Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1906-02-03
THE SAGINAW GOLD MIN Els.
Extracts From Report Made on Same by
G. w. Robbins, M. f.

northwesterly from Custer, in Custer
county, South Dakota. The claims are
twenty-one in number, and aggregate
about four hundred acres Of mineral
ground. They are situated for the most
part on the divide that separates the
north and south forks of French creek,
which flows in a southeasterly direction,
emptying into the south Cheyenne
River.
The general formation here is slate of
the "Archean" or old micacious variety
which forms the country rock" of the
great mineral belt that stretches from
Deadwood on tho north to Pringle on
the south, a distance of IS miles. The
states in this district have a northwes-
terly trend, and dip to the southwest.
There is broad belt Of mineral veins
traversng this ground from the north
east to the southwest, the present work
ing shaft being presumably located on
the largest and richest in the belt. These
veins are of quartz, varying from three
to eight feet in width, and as proven
by present development, carry the prec.
ious metal in paying quantities. There
are number of granite dykes passing
through the ground from the northwest
to the southeast, They are very siicious
in character, and are of the coarsely
chrystalline variety. | find in the
ground a crossing of two belts of veins.
Those running with the formation and
sometimes in contact with the dykes of
granite are low grade and secondary in
importance, mainly beneficial as they
serve as feeders to the true fssure veins,
which cut the formation at nearly right
angles.
The ores in these fissure veins are
somewhat like the ores of Cripple Creek,
Colorado, the gold being largely com
bined with tellurium, sometimes taking
the form Of sylvanite, but more often
combined with bismuth as a bsmuth
telluride. The combination, however,
varies somewhat, and the ore is occa-
sionally found combined with arsenic
and iron as sulphide. A large per
cent of the ore, especially that taken
from different openings near the surface
is rich In free gold, and the results ob.
tained in my tests by pan and mortar
were very attractive. The free gold is
fine in character, but is round and
heavy, and can be easily saved by stamp
ing and amalgamation. My experience
and observation has taught me that it is
exceedingly unwise in this district to
make preparation to save the free gold
without also making some provision to
save the gold that is locked up and com
bined with tellurium and other base
metals, and which is sometimes very
refractory.
| have dwelt longer on this point than
| otherwise should because / desire to
emphasize the fact that those who have
put up mills heretofore for the treatment
of the ores of the Southern Black Hills
have given their entire attention to the
saving Of the free gold, regardless of the
larger values in combination, which
were allowed to be wasted and hoated
down the creek from the mills. This
has been, regret to say, the cause of
every mining failure that has occurred
in the Southern Black Hills, and | trust
no such short-sighted practice will ever
be repeated in this, the richest gold min
ing district have ever seen.
Until my recent visit it was something
over three years since | was last on the
Saginaw ground, and | will say that
was very agreeably surprised at the
greatlchanges that have occurred in that
time. A single log cabin and a shed
stable were all the improvements / saw
above ground three years ago.
A large steam hoist has been erected.
1t is substantially built with heavy tim
bers, is very commodious, conveniently
arranged, and well equipped for deep
mining. The building is one hundred
feet long and thirty-six wide, the posts
in the main part being sixteen feet high,
and those Of the gallows frame twenty
six. The whole building is very firmly
put up and is well covered with a shin
gle roof. The mine is well equipped
with air compressor drills. which are
working effectively aud are making good
headway in the shaft, now nearly -four
hundred feet deep.
In addition to the hosting plant there
is a good blacksmith shop, fitted with
all modern appliances, even to steam
hammer, for rapid and efficient work
There is also a large, substantial barn
measuring thirty-six by sixty feet, and
two Offices, one in the hosting plant
fitted on four sides with windows, so al
work in the plant is visible from it, anC
one occupied by the manager, with
sleeping rooms for himself and visitors
Besides these there are a number of cot
tages, occupied as unkhouses, and by
the families Of such of the men as are
married and large boarding house
we'll supplied with all the market af
fords. THE food prepared by its mis-
tress, Mrs. Carroll, | found very excel
lent, indeed.
There are about twenty shafts scatter
ed over the property, and located on az
many different veins of ore, some 0
which show much richness in gold, anC
all of which prospect well in the pan
These shafts are for the most part shall
low prospect shafts and vary in deptl
from ten to one hundred feet. TIT
veins are all true fissures cut the forma
ton at nearly right angles, and vary il
width from three TO seven feet.