Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1907-12-20
MINERAL RESOURCES OF
BEAR LAKE COUNTY

Few people realize the extent OF
the mineral resources of this county.
Bear Lake has always been looked
on as a farming county, and up to
very recently this was and yet is the
the principal business of the people,
but there is coming rapidly to the
front the fact that we shall soon be
looked on as a great mining section
BY far the greatest proposition
now occupying the mining mems at
tention is the immense deposits
phosphate rock that have been open
ed in this county. The deposit is b.
long ways the largest ever discov
cred in the world, and extends for
distance of over one hundred miles
In a northwesterly and southeastern!
dire.tion through Bannock and Bea
Lake counties. in Idaho, and on int
western Wyoming and northern utah
Already many thousands OF dollars
have been spent In opening thest
mines, by a half dozen companies
and where ever the deposits hay'
been opened great bodies of high
class phosphate have been encount
cred. 1t is easy to see that at ne
great distant day, when better freigh
rates can be had Bear Lake phos
Dhate fields will be supplying TIT
farmers of the earth with fertilize.
for their farms. The government
Axnerts who have visited the field.
assert that nothing anywhere be
gins to compare with the immensit'
of the quantity and high-class quail
~ that is found here. The larges
ieyelopment work so far done In th'
oelt has been almost within the city
limits of Montpelier. Many thous
ands of tons have been SHIPPED from
here and before another year II Il
confidently believed that the ship
ments will amount TO hundreds o.
tons daily. Another company Is
working at Georgetown, anothei
hack of Soda Springs, while two
more are at work on the deposi
close to Cokeville. Wyoming. Be
fore many years these beds shout,
he and will be producing trainload
dav. as the demand is already enor
mons Reasonable freight rates i
all that stands in the way OF i'm
nepse production even now, as tn
mods can easily be opened, lying a
tbey do in ideal position for mining
Next to the phosphate deposit
comes the splendid showing Of col
ner ores, carrying also large value
IN silver and gold Copper leads ar
forpd on both sides OF the valley
IN the two ranges of mountains ths
traverse the county north and soutf
Prospecting in dilatory fashion ha
boon carried on for several year
end some fine ore has been take
Dull TtlEhNis N va
matte sale. has been started. an
from now on will be- pushed in tru
Aoining fashion. by mining men bacl
with ample capital. This is e
ee.ially true in the east range
fountains. where the Bonanza cor
n.ay Is now at work. Their CLAIM
ore about seven to ten miles fro
Montpelier. Recently this eompal
has Installed a large hoist. toseth
win powerful pump and an eleetr
plaut. II - the Intention TO sink
shaft on this belt by this compal
down 500 feet. running levels eve
hundred feet as depth is gained. al
II Il not predicting too much TO r
that before spring they viii be ma
ing regular shipments Of ore. carr
ing from g TO 60 per cent copp'
with from 20 to 80 ounces Of sily
ana some gold to the ton. The Q
q absolutely free from refractc
\ mineral and Is said 10 Be the easil
\ handling copper ore to be found