The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1912-10-19
RECENT FINDINGS MAY CHANGE
ENTIRE EXPLORING
LIFE 70 ABANDONED PROPERTIES
Probable That Many Properties With Lean
Showing VIII Be Given Deep
Tests.

The recent work at several of the OK.
piorations in this county has changed
the view of explorers greatly as to the
depth of the ore formations in Iron
county and will probably lead to the
re.exploring OF many properties whore
a lean showing was made near the sur
face but no merchantable ore shown
mp on drilling from 300 to 200 feet in
depth
Fifteen years ago the theory was that
all Iron county ore deposits were shall.
low pockets that cut out at depth OF
500 feet and many properties had been
worked TO that depth and abandoned
only TO be re-opened when further ex-
ploratory WORK showed the theory OF
exhaustion at 800 feet 10 be fallacy
and we nave number OF properties
now in operation that were formerly
looked upon as of no more value.
The readiustment of exploratory
work seemed 10 center about the depth
of 1000 feet. Mining men kind of set
upon that depth rs one at which the
maximum OF production might be- ex-
pected and one tnousand-foot holes
were the basis of much of the explora-
tory which meant that unless sufficient
ore was cut between 500 10 500 feet in
depth TO indicate a big tonnage at 900
feet the property was looked upon as Of
little value. Many properties espec-
tally upon the west side were drilled
on that theory and abandoned although
strong formation was cut all the
way.
AS an instance the Johnson property
at Ice lake was drilled and practically
abandoned although the formation cut
was promising down to a depth Of
eight or nine hundred feet. The Flor
ence people were not satisfied with
their work and this year they decided
TO drill the property again. They met
practically the same results as in their
former hole but continued deeper and
AT depth Of over 1000 feet they cut
the ore and proved mp body of high
grade ore lying under the heavy cap
ping Of mixed ore. grey states jasper
and quartz.
On the Sherwood property which
was the first 70 show mp ore under a
very thick capping the drilling years
ago showed mp strong formation but
little ore down to 1000 feet and the
property was surrendered. After sew
eral years of idleness new concern
was interested and new option taken.
Drills were started and practically
the same results met with as IN the
first drilling The new explorers were
discouraged. Il happened that at the
time one of the holes was being put
down. the general manager, was away
for several weeks and there was no one
with authority 10 stop the hole and as
no orders were received the men kept
sinking 1t deeper until at depth con.
siderably over ! 200 feet a fine high
grade ore was cut and subsequent work
proves that there IL large body of it
all at great depth. Its discovery was
an accident for had the general mana
ger been on the job he certainly would
have given mp before the ore was
reached. so unlavorable was the caps
ping material.
And so we might cite several more
instances where depth has brought ~,
ward and establishes beyond she
shadow Of a doubt that in Iron county
no property is proved worthless until
the underlying wall is reached. no
matter how deep that wall lies