Page 65 - The Geology and Ore Deposits of Sierra County, New Mexico - Bulletin 10

64 GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF SIERRA CO., N. M.
rides occur in places, and rhodochrosite is a common gangue mineral. These zones are not sharply differentiated, and in many places primary minerals are unaltered at the surface, while in others, the oxides extend along water courses to the greatest depth explored. In general the zone of secondary enrichment is not sharply defined, the secondary minerals being scattered throughout the veins as residual specks within the oxidized minerals or as thin films coating the primary minerals. These minerals are slightly more abundant near water level. Although insufficient work has been done on the lower levels in the various districts in the Black Range to prove the point defi- nitely, it has been repeatedly noted that the grade of the primary ore is lower than in either the oxidized or the enriched zone, and in the past this lowered metal content has made mining on the deeper levels unattractive. With improved methods of mining and milling and cheaper transportation, it should be possible to reopen some of these older mines and work them at a profit. HISTORY AND PRODUCTION
Interesting early history of mining in the Black Range is given in Professional Paper 68 of the United States Geological Survey, "The Ore Deposits of New Mexico." Quoting from this report:
According to F. A. Jones'29 the discovery of ore in this region is attri- buted to Harry Pye, a driver in the United States Army, who in 1879, while transporting military supplies, found a piece of float in the canyon near the present site of the Chloride post-office which when assayed was found to carry high values in silver. Later, having fulfilled his freight contract with the Government, Pye with some friends located what is known as the Pye lode. From the character of the silver ore the new camp was named Chloride, and shortly afterwards, in 1880 and 1881, with the incursion of the main body of prospectors, •Fairview was started a few miles to the northeast.
During the early eighties the Apache Indians were committing depre- dations throughout this western New Mexico country, and in 1881 several prospectors were killed in the Apache district, among them Pye, the discov- erer of the district.
On hearing of the Pye discovery, 30 J. M. Smith located the present site of the town of Chloride as a ranch, but he soon con- verted the ground to a townsite. The important period in the life of the Chloride district was from 1882 to 1893. During this period a large number of prospectors were in the hills searching for pockets of silver chloride along the outcrops of the numer- ous quartz veins. They mined and shipped from 2 to 30 tons of high-grade silver ore from each of these pockets, which of neces- sity must have assayed between 150 and 200 ounces of silver per ton to be profitable. The ore was packed out of the hills on the backs of burros, and from Chloride and the other towns in the region it was shipped by mule or bull teams to the smelter at
29Jones, F. A., New Mexico mines and minerals, p. 99, 301904. 3° Conversations with Ed James of Chloride, N. Mex.