Gilpin observer., 1911-03-23
To Revive
the Old Mines

The amount of gold and silver and
other metals mined in Colorado since
the first patented lode mining claim
might be doubted were it announced.
AS matter of history the first claim
was filed on in 1859 in Virginia canon
above Idaho Springs and was issued
to John L. Emerson. The claim was
fifty feet wide by fifteen hundred feet
long. In this connection 1t is import
ant to state that the property in
question is again being worked with
prospects Of it's becoming a good pro
ducer. This is the singular part of
the history of the property.
The uninitiated will ovince astonish
ment at the announcement Of the
mine resuming operations. Most peo-
pie have an idea that because mine
shuts down it must be worked out
and can no longer be depended upon
to produce anything except debts.
There are many properties in this
section that have not been worked
in years. These pioneer mines may
nave put OuL ii 81 cat uOil vi JIG III
the past. A number, upon examina-
tion may disclose things of interest.
Some may have well-defined veins,
others with ore bodies exposed. while
still others may have nothing Of
value. Properties like the last have
been taken over and made to pay. 1t
is this that is hard to understand.
Mining were ever a peculiar call
ing. An abandoned property having
been relocated and worked has been
known to pay handsomely, in time.
OF course there are exceptions. Still
it is good sign when one considers
the number of mines that have long
since ceased to output. That these
should now find parties willing to
again revive them, is inexplicible to
the outsider. A number of things
might prevent the reopening of
property. Water and depth have kept
many from realizing a fortune. The
dry mines and one having little work
performed and OF no great depth have
often been inducements for trying 1t
again.
Were no new locations made for
years, the known mining properties
would no doubt take on greater value
and many be working and most OF
them Of a long ago period Of location.
The party owning one of this class
must feel that he has something of
value but is unable to make that
value tangible. He may reluctantly
turn 1t over to another, fearful that
by SO doing he is giving up~a good
thing. OF course he does not know.
nor does he that is willing to take
a try at it. To know that a property
will produce fortune would place
the mining industry in the has been
class. That is, all the known deposits
would be worked out and those re-
naming mere holes in the ground.
To revive an old property is an in
teresting phase of mining. Unless
new property is phenominal at tho
start the older mine has tho better
of it, II not too extensively worked.
There are a number OF mines with
and these have been exploited from
end to end with slopes worked to
the second. third or fourth level or
much deeper. OF course this class
are hardly desirable unless the vein
is still intact at whatever may be
the depth.
Possibly property that has been
worked successfully to great depth
may never become worked out. Wat
er and depth. as said, have proven
detriment owing to the great cost
of handling the mineral. There may
be a number of such mines in this
district. These would evidently dis
close vein intact OF good value.
but the cost of extraction too great
to make 1t pay to mine. With new
ideas in concentration these proper
ties are pretty certain to again be-
come active.