Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1901-06-07

| The Advocate Is constantly receiving
from all parts of the country, letters
asking the above and following ques-
tions. To answer correspondents, to
give reliable, accurate and authentic
Information, and to fhs<her advance
our great interests is the 0sst of this
article:
Is gold found at lIllsboro In Tkartz
veins or in placers? In both, but prfa..
cipally In fssure veins. Between two
and three hundred claims have been To-
lated on these veins which show pay
ore at the surface and the work done
on these varies from mere assessment
holes to the principal mines that have
been developed to Il depth OF 800 feet.
What is the nature OF the ore? Cop
per and iron sulphide and some COM
paratively free milling quartz. With
depth the ore becomes smelling and
concentrating material. The percent
age of copper In the ore shipped to the
in concentrates sometimes as high as
twenty units. Silica In crude ore from
forty to elghtyfive. Smelter certih-
Gates show the ore to carry from two
to fourteen ounces Of gold, from three
to sixty ounces silver. The bulk of the
ore and concentrates shipped, however,
VIII average about SO per ton.
Has there been any large producthon
The Opportunity group has produced
23,oOO tons of ore and over hnlf a mill
Lon dollars. The Bonanza nine 1000
tons and $20O,Ooo. The Richmond 5000
tons ond over 100000. These are the
largest producers so far.
Are the milling facilities good? Prnc-
ticaily they are not-the saving has
been from fifty to seventy five per
cent at the best. A modern custom
min is badly needed and fortune
awaits the parties who viii build one
Sufficient water and an ideal conccn-
trating ore, with proper appliances
ninety to ninety-flve per cent. would be
the saving.
WIN the owners let go easy, or do
they want the earth? They are reas-
enable people, but they are not giving
away their mines, or giving bonds on
longtime ralnbows During the past
two years some thirty mines have been
soid, mostly around Ammas Peak, and
the highest price paid was $1,000.
That mih.. sas become the largest pro-
ducing and the best paying In the dis
trict and the owners would now ask
a very large sum. The greatly inn
proved price of copper aud lower
smelling rates have OF late been very
beneficial to these mines. With a good
custom mill the progress would be
rapid.
What are ore s.'ghts? From the
mine to the El paso smoiter from 50
to 81 per ton; from mine TO mill Is
cents to Sl.5o per ton.
What Is the geological formation?
An eruptiye country rock, by the ex-
perts clnssed as AndesIte; the ore veins
are found accompanying dikes Of fine
grained felsite and brdseye porphyry
which cut through the country north
east and southwest Most Of the veins
are fairly easy working, on drift con
tracts prices have been from S3 to 80
per foot. Incline shafts on vein are
chenply driven but vertical shafts IN
country rock have generally been found
very expensive.
Is there much snow In winter? Not
enough TO swear by; the climate, win
ter aud summer, is from miners
point OF view. perfect. No snowslides
and no pneumonia for the miner to
dread.
IL there much placer mining? There
IL an extensive placer field which Is
open to locators and there are always
some men at work who make from 81
to S5 per day. An occasional nugget
brings up the average. or course some
men are lucker than others. here as
elsewhere. Most Of the gold IL found
within few feet of the surface. The
miners scoop up the pay streak dirt
and run II through dry washing ma
chimes. The nearest water Is distant
five miles and about 400 feet below the
gold level. Several companies have
been formed TO work these placers on
high scale. but the immense cost of
bringing In sufficient water has made
the project appear OF doubtful profit
A new company has recently been or
ganized to exploit this field with ma
chine Of the Bucyrus type-thls Is
probably the very best method and
likely to succeed.