The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-04-08
Tin Ore Found In the Region
About Spokane.
FOUND IN DETACHED MASSES
The Discoveries Already Made Are
Of Sufficient Value to Warrant Such
Investigations But Will Involve q
Further Outlay Of Capital.

The discovery Of tin ore at Silver
Hill, southeast Of Spokane, Wash, inl
1907 has attracted considerable att
tention. Search for mctalliferous Dc.
posts and for coal has been carried
on at this place for several years, and
prospects Of silgcr-bcaring galcna
had been noted. Tie tin-bearing
mineral cassitcrite was identified az
such by Richard Marsh Of Spokane,
In the summer oi 1906, but prospect
ing for tin was not begun until March
1907. The first authentic account OF
this discovery published outside Of
the local newspapers was prepared BY
Mr. "A. r. Whitman, OF Spokane, and
appeared in the Mining and Scicn-
tifc Press Of June !, 1907. by which
time several carloads OF selected ore
had been mined and piled on the
dump.
The discovery derived additional
interest from the fact that no tin ore
had previously been reported from
the State Of Washington. and Mr.. Ar.
thur ]. Collier, one Of the geologists
Of the United States Geological Sur
yey, was detailed to visit the locality
and examine the conditions. Mr.. Col.
lier spent several days early in the
season in going over the prospects,
and again visited the region in Octo-
Der to note the Developments made
during the summer. The information
gained as the result OF these limited
investigations is embodied in a paper
Just published by the Survey as an
advance chapter from Bulletin No.
$40, which forms Part ! Of "Contribu
tions to Economic Geology, 1907"
The region about Spokane is rich
in natural resources. The city itself
the most important OF eastern Wash
ington, is about Is miles from the
Idaho State line and 90 miles south
Of the Canadian boundary, on the
lines of the Northern Pacific, Great
Northern, and Union Pacific railroad
systems, and is the center for exten-
sive agricultural, numbering and min
ing interests. Vast exranses Of rich
wheat lands in the Palouse and Big
Bend countries lie to the south and
west, great forests OF valuable timber
are within 100 miles to the east, and
the mines of the Coeur d'Alene dis
trict the chief producers OF lead-sil-
yer ores, are within 100 miles to the
southeast. Spokane River has a fall
al several hundred feet and furnishes
the surrounding country with water
power. Several interurban railroads
Iradiating from Spokane are operated
with power from the falls, and on the
line Of one Of these railroads, within
hall on hours ride from the center
Of the city. are the tin deposits. The
location is therefore an ideal one for
mining, milling, and shipping ore,
provided it is found in sufficient guam
| titles, the only element lacking being
coal, for deposits Of this fuel suitable
Tor smelling tin ores are not known
within $50 miles.
The geology Of the Spokane regiot
| has not been studied in detail, bu
| the relations Of the rocks in the vicin
ity are known in general way, anC
a brief statement OF these relations /:
/ given BY Mr.. Collier. The rock
which seem to be the Oldest in the re
/ gion comprise complex mass Q
gneisses and schists with many igne
Gus intrusions Of various kinds. Thes'
rocks form the mountains southeas
of Spokane and contain the tin de
posits
l. The cassiterite found at Silver Hill
lis nearly black and is without deflnit
crystal outlines. It is distributes
through a nearly white, hne-graine'
rock, characterized by slight tinges 9
pink, in grains or masses ranging Il
size from that Of pinhead to tha
Of a bowlder several inches in diam
eter. Tin ore Of this type has beeI
found at four localities within tn
area described by Mr. Collier, wh'
discusses also the local geology tn
characteristics Of the ore, and tn
developments and form OF the or
bodies. In conclusion MIR, Collie
states that the developments at Silve
| Hill indicate that the tin ore is to b