The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1923-10-18
GIANT LEDGE PLANS
DEEP DEVELOPMENT
ORE OUTLOOK GOOD
Development and Geological
Conditions Described Com
plete Surface Plant
CBy Adam Aulbach, Murray. Idaho).

! (By Adam Aulbach. Murray. Idaho).
TT HE location. or rather, the exact
location of mining property is Of
more Importance geologically and
historically than it is generally
/ deemed necessary TO chronicle in min
ing correspondence TO newspapers de-
voted almost entirely to the industry.
because in large district like the
Occur d'Alenes. with it's numerous
subdivisions there are special geo.
logical features in all, and in
nearly every one of them there
are distinct characteristics in which
large deposits OF mineral have been
found and very successfully mined
In fact, with few exceptions, there is
a great deal of individuality, so to
speak, in the formation of all the big
and productive mining properties in
ShOshone County. / may cite the Sue
cess mine on East Nine Mile for eX-
ample. This is in a granite casing
entirely although hedged about by
quartzte. The Callahan, two miles to
the northeast of the Success, may be
cited as another instance. The forma-
ton of the Callahan is in so-called
Prichard slate. Not desiring TO spread
out this correspondence beyond its
proper length. 1 will now proceed to
cope with the object of this letter, the
first of a new series promised to the
Miner during the ensuing inclement
season. This covers also an independ-
ent formation practically, being in the
main granite with a quartzite contact
and gangue. This is the Giant Ledge
Group. now owned and operated by a
syndicate. known as "a common law
trust" The property consists of IS
quartz lode mining claims, each claim
supposed to be 500 feet wide and 1,5OO
! feet long This territory is thus com
bined to embrace not only the main
ledge, but all it's dips, spurs and
angles. and parallel veins that Ere
quently meander along the mother fis-
sure. The group is located on Granite
/ Creek, half a mile south of Raven.
/ four miles east of Murray by way Of
/ the county wagon road, a splendid
/ highway. The claims in the main lie
on the slope of ridge that forms the
northwest base of Granite Peak the
most conspicuous mount on the North
Side of the Occur d'Alenes. This
mountain is scanned and threaded with
veins and lodges, and promises "A field
for mining operations for ages to
come. Every foot is also covered with
forest growth of every variety of tim
Der, a large part suitable for mining
purposes for an indefinite period The
mountain also is a watershed of large
extent, and the almost perpetual snow
on its summit provides a large flow Of
water for the entire year Hence min
ing and reduction plants need not fear
the lack of water during operation at
any time except for power which is
now provided, for any amount of
energy required, electrically by the
Shoshone County Power company a
subsidiary of the Washington Water
Power company.
Underground Conditions.
The writer visited the property on
Saturday, October 10. and finding the
superintendent, Geo. f. Hottenstein. in
his Office, he kindly rendered his
service to give me a glimpse of the
work carried on beneath the surface.
The electric hoist worked smoothly
and in a few minutes the 4OO-foot
level was reached. This is the depth
of the shaft at the present time
Through this shaft all the under
ground work has been done for some
years, the present owners having done
about 400 feet of new drifting since
assuming control, chiefly in extending
the southeast drift and a little work
in a crosscut for exploratory pur-
poses. Altogether about 2400 feet of
work has been done on this level and
every foot is a credit to the different
arrangements. the width being from
5 to feet, and the height from Z to
s feet. The air was surprisingly pure
throughout, and the working condi-
tons seemed ideal There was no
danger of stumbling over rocks and
refuse, even in the idle drifts, and
the air and compressor pipes were Sc
curely adjusted so as not to Interfere
with tile movement of the employees.
Contrary to expectation. the drifts
were dry except a slight oozing and
dripping. The only wet place in the
mine is the shaft. and this is not a
deluge
Conditions were so favorable that it
became a pleasure to explore all the
drifts and give a little time to study
the formation. This appears to be
uniform throughout, and consists Of
granite and quartzite, no slate being
visible. even as an intrusion. The
granite is termed monzonite by Super