The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-12-17
IMPORTANT IF TRUE.
Cinnibar Said to Have Been Found in
the Thunder Mountain District.

5. +. Edwards, the well-known pr,s-
pector and mining man. is in from the
thunder Mountain country, says thu
BOISE. Idaho. Statesman. He brings posi-
tive evidence that cinnabar (quicksilvel
ore) is to be found there in quantity. He
mas secured samples Of high grade Gin
nabar from claim owned by Prirdlt
Smith.
The ore is very handsome. the spcci
mems easily run 50 per cent QUICKSILVER
These. it is probable, were picked sam
pies given Mr.. Edwards by the owner
but the former says the entire ledge viii
run from Is to 20 per cent quick" The
vein is 10 to Is feet in width. making d
very fine proposition.
Here. as always in a cinnabar deposit.
there is no regular defined vein of the
quicksilver proper. That comes in con-
nection with certain formations known
to those accustomed to mining cinnabar
The allied material. if the deposit is per-
manent. is always in we'll defined lodges
with perfect walls, and disseminated
throughout it is the cinnabar.
The Thunder Mountain deposit lies be-
tween perfect walls, the hanging wall be-
ing shale and the foot wall granite 1t
is some miles this side of the Thunder
Mountain discovered by the Caswells.
where there is no granite whatever. The
cinnabar is probably within the granite.
zone about two miles. This insures the
stability of the country, there being no
breaks or faults, SO far as known.
The present value of quicksilver is 80
cents per pound. 1t is sold in TASKS con-
tanning 721@ pounds each. There are few
quicksilver mines in the United States
the largest land the only property
worked continuously being in Central
California. At the best Of these proper
ties the ledge is but 6 feet in width and
the average Of the ore is less than per
cent. 1t is run very profitably. The
property is equipped with smelter with
capacity equal to the normal output of
the mine. .:
For great many years large numbers
of prospectors have hunted for cinnabar
but without success. there being no large
deposits of the mineral. Whenever the
least indication was found there were
plenty of moneyed men to send experts
to investigate. CHINA bar, though, is pc
guitars mineral in that it is often found
in pockets hundreds of miles from anoth-
er deposit. It is oftentimes called a
mineral freak of nature because of this
popularity.
Mr.. Edwards, in commenting on this
discovery. said yesterday afternoon that
never before had he known of a pros
pect of cinnabar to be more favorable
from every point of view. Fearing that
it was only pocket, Mr.. Smith, imme-
diately upon discovery, began a system
attic development for exploiting purposes.
He sunk Dotholes at short intervals alons
the ledge-it was always true. and with
the average Of the ore--15 to 20 per
cent-maintained the full length Of two
claims.
The indications are that the develop
ment of this new discovery will result in
great quicksilver mines in Idaho. If
true, mining men say it will mean more
than anything else in the mining indus
try Of the state, as this mineral Is in
especial demand, and it's place Of pro-
duction upon a commercial scale is known
and remembered by every mining man
throughout the world.