Page 105 - The Geology and Ore Deposits of Sierra County, New Mexico - Bulletin 10

104 GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF SIERRA CO., N. M.
which with slightly increased depth changes rapidly to primary material, may average 5 to 20 ounces silver per ton. It contains a small amount of lead but much manganese oxides, which make it a desirable fluxing material at the smelter. The Lady Franklin and adjacent mines in the early days produced a great deal of high-grade silver ore, and at the present time the Lady Franklin is reported to have nearly 10,000 tons of developed ore which is said to assay 15 ounces silver, $1.20 gold and 25 per cent lime. In addition there are probably 2,500 tons of old stope fill of about the same grade. Alabandite is reported as being a -fairly com- mon mineral in the Lady Franklin mine, and in this mine, as well as in others of the district, it may be the source of more of the secondary manganese minerals than is commonly supposed. In the Comstock mine some ore is blocked out which is said to aver- age 10 to 15 ounces per ton in silver and 80c in gold, and in the Kangaroo a considerable amount of 6- to 7-ounce silver ore is reported, all containing considerable quantities of manganese and lime.
The Virginia mine is located on a fault fissure along which the ore occurred in the old North Percha Camp. At this mine the ore is within the fissure and has been partly developed and stoped to a depth of 120 feet. The width of the ore was 4 to 5 feet, and it was said to assay in places 60 ounces in silver and $1 to $2 in gold per ton, and to carry some lead. Silver chloride was a prom- inent mineral in the surface ores of all of these mines.
In the group of mines just west of Kingston, the Calamity Jane has blocked out a little ore that may average 30 to 40 ounces silver to the ton. This mine has been very little developed along the lower portion of the productive beds. The Illinois and United States mines are reported to have considerable development on the lower levels, with no large quantity of ore in reserve. The Brush Heap and Andy Johnson and the Blackeyed Susan all con- tain some ore, reported to be 10 to 12 feet wide on the average and to contain slightly more zinc than the average ore of the district.
A short distance to the west of this high-silver group of mines are the Iron King, General Jackson, and closely surround- ing claims. The ore of these properties is distinctly of the lead-
zinc type and representative assays show 12 to 15 per cent lead, 40 per cent zinc, 4 per cent copper, and 12 ounces of silver a ton. East of Kingston, along the fault zone which has brought Silurian limestone on the east up into contact with Permian beds on the west, are a few scattered ore deposits, some of which are said to be of excellent grade. To the north of the highway near Armour's ranch are three properties consisting of the Gypsy, Stowe and Picket Springs groups of claims. It is said that the Gypsy produced ore worth $200,000 and that the only known oc- currence of ruby silver in the district was in this mine. On the Stowe and Picket Springs claims, it is said that on an old 100-