Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1915-12-03
ANT|MONY ORE
IN NEVADA

Antimony IN the form OF stibnite,
the sulphide, occurs widely distributed
in the state of Nevada. Stibnite is the
principle ore OF antimony, containing
when pure iI.49S OF the metal 1t is
a soft. lead-grey. metallic mineral hav-
ing high lustre, and usually occur.
ring in aggregates of bladed crystals
and in radiating groups, while more
rarely ii is found in massive or grau-
lar form. Near the surface, the Ne
vada Antimony deposits contain GER
vantite, an oxide of antimony, which
has been derived from stibnite by on
idation. and appears as pale yellow
earthly mineral. Other minerals con-
tanning antimony which occur in Ne
vada are pyrarSyrite, polybasitc, and
stephanite, which are OF more value
for their silver than for their anti
mony; jamesOnite and its deriyative
Bindhemite, which are not valuable
as antimony ores because of their
lead content; famatinite, variety of
which occurs in the rich gold ores of
Goldfield land is called goldfeldite, and
tetrahedrite, also a copper antimony
sulphide frequently Of value for its
gold and silver output. None OF these
minerals are of value as ores of anti
mony.
The known occurrences Of stibnite
i'll Nevada are as follows:
Churchill County-Barnes district
and Boyer.
Elko County-Columbia and Good
Hope.
Eureka County-Stafford District.
Humboldt County-Antelope Spring,
Bloody Canyon, Jackson Canyon, Juni-
per Mountain, Lovelock, Red Butte.
Rosebud District, Seven Troughs Dis
trict, Star Canyon. and Winnemucca.
Lander Coun:y-Battle Mountain
and Big Creek canyon.
Mineral County-Aurora.
Nye County-Hot Greek district.
At Columbia, in Elko county, and i'll
the Stafford district in Eureka coun-
~, the stibnite was mined for its sill
yer content. while at the other locali-
ties named, it has been exploited for
antimony. Before the outbreak Of the
great war, all of the Nevada antimony
deposits were shut down on account
of the low price Of antimony, which
was only S1s cents per pound. Since
then the price has risen to 81 cents,
and a number OF the properties are
now working. Among these may be
mentioned Antelope Springs, in Hum
boldt county, where the-'ore is said
to be chiefly a high grade oxide. but
as yet a depth Of only 80 or 40 feet
has been reached.
In the Red Butte District, mining OPP
erations were begun last summer. and
as in the preceding case, the ore was
mainly high grade oxide. Here how
ever. stibnte began to appear at q
depth of a few feet. The Sutherland
mine near Lovelock was worked last
summer by the Magnolia Metals Co.
OF New York which also operated the
prospect near Red Butte. The de-
posits at Bernice are said TO be work
ing now. and there are doubtless a
number of deposits in the state which
are working nj tho present time. Any
one interested in an antimony deposit
should attempt TO get out as much ore
AS possible in as short time as pos
sible, because it is practically certain
that as soon as the war is over the
price in antimony will again drop back
TO the normal level OF SIz cents.
II is probable that many OF the de-
posits mentioned in the above list.
and not in operation at the present
time. could be made 10 produce an
,imony at profit With the present
price of the metal, and it is TO be
hoped that their owners will take ad'
vantage of the opportunity.
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