TWIN BUTTES, MARTINIQUE.

This group of copper-bearing claims includes: Senator Morgan, Gladstone, Copper Monument, Copper King, Copper Queen, Copper Glance, Copper Bullion, Copper Prince, Senator Tillman, Copper Hill, and James G. Blaine-eleven claims in all and located in three groups. These claims are in the Pima mining district, on the west side of the Santa Cruz Valley, about 25 miles southward from Tucson, and are easily accessible. The development consists of superficial openings and pits, from which a considerable amount of copper ore has been taken and shipped to the smelter, as shown by the subjoined list. These ores occur at and near the contact of plutonic injected rocks or dikes, with limestone beds of the Lower Carboniferous age.

Number of pounds and percentage of ore shipped to smelter from the Twin Buttes mines (Ellis, Wish, and Baxter, owners).

Averaging over 18 per cent copper.

During the spring of 1899 Mr. H. Ruckman, of Tucson, secured a bond on this property and disposed of it to Col. J. P. Martin, of Xenia, Ohio, who is now developing the mines, and has named the group the Martinique. The property was reported upon by the late Dr. F. M. Endlich some years since, and recently for Colonel Martin.

AZURITE COPPER AND GOLD MINING COMPANY.

The mines of this company are in the Sierritas Mountains, in the foothills 18 miles south of Tucson in Pima County, and are accessible by a fine natural road. A carriage can be driven to the mines. The company has acquired eight claims, known as the Mineral Hill group, also other claims known as the Shedd group, and has been for several months of 1899 engaged in the work of development and smelting the ores extracted from the deposits. These ores consist of the yellow sulphide of copper in depth and of the products of its oxidation at and near to the surface. These secondary ores are in large quantities and consist of green and blue copper carbonates, red oxides of copper, and the variously colored mixtures of these minerals with red oxide of iron. All occur in limestone at and near to the contact of the limestone with granitic and plutonic rock. This limestone is much altered by the contact. It is changed from blue to white. It is probably of the age of the Carboniferous. The ores are much spread through the limestone and the exact thickness and extent of the ore bodies is not yet sufficiently shown by the comparatively superficial working, consisting of many pits and open cuts and quarry-like openings. The aggregate depths of the shafts is stated at about 400 feet; length of drifts on the 100-foot level, 575 feet; on the 200-foot level, 250 feet; crosscuts on the 100-foot level, 200 feet; on the 200-foot level, 250 feet. There are two winzes of about 50 feet each. But these openings are being constantly extended and the figures do not represent the extent of the workings in June, 1899. Water has been found on the 310-foot level.

According to the statement made by the company, the mines had, prior to the purchase, been leased on a royalty on the ore extracted. Since the year 1875 over 4.000 tons of ore have been mined and shipped away to different smelters. The returns, as far as obtainable as to quantity and quality, are as follows, and

are taken from the certificates of the three smelting companies which purchased ore on their own sampling and assaying:

To work these mines, to secure United States patents, and smelt the ores a company was organized at Tucson, Ariz., December 18, 1897, under the laws of the Territory, with 2,500.000 shares of a par value of $1 each. Several shipments of black copper and of high-grade matte have been made. One shipment on the 25th of June, 1899, consisted of 42,900 pounds of copper bullion and matte, completing a record of over 200,000 pounds of copper bullion and matte during the last run of the 30-ton smelter at the mine.

OLIVE CAMP.

For the last ten years the Olive Camp, in the Pima mining district, located southerly 18 miles from Tucson, has been a steady producer in a greater or less degree. When silver was at a fair value many thousands of dollars were taken out in high-grade ores and shipped to the various reduction works of the country, and, as silver depreciated in value, none but the higher grades of ore were shipped, and the output naturally decreased.

More recently attention has been turned to the development and shipment of high-grade copper ores which abound in that district, as well as some lead ores, so that the district continues as a substantial producer. Recently some very promising developments have been made and copper ore shipments continue, but. none but high-grade ores are shipped on account of freight rates and high smelter charges. But time will obviate this, as reduction works must soon be established in the district as the large amount of low-grade ore accumulating on the dumps will make an investment most profitable.

SAN XAVIER MINE.

This is one of the oldest and most extensively worked mines in the vicinity of Tucson. It has a history of several years and has yielded large amounts of ore from extensive bodies of a low-grade character, but easily accessible and convenient for working and shipping. It is in the foothills of the Sierritas Mountains about 20 miles south of the city, and is reached by a splendid natural road of even grade, leading to the mine about a thousand feet higher than the San Xavier Mission. It is not far from the Azurite claims, and is in the line of the extensive mineralization of the formations by contact metamorphism.

The group of claims was patented and held by parties in Boston, but after some years of idleness the property was acquired, in 1897, by Gen. L. H. Manning, who has reopened the mines and revived the working and shipping the ores to the smelting works at El Paso.

The ores as developed in depth below the horizon of oxidation are a mixture of zinc blende, galena, and copper sulphide.

The San Xavier mine was worked originally by "chloriders" some twenty years ago as a silver and lead proposition, no attention whatever being paid to the copper contained, either in the ores which they extracted and sorted, nor to other portions of the claims which show quite large percentages in copper. The property. was left idle for some ten years, the mine filled up with water, and what is known as the water shaft, which is 300 feet in depth, contains very large bodies of sulphides carrying from 15 to 25 ounces of silver, 3 to 10 per cent copper, and from 15 to 40 per cent lead. All of this body of sulphides in the water shaft will also show from 20 to 25 per cent zinc. After ascertaining the values from actual shipments and finding that the zinc was not desirable by the smelters, about 50 tons of the

ore was concentrated with a view of separating the zinc from the copper, lead, and silver. These experiments were made on a Wilfley table and the result was very satisfactory.

Some of the mixed ore was also worked upon the jigs at the Arizona School of Mines and a very fair separation of the galena was effected, while at the same time there was a concentration of the other minerals by the separation of quartz and earthy matters. In general, however, the ore is concentrated by nature and does not justify effort to effect a separation of its constituents.

The sulphide bodies have been well developed, and these ores can be worked by any ordinary methods of working sulphides or by separating the zinc which is the only objectionable feature of the ore, and then ship to the smelters, or they can be shipped as mined. All of the sulphides appear to be higher in value in copper, lead, and silver than the carbonates. It is difficult to give any reliable estimates upon the number of tons of sulphides which are actually developed. There are such vast quantitities, and the openings are so irregular, that any estimate which might be made would not be reliable. Mr. Manning, in 1897, felt perfectly sure that at least 50,000 tons of material could be secured between the water shaft upon which there was one hoist, and the union shaft upon which there was also a hoist, the distance between the two being 275 feet. The minimum value of these sulphides is not less than $15 per ton. Thus, taking the low estimate on these ore bodies of 50,000 tons, we have a gross value of $750,000. In October, 1897, Mr. Manning estimated that there were exposed practically from 25,000 to 35.000 tons of the oxidized ores to a depth of 60 feet. In one place the vein or deposit was fully 50 feet in width, and several shafts had been sunk into this body to the depth of 60 feet.

The returns upon shipments of considerable quantities to the smelter show a considerable difference in the composition of the ore at different places. The ore body appears to be made up of lenticular masses lapping one over another as in segregated masses. Considerable masses of nearly clean galena are found, and again the copper sulphides appear in greater volume.

The average of the ores thus far shipped has been from 14 to 5 per cent copper, from 2 to 15 ounces in silver, and from 10 to 30 per cent lead. The other constituents in the ore are on an average about 35 per cent silica, 12 per cent iron, and 5 per cent lime.

For

In October, 1897, the smelter paid for all the metallic contents of the ore. the silver 95 per cent of the New York quotation was allowed, and for the lead 55 cents per unit, and for the dry copper 80 cents per unit. Of course, since the great advance in the value of all the metals these figures would be exceeded. other words, the ores of the San Xavier are worth much more in 1899 than they were in 1897.

In

The following figures show the costs and charges upon this ore in October, 1897. It then cost $1.93 per ton to haul the ore from the mines to the railroad. The railroad rate was $2.50 per ton, and the smelter charges, based upon the lead and silver percentages, was from $4.50 to $6 per ton; the average smelter charge during the month of October was $5.50 per ton. The fixed charges were as follows: Smelter charges

Railroad freight.

Hauling...

Total fixed charges

$5.50

2.50

1.93

9.93

The following figures show the extent of the extraction and shipment, the expenses and the returns upon the San Xavier in the month of October, 1897:

Thirty-four cars shipped contained 752 tons:

The daily average, therefore, for the month was 25 tons. The shipments for , the future, it was claimed, would average in value somewhat better than those given, because some 400 tons were shipped during the month from old dumps which some years ago had been hand sorted for the silver contents, thus running some of the cars down to as low as $12.50 total valuation.

At the end of the month of June, 1899, Mr. R. W. Forbes, the superintendent, was in Tucson and stated that the mine was yielding satisfactorily and that it was the intention to ship 1,000 tons of ore a month. About 50 men were employed.

TABLE MOUNTAIN COPPER.

It is understood that there was a considerable development of copper ore at Table Mountain, beyond the San Pedro, during the year 1898. No report or description of this property has been received for 1899, but operations appear to have ceased. The coke which was ordered and delivered at Willcox was seized and sold, and it is supposed that the mine did not justify further development or the erection of the proposed smelting plant.

About 6 miles to the eastward of Mammoth, and over the pass at Table Mountain, is the property of the Table Mountain Copper Company. The company now has 50 or 60 tents pitched, and these constitute the present living and business apartments. Lumber and material are being hauled into the camp, and more comfortable and commodious quarters will soon be erected for the accommodation of the company and its employees. About 75 men are now employed in the camp. The company has expended several thousand dollars in making a first-class wagon road from their camp to a main road leading to the Southern Pacific Railroad at Willcox, and over this road all the supplies and machinery will be transported to this camp. This property is being developed by means of an open cut, and resembles a large quarry rather than the usual mine. The face of the cut has a vertical thickness of about 50 feet, and the surrounding croppings extend about 3,000 feet laterally.

SAGINAW.

Extensive developments and improvements were made during the year 1898. The installation of large pumps for raising water were made on the borders of the Santa Cruz, and water was supplied to the camp from this source. A costly mill and a smelter were erected at the mines, but the ores were too lean and base to pay a profit, and the plant was closed down and has been in the hands of the sheriff.

MOHAVE COUNTY COPPER.

Important indications or "prospects" of copper-bearing ledges are reported from Mineral Park, Mohave County. The ores appear to be the yellow sulphide and copper glance in veins traversing crystalline rocks.

COPPER ORES ALONG THE COLORADO.

The rich copper conglomerates of the vicinity of La Paz attracted great attention about the year 1865. Very rich masses of nearly pure citreous copper were taken out, but the quantity does not appear to be sufficiently large to justify working. In the vicinity of Castle Dome there are rich copper ores in small quantity which carry free gold. These appear to be more in the nature of veins than of deposits like those of La Paz and Planet. Of the copper mines of the Harcuvar Mountains no information has been obtained.

COPPER MINES OF THE AJO.

These historic mines in Maricopa County, which, in the early days of the occupation of Arizona by the whites, sent out wagonloads of native copper and red oxide, and which have largely added to the fame of the Territory as a copper producer, have been worked with more vigor in 1899. For an interesting notice of the earliest workings on these mines reference is made to the Sketch of the History of Mining in Arizona. The mines have been worked in a small way for years past, but in 1899 Col C. C. Bean has been actively engaged in reopening and in working one or more of the principal mines, and has made shipments of a highgrade ore to smelters. He finds chalcopyrite and bornite in depth and is sanguine of a successful result. Other parties in the district are mining and concentrating ore and shipping out the product by the Southern Pacific Railroad from Gila Bend station.

COPPER GLANCE.

This noted claim in the Huachuca Mountains is about 15 miles from Fairbanks by wagon to foot of the mountains and thence 11 miles by trail over the summit of the mountains to the mine. It was opened and worked for some time. Shipments of high-grade copper glance ore were made from a chute or chimney about 50 feet in length. There is a continuous vein from the summit of the range to a

depth of about 500 feet. Considerable development work has been done. The lower tunnel, about 500 feet below the summit, is 606 feet long, following the vein, which shows for the entire distance. About 2,000 feet of drifting and tunneling has been done, but does not show any increase in the size of the vein or any important reserves of ore.

HILLSIDE COPPER MINES.

A region south of the Hillside silver and gold mines, upon the Santa Maria, Yavapai County, is remarkable for the abundance of siliceous copper ore in small seams traversing the rocks. Chrysolla and some black oxide abound, to the exclusion of the usual carbonated and ferruginous ores.

AMAZON GROUP, YAVAPAI COUNTY.

The copper claims known as the Amazon Group are upon Castle Creek, in the southern portion of Yavapai County. They are known as the property of Bob Groom. It is reported that portions of the large ferruginous outcrops assay well in gold.

SAN CARLOS COPPER CLAIM.

Claims of this name were located in August, 1870. They are about 7 miles south of the Cottonwoods, toward the Gila River. Copper ore occurs here in vein-like layers associated with quartz in granite. These layers are irregular in extent and form and are not continuous, but crop at intervals and irregularly. The seams vary from 2 inches to 24 inches at the broadest places of the undecayed ore. This ore is largely silicate and carbonate derived from the decomposition of vitreous copper sulphide. The incline shaft, in December, 1881, was about 30 feet deep, at an angle of 40 degrees.

RAY COPPER MINES.

These claims are in the eastern end of Pinal County, on Mineral Creek, a tributary of the Gila River, and about 6 miles from Riverside. There are several claims in this group on and about Ray Hill. The Ray claim in 1883 had been opened to a depth of 80 feet vertically, or 130 feet on the incline, below the tunnel level. The tunnel extends in a north and south direction 190 feet. The copper ore is contained in a bed of felsite, which is considerably decomposed and softened. The ore is different from the usual oxidized compounds which enrich rocks of the same class in the Clifton district and elsewhere in central Arizona, but the arrangement of the ore masses in the bedding of the rocks is apparently similar. The richest portions appear to lie in lenticular bunches trending in a northwest and southeast direction and separated by barren ground. Concentration will probably be necessary to secure profitable results. It is claimed that a sample of the copper-bearing stuff averaging only 3.7 per cent can be concentrated so as to give a product of ore averaging 23 per cent. The presence of both gold and silver is claimed for this ore. There has been extensive underground working aggregating over 1,000 feet of levels and tunnels, but as the mine has been shut down for several years it is not probable that many of these openings are accessible. The property has been extensively prospected during the year 1899 by means of the diamond drill to a depth of 800 feet. The results are not publicly reported, but it is believed that they were satisfactory and that they will lead to active development by an English company.

THE KENNEDY-BRYAN GROUP.

This group consists of nine full mining claims and three mill sites so located at Riverside, Pinal County, upon the left or south bank of the Gila River as to cover numerous outcrops and indications of copper-bearing deposits. The property was visited and examined by me in February, 1899. The names of these claims are: Augnes, Hunters No. 1, Hunters No. 2, Bryan No. 1, Bryan No. 2, Bryan No. 3, Bryan No. 4. Bryan No. 5, and St. Karl. These are each 1.200 by 600 feet. The mill sites are known as W. J. Bryan No. 1 mill site, the Hunters mill site, and the Augnes mill site. They are so located as to give good places on the bank of the river for furnace or other work. All these claims have been surveyed by A. J. Colton, United States deputy mineral surveyor, Florence, and their relative positions are shown upon a map made by him. This group is at Riverside, 32 miles east of Florence, and about 41 miles from Picacho, the nearest station on the