Page 91 - The Geology and Ore Deposits of Sierra County, New Mexico - Bulletin 10

90 GEOLOGY AND ORE DEPOSITS OF SIERRA CO., N. M.
work has been done, so that the size and the depth to which these might extend are not predictable.
The workings consist of an old shaft, which extended to the 400-foot level and connected with the various other levels. This has caved, as has a recovery shaft that was sunk alongside, and which connected with the third level. At a later date an adit tunnel, which was driven S. 35° W. for 1,500 feet, cut the vein near the east end of the mine workings and thereafter served as the main working tunnel, all ore being dropped by gravity through chutes.
The property is equipped with machinery for economical mining and with a , modern mill of 100 tons daily capacity, although it does not appear that the ore reserves in the mine at any time warranted the construction of a plant of this size. Apparently the prospects of finding fairly large bodies of mod- erate to high grade ore in this mine are still good, but it is only by economical operation and the strictest attention to details that these may be made to pay, due to the isolated locality and the difficulty of access.
The New Era mine is on the south side of Chloride Creek, about 11/2 miles from the Silver Monument mine. The writer did not visit this mine, which is reported to be under water at 30 feet below the collar of the shaft. It is said to contain fairly large bodies of ore that as shipped contained 17 per cent copper and from 161 to 256 ounces of silver a ton. The vein parallels the Silver Monument vein and is said to average 5 feet in width, and to contain quite similar mineralization. The difficulty en: countered in handling the water was the cause of shutting down. The mine is said to be developed by a 350-foot shaft, having levels at 90, 140, 2U0 and 350 feet.
PALOMAS (HERMOSA) DISTRICT
LOCATION AND AREA
The Palomas district is on the east slope of the Black Range
and extends from the southern limit of the Apache District just south of Monument Creek to the northern limit of the Black Range (Kingston) district, which commences at the north fork of Percha creek. Various showings of ore have been discovered throughout the length of the district, and some development work has been done in spite of the difficulty of access to the region. Hermosa is situated on Palomas Creek about 15 miles south of Chloride and about 45 miles west of Engle on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railway. Good roads extend from Engle, via Elephant Butte dam, and from Hot Springs to the little town of Cuchillo, beyond which travel is by mountain road which for nearly 10 miles is in the bed of Palomas Creek. The main areas of mineralization are at two places in the district, one just north of the town along the trail that leads to Chloride, and the other at