Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1905-07-27
THE NEGLECTED NINE
HISTORY OF A RECENTLY DE-
vELoPED PROPERTY.
Mine In Colorado, Known as Pros
pect for Many Years, But Only
Of Late Found to Give
Returns.

On the east slope Of the La Plata
mountains, near the head Of Junction
creek, in the Durango triangle, Col
orado, lies the Neglected mine. Forlorn
as this designation sounds, the region
is one OF hopefulness. 1t Is In the small
area of naturalization locally known
as the "Oro Elmo district" which lies
In the western part Of the quadrangle.
This mine and the nearby properties are
described by Mr.. William H. Emmons
In a bulletin (No 26G) of the United
States geological survey.
Since 1902 the Neglected nine has
been operated most Of the time. and re-
Gently a mill has been installed for
working low-grade ores which cannot
be profitably shipped The mine is sit
uated near the head Of Gaines gulch, on
the west slope of Monument hill, at an
elevation of 10000 feet above sea level.
The property has been known as a
prospect for ten or fifteen years, but It
was not extensively exploited until 1902,
when an ore body was struck from
which in the following year 1,O7O tons
Of ore were shipped the returns from
which amounted to $11704l.2S In gold
and 81 $3.50 In silver.
The ore deposits in the western part
of the Durango quadrangle are In an
area of red sedimentary rocks, which
have been intruded by dikes and sheets
Of grayish-green porphyry. The ore
may be developed In the porphyry, at
It's contact, or In the sedimentary rocks
near the porphyry. Often 1t appears to
be replacement Of the porphyry, which
is altered and decomposed near the frac-
tured zone. Both porphyry and sedi-
ments are sometimes regnated
with pyrlte for a short distance away
from the broken zone, and through
them extend little stringers Of white
quartz. which carry fakes and specks
of telluride In places where the sedi-
mentary rocks are impregnated there
does not appear to be any constant diff
ference between the development of tho
are In the sandstone or In the shale. In
the Neglected mine the shale IS consid-
cred the most productive horizon, while
in the Durango Girl the richer ores so
far have occurred In the quartzite be-
low the shale.
The Neglected mine is worked
through vertical shaft from which
levels running east and west have been
operated at depths Of IS, 125 and ITO
feet. The most profitable horizon has
been the zone between the 125-foot and
175-foot levels. The principal ores OF
the mine are tellurides Of gold and sill
yer. and Of these sylvanite is much the
most important Native gold, pyrits
and amalgam are present.
The ores of the Durango Girl mine.
which is situated in Walls gulch on
the east slope of Lewis mountain, are
chiefly tellurfdes, and the sorted ship
ping product is very rich, being over
$500 a ton. The Jenny Lind claim Is
also In Wallis gulch and its ore depos-
its are said to be similar In character
to those Of the Durango Girl, which lies
below. The Ruby claim, located south
of Cumberland peak on a small tribu-
tary TO Junction creek, is interesting on
account of the occurrence of a consid-
cradle amount of native mercury in the
ore. In Leavenworth guleh the Porcu-
pine company is developing a group OF
IL claims. and the Londonderry COM
pany which also owns large group,
has a force of men at work In the same
neighborhood. In Fassbinder, STAN
boul and Mineral Wonder gulches, all
at the head of junction creek, are q
number of prospects which have been
worked internationally for number Of
years.