Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1932-07-21


. large dyke of porphyry and at least
one small dyke of diorite(?). These are
to be the source of Libby
creek placer gold, and there can oe
very little doubt that this hypothesis
is in large measure, correct. 1t is said
that placer gold in paying quantities
has never been found above these
dykes. This, probably because the
pravels above the dykes are of pure
" glacial character without stream
concentration and therefore, not rich
enough to justify extensive explora-
ton. 1t is inconceivable that dlsintegra-
ton of the numerous blanket veins
above the porphyry dyke did not con-
tribute some part of the gold in the
placer gravel below.
Libby Creek Placers
These pIacers were worked in he
sixties The old time miners were COM
PEELED to carry their supplies on foot
or ON pack horses for long distances
probably from Walla Walla. AS the
time required to make the trip going
in and returning was considerable-the
mining season was necessarily short,
The lumber for sluice boxes was whip
sawed or hewed The equipment there
fore. was limited-most of the sluice
boxes being not over II inches wide.
! The rim of the present creek where
the shallow placers were found was
worked over by these old timers who
were followed in the eighties and
nineties by another group who took
from the shallow placers whatever
cold the old timers had left. The gold
at the present time IS found
in deep ancient channels, the beds OF
which are, in many instances IL to ID
feet lower than the present channel
of the creek Obviously these channels
could not be successfully attacked I'M
til the advent of the internal combus-
ton engine, the drag line and the re-
volving shovel.
The two principal operations on the
, creek at the present time are those
: Of a Milwaukee syndicate at Howard
: Lake, using a giant with water under
pressure and modern gold saving APP
: pliances. This plant is about Is mile:
: southeast OF Libby The Nugget Placer
. is operating or 5 miles down thu
creek from Howard lake using ont
ward drag line and also drifting OF
] the bed rock. Figures from the Mil
: waukee syndicate operations are no
: available, but in the fall of 1881 tn
e Nugget Placer put a pit down throug
/ IS feet of gravel to the bed rock il
il one Ct the old channels mentioned
. The bottom Of this channel was foun
G to be Il feet deeper than the preser
s creek and the gravel to a depth {
u about n feet averaged about 35c pc
e ward in coarse, easily recoverable gol
d and an undetermined quantity OF TN
gold. Methods of recovery Of the fin
At gold are now being developed Tn
. year tunnel run for the purpose I
Ell cross sectioning the channel Shove
approximately $3.50 per cubic yard, Il
l. the to feet Of gravel everything L
81 bed rock.
ts Other Minerals
I'd This particular region is unique
other respects. A few miles northea
n of Libby the Zonolite and Vermicul
e. Companies are developing ore bod
~ Of Vermiculite, an interesting, not
ia saw spectacular occurrence which oW
- its origin to a large igneous intrusi
Il Of an unusual type. This mineral h
- been found to be very valuable
~ insulating purposes and its uses ha
ali increased materially in the last y
81 wears. 1t is the largest known body
20 Vermiculite in the world and is pro
49, ably the only known body of its kind
~ commercial value at the present time
~ The use Of Zonolite appears to
- practically unlimited. Heat treated
weighs from to IS pounds to the
j. bic foot, { depending upon size to VIII
ia the material is ground). Fabricated
ian has high tensile strength. The pl
80 ducers Of Zonolite claim for it the T
i lowing advantages over all other
sulating material 1t is insoluble; v
49, min proof; lighter than cork; reast
10 able in price; unaffected by wealth
best thermal insulator known; eq
to mica as dielectric, fireproof
W =, infusible up to 900 degrees Fahrenh
Us very effective as a sound deadener.
e e Among the carload lot customers
a. The Zonolite Company are industl