El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-03-09


berate through the echoing canyon
while they grind into powder the aur1-
ferrous ore almost AUTOMATICALLY Leu
from the face Of the cliff This golden
marvel is in proved gold oelt IN me
heart of the great continental divide
where the old Carlisle mine ylslded
gold 10 a depth Of 1000 feet ana Where
the mines of the MOgOllOn mountains
are now yielding millions Of dollars IN
dividends From its summit can be
seen the smoke of the shelters OF Cll1-
ton and Metcalf, the great copper
camps. This new gold bonanza IS IN
the territory of FL Paso-
DIAGNOSIS of Apache Box Geology.
According to Byron o. Picard, mining
engineer and geOlogist, VINO maze a
careful examination OF the Gro IFanue
mine. the basal formation Of Apache
Box canyon (seen at Twin Peaks is q
typical biotite-grsnite so common In
the Clifton and MOrenc1 copper district
and very extensive through the south
western Arizona New Mexico and south
eastern Arizona. Practically covering
this granite is an extensive sheet OF
andesite-feldsite- This rock Is typlcal
basic lava, very dark in color, showing
low lines, and the effects OF rapid cool
ing. Large cavities in it have filled
with secondary quartz crystals, some
calcite and epidote
Intruded into this andesite flow are
a series of rhyOlitic pOrphries, all
striking in the general direction OF
northwest. These dikes form the min
eralized zones OF the gold properties IN
the vicinity of the ORC Grande mine
At the Orc Grande mines in Apache
Box the same general condition is true
Here a dixie OF rhyolite over 1000 Ieet
wide has been intruded into the ande-
site It has been cut off on the south
ern end of the property but extends
to the north. narrowing down to 200
feet wide and curving considerably TO
the east
The Fault of the Canyon
This rhyolite intrusion mas been
faulted along the line of Apache Box
canyon, the fault striking due north
The result of this faulting was break
ing up or fracturing OF the dixie. also
living the Apache creek an opportunity
OF carrying off the soft gage along
the fault line leaving an immense can
yon from 400 10 9uO IeeI hlsn ana
varying in width from 80 TO 25e feet
and over 1000 feet in horizontal length
along the canyon
Another result Of the faulting was
the breaking or SCATTERING and grind
ing Of the rhyolite-pOrphyry adjacent
TO the fault plane, and its being sub
lected to the influence Of the hot waters
and gases resulting from the faulting
and being cemented together again and
mineraliZed.
Mineralized Zones.
The brecciatiOn is variable away from
the fault plane, but several minor FAULT
planes are to be observed, resulting
IN at least six mineralized zones Dis
cussing breccias and their relations to
ore deposition. Prof Arthur Lake, of
Denver. says: a crushed zone cement
ed by softer material is often favorable
10 ore, furnishing the opportunity Tor
replacing and teaching processes.
The brecciated rhyoute or Apache
Box furnishes an excellent concrete
example TO illustrate TINS proposition
The ore bearing solutions penetrating
the porous rhyOiite pOrpnyry after its
8recciatiOn and cementauOu, deposited
auriferOus pyrite in the cavities. The
wa
gold showing in many places Many
assures tmostly very narrow. but rich
in gold and entirely vein quartz for
filling) are found running at right
rich narrow Ilssure VEINS mat were
worked by the discOverer, and many
beautiful gold specimens were taken
out
Topography and Beauty OF Apache Box
In the canyon the walls rise vertic-
ally like steep cliffs for over 500 feet
at the south OF lower entrance Of the
Box, and still higher above these there
through this canyon with a faI Of ap-
prOXimately 200 feet in 1000 feet, and
then curves 10 the west, whence it
flows over a COmDaratiVely level cOuu-
try. Before entering the canyon on
the north end the creek flows on a pla-
teau- The rhyollte porpnyry shows up
from the surrounding country as a high
wall, IS the steep cliffs, 500 feet high
leave the andesite base, continuing 10
the north and west from the Box. These
cliffs are flat on top and easily Travelled
over.
The entrance to the Box is obscure
from a distance. as it is only so feet
wide there and filled with huge boul-
ders, some weighing hundreds Of tons
The, grandeur and beauty Of the cam
yOn is indescribabie, with its miniature
parks and waterfalls. Nothing i'm the
southwest except the Grand Canyon Of
the Colorado rivals it,
Six Grent Mineral Zones or Veins.
Gold constitutes the prfnciDa1 min
eral contents. although one vein called
the Argentine, carries high silver VAL
ues- Six mineral zones Of great width
are exposed along the west wall of the
canyon, with varying characteristics as
Vein No. l. Begins at the entrance
to the canyon on the west wall or side
It is approximately so feet wide. 900
feet long and 400 feet high Tts com,
position is brecciated rhvolite Win
large pebbles resembling cOnglomerate
Ihe cemenung ma Cerial is quartz The
iron contents is very small.
Vein No. . (Argentite vefn) Ad-
joins No. / on the west and is lao go
wide, 400 feet high and over 200 feet
long II IS highly siliciOus rhyolfte
resembling quartzite, with some black
tite values.
Vein No. 9, Dug Hole vein) Is on
the west SIDE Of the CANYON and lies
opposite to and TO the north of Veins
nos. ana 2, being separated from
them by small canyon and secondary
Iault- 1t is highly ferruginous rhyo-
lte containing a multitude Of holes
now Illied with quartz and iron crystals
locally called bug holes" This vein
Is approximately $50 feet wide and 200
feet long
Vein No. 4. CHematite vein) Is stiu
north OF vein No. 3 and lies fsrfl- .--
west 1t resembles the latter. being fuli
Of bug holes and loose formation. buf
contains more hematite and lime than
any OF the other veins The quartz
content is very high and the rbvoffte
character has disappeared
Vein NO. g. Hanging wall vein) Is
on the east side of the canyon ana of
the veins above described. 1t lies on
the contact of the rhyolite and ande-
site east Of the main fault plane. and