The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1900-05-08
DEEP MINES.
custer County's Deep Mines and Rich
Mining DistrIcts--Their Geology
and Future Importance--The Bap-
horse-CIayton BELT.
by R. N. BELL

In the Ramshorn mine of Bay
horse, Custer county can claim
the distinction of having the
deepest and best developed cop
per-silver mine in Idaho.
This famous old property was
worked very extensively during |
the eighties, and produced silver, |
copper and gold bullion to the |
value of S2, 5OO,0O
The principal values being in
silver, active production of ore
at the mine was discontinued
when the white metal commenced
to suffer such rapid decline in
value. A small force of men,
however, has been kept constant
ly employed on the property,
entirely on development work,
and the mine has since only ship
ped two or three carloads of
selected ore, each year, sufficient
to pay current expenses.
Today, the Ramshorn mine has
six miles of open workings, ex-
posing measurable bodies of ore,
which according to conservative
estimates, contain an aggregate
gross value of So, 900, 900. Besid-
es which, all the surface ore bins,
and most of the chutes and cross
cuts in the mine are stacked full
of loose ore, ready for shipment.
There is fully 5000 tons of this
loose ore, and its average value
in silver and copper is 500 per
ton.
The canyon of Bayhorse creek
in which the Ramshorn mine,
and most of the other big mines
of the Bayhorse district, are
situated, is deep and narrow, and
presents an elaborate cross Sec
ton of the geology of the region,
as it cuts the formations almost
at right angles to their trend.
These formations embrace var
ious horizons, from the carbonif-
erous blue limestone, down to
archaen granite. Associated with
them are to be found enormous
Iintrusions of diorite, sienite,
quartz porphyry, and other more
recent igneous rocks, together
with the usual evidence of fault
ling. folding and assuring, gener-
ally accompanying these forma'
tiouS.
This is a combination of geo
logical and physical conditions,
which has come to be recognized
the world over as the most re
liable manifestation of the pres
ence of great mineral wealth, anc
in the State of Colorado, this
combination is regarded a.
almost essential in the establish
ment of successful mining camps
and the prolific production OF th'
precious metals.
The exposed granite core o
this portion of the Salmon rlvel
, range, at the head of Bayhors,'
, CANYON. is overlaid by a thicl
series of heavy bedded cambria
ouartzite. and above the quartz,
ite' several thousand feet of dar.
r col colored metamorphic states
0verlaying the slate again, com
a series of carboniferous blue an
:, Grew limestone, and dolomlte
!. 99earlv 1000 feet thick, and abov
!. lime. the foothill formations 19
S a width of two miles, are mao
II nm of tertiary lavas, tutfas' an
s recent sediments.
: This same series of formation
! IN the same general order ian
n the sc southeast slope of the rang
j ;n Tns a crescent-shaped sweep Tor
distance ii + of 80 miles, and is e.
J tensively mlnerallzeo 'no
distance. -. Sc cor
g g oonnd fissure, cutting across u
i i bedding planes of the thick II a,set seti'
!. l. Of Of metamorphic states, almost 'sa,..
!, ,, ri riobt angles. 1t courses nor, !
J. and a,@ IS south, and dips west at
- - ANGLE of so degrees. -,
% The pay streaks !. occur S,.a,lSod on sIat gsI
Thew n are about so feet apa, a,
/ along or, the upper workings al a,
( aiVeG a;ye the appearance OF two dIe clos
S y parallel veins, Butas deVeio tho
/ TSopt ~ was extended down, tne
$. nsv n,v1y veins gradually approach aon
:, Zach pasb other, and in the &c low y
~ ~ levels 1 of the mine, are not 70 {, :
le lv coed le 90 feet apart: Iney Wv "
= 4. probably unite at furtnGr o;,, Of ofp, Z,
u anJ make one strong VEN OF p