OCR Text |
Show WESTERN MINING GAZETTEER. IlK POUT 15 Y PROP. J. s. NEWBERRY OX THE PROPERTIES OP THE STORMONT COMPANY, AT SILVER KEEP, UTAH. Mi:. A. J. .Johnson: have just returned from Silver Reef, where 1 made a careful examination of the properties of the Stormont These properties consist ot the Silver Mining Company. Buckeye, Last Chance, and Stormont claims on the Buckeye lleef, the Thompson & McNally mines on the White Reef and the Stormont mill on the Virgin River, four miles from the Stormont mine. These properties have been so full and accurately described in the reports of Messrs. Rothwell & Couch that it would be quite superfluous for me to attempt a complete review of them or to repeat here what they have said. My observations fully confirmed all the generalities of their reports, and I take pleasure in commending them as giving a graphic and truthful view of your property and its surroundings, and as reflecting great credit on their authors for their thoroughness and accuracy. There are, however, two or three questions in regard to the geological structure of the Silver Reef District, which particularly attracted my attention, and which I was able to settle, at least to my own satisfaction. As these have been much discussed, have given rise to considerable difference of opinion, and have an important practical bearing on the permanence and value of the silver impregnations which constitute the most striking and characteristic feature in this mining district, ami I will briefly refer to Deai: Sin: 1 them. These questions are: g First What is the geological age of the Second What is the source of tjie impregna sandstones? tion? Third Are there two reefs, or is one broken down and duplicated by a fault? The first of these questions has been left unanswered by all who have written on the goology of the district; but I was able to obtain conclusive evidence that the sandstones are of Triassic age, and are a part of the great sheet of Triassio rocks which extends through Southeastern Utah, Southern Colorado, New Mexico, the Indian Territory, etc. In the Cedar Mountain, which reaches down from the north nearly to Silver Reef I found the complete sucession of the rocks of this region Carboniferous, Pierman, Trias, Jura, and Cretaceous, each containing its characteristic fossils. 1 also found some representatives of the sandstones which form the reefs every where present in the Triassic group, and everywhere containing silver and copper. The question then is finally settled. In regard to the source of the silver impregnation, I had, before going to Silver Reef, accepted and repeated the theory promulgated by those who have written on the subject, namely, that silver solutions, coming up through fissures where the volcanic rocks have broken the sedimentary formations, had spread through and more or less perfectly saturated the more porous strata the sandstones converting them into sheets of ore. I am now inclined to believe, however, that the silver, like the copper, which the sandstones contain, was deposited with them and not introduced subsequently. The evidence of this is furnished by the facts that the extension of the sandstones through the unbroken table-land- s east of Silver Reef and along Cedar Mountains as far north as Beaxer all contain silver , though rarely more than seven or eight ounces to the ton. Another fact which seems irreconcilable with the theory of of the recent dilfusion of the silver solution, is that some of the e richest ore is in the fine that lies in sheets and lenticular masses in the sandstone. This material is nearly impervious, and it seems improbable that a solution flowing through the sandstone should have made any considerable deposit of silver in it. This question has, perhaps, little bearing on the value of your mines for the dilfusion of silver would be sufficiently extensive according to either theory but the view that the silver-bearin- clay-shal- impregnation exists m greater or less richness over hundreds of square miles is in the strongest contrast with that entertained by some that the ore is local and inexhaustible. By introduced, 1 am thoroughly satisfied that the ore will be found to extend, not uniformly, but in patches, as hitherto met with, as far as the sandstone ledges can be penetrated. g sandThe question whether there are two stone beds at Silver Reef, or whether the lower or Buckeye Reef has been broken off from the Upper or White Reef by a fault, has divided the inhabitants of the town into two parties and is just now quite warmly discussed. As it seriously affects the value of all the mines located on Buckeye Reef, and is of vital consequence to the Stormont mine, I gave special attention to it. If there are two reefs, the Stormont, Buckeye and Last Chance mines can be profitably worked perhaps for a mile dowii the dip of the reef; but if there wore but one, they could be worked only to the line of the fault perhaps 1500 feet at the Buckeye, and not more than 1300 feet at the Stormont. This would render the Stormont comparately worthless, and greatly reduce the prospective value of the Buckeye and Last Chance. I am able, however, to allay any fears that may have been excited by this theory of a faulted reef; for at the Stormont mine I found both reefs exposed in the same cliff, and an unbroken series of sandstone and shale beds filling the space betwoen them, thus establishing the fact claimed by Messrs. Rothwell & Couch that there are two reefs. what-evemea- ns silver-bearin- PUESEXT CONDITION OF T1IB rnoPElITV. The results of my inspection of the mines and mill belonging to your company are briefly as follows: 1 found work progressing with energy and system in the Buckeye and Last Chance mines, with a daily output of from 05 to 70 tons of ore, that would average about 35 ounces in silver per ton. The ground above the water-leve- l is being well opened with drifts and winzes, which show in many places strata of ore of fair thickness and quality. Enough such are already in sight to guarantee a maintenance of the present output for months to come, and these show no indication of being exhausted. The new shaft on the Buckeye is now down about 100 feet, and machinery for hoisting and pumping is being placed in position. It is expected that this shaft will be completed and already in service as a new outlet to the mine within sixty days. This will open a large area of new ground, and with the increased facilities it will afford, it may be reasonably expected that the output of the mine will be considerably greater than at present. Just wdiat wdll be found in the ground which lies beyond the present workings can not now be predieted; but the general character of the reef, as far as it has yet been opened at this point, gives encouragement to expect that the future of the Buckeye and Last Chance will not be unlike their past; that is, that a succession of of greater or less dimensions will be met with which will give a lair degree of regularity and stability to the working of these mines for an indefinite period. On the whole, 1 may say that my impressions were highly favorable as to the permanence and value of this property, and my anticipations, drawn from the description 1 had read of it, were more than realized. The Stormont- mine, also located on the Buckeye Reef, is as yet but imperfectly opened; but it affords everv indication of becoming as productive as the Buckeye or Last Chance. Tin present workings consist of an incline which follows down the ledge at an angle of 15 degrees to the depth of 200 feet, with stopings extending perhaps 100 feet on the north and 50 or 00 ieet on the south side. Until recently, the incline was nearly filled with water; but this had been mostly pumped out at the time oi my isit, and hoisting works wrere hcinr erected to the resumption ot acting No mining operations. ore has been taken from the Stormont mine since the change of ownership, and no accurate information could be obtained in regard to the average richness of that removed ,bv the Good ot laces pioprietors. ore, are, however, shown in the incline and lateral workings, and numerous assays nuulo ore-shee- ts ore-bodi- es iy pro-p.uato- for-m- ei |