Arizona daily citizen., 1901-08-12
The Altar Copper Mines.
(From the Jerome Mining News }

mitchell ana Arthur \OTuiner HoHl tnci'
visit to the properties OF the Altar Min
ing Company in Altar District, Sonora
Mexico, so many inquiries have beer
directed to them concerning the results
OF their Investigations that they have
decided to give out for publication n
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, 1t 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-
fidencc. Mr.. Mitchell, who is metal
lnrgist Of many years experience, 10 the
present superintendent ofthe United YER
de Copper Company's smelter. Mr..
Cordiner IS member of the firm of Hoov-
er & Cordiner, proprietors ofthe Fashion
Saloon in Jerome, and has had much
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 62 pcrtenen-
cias, or about 1876 acres, is situated three
miles from the Altar river, and about 40
| A,1 n
town on the Sonora railway 65 miles
south Of NcgaIes. 1t 10 easily accessible
from Santa Ana by splendid wagon
road, and the cost of fre'ghting to and
from that point is only $40 per ton in
Mexican money, or 30 IN gold. The
Town of Altar, the seat of the district, is
rcction from the group, by an equally
good road. The altitude ut the Mon
tana Verdi is about 2 900 feet above sen
level. Along the Altar river, within
few miles Of the property, are number
Of productive ranches, and a couple OF
ilofr mills. The face of the country on.
and iu the vicinity of, the group may le
said to be mountainous. though the
mountains are not high or steep, and
resemble more rolling hills. There is ah
fuel and mine tifnbering within easy dis
tance and accessible by wagon. The Al
tar river is n perennial stream, ha wing n
good flow OF never failing water, more
than sufficient to supply the ranches
along the banks. Its waterscal be very
easily made available for use upon the
Montana Verdi, by the construction OF a
ditch to tap the stream short distance
tsor 4e
negotiating with the owner OF large wat
er rights in the river, for the purchase OF
a right to divert sufficient water To stIp
time to come.
The group az whole is not especially
rough, being rather undulating. but the
surface ever nearly the entire area, is
much broken by almost innumerab'e e
rock groupings and promiucnces of all
shapes and sizes. These Groupings do
not appear to he in ledge formation, but
proicct in the form OF great detached
masses and bouldcrs without any regu-
iarity whatever in the manner of their
cmplacement. Everywhere they show n
vivid green in color, and examination
shows them to be largely earbonates OF
copper, oxides of copper and oxides OF
iron, Of all kinds and grades, the carbon
ntes 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 strcwn over with small pieces of float
ofthc same general character as the rock. |
This earth or dirt. however, is very sn- |
perhciai, and it is only necessary to dig |
a short distance before rock closely re-
semhling the surface Groupings 10 en-
countered. Assays of this surface rock |
made after returning to Jerome show |
that it viii run on an average six per
cent copper, and Mr.. Mitchell is of the |
opinion that there is enough OF il in |
sight to fully justify the installation at |
once of a i00-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.
crcomc by the cheapness 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
Sits per day, STA cents In gold. Hard
wood for steam can be bought for $3.50
per cord in gold. .6
Tkc work already done upon the pro-
perty is not extensive. vertical shaft
has been sunk to a depth OF 65 feet. An
examination of the walls of this shaft
shows an exceedingly irregular forrna-
tion and multiform characters OF rock,
varying from rich sulphides OF copper
near the surface to a blue slate inprcg-
mated to some extent with quartz streak
cd with sulphides Mt the bottom. Assays
Of the ore taken from the upper part of
the shaft run from 4 to 10 per cent cop-j
per, 1t is the intention of the company1
10 continue the shaft to n depth of 100
feet, and then drift through the ore
body. A 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 II, sses of mincraIized rock and note
that characteristic greenish appearance
everywhere in evidence, without forming
the positive conviction that underneath
his feet lies hidden al immense body OF
copper ore, greater perhaps, il the indi-1
cations count for any thing, than has
ever vet been uncovered. He cannot be
brought to the belief that this copper ore
came from any othet source or direction
than beiow, nor that the visible copper
in the ore was deposited upon the crest
of the hill where the ore occurs, by the
action of any surface stream, But
though he will conclude his inspection OF
the Montana Verdi with the firm conYic-
ton that little development work will
demonstrate what appears now SO evi-
Jao+ - 80 MT until the visitor reaches