Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1903-09-12
Mining Items.

The Crown Mica mine is being worked
with a small force under the direction
OF Mr.. Knoble. This work is not de-
signed to take out mica to any extent
but to out line the ore shoots, trim up
the drifts and to get everything in good
shape for regular and vigorous wort,
which will soon be brought to bear up.
on it.
The National smelter at Rapid City
fred up on Saturday last, and it is said
that a good supply Of ore is on hand to
keep the big smeltsr running continu-
ously. This property now belongs to
to the Horseshoe company and will be
run on ore from the company's mines in
| Bald Mountain. DR.. Theodore Knutzen
a we'll known smelter man of the Hills,
| will have charge Of the plant.
Vanadium, is coming more largely into
use as it properties become better known.
1t is reckoned q very rare metal, but is
quite common in the mines OF Custer
county. 1t is quoted as worth 100000
per pound and it has been found that a
small portion of it combined as m alloy
| of copper, adds 30 much to the elastic
| quality of that metal that it may be
drawn out in wire of the finest fibre. 1t
, is also used for many other purposes. 1t
is found in many of the gold veins near
Custer and is known by it's color Of a
reddish yellow, mostly found in the
seams of quartz.
DR.. Rate drove over from the Ivan
hoe mine on Tuesday and departed in
the evening for Deadwood where he will
attend the Mining Congress which is
now in session. He reports the Ivanhoe
as showing up excellently al the work
of development progresses. A rich strike
was recently made on the Detroit which
discloses ore of an excellent grade, the
latest assays running as follows, Sill. 20,
$1,000, $3.50, and $1,000 per ton in gold.
Their boiler which weighs nine tons
is daily expected to arrive at Custer and
he is negotiating for its transportation to
the mine. This will be rather an ex.
pensive job as their are sever bridges to
cross and not one of them in all prob.
ability will bear the weight without
extra braces.
Platinum, which is found in many OF
the streams of the different mining sec.
tons in the form Of the metallic plati-
mum is generally obtained from placer
| along with the gold. We have heard Of
| but one instance in this country where
platinum has been obtained from ore
wherein it is combined with other base
and refractory metal. We learn that in
| the Rambler mine near Grand Encamp-
ment in Wyoming that platinum in very
small quantities has been found in COM
bination with the copper ores of that To-
cality. From our Investigations platin-
um is not q rare mineral in Custer min
ing district WHO are familiar with its ex-
traction are rather scarce and hard to
find. It occurs with some ores of cop
per and tungstic acid, and sometimes it
is mingled with ores containing gold,
bismuth, anthony, and tin. To such in
the Hills who feel themselves competent
to separate this metal from its refractory
constituents We will take pleasure in
sending them samples as the ore of which
we have reference is in quite a large
vein and is of easy access.
THE cUYAHoaA COMPANY.
The Cuyahoga property is located In
the Iron Mountain district about four
miles south of keystone, on which the
company has been doing a large amount
of thorough and systematic development
work. The tunnel was driven in the
side of the mountain at o sufficient
elevation to make the delivery Of ore
into the mill an easy matter, the mill
site being at the foot Of the hill. The
main tunnel is in about 600 feet. Two
lodges were encountered, the first about
eighteen feet wide, 100 feet from the
entrance. and the second an enormous
ledge which it Is stated shows assays
from just a trace to fourteen dollars in
gold. Copper and graphite are also
found in paying quantities. In driving
through this ledge a large cave was
broken into, about thirty by fifty feet
high. A shaft was sunk in the ledge at
one side of the cave to a depth Of thirty
Eve feet, and the ave to q depth Of
thirty-five feet, and the a v serves as an
underground hosting room A branch
tunnel was driven following . vein of
graphite.
The company is equipped with a com.
plete outfit of development machinery,
all of which is new and first class in
every respect, and of the latest standard
makes. The company owns $50 acres of
ground on Tollgate Creek, in one OF the
most beautiful and picturesque spots in
the Black Hills. There is an abundance
of water and timber close at hand for all
purposes. The Cuyahoga company is
comprised of Cleveland, Ohio, business
men who determined to make q success
of the mine as evidenced by the thorough
manner in which the work has been
carried on. F. A. Gira is superintendent
Of the company.-Keystone Recorder.