The diamond drill., 1906-02-10
MOST VALUABLE
MINERAL TREASURES
MICHlGANs Deposits MOST vALU.
ABLE IN THE WORLD.
COPPER AND IRON WEALTH
Chas. D. L~ton Contributes an interest
ing Article on The Resources Of The
Upper PeninsuIa.

resources and products Charles ID.
Lawton general manager Of the Quincy
copper mines say Of the copper and
iron mines
The iron and copper deposits OF
Michigan are among the most valuable
Of the worlds mineral treasures. They
support large and contented mining
population. and on their product are
based the most important achievement
Of mankind In her possession Of tlrse
two minreals. when quality and
quantity are both considered. Michigan
must be accorded first place.
These mines OF iron ore and Of
copper in the upper peninsula occnr in
separate, wholly distinct formations.
The copper deposits are found in what
is designated az the Keewenaw series
which formation extends from the
extremity of Keewenaw Point for a
distance OF eighty miles southwesterly
along the shore Of Lake Superior TO the
Wisconsin state line. The formation
is made up OF a succession of igneous
and aqueous rocks-volcanic overflow
and sedimentary deposits The aque-
ous ROCKS are sandstones and con-
glomerates and those Of igneous origin
are trap. varying in texture from hard,
crystal line rock to soft amygdaloid.
The whole formation dips to the
northwest. following the contour OF
the lakes The copper. which is all
pure. native metal never an ore. oc-
ours in par,icles. pieces or masses OF
sizes varying from those Of inhnitesi-
NAL tineness up to masses Of many tons
weight. The metal occurs in veins.
which usually cross the formation, and
in amygdaloid an conglomerate beds
which conform with the formation.
"The copper mines Of today in
Michigan are in the amygdaloid and
the congloermate beds. A very i'm
portant feature regarding these Is the
seeming assurance OF long continuance
OF productive capacity. since in none
of them is there found TO be any
material change in the character OF
the lodes even at the greatest depth
that has been attained. At all depths
the lode is the oame, and the yield Of
copper is not lessened by reason of the
greater depth.
The persistent copper producers
are the beds which run with the for
nation and are Of igneous or Of aque-
ous origin. The former are the
amygdaloids and the latter the con-
glomerate the most conspicuous ex-
ample OF which latter are the Calumet
& Hecla and the Tamarack mines,
both in the same copper yielding lode
known as the Calumet a. Hecla con
glonerate The Calumet a. Hecla
company has mile in length OF this
lode. which proves 10 be productive
In copper throughout this extent. but
10 the north and to the south OF this
company's margins the lode is barren
of copper.
I'm the lands Of the Tamarack com
pany this productive conglomerate lode
does not come 10 the surface. The
company has 10 sink far down TO reacu
t. It's shortest shaft. No. I, the first
one sunk had TO 20 down 2. 273 feet
before the copper was reached but the
other. the later ones sunk. had TO be
sunk much dseper. some % them to
neatly twice the depth to reach the
lode before production could begin
New and important discoveries are
making ia the copper origin. The
formation is wide one and explora-
tion results in the opening Of new
mines from year TO year, a process that
must continue for an indefinite period
The skill that Is displayed in
Michigan copper mining is marvellous
For instance. 10 would seem 10 be in
credible that mine should be worked
for many years at profit. paying an
annual dividend. when the deposit
yielded only sixty five one hundredtns
Of one per cent of copper. Yet such
Is trne Of one Of the well known mines
at Portage Lake. Copper mining in
Michigan Is a problem that Is studied
with the greatest care. and the opera
tions are conducted with skill an per.
fection Of detail
In iron. as well, is an equally inn
protant resource Of the state. The
contribution Of Michigan to the world 3
supply OF iron has been long establish.
cd and Is vastly important The por-