El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-07-01
RICH GOLD BEARING
VEIN 1T CERRO
COLORADO
Plans Under Way to Erect
Power Plant For Mexi-
can Mine.

At Cerro Colorado cred hilD, II XII
Iometers north of Batoplas, in south
west part of the state of Chihuahua,
there is an interesting formation of gold
bearing rock, the hill of Cerro Colo
RADIO measuring 1900 meters in length.
1000 meters wide and 500 meters in
altitude above the level of the creek
below It is composed Of soft porphy-
rite rock carrying native gold that
is exceedingly fine and disseminated
through the rock mass, although veins
or richer mineralized zones are occa-
sionally found.
The main vein is Very regular and
the gold occurs in very rich pockets or
punches or in long stretches of clay.
The average value of the vein ore is re-
ported to be one ounce of gold per ton.
one of the leading mines near by call
ed San Gabriel.
Discovered in 1857.
This deposit of gold was found In
the year 1881 by some prospectors who
were engaged in washing gravel at the
base of the cliff for placer gold. The
merchants at Batopilas claim that they
purchased from these placer miners at
that time about $50, 900 worth OF gold.
These placer miners were native in
dians This discovery led to one of the
indians ascending the face of the al
most inaccessible cliff OF the Red
Hill'' and he was rewarded for his
trouble by finding rich gold ore in
place. He soon parted with his dis
covery for a small consideration to
some merchants and miners whom he
knew, who denounced and secured title
to the property.
In 1888 the property was being work
ed by Becerra Bros, and was visited
by many mining engineers from the
United States and England, for the
fame CT it had spread to all parts Of
the world. It looked for awhile as if
the new gold mountain would over
shadow the fame of the nearby great
Batopilas silver mines of Boss" Shep-
hard. Even the Mexican government
sent an engineer to Investigate it and
make a report to the department of TO-
mento.
The mountain of porphyry rises from
its base in the form of a peak. having
almost vertical cliffs on three sides,
the fourth side being attached to a
higher mountain. The summit of the
''hilP' is 1900 to 1900 feet above the
level of Mauguerachic creek which
flows around the base. The length of
the hill is about a mile. In addition
to this creek there is the Batopilas riv-
er, two miles distant, both streams are
of considerable magnitude and suitable
for Use as a source of power.
The Principal Mines.
The principal mines in the central
portion of the hill are the San Gabriel,
La CORA, La Mexicana and Santa
Elena and others, each being in the
form of a square of 50 acres each.
The Becerra brothers expended con-
siderable money in the construction Of
roads, houses, a mill consisting of 10
taunnas or astras run by mule power.
They made the first mill run on 383
tons of selected ores from various
parts of the San Miguel mine which
resulted In a gold bar having the value
of $40. 206. or a value per ton of $104.-
IT, United States currency A second
lot was subsequently worked consisting
Of 735 tons which produced total of
s27.S4S in gold or s3787 gold per ton.
The process employed in treating the
ore was simple amalgamation with
mercury. The bars of bullion obtained
ran $40 fine. Much development work
has been done by shafts and tunnels.
Modern Plant Needed.
This mining district will prove of
great Importance when a modern plant
is Installed to treat the low grade ore
by the cyanide process the same as in
the FL Orc district near the city of
Mexico. on account OF the softness of
the rock, the value Of its ore, the i'm
| mense area of the deposits. the posi-
ton between rivers that will afford
| abundant power for all purposes at the
| lowest cost.
To Utilize Power.
! Plans are now under consideration