Arizona daily citizen., 1901-08-10
The Altar Copper Mines.
(From the Jerome Mining News

Mitchell ana Arthur AOruinef from thclt
visit to the properties OF the Altar Min
ing Company in Altar District, Sonora,
Mexico, so many inquiries have been
! directed to them concerning the results
OF their investigations that they have
decided to give out for publication q
statement ofwhat they saw and learned,
for the information OF those who pur-
chased the first issue of stock, as well as
the public generally. Accordingly they
have authorized the following, with the
assurance that special care has been OBJ
served to avoid exaggeration in every
detail, and give only the exact facts.
This assurance coming from these we'll
known gentlemen is quite sufficient to
satisfy those acquainted with their char
acters and high standing in this COM
munity. For the benefit of Others, how
ever, it may be added that they are
both old residents of Jerome, and men
in whom their friends and acquaintance
have found reason to place implicit con-
fidence. Mr.. Mitchell, who is metal
| lurgist of many years experience, is the
present superintendent ofthe United Yer
de Copper Company's smelter Mr..
Cordiner is a member ofthe firm of Hoov-
er & Cordincr, proprictors ofthe Fashion
j
practical experience in mining
The properties of the Altar Copper
Mining Company consists oftwo groups
comprising 1873 pertenencias, or about
345 acres, all under patent from the
Mexican government, The Montana
! Verdi group which contains 81 pertencn-
cias, or about 1865 acres, is situated three
miles from the Altar river, and about 40
miles north westerly from Santa Ana,
town ON the Sonora railway So miles
south of Nogalcs. 1t is easily accessible
| from Santa Ana by a splendid wagon
| road, aud the cost of freighting to and
! from that point is only SO per ton III
Mexican money, or So in gold. The
| Town of Altar, the seat of the district, is
/ % miles distant in south-westeriy di-
rection from the group, by an equally
good road. ] he altitude at the Mon
tana Verdi is about 2 600 feet above sea
level. Along the Altar river, within a
lew miles OF the property, are number
OF productive ranches. and n couple OF
/ -four mills. The face of the country on,
| and in the vicinity Of, the group may I've
said to he mountainous. though the
mountains are not high or steep, and
resemble more rolling hills. There is All
abundance of timber suitable for both
fuel and mine timbcring within easy dis
tancc and accessible by wagon. The Al
tar river is n perennial stream, having ii
good flow Of never failing water. more
Than sufficient to supply the ranches
along the banks. It's waters can he very
easily made available for use upon the
Montana Verdi, by the construction OF
ditch to tap the stream Il short distance
above the nine, and the company is now
negotiating with the OWNER OF large wat
er rights in the river. for the purchase OF
n right to divert sufficient water to sup
ply the property in this manner for all
time to come.
The group as a whole is not especially
rough, being rather undulating, but the
surface over nearly the entire area. is
much broken by almost innumcrabe
rock groupings and promiaences Of all
shapes and sizes. These CT Ioppings do
not appear to heiu iedge formation, but
project in the form OF great detached
masses and bouiders without any regu-
iarity whatever in the manner of their
empiacement. Everywhere they show a
vivid green in color, and examination
shows them to be largely carbonates OF
copper, oxides Of copper and oxides Of
iron, of all kinds and grades, the carbon
ates predominating. In the depressions
between these masses of Groupings, the
surface is earth which has evidently
been formed to a considerable extent
from the decomposition of the rock crop
pings. Judging from its appearance, and
is strcwu over with small pieces OF float
ofthc same general character asthe rock. |
This earth or dirt. however, is very SUI
per6cial, and it is only necessary to dig |
short distance before rock closely re-
sembling the surface Groupings is Gu
countered. Assays of this surface rock |
made after returning to Jerome show |
that it will run on an average six per |
cent copper, and Mr., Mitchell Is of the |
opinion that there is enough of it IN
sight to fully Justify the installation at |
once OF a 100-ton blast furnace on the
property and the commencement OF
smelling operations on substantial
scale The cost of freighting to and
from Santa Ana would be more than ov-
crcome by the cheapuess OF both labor
and fuel The established wages of drill
men is So per day in Mexican money, or
81 day in gold. Outside men receive
SILL per day. s713 cents in gQld. Hard
per cord in gold.
Il
perty is not extensive. vertical shaft
has been sunk to depth oi ti5 feet. An
examination of the walls of this shaft
shows an exceedingly irregular forma-
ton and ntultiiorm characters of rock,
varying from rich sulphidcs OF copper
near the surface to blue slate impreg-
mated to some extent withquartz streak
ed with sulphidcs at the bottom. Assays
of the ore taken from the upper part off
the shaft run from to 10 per cent cop
per, IL is the intention of the company
to continue the shaft to depth OF 100
feet. and then drift through the ore
body. large force OF men is now Mt
work.
II is impossible for any person to look
over this group, to walk over and among
the masses of mineralizcd rock and note
that characteristic greenish appearance
everywhere in evidence, without forming
the positive conviction that underneath
his feet lies hidden an immense body of
copper ore, greater perhaps, if the indi-
cations count for nlthing, than has
ever vet been uncovered He cannot be
brought to the belief that this copper ore
came from any other source or direction
than below, nor that the visible copper
in the orc was deposited upon tho crest
of the hill where the ore occurs, by tho
action of any surface stream. But
though he will conclude his inspection of
the Montana Verdi with the firm convic-
ton that little dc ,clopnent work will
demonstrate what appears now so evil