Page 98 - The Geology and Ore Deposits of Sierra County, New Mexico - Bulletin 10

MINING DISTRICTS 97
OCEAN WAVE AND ANTELOPE GROUPS
The Ocean Wave and Antelope groups of claims are located
in the limestone area that borders the andesite at the west side of the district. These properties have been opened by inclined shafts and tunnels driven into the hillside at the level of the creek. The workings could not be inspected on account of caved ground and the presence of water. It is said that the Antelope was an important shipper during the earlier productive history of the camp, and that in these workings there is still considerable ore of moderate to low grade that would be amenable to milling. AMERICAN FLAG AND FLAGSTAFF PROPERTIES
Along the Bullfrog fault and half a mile south of the Palo- mas Creek, two properties, the American Flag and the Flagstaff, yielded lead sulfide ores in early days. It is reported that they produced ore worth about $50,000 from a single small surface working and that the ore was taken out of a glory hole under a cave, the total depth of which was only 50 feet.
WOLFORD MINE
To the north of Palomas Creek, and also along the Bullfrog
fault, is the Wolford mine, which is close to the trail leading north to Chloride. This mine has a 40-foot shaft and 1,000 feet of tunnels and drifts, from which some high-grade silver ore was mined in early days. Some zinc ore occurs in the oxidized zone, consisting largely of the dry-bone variety of smithsonite, and some lead ore has been produced.
FUTURE POSSIBILITIES
When consideration is given to the total production credited
to the Palomas district and to the average grade of ore said to have been shipped, it appears that during the entire production history of the camp about 5,000 tons of ore was freighted out for treatment. In doing this, however, there was left behind 50,000 tons of dump rock and stope fill, which would make an excellent grade of mill ore for an efficiently operated plant of suitable size. Furthermore, the information disclosed in the Pelican shaft is by no means discouraging, and if ore should be found in the lower level from this shaft there is perhaps a reasonable chance of finding ore under the Percha shale at the additional moderate depth of about 500 feet. Prospecting on these lower levels would require a pumping plant. The primary ore in this district seems to be nearly as rich in lead as is any of the oxidized ore. Silver tends to concentrate in the oxidized zone and in the zone of secondary enrichment, but when it is considered that the silver is associated with the primary lead and copper sulfides, and in view of the sorting practice going on today in the district, it seems reasonable to believe that a primary ore containing 25 ounces or more of silver to the ton might be expected from deeper work- ings. Add to this, 22 per cent lead, 8 per cent zinc, 1 per cent copper, and small amounts of gold, and in spite of the small and