El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-04-04
MINING NEWS
NEW INTEREST IN
OROBLANC0 MINES
Work Is Resumed on Gold
Properties that Promise
Good Returns.


Tucson, Ariz.. IS miles, on the border
line Of Mexico is the ORC BlancO min
ing district, where there has been
decided increase in mining activities.
The revival in interest in the dis
trict began about a year ago when
Col. Powell, of the Calumet and Ariz-
ona, and Capt. McDermOtt, of Butte,
Mont, later superintendent Of the Twin
Buttes Copper Co, bonded the Non
tana mine, owned by L. ZeckendOrf-
This property is situated about one
mile from the base Of ORC BlancO peak,
the most prominent mountain in the
9lstTlcl: Inc property Is goIo-sill-
Yer-lead-Zinc one The upper work
ings show a large body OF ore. The
new company, the POWmOt Develop
ment Co, sunk a shaft 100 feet deep
vein which is over 10 feet wide ana
drifted both ways on the vein over
100 feet, all OF which was found 70
be pay ore. The company stopped
work at this point with good ore IN
the breast Of each end of the tunnel
Adjoining the Montana to the north
lies the Austerlitz group, carrying
gold values. These claims were bond
ed about two weeks ago by Tod Wood
worth and Mr. Lane Mr. WOOD
worth made a success years ago cy-
aniding the dump of the Virginia
Consolidated, OF Nevada He has or
dered a large quantity Of mining sup
piles from NOgaleS and is preparing
TO install COMMENTATORS. at the mill on
the property. He VIII develop the
property by sinking the shaft deeper
and prosecuting at depth.
Has Good Prospect.
The Yellowstone Development COM
pany has been at work continuously
for some time past This property
lies about four miles north Of the Aus
terlitZ. At IS feet in depth, the vein
was wider than the shaft and aver
aged S12- The company has been driV-
ing a tunnel to crOsscut the vein az
about 100 feet. From 30 feet to zOO
where the breast OF the tunnel is at
ing gold, have been encountered, aT-
eraging one to foot Many are on
y knife blade in thickness, others
three or four inches, but all dip to-
has been made il is expected these
stringers viii run into the vein about
zoo feet in depth. Probably the vein
viii be cut during the coming week
Orc Mine Changes Hands
The orc mine, which has been idle
for the past y years has recently
changed hands, The present owners
are retimbering the shaft and taking
the surface water out This shaft IS
$40 feet deep and has a strinSer OF
SIS ore y inches wide at the bottom.
This property produced over $zS,UOO IN
gold bullion from one slope above the
80 foot level, but on account Of faults.
the shaft was not sunk on the vein
but on j stringer- As there seem 70
be seven veins from six inches to 10
feet wide on this property, the com
pany plans TO cross-cut and drift from
the bottom of the shaft There IS
good deal Of So to IS ore in sight on
the orc.
Another property that is being
worked is the Wild group Of claims
in the California Gulch. While no
great depth has been attained, the
surface indications are extremely
good. Mr.. Wild bonded one OF his
claims last week to McKfnzie. Sixty |
feet of development work IS TO be done I
each month for the next y months
A very promising property near the I
Wild group is the Arizona Consolidated /
group. now held by parties in Beth 4
lehem Pa. On this property stOO,OeO 4
in ore is blocked out in Work done I
on three sides. The veins run from 1
four to 10 feet in width at a depth OF .
25O feet and average $500
There are many other promising I
prospects in the district that are not /
being worked actively at present The /
which was completed last year by the I
Southern Pacific, VIII reduce the /
freight haul from IS miles TO about /
81 when the road establishes sta
ton south Of AmadO, as ii undoubtedly \
viii do in the near future.
The District.
The Orc BlancO district is about . Z
miles long and five TO miles wide, Z
extending generally northwest anu
The chief volcanic forma-
lions in the district are rhyOlite.
andesite basalts and diOrites. The (
veins are generally large and prOml-
nent, the principal ones outcrOppins
for a number Of miles. The district !
was opened by the Mexicans many
years ago as gold camp They
have placered the small gulches for I
years, whenever they had sufficient /
water and energy, with good results.
At the present time TWO companies
are preparing TO work placer ground
Free Gold The Old Curse.
Like many other mining districts, /
Orc Blanco has had its ups and downs.
The latter was due mainly to one rea-
son. the free gold bug On the sur
face the various properties. and there
are probably over 80 different groups
of claims. showed veins Of free gold.
The old time miners Of 10 or 20 years
ago put in stamps and amalEamatiOl
to randle this free gold. They were
discouraged when the ore passed into
the sulphide zone a from 40 to 40
feet. and amGigamatiOn only saved
small percent Of the values The con
centrateS generally were Of too low
grade TO pay treatment at a smeiter
and a freight haul of So miles So
when the zone Of base ore was reached,
property after property closed down.
1t is claimed there is a fine open
ing in the ORC BlancO district for
mining companies with capital, which {
would erect plants that would success
fully treat the ores Of the district At 3
present there is not modern mill