El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-02-06


: dred samples from these ranges carry
| ing good values in gold, silver, cop
per, lead and zinc were assayed.
Sulphur in Reeves.
In Reeves county are thousands OF
! tons Of sulphur bearing ground car
| rying workable values OF sulphur, and
yet we import from S3,O0O,OO0 to 81
| 000,0 worth per annum from Europe.
Why isn't it mined? you ask. There is
no answer, unless we say because it is
in Texas.
Brewster has a remarkable record
for quicksilver production, over $4,000
600 having been produced there in the
i-mercury mines. 1t is confidently eX-
pected that the output will be very ma
( terial1y increased in the near future,
new properties being opened up and old
ones being further developed by New
( York capital
Big Deposits of Copper.
One Of the most interesting deposits
Of copper in Texas, while not in the
trans-Pecos country, will some day be
tributary to FL Paso, since the concen-
trates will be brought here for smelt
ing. This is known as the Permian
ore. 1t occurs in a bedded deposit
slightly underlying the surface at a
short distance in much of the following
counties: Knox, Haskell, Stonewall,
Wichita, Archer and Baylor.
Can't BE Treated.
a vel llLtL E1tAlAE account VI ILLS
deposit is found in the fourth annual
report of the geological survey Of
Texas, under Notes on the Geology OF
North West Texas, by Cummins
1882, Several attempts have been
made to develop the deposit but met
with failure through a lack of proper
geological knowledge in the one case
and metallurgical knowledge in the
others. It is a big low grade steam
shovel proposition for which a metal
lurgicaI treatment has yet to be de-
vised.
Billions in 1t.
It would be a conservative estimate
to say that in those counties, which
aggregate over 5000 square miles, there
are 200 square miles in which from
two TO four feet of the ore bed will run
over one percent copper. a gross Yalua-
ton of about $4,000, 100000.
As a matter Of fact, the actual area
OF this deposit will probably run to
considerably over 1000 square miles
and the thickness of the beds from
three to six feet. but in much of it the
copper content falls to less than one
half Of one percent. According to Cum
Minis, the copper in the Permian clays
OF Texas is in excess of 2 f-2 percent In
deposits Of sufficient area to justify
working it, in some places he says that
it is in excess of four percent.
Ranks With Idaho.
Texas ranks with Idaho and Nevada
III Ndluc OF IllleEaI pEOuuCE& IN coal
and Ignite, she has over S34 000, 000, 900
in sight" Up TO 1908, according to DR..
Phillips. the total value of the mineral
output not counting petroleum, was
upwards of 100000, 600. and then he
adds: LAS mineral producing state, J
Texas has not even scratched the sur
face"
The question naturally arises. why is
it that Texas. with her latent POSSIBLE /
tiles. has been so slow in her mining
development when compared with other
states? Why is it that Texas in 1908
produced more silver from one mine I
than did the whole state of New Mexi- /
co, and last year produced but one |
third as much as did New Mexico, the /
value Of whose silver output is 2 IL I
times that Of 1908.
What Ais Texas.
There are two factors that have re- /
acted IN Texas in such a manner as al /
most to prevent entirely the develop
ment of the metal mining industry. in Z
Jnat they have prevented prospecting,
an absolute prerequisite to metal mine |
development. Prior to January I. 1913 !
on all lands sold in the west Texas re-
Gion, save that granted to the rail-
ways the mineral right has been re-
served and no provision made for the /
sale thereof. In other words for over
one-fOurth of "a century, the surface .
right has been sold to settlers and /
when once sold to them, the mineral
right could not be sold to them or any
one else. q
Law Has Been Changed.
Practically no prospecting or deveI-
opment work has been done in Texas
during all that time except on prop
critics opened up and patented prior 10 /
the segregation of the mineral right
This was changed by the 33d legis-
-ature- The mineral right can now be
disposed of by the land office But !
this change for the better in our land
rzfF- l. L
reduced IN the same act The state of
Texas is like the cowboy prospector
VINO wants to sell you his prospect for
Ill 1t is worth but is afraid that you
Viii make too much out of it that he
ries TO keep a string on it" to share
n whatever profits you hope to make
Another Defect.
AS under Ike United States laws. the
'roSpcctof must do 500 worth of work
'er 2nnUm Oh his claim but without
he opporturit,- TO patent at the end of
I'VE Sci-fs If desired. He must pay
axes or the property (Sec. 2s), or on
MS location right by which he holds X.
or ne never REALLY owns it, ard in al
zion TO this he must pay five percent
y lhe EFOSs value Of the ore at the ,
jilie CItot five petcent. of the net smell
er or mill rerurns) to the game. fish
nd oyster fund tSec 26).
The tax rate in EI aso county for
JI4 is 81 Il cents on the 500, but IL
W we SAL4pblliE VI e from q copper
respect and endeavOring to keep the
hing going and as always happens in
he early days with a prospect you I
rere having a hard time to make both
nds meet. on every 500 worth OF ore
gu took out you would pay the regu-
alton tax OF 81 IL cents and IS be- !
ides.
Would Bring Big sum.
II all the mineral now produced in
eXas had to pay this royalty tax. It I
-ould provide the game, fish and oys-
er fund the tidy sum of about SIS 600
er annum. If in the next six years =,
e should make the rapid advance that !
lew Mexico has in the past six and !
UGH a thing is quite possible, al :
lough not likely under existing con- :
itions, the game, fish and oyster fund :
i'll have about 100000 dollars per an :
um This is more than is annually p,
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