The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1903-11-27
OPAL MINES IN IDAHO.

during the summer OF 1892, 10y George
Shirley and Fl. G. Anchor. The mines
are situated In section ID. township
north, range 4 west Boise Meridian,
Owyhee county, The mines have only
been operated in desultory fashion,
but about IL, 900 carats Of Opals 10
the rough have been taken out since
the discovery.
The opals are found in dyke or
vein OF dark blue or black andesite
rock, % feet In thickness, running 10
u northwest and southwest direction,
with nearly perpendicular pitch.
This crops out on the surface for a
distance Of about $50 feet in length
and 25 feet wide. In the center Ofthis
dyke is stratum Of jasper. very hard
four to five feet wide, On each side of
which the opals are found In seams
and pockets. Opals have been traced
for a distance Of 1850 feet along the
surface. The greatest depth reached
is about 40 feet, all open cuts.
The mines have recently been pur-
chased by Spokane and Boise syndl-
cate, who propose to develope and
work them to their full capacity. The
property will not only he worked in a
systematic manner. but the company
is planning to install at some cOnven-
lent place lapidaries and other ma
chinery, which will finish the product
and put 1t on the market. Opals come
Ia white, yellow, red, brown, blue,
green and gray colors. The precious
opal displays a series OF colors when
turned In the hand, and is the most
sought for variety. The finest speci.
mems OF precious opal come from Aus
tralia and Hungary, while Mexico
produces some that are choice. Thu
fire opal is distinguished by its flre-ree
reflections, and when choice are valu
able. There Is good demand for fin,
opals, they being considered, whcr
fine, u precious stone, and the prlc'
asked per carat for choice stones sure
ly classes them as precious.
A staff correspondent of the North
west Mining Record recently visitet
the Owyhee mines and contribute
the following letter:
Boice, Idaho, Oct. IA, 1908.
"We left Nampa on the Oregon
ShortSLine behind pair OF broucho
for the opal rlelds. After drive of l.
miles we reached Snake riverat Warn
Springs Ferry, then drive up owe
the undulating hills some two and
half miles to the mines. The countr
Is barren, and but little verdure, ex
cept the ever present sage brush
Everything shows volcanic action
great stretches of lava line the bank
Of Snake river. Near the approach t.
the opal fields are sharp ridges OF an
desite, some red, some blue, here ant
there layers Of white and yellow clays
The beautiful effects of this colorin
IL best at early morning or at sun
down, as 1t catches the first Of tn
last glints OF sunshine.
"But at last we are ut the opa
mines in the midst Of the kaleidos
copic colorlng. The opals are fount
Embedded in u great andesite rect
which Is explored for several hundre'
feet In width. The andesite Is Of
blue-gray Ia color, and resembles
very coarse article Of granite, an,
comes out 10 blocks from foot T.
two feet square. In the seams be
tween these blocks the seam opal |
found IN nests. The miner will find
small seam that looks like the color
ing of rainbow, finer than dust
that is the opal blossom. He follow
IL up-it may be foot, 1t may be tel
then In radius Of a few feet he vii
lind from a handful to quart o
gems. And they are gems, Of ever,
color; with every slight movemen
they flash out green, gold, scarlet
purple, living hres-iJ Is impossible,
to describe one; the poverty Of lang
uage f0rbids 1t.
Sometimes great punches, or area
Of a chalk-like formation occur In tn,
formation. The opal here is found II
geods-little hard balls from the siz,
Of a pea to ones as large as a cocoa
nut. having a pinkish-cUlored she'll
Of stone, very hard. In these geod
are oftimes beautiful opal, covered
with shell.
"The opal mines were discovered
some years ago by cattle man WHIT
happened to get off his horse, when ;
fash Of light attracted his attention
it turned half a dozen colors In an In
slant. He found a number Of gem