The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-10-11
la SAILS HOLD
GREAT RICHES
Region of Vast Mineral Wealth
Awaits Enterprise 10
Develop.
SOME MINES ARE OPENED
OIL FIELDS COMPARE FAVOR
ABLY WITH BEST KNOWN.
BY A. N ROGERS.


The La Sal mountain mining region OF
Grand and San Juan counties, in south
eastern Utah, presents as interesting a
geological study as may be found in the
great western mining country, although
greater diversity of formations and vari-
ETY. of minerals may be encountered in
other localities.
The eruptive rocks, which have been
forced up through vast beds of the older
sedimentaries, are mostly of diOrite and
rhyoitte. InteTspersed along the borders
and generally extending in dixie form for
considerable distances into the sedimen-
tary, are ribs of andesite and felsite,
which are In most cases well mineralized
when found in contact with dOlOmite and
other calcareOus rocks.
IN the Quartzites or metamoTphosed
sandstones these bikes are generally min
eTaliZed, but usually to lesser extent; the
character of metallic contents is usually
some OF the forms Of iron, copper sui
phides and caTbOnates generally carry
ing silver and som etimes gold values, and
some of the several forms of tellurium
baseS-SylVanite or CdlaVerite and OCCa-
sionally fetzite or beautiful fluorine crys-
tails.
The La SAILS comprise segregated peaks
and ridgs, among which are numerous
basins and gulches, where the contacts
OF IgneouS and Sedimentary rocks are eX-
posed by erosion and the mineral contents
are easily explored and developed.
Uncover Promising Veins.
Near the north end of the mountains is
Beaver basin. in which a large number
of promising gold, silver and copper veins
are being worked to considerable extent
and with encOur' Sing results.
Bachelors basin, Miners basin and the
intervening Mineral mountain present a
wonderfully rich field for exploitation, as
90 Pilot mountain and Deep creek, TO
the eastward. These sections are the most
extensively developed portions of the La
Sal mountains and show many large, well
defined bodies of good grade gold, silver
and copper ores. A bright future for
this section is assured, as it is past the
prospecting and into the development
stage. Dry creek, north fork of Mill
creek and Shafer gulch are sections which
promise abundant returns for well di-
Tected mining.
Geyser pass and the surrounding noun
tains form what is probably the least
prOspected portion of the La SAILS, but
there seems to be good reason to believe
that intelligently conducted labor would
receive ample reward, for the geological
conditions are as good as in any other
part of the mountains Dark canyon and
the basins at the head of LA Sal creek
and its tributaries are promising unprOs-
pected fields.
Gold basin. on the headwaters of the
north fork Of Pack creek, has received
more attention than have most other parts
of the mountains and many good show
ings are the result of the labor expended.
The Interstate Mining company builded
q CNanlut pant OF lUN tons a DAY ca
paCltN, but, owing TO complications in the
affairs of the company. the mill lacks
little Of being complete and is idle. 1t
Is understood that the affairs of the COM
pany are about to be adjusted and that
work will be resumed in the near fu-
ture.
On the south fork Of Pack creek con-
siderable prospecting has been done, eX-
posing a number of good veins. several
Of which need only development to make
mines. What is said of the Pack creek
claims is also true Of several in LaCkey
basin, which lies on the west side of
the mountain, on which are the Pack
creek claims.
The Wilson mesa placers are wonderful.
not only because of their extent and rich
ness, but because of the conditions which
they present. which BATTLE every pros
pector miner and expert who has ever
visited them.
Rich PIacers Puzzle Experts.
Lying upon a high mesa covering an
area of several square miles is an allu-
vial drift of from a few inches to 90
feet or more in thickness, which is liter
ally filled with gOld-bearing quartz and
quartz and its gold contents indicates that
il came from at least three sources, vet
il is all intermingled, instead of being
in strata, as one would suppose it would
be, coming from different sources, and
the quartz and other rock matter pre-
sent rough. angular SurfdCes-aTe not
rounded or smooth, as they would be
were they in an ancient river bed or gla-
cial deposit.
The general conclusion reached by those
who have examined the gold-bearing drift
is; II Is there and il is rich. As to how
il came there OF from whence il came,
they are questions for the solution Of
which there is no key.
4 large hydraulic plant has been in
stalled and is working successfully. and
a number of small outfits are making
L In Gin
chimes, long toms and other devices, and
the quartz left in the tailings contains
more gold than does the disintegrated
matter which yields the values they save.
The great old fields of San Juan county
extend both above and below Bluff City
for d distance of more than 100 miles
Comparing them with several prolific oil
sections of other states with which the
writer is familiar. he is convinced that
as rich an oil field as the best of all
others awaits development at the very
doors of Moab residents and for many
square miles of territory adjacent to
Moab.
The skeptcal may laugh, the critics de-
ny, but the enterprise of boys who are
i'm school tOday-many of whom are well
grOwn-will in the prime of their man
hood verify all of the predictions of the
vast wealth lying beneath the feet and
around those who ridicule the assertions
of the Sc who are hopeful enough to be
hCve in and be thankful for the bOun-
ties a kind providence has stored for
our use. And San Juan and Grand cOun-
ties shall be among the richest harvest
fields