The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1913-09-25
Mining ACTIVE AT
BATTLE MOUNTAIN

Battle Mountain, New, Sept. "a, 1913.
Editor Silver State:
Among the Nevada mining sections
with a glorious past record, an inter-
esting present and a promising future,
one of the best is in the vicinity of
Lewis canyon, twelve miles southwest
of Battle Mountain. It seems impos-
sible to obtain authentic records of
the output of the old days, or even
estimates based upon reliable data, so
one must hide behind the general
statement that the district "has pro-
duced Millions" When il is known
that one mine alone has yielded in ex-
cess of $4,0O0,0O0 the truth of the
general statement cannot be ques-
toned.
At the present time work is being
prosecuted with good results on many
properties in this vicinity, among
which may be mentioned the Ruby
Silver, Betty O'Neal, Star Grove,
Gray Eagle, Red Top, Marysville,
Kimberley Consolidated Copper Can
yon and Western Mining company's
group. In fact, from the new ore
bodies that are being discovered, as
well as from the development of the
shallow workings of the old days,
there is every reason to believe that
the future production will be much
greater than that of the past.
The Kimberley Consolidated. in
which Reno people are heavily inter
ested, is one of the properties which
has taken on new life. Some 80 to 40
men are now employed and the mill is
pounding steadily on ore that is said
to pay well.
The Ruby Silver Mining and De-
velopment company, which has an ex-
cellent showing of new ore bodies
opened up On the Estella group of
claims, has recently acquired the
Betty O'Neal group, which produced
$500,000 worth of rich silver ore
from comparatively shallow workings
some twenty years ago.
From the ore now exposed in the
new workings of the Ruby Silver, as
we'll as from the settlement sheets of
three carload shipments recently made
to the Western Ore Purchasing CON-
pany, there is indisputable evidence
that the early day operators over
looked some of the best ore bodies in
the district.
"Smelter returns tell the tale and
these settlement sheets show that the
value of the So tons shipped was
s6,794, an average of $40 per ton.
1t is but nine months since the COM
pany started work on virgin ground
and the above ore was taken out while
prosecuting development.
Geo. w. Abel, president and general
manager of the Ruby Silver, has spent
nearly thirty years mining in Nevada.
His work shows that he has profted
by this experience. In the latter part
of 1912 he started a tunnel on the
Topsy claim, which is being driven to
tap the rich ore body opened up in the
Estella shaft by former owners. This
tunnel struck the vein $50 feet from
its portal and is now in 345 feet.
When it gets under the old workings
ON the Estella it will gain 235 feet ad-
ditional depth on the vein.
Where struck the vein is about five
feet wide and 40 feet beyond this
point winze is being sunk, which is
now down los feet. At the bottom
the ore body is IA feet wide and as
says show an average value of $50 per
ton. The values are practically all
in silver, though occasional assays
run high in gold, lead and copper.
At the 50-foot point in the winze a
drift is run on the hangino wall for
distance of 30 feet. At the l6-foot
point in this drift the vein was cross
cut and shows "a feet from wall to
wall. Assay returns from 3-foot
body on the hanging wall give aver
age values of 500 ounces in silver to
the ton; sixteen feet further in the
crosscut there is IA inches of ore that
goes close to 1000 ounces in silver,
while from 4foot body on the foot.
wall five average assays taken from
different points gave returns from
$50 to 800 per ton. Many handsome
specimens come from the high grade
bodies and the whole vein at this point
could be put through mill, just as it
is broken down, at a good profit.
Another tunnel, which will give an
additional depth of about 200 feet on
the vein, is now in $50 feet. When ,t
is in so feet more it is the intention
to make raise and connect with the
winze. This will put the mine in
shape for good steady production.
The Ruby Silver workings are un-
doubtedly ON the extension of the
vein worked by the former owners of
the Betty O'Neal. The ores are iden-
teal in character and the average
values about the same. From the
mill company's assay records, now in
the possession of Judge George, of
Battle Mountain. it is proved that the
ore treated averaged close to 800 per
ton, while the average of all the ores
opened up was better than $50 per ton.
The veins on the Ruby Silver are
typical true rssures and the history
of the silver mines in Nevada is that
such veins persist and carry their
values to great depth.
Among recent visitors was Jas. w.
Gaughan, deputy mining inspector of
Nevada, who examined the mine in his
official capacity. One of the miners
reports that when leaving he remarked
knk h. DIX