Arizona republican., 1903-09-24
HINTS TO PROSPECTORS
There Are Other Things to Look for
 Than Gold and Silver.

The old-time prospector as a class is rapidly disappearing from the moun- tains, his place being taken by the younger men. many of whom have had the advantage of college education and, consequently, who are not content with the search for silver and gold only, with possibly the addition of copper and lead, writes Ralph S. Baverstock in The Southwest, new mining pa per published in Los Angeles. Still the average prospector of, today is not near ly so investigative as he might be, to his own material advantage. The idea that this CT that formation is no good for mineral has given way rather to the ore that gold is where you find it, and consequently granites, lime stones gneiss and similar formations which were passed by altogether or in differently inspected, now come in for closer investigation. The purpose of these lines is not so much to draw at tention to metals as to some of the gem stones and rarer minerals which are more abundant in California than is generally supposed. Besides these. some of the common minerals, of which we have abundance, are now being sought for, as many commercial indus tries have sprung up on the coast which utilize them. As an example, I might cite the mica family. The common grade or muscovite is being ground and used for several purposes. such as a lubri- cant mixed with oil, in fire-proof paint. roofing and electrical work. mill is kept steadily running on Alamo moun- tain in Ventura county. grinding mica, -l,t ic elk hot t6 lac and San Francisco. Another variety known as lepidolite. or lthia mica. found in San Diego county, is attract ing considerable attention. The supply has heretofore come from Germany. The rock ground in California, however, is said to carry much higher per centage of lthia, and is considered a much superior article. It ranges in color from rose-red to white, sometimes lilac. Varieties found in San Diego are frequently accompanied by pink cry stalls of tourmaline.
 Another mineral containing lithia found in the same locality is ambly gcnite an aluminium phosphate con- taining lithia. The color of this rock ranges from sea-green to white.
 Tourmalines of various colors are found in the same county, some of which are remarkably fine gems and finding great favor in New York and Paris. The colors are pink, red. green and black: the last, however, have but little market value.
 In Tulare county are found many valuable gems-sapphires, chrysoberyl, berly. jade. a. particularly prized stone for ornaments, and many others. A fine deposit of rose quartz is being opened up. which, coming in large masses, is capable of being cut and polished for many purposes.
 Turquoise is coming to be much fav = ored, and is found in many places in the southwest. Good deposits are be- ing operated north of Manvel, in San Bernardino county, and others in a small way further west in the same. county. Mineral Park, Mojave county. -Ariz. has for years been celebrated for its fine quality of turquoise.
 Uranium is a mineral for which ac- tive search will be prosecuted, it being a source of the precious metal, radium Discovery of some is reported in San Diego county, another deposit near Tucson. Ariz.. and shipments in small quantities have been made from Colo rado.
 Scheellle ana NOlIrdnllle, NaflelleS or | tungston, can also be marketed to ad- vantage, although the price is far be- low that Sf three or four years ago. The mineral is easy to concentrate and thus the high per cent of acid required by buyers is not impossible 10 attain. Late finds of the former were recently reported from Havilah. Kern county.
 Molybdenite. a mineral desired for similar purposes as the foregoing, is abundant all over the southwest, but usually scattered so through the rock that operators are confronted with the difficult problem of concentration. This. it is said. has been successfully over come in the east.
 Gypsum is in active Gc-Nand, if of