The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1910-12-22
HUMBOLDT TO Be
COPPER PRODUCER

Samuel w. Belford, a prominent at
torney Of Ely, who has been in Reno
for several days, is authority for the
statement that Nevada is destined to
become the banner copper producing
district in the world. Belford bases
his statement on close study Of the
copper districts. All that is needed to
bring Nevada to the front as a copper
producer is the completion Of . few
smelters in different portions Of the
country, and this, he believec, will
soon be accomplished.
Humboldt Great Copper Producer.
While the fact may not be generally
known, Humboldt county seems destin-
ed to become one Of the greatest cop
per producing counties in the state.
One Of the richest known deposits
of the red metal is situated but few
miles south of Winnemucca, in Sonoma
canyon, and is owned by the Nevada
Northern Copper Mining Milling
company, Of which David Payne 10 the
local superintendent.
The property Of the company en-
braces IA claims, containing an agRre-
gate of 280 acres, and is situated in
the Sonoma range Of mountains, about
Is miles south Of town. About q year
ago, shortly before his death, J. A.
Ogden, late president Of the company,
made an exhaustive examination Of the
property, reporting his findings to the
stockholders as follows:
1T have examined the property Of
the Nevada Northern Copper company
in the Sonoma range Of mountains
south of the town Of Winnemucca,
Humboldt county, Nevada. This ex-
animation revealed to me more facts
about copper than I ever had an op-
portunity previously of knowing. Cop
per colored rock can be seen in most
every country On the face of the earth.
1t is said, 'One ounce Of copper will
stain a whole acre Of ground The
greatest difficulty I experieced was
to find this copper colored stain, al
though copper outcroppings were found
in abundance. This country il COM
paratively free from float ore; IL
found, it may have been washed there
from some ledge twenty miles away.
The general formation Of this range Of
mountains is volcanic, and numerous
blowouts show themselves along its
course and give evidence Of strong un-
derground action. The contour Of the
ground is uneven without any decided
breaks in the formation. Deep ravines
and high cliffs are unknown, and to To-
cate mineral in these mountains IL no
smooth job for a prospector. Timber
and water, two important factors in
mining and milling, in most places are
very rare and it was the good fortune
of this company to locate and secure
water right on this property. An ap-
proximate value of this water right
has been placed at 1925, 900. This
stream of water is large enough to an
swer for all purposes in mining and
milling.
tThe ore veins are extensive and
numerous, traceable through the coun-
trv for several thousand feet. A cop
per colored slate runs parallel with the
veins and the course Of the lodges
can be readily followed.
tOn the Copper Queen, where most
of the work has been done, the vein il
four feet wide between walls Of por-
phyry and sale. The rock is much de-
composed and oxidized although the
copper is well defined throughout !, the
ened up a fine ore body, increasing in
width as depth is obtained.
cit is estimated that within twenty
five feet the water level will be struck
and rich, highgrade ore win come in.
"The ore is now being sacked to
ship to the smelters. Assays show this
ore to be worth between $75 and 900
per ton. Ore that showed little value
and that was discarded ON examinA-
tion and test proved to be worth $45
per ton.
s'The copper ore is Of the sulphide
character and it is the ore most suited
for smelling. was able to trace these
lodges for 1000 feet lengthwise Of tho
property. Openings made along the
course of the veins show the ore to be
the same in character and value. On
the Blue bird No. the ore was found
at grass roots and the value was
$1l7.50 per ton in copper, besides sew
en- ounces of silver and % In gold.
"On the. Blue Birds the veins were
true vertical fissure veins and with
we'll defined walls. This copper ore
was of the sulphide nature and also
showed evidence Of nickel. On tho
adjoining claims other parallel veins
were uncovered, all carrying the same
class of ore and values" ;
Since the above report was made,
Superintendent Payne has crosscut the
vein and run tunnel on the ledge for
800 feet which now shows a width Of
80 feet. The ore being taken out at
present is sulphides and native cop
per, running about 12 per cent in cop
per, in addition to lesser values in gold
and silver.