The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1920-04-01
Idaho Ranks Second in Lead Production
Brief Review of Operations in
Occur d'Alene District

Mine Inspector, 1879
our famous Occur d'Alene district
continues to be the dominant factor
in the metal production of this state.
When first discovered SO years ago,
its lead-silver deposits, occurring as
they did almost exclusively in clean
quartzite formations, were considered
unlikely to last by the scientific talent
Of that day whose whole experience up
to that time had associated lead de-
posits with limestone formation
whose recognized soluability and sus-
ceptibility to replacement with as
cending mineral solutions was thought
to be an essential factor for a per-
manent lead ore deposit and that the
recognized insoluability of quartzite
an unfavorable environment for the
deep seated occurrence of such min
erals, but they recokned without the
manifest powerful assuring and struc-
tural avenues available and the pos
sible genetic volume and reservoir
available and the possible genetic
volume and reservoir of metallic re-
sources that underlaid the apparently
unfavOrable surface wall rocks of the
new ore discoveries. This points a
moral and adorns a tale told by a
Cornish miner who, when advised by
an expert that his formation wasn't
right for making ore replied. That
ores where it be and not where it
ought to be-" which has proved a tru-
ism. in mining experience in many i'm
portant instances.
Record of Occur d'Alene District.
The originally considered unfavOr-
able formations of the Occur d'Alene /
district for carrying lead ore have
since magnificently demonstrated the .
virtue of this little story by the pro-
duction, since their discovery in 1885 /
of lead metal values at very low
average market rate per pound, ag-
gregating a total Of fully $500 OOO, 900 .
gross and have, incidentally, produced
as a by-product nearly 100000, 900
ounces of silver and given Idaho a
ranking position in the production of
the white metal that is only a few
notches from the top among western
states. In addition to this they have
produced several million pounds of
zinc, considerable copper and several
hundred thousand ounces of gold. The
combined production of this dictrict
with a little help from several other !
very promising young districts from
development standpoint, puts Idaho in ]
second place in lead production among I
the state of the Union, being exceed 4
ed in this respect only by the state of {
Missouri. and the outlook is decidedly I
strong for continued maintenance of {
this position. for sometime to come and t
the possibility of ultimately acquiring f
first honors in this respect. 7
Prediction Being Verified. r
Development progress during the c
year, in our big northern mines, was t
restricted by labor condi- a
tons. What was done. however, i'm f
strengthened the future pros t
poets of ore tonnage resources in all b
the larger properties. In one of my
older reports 1 made the prediction a
number Of years ago that the Occur {
1Alene mines We're good for so years C
1t the rate Of production then estab- a
ished. I was concted of playing to V
he gallery in this optimistic state d
nent I have seen II years of that s
prediction literally fulfilled. or over Ii
,ne-third of the time, and while my d
official connection with the matter is a
'spidly drawing to a close, 1 am con- t,
icientious in my belief, from knowl- f,
,dge of these deposits and their reoc- II
urring discovery, that they will full o
i'll by original prediction and main s,
ain a capacity equal to the average of "
he period already covered. b
Bunker Hill G. Sullivan. te
Briefly put the interesting points of t.
lew progress in the Occur d'Alene dis m
riot for the past year was the further v,
uccessful demonstration of the per- II
istency in normal clean ore charac- a.
eristics and wall rock conditions of Ii
he great ore channels of the Bunker W
I'LL & Sullivan mine at the No. IS re
avel a mile deep below the crest in tn
he pitch Of these deposits, with pres 50
mt prospect for further depth pene- A
ration that is at least as favorable as
! has been at any horizon in the his
Dry Of the mine as far as local evi- ne
ences can predict such matters. The az
asst volume of past production being 81
+ course appreciated and also the ri
reat volume Of present proven re- Sc
Hurces are considered an offset to the pl
lsting qualities that will precede ulti-
late root and end of this wonderful
re channel. ii
Morning. to
The Morning mine at Mullan at its be
70. 20 level, measuring about $500 de
eet vertically under the highest peak tt
re crest Of the mine, which has been fu
ersistently stopped to this deep point, tn
now operating one Of the largest and ju
est ore slopes in the history of the alb
and, according to geologic Of
has still long stretch of W.
le most favorable wall rock condi- tn
ons in the district to penetrate in 20
s further downward extension. in