Arizona daily citizen., 1901-08-09
The Altar Copper Mines.
(From the Jerome Mining News,

(From the Jerome Mining News.D
Since the return of Messrs. Robert
Mitchell and Arthur Cordiner from their
visit to the properties of the Altar Min
ing Company in Altar District, Sonora
Mexico, so many inquiries have heer
directed to them concerning the results
ot their Investigations that they have
decided to give out for publication a
statement of wha 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 exaRgeration 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 s, 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-
fidcncc. Mr.. Mitchell, who is a metal
lurgist of many years experience, is the
present superintendent ofthe United Yer
de Copper Company's smelter. Mr..
Cordiner is a member oftbe firm of Hoov-
err & Cordiner, proprietors ofthc 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 undcr patent from the
Mexican government. The Montana
Verdi group which contains 62 pertenen-
cias, or about 155 acres, 10 situated three
miles from the Altar river, and about 40
miles north. westerly from Santa Ana, n
town on the Sonora railway Go miles
south of Ncgalcs. 1t lis easily accessible
from Santa Ana by a splendid wagon
road, and the cost of freightiug to and
from that point is only $40 per ton ia
Mexican money, or SIS In gold. The
Town of Altar, the seat of the district, is
% miles distant in a south-westerly di-
rection from the group, by an equally
good road. The altitude at the Mon
tana Verdi is about 2 900 feet above sea
level. Along the Altar river, within
few miles of the property, are a number
of productive ranches, and a couple oi
-four mills. The face of the country on,
said TO be mountainous. though the
mountains are not high or steep, and
resemble more rolling hills. There is al
abundance OF timber suitable for both
fuel and mine timberiag within easy dis
tance and accessible by wagon. The Al
tar river is perennial stream. having
good flow OF never-failiug water, more
Than sufficient TO supply the ranches
l.
easily made available for use upon the
Montana Verdi, byth const ruction of a
ditch to tap the stream short distance
above the mine. and the company is now
negotiating with the owner OF large wat
er rights in the river. for the purchase OF
a right to divert sufficient water TO sup
ply the property IN this manner for all
time to come.
The group as whole is not especially
rough, being rather undulating. but the
surface over nearly the entire area, IS
much broken by almost iunumerab'e
rock groupings and proIninences OF all
shapes and sizes. These cfoppings do
not appear to be in ledge formation, but
project in the form of great detached
masses 81, sspniiers without any regu-
iarity whatever in the manner of their
emplacemeut. Everywhere they show
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 depressiops
between these masses of groupings, the
surface is earth which has evidently
been formed to considerable extent
from the decomposition Of the rock crop
pings. Judging from its appearance, and
is strewn over with small pieces of float
ofthe same general character as the rock.
This earth or dirt. however, Is very SUI
pcrfciaI, and it is only necessary to dig
a short distance before rock closely re-
senibling the surface Groupings is en-
couutered. Assays of this surface rock
made after returning to Jerome show
that il win ruu on an average six per
cent copper, and Mr. Mitchell 10 Of the
opinion that there is enough of it in
sight to fully justify the installation at
once of 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 mosc than ov-
ercome by the cheapness Of both labor
and fuel. The established wages of drill
men is So per day in Mexican money, or
81 a day in gold. Outside men receive
81. rs per day, S7Ia cents III gold. Hard
wood for steam can be bought for $3.50
per cord in gold. II
: Tke work already done upon the pro-
perty is not extensive A vertical shaft
has been sunk to a depth OF 65 feet. An
of the walls of this shaft |
shows an exceedingly irregular forma-
ton and muItiform characters of rock,
varying from rich sulphides OF copper |
near the surface to blue slate isnpreg |
mated to some extent withquartxs streak |
ed with sulphides at the bottom. Assays |
of the ore taken from the upper part of
the shaft run from to 10 per cent cop |
pcr. 1t is the intention of the company |
To continue the shaft to n depth of 100 |
feet, and then drift through the ore
body. a large force of men is now at |
work.
1t is impossible for any person to look
over this group, towalk 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 any thing, than has
ever vet been uncovered. lie 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 ore was deposited upon the crest