The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1913-09-11
Prospecting by the Government
General Manager Godfed Consolidated for
Mining and scentfc Press

The suggestions contained In the
article below are interesting, as COM
ing from a man of high standing as
a mining engineer and in mine
Mr.. Burch is at present
manager of the Goldfield CONSOLIDATE
ed. the greatest gold mine In the
United States. He was for many
years a resident of the Occur d'Alenes
and had various mining interests here,
notably the Silver King, on Govern
ment gulch. He was for some time
manager of the Bunker Hill & Sui
Ivan, the greatest lead mine in the
world The article below will be read
with particular interest by his friends
in the Occur d'Alenes
while travelling from one Nevada
mining camp to another, few days
ago, stopped at a spring, where
found typical old-time prospector
camped for the night His equip
ment Of tools, camp utensils, and food
was good, and his four burros were
grazing nearby Everything was well
cared for, and he gave one the i'm
preston of being man who was In
earnest and understood his business.
With all that, he told of having
spent months in southern range
where the chances of finding mineral
were almost hopeless; and he was
then on his way to the north to
search for a legendary vein of high
grade ore that had been found and
later lost by his brother prospectors
in the misty past.
Why Prospecting Declines.
He belongs to a class that is rapid
'ly becoming extinct, and many reasons
have been given for his disappearance
from the hills; such as the establish
nent Of forest reserves, the difficulty
If interesting capital in mining, etc.
It is my belief. however, that the real
cause is the lack of incentive because
of the increasing difficulty Of finding
good mines. The veins which dis
close their presence by bold outcrops
were located long ago, and more obs
cure veins In their immediate vicinity
were soon added to the list of pro-
ducing mines Later, such districts
as Tonopah, with only about 800 lin
ear feet al outcrop for the entire dis
trict, and Goldfeld with very little
more. were discovered and developed
Their discovery caused an influx OF
'prospectors' of all classes and degrees.
Of experience. and Nevada was over
run by grocery clerks. schoolteachers
doctors, lawyers. miners, and few
prospectors. Some were searching
the hills for bonanzas; some were
watching the searchers. that they
might be ready to stake convenient
townsite; and some, also, were lying
by shady springs consuming theil
grubstakes.
Diminishing Chance for FINDS
The result of decade of this kind
Of prospecting in Nevada has been the
discovery of q few rst-class mines
and the expenditure of great dea
Of money on prospects, Of varying
merit that have not made mines. Or
the whole. 1t has probably not result.
ed In finding enough profitable mines
to repay 20 per cent Of its cost: ant
In this respect Nevada Is in no worse
position than the other mining states
Of the west. The chances for success
| In prospecting have been STEADILY
diminishing for years and herein lies
the secret Of true prospector's with.
drawal from the field. They have MOI
all died, nor have they all become ricl
enough to retire.
Tonopah Aceidently Found.
1t is well known fact that Tono.
pah, one of the most important min
ing districts found in recent years In
the United States was discovered by
accident: and, no doubt, similar ac-
cidents will occur in the future; but
why leave such things largely tc
chance? The mining Of precious
metals In this country Is an important
industry, and decline In the mining
of the money metals must affect all
other industries. but the decline must
'come unless new mines are found to