White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1919-12-21

duoing field, thus quickly increasing
the value of outstanding oil stocks
to the basis of handsome profit.
The Illipah basin lies little north
of west OF Ely at distance of about
thirty-four miles. The general direc-
ton of the basin is north and south.
with Cottonwood creek flowing from
near its northern end, turning east
erly through canyon.
The higher formation is massive
limestone, several hundred feet in
thickness, containing practically all
the fossils of the Eocene Pleocene
periods. particularly near its lowest
strata, where these fossils occur in
almost solid masses. Tne massive
limestone is we'll exposed on both the
west and east sides of the basin.
with dip to the west and the east
respectively, forming well-defined
anticlinal running north and south.
The apex of the anticline would
appear TO run north and south on n
line somewhat nearer to the western
side than the eastern. with q gentle
slope to the north of perhaps ten to
twelve degrees. This slope exp )ses
the oil formation, one stratum after
another, al a person goes over il
from north TO south. The dip Of the
various strata Is little east of north
and il Is this easterly tendency that
throws the apex OF the anticline
nearer the western sid, NJ the basin
TRAN to the eastern. ond which viii
elevate the southern end OF the anti
cline.
Below the massive limestone the
ST ,atificatioA is dark shsle, limestone
n alteSnats layers. Much OF this
strata has not been measured, but
they are all strong. uniform. and
the dip is exposed in many places.
Az no piace has a fold or fault been
found. Identification of the shale
has been determined by Engineer
Mcfarland TO be Jurassis, DARK in
color, with q considerable hydrocar-
hen content. and experiments have
proven that oil has been extracted
rom 1t in small quantities by earlier
discoverers. The Morrison forma-
tion of the same age has been iden-
titled in the stratum of yariegated
sandstone lying below a massive
stratum of shale. Indications of an
extinct seepage have been discover
ed at a point on the south slope of
a canyon and came out from beneath
what may possibly be a conglomerate
but which is not we'll enough ex-
posed for positive Identification. The
seepage came from a black shale.
which is highly deeomposed. and
which at the present time contains
erystalized gypsum.
Chugwater sand is exposed for a
considerable distance at the north
eastern rim of the basin. with a
strong dip to the south. This angie
necessarily diminishes as the strata
goes under and south to conform to
the general dip of all the other
measures, being deepest at point
where the Lincoln Highway crosses
the basin and becoming gradually
shallower towards the south
The location for the first well has
been made at point northerly and
a little easterly from the largest
dome in the vicinity which will be a
little east of the apex of the anti
cline
There being no volcanic action of
any kind visible in the district, the
fact that oil shale shows presence
of oil and the seepage shows that
oil at one time did flow from the
ground, the existence of perfect
anticline on the ground all combine
to make this basin of Ilipah one OF
the most promising fields in the
country.
Negotiations are now being made
by the Illipah Basin company with
the Round Valley company toward
the leasing of several of the claims
of the latter company, and If ar
rangements are completed, it is re-
ported that the Illipah company will
arrange for another drill to begin
operations at once.