The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-05-13
NEW IDEA ABOUT
THE ELY CAMP
Discovery of Copper Promises
to Be of Importance to
biologists.
NEW FACTS IN THE
SCIENCE OF DEPOSITS
History Repeats Itself Many
Times in the History of
Mining.

In looking over a back volume OF the
Journal, our attention was recently at
tracted TO an article In the issue Of
December :. 1901, which described q
cyanide plant in COURSE OF erection at
the Chairman mine. Ely. New, says the
Engineering and Mining Journal,
Only five years ago that district, which
rad been known since the COS. was still
regarded as low-grade gold mining dis
operate by improved methods the mines.
which as gold mines had been failures
for more than thirty years, The original
subsequently became famous for great
ore deposits OF baser metals is no new
thing, Mining began in that way at
;sa n;sadHilie, Colo. at Bingham, Utah. and
Ave years ago of the immense deposits
Of copper orc which underaid the lean,
oopper-free gold ore Of Ely. That dis
tenporaneous discovery that the great
bodies OF geld ore at the Mount Morgan
mine, in Queensland. Australia, were also
underlaid by Immense deposits of copper
ore. These discoveries, 10 our mind, are
OF more farreachjrg Importance than
the development Of their own supplies OF
copper. inasmuch as they lead 10
knowledge Of new facts In The science
OF ore deposits which perhaps will be OF
Immense value History presents numer-
Gus precedents,
Although the discovery of ore deposits
is chiefly sortuitous, the progress In the
science Of economic geology has greatly
improved the ability Of the prospector to
prosecute successfully his search for ore,
and OF the miner TO estimate the value
OF ms discovery. For example, the dis
covery of rich silver ore at White Pine,
New. in limestone formation was the
prime cause OF redlrectng attention 10
rock at Eureka. New, and ever after
ward prospectors looked especially for
great deposits Of lead ore In limestone
formations; not that limestone had not
previously been known ss n kindly rock
for the deposition OF lead, but that it re-
mained for the discovery OF the Eureka
bonanzas to impress the fact on all
minds. Similarly, the discovery of gold
Creek, Colo, In 1891, right In the shadow
OF Pixies Peak, q district that had been
overlooked by prospectors since 1869, led
pah, Goldfeld, and Bull Frog, about ten
Years 1ater. Previous TO 1891 American
prGspectors did not know that gold oc-
Cured IN the andesIte class Of rocks. The
heavy" rock that led 4, B. Wood to
The discovery Of the carbonate deposits
OF Leadville doubtless troubled the placer
miners Of old Orc from the very begin
ming OF their operations In 1850 Where
was the prospector OF 1880 who would
not have Identified Il?
Now we conceive that the discoveries
OF Ely and Mount Morgan are likely 10
=
tention will he redlrected to deposits Of
lean gold ore and drill holes Will be put
down through them 10 discover If they
the experience at Mount Morgan no man
ager of gold mine Of similar occurrence
VIII be safe until he has prospected the
bottom Of the deposit. In cases where
the geological conditions are similar TO
those at Ely and Mount Morgan. pros
pecting Of this character Will be likely
TO develop the existence Of similar deep
deposits OF copper ore. 1t Is the function
OF the mining geologlst, whose impor-
tance In the economics Of mining is now
well recognized, TO study the conditions
with vlew toward such similar pros
pectinG. 1t Is immaterial as to whether
this last discovery was made at Ely or
Mount Morgan.
Its scientific Importance Is that in two
cases great deposits Of copper ore have
been found under extensive bodies OF
gold ore one Of good grade, the other
OF low grade. neither OF which at the
surface or even at moderate depth.
showed any indication OF copper that
would attract more than casual atten-
ton. IL is In the deduction of generaH-
cations from such new discoveries and
their application TO future prospecting
that the mining geologist becomes the
suide OF the prospector and the mining
engineer.