
1t is stated that a number of other finds
Of the ore have been made, but the loca-
tons have not been made known as yet.
Should the body OF wolframite extend the
entire length Of the Harrison claim, It
will be 600 feet long and there is a long
stretch Of country north to Deadwood gulch
which Is likely to contain the same ore
shoot. Joining the Harrison mine on the
east Is the Durango and next the Rediy
mine. 1t is stated that the same indica-
tions OF wolframite ore Is found in these
mines.
Wolframite is a rare metal. 1t being found
principally in Germany and Russia and in
small quantities In Arizona. in this country.
1t is G tungstate Of iron and manganese and
is especially valuable for the tungstic acid
it contains. One Of the chief uses OF the
acid is for the toughening Of steel. VOL
frantic has other uses which make II one
Of the most valuable metals taken from
the ground. A few weeks ago a representa-
tive OF this same iron works at Phoenixville
purchased a carload Of this kind OF ore from
near Hill City and sent 1t east. so that 1t
is known that wolframite ore exists in the
Southern Hills.