Weekly Arizona journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1903-1908, 1906-03-21


cold" or abandoned" it does not ne.
cessarily follow that 1t is played out or
worthless says the Mining World.
Some western districts appear 20 pass
through two or three stages or periods
The first is that in which the early
prospector arrives on the ground. He
finds without much difficulty the sur
face showings and "hlow OUTS Of the
untouched veins. These are often
rich in the surface oxidizcd zone.
Bonauzas are comparatively common,
and large pockets of rich ore are dug
out at the "grass ROOTS" or even pick.
ed up on the surface where they have
long lain, broken of from the parent
ledge.
The prospcctor docs not "mine;' he
"gophers" and "gougcs' ont the orc
wherever he finds il. and as he finds IL,
careless Of who may come after him,
and regardless of any future develop
ment Of the mine. lie keeps no ore re-
serves and does not develop and cx-
plorc ahead Of what may bc in sight.
! The workings he leaves are more like
those Of n prairie dog town than Of sys.
/ tematic mining. lie never intends 20
mine seriously. After while, at
comparatively short depth, the rich ore
begins TO diminish, the size of the
Oh tt. I.an
harder. and the ore more sulphidc;
pinches, or even faults may set in, to-
gcthcr with water or other common
mining difficulties. The prospector ne
customed 20 being glutted with rich
and easily obtained ore. quits for pas
| lures new and in search Of fresh bon
anzas. The mine is temporarily
abandoned. and is currently reported
to be "played out" No deep mining
or systematic work or search for other
ore bodies or ore shoots Is undertaken.
After these happy go-lucky bonanza
days, when men lived high and whisky
flowed freely, comes period Of dcpres.
sion, or ut best Of slow mining, dead.
encd, IT may be, by the fall Of silver.
In the prospcctor bonanza days there
were no railroads or mills within easy
reach, hence only the highest grade ore
could be shipped or treated, ore at that
time called low grade being thrown on
the dump or left standing in the mine.
A few years later, with the advent
Of railroads, a different class of men
come in. They are business men, in.
vestors and spectators. The .aban-
doned mines are looked over, their
dumps tested, and their contents eva.
nided or millcd. The old mines are
pumped out and put in shape, and with
deeper and more systematic mining,
new ore shoots are found, and the once
so-called Glow grade" bodies of ore
are utilized by being treated by the
latest improvements in milling and va
luc.saving apparatus, and the camp
starts on n new and substantial era Of
prosperity.
rehabilitatc an old abandoned mine.
It's appearance is most forlorn and re.
pelling. Buildings with roofs fallen
in and windows innocent Of glass, and
timbers rotten and scattered, with
odds and ends of machinery lying
about covered with rust. Everything
pillaged that could be carried away Of
any use or value. The first impression
is, "Can any good come out Of such n
A few weeks of work,
however, may put an entirely new face
IN things.
The preliminary examination OF such
property is not pleasant nor very
'afe task for the mining engineer. He /,
has to climb ricketty and untrustwor.
by ladders with rungs missing, or
reacherous by decay; to elbow his
way up "taises" by help Of uncertain
md rotten stulls, or even without these
lelps. He wriggles on his stomach
Ike reptile through holes barely
arge enough TO squeeze through with
hances of fragments Of roof falling
IN him.
The air is generally bad in old. aban.
oned workings, owing to air holes hay.
ng become choked with rubbish fallen
n from the surface.
Leasers or prospectors who last
'orked the mine usually leave II in as
locked up and ruinous a condition n.
was possible for them to exist in and
'ork and run their irregular and mar.
ow gopherings in search of ore.
One of the first objects of the engi
Ger Is to secure n good current Of air
9th for his own use in examination.
nd for those who are TO come after
i'm, and to work in and rehabilitate
he mine. The direction Of the flame
his candle may guide him as he