Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1901-10-19
the PROSECUTORS COLUMN.

mineral discovery of uncertain
value or the prospect of mine. A
mine, on the other hand, is an ore de-
posit having passed the prospecting
stage, or mineral discovery, which
can without further development be
proftably operated. Minerals are
elementary compounds OF definite
chemical composition. They are
chemical compounds made by the
union of an acid with acid elements,
but never base with basic elements.
The base OF mineral or the basic
element is generally metal.
If, in the laboratory, metal be
dissolved in an acid and the solution
evaporated to dryness the residue 1s
called the salt of the metal. When
a similar process is performed by
nature a mineral is the result-it
being part acid and part metal.
Any ore may consist of single
mineral, but the ores OF all mines
are more often made up OF mineral
aggregates. This is also true OF
rocks which are, with but two or
three exceptions, formed of two or
more minerals which are united to-
gether in a plastic magma. Rock-
like ores are therefore mineral ag-
gregates, but rock cannot be called
an ore except in cases where the ele-
mentary constituents are united in
such way as (both in regard to
quality and quantity to be of COM
mercial Importance. Again, tech
nically speaking, none but metallic
substances occurring iii nature,
found and mined from veins or
other classes of ore deposits, and
which will Including the cost OF
mining) yield profitable metal or
metals on a commercial scale when
subjected to the ordinary processes
of metallic extraction. In the tech
nical sense in which ores are here
defined it would appear that miner
ais calcite, gypsum, magnesia, silica,
ETC., including also building stone,
mineral coal, asphaltum, ETC., could
not be classed as ores. These are all
valuable in the arts, and are used in
the native mineral state; they can
not, therefore, be technically termed
ores. Enough has already been said
to impress the fact that on the part
of the student of mining some
what thorough knowledge OF the
science of minerology is indispen-
sable in his work. Mineralology is
Justly termed the A. B. C's of all
geological science and its office is
more broadly expressed in that by
the aid of this science we are enabled
to accurately determine for our
selves the various kinds of ores,
minerals, rock formations, and SO on,
independent of the judgment of
others. This is made possible with
ores and rocks since their compo-
sition, structure and class to which
they belong are indicated by the ma
ture and kind of minerals out of
which they are formed. 1t is mani
fest, therefore, that the degree of ex-
actness with which rock formation
and ores are classified (without the
aid of analysis) will depend alto
gether upon the observers skill as
practical mineralogist. Moreover,
should the mineral chemist possess
no knowledge of mineralological
science, at great loss of time he
would be compelled to test all unta-
miliar ores and minerals for every
element in existence before he could
decide on the proper method of
quantative analysis to be employed.
In the various phases of mining
and prospecting it is incumbent
upon the prospector, aside from his
adeptness as mineralogist, to be
able to intelligently read the geologi-
cal features. of all districts explored
and make, also, the proper classiti-
cation of the rock formation contain
ing the mineral found in them. He
should become familiar with the
history of all noted mineral discov-
cries, their mode of occurrence, and
geology should be carefully studied; /;
for, in this way, advantage of the
experience of his predecessors may
be taken. In this way, also, it may
be found that III numerous cases
highly interesting and servicable
comparisons of similar discoveries
can be made. On the other hand,