Mohave is purely a mineral region. Its agricultural resources are confined to a strip of land along the Big Sandy, and to the valley of the Colorado. There are portions of the county which afford good grazing, but mining must be its main, and we had almost said, its only industry. Almost every mountain range within its borders is seamed with rich veins of native gold, silver, and copper ore. The distance from supplies, the cost of freight, and the want of proper reduction works, have hitherto prevented the proper development of Mohave's vast mineral wealth. The building of the Atlantic and Pacific railroad, which will pass through the center of the mining region, assures for this county, so long isolated and neglected, a bright future. The silver ores of Mohave are mostly sulfides, carrying native silver, ruby silver, silver glance, and other rich combinations. Horn silver chlorides are also found, and some rich argentiferous galena. The veins are nearly all enclosed by well-defined walls. Water and wood are abundant in nearly every locality. A band of prospectors entered Mohave county in 1858, and explored the mountain ranges near the Sacramento valley. It was not until 1863, however, that any real work was done; but the hostility of the Hulpai Indians, who killed many miners in their shafts, compelled the abandonment of the country. In 1871 and 1872 the first permanent improvements were made. Since then Mohave county has struggled against every obstacle and disadvantage which her remote situation naturally entailed. The lack of reduction works necessitated the shipping of the ores to San Francisco, at an enormous expense.
Ores that would not go $500 per ton left no profit for the owner. Despite these drawbacks, the county has steadily advanced; the great richness of its mines has been proven conclusively, and they only await the benefits of cheap transportation to become steady bullion-producers.
Hualapai District.—This district is situated in the Cerbat range, about 35 miles from the Colorado river. The formation is granite and gneiss. Wood is plentiful, and water in sufficient quantities for milling purposes. The veins are of fair size, and the ore is of high grade. The Lone Star has been worked to a depth of 200 feet, and is opened by over 300 feet of levels. It shows a vein of rich ore over 18 inches in width that assays $150 per ton. The ore is concentrated and shipped to San Francisco. It is a sulfide, carrying considerable base metal. This mine has produced over $60,000. It has steam hoisting-works. The Keystone has a shaft 260 feet, one of 150 feet, and over 400 feet of levels, drifts, winzes, etc. A five stamp mill, with roaster, has been erected on the property, and also steam hoisting machinery. The mine shows a 2 foot vein of sulfide ore, that has worked $100 per ton. The property is owned by the New York Mining and Milling Company, and has produced over $100,000. The Fairfield is a 5-foot vein that assays $60 per ton. It has a shaft 185 feet. A tunnel is being pushed to strike the vein, which is now in 1,000 feet. The Stark and Ewing is an extension of the Keystone. It shows a 5-foot vein, and has a shaft 40 feet. The Ithaca has a vein ranging from 1 to 2 feet of chloride ore, assaying $70 per ton. It is opened by 500 feet of shafts, drifts, and tunnels. It has produced about $12,000. The Rattlesnake has a 70-foot shaft and a 75-foot tunnel. It shows 8 feet of chloride ore worth $50 per ton. All these claims are in the immediate vicinity of Mineral Park.
Chloride: About four miles north of Mineral Park is the camp of Chloride, which shows rich ores and large veins, among which may be mentioned the following: The Connor, a 3-foot ledge, assaying $100 per ton. It has a shaft 100 feet, carries both gold and silver, and has produced $20,000. It is owned by the Arizona Northern Mining Company. The Empire has a vein of rich sulfides, and has turned out $10,000. The Schuylkill is a 3-foot vein of carbonate ore,, assaying from $50 to $75 per ton. It is opened by two shafts, one 65. and the other 40 feet. The Schenectady has a shaft 80 feet, with a 3-foot vein, running from $50 to $70 per ton. The Valley View is a large vein, running from 8 to 10 feet wide, with an average of $40 per ton. It is opened by three shafts and one tunnel. The San Antonio has a shaft 50 feet; a vein 2 feet wide of free milling ore, worth $100 per ton. The Donohue and the Rogers are also fine properties, and have produced about $18,000 each.
Todd’s Basin: In Todd's basin, about four miles south of Mineral Park, there is a group of mines which have considerable work done upon them. The most prominent are the Todd, a 4-foot vein of sulfide ore, going about $60 per ton. The Oro Plata has a tunnel 100 feet, and several drifts and shafts. It has a 4-foot vein of free-milling ore, that goes over $50 per ton. It has produced $30,000. The Mariposa shows 18 inches of chloride ore, worth $150 per ton. It has two shafts, 40 and 30 feet, and has yielded $10,000. The Paymaster is a vein 3J feet wide, assaying $60 per ton. A shaft has been sunk 50 feet. The mine has yielded $15,000. The Silver has a shaft 35 feet, and a body of ore 3 feet wide that averages $80 per ton.
Cerbat: The Cerbat district is about seven miles south of Mineral Park, in the mountain range of the same name. The country formation is granite. Wood is abundant, and water in quantities sufficient for ore reduction. The ores are generally of a high grade, but most of them carry sulfides and require roasting before being milled. The Cerbat claim has a 4-foot vein that assays $100 per ton. The ore is a sulfide, carrying cerargyrite horn silver. It is opened by a shaft of 120 feet, and by two drifts, 80 and (55 feet. The ore carries gold and silver. A complete five-stamp mill with a roaster attached, has lately been erected. The mine has produced $25,000 from steam arrastras. The property is owned by the Arizona Northern Mining Company. The Fontenoy shows a vein 2 feet wide that assays $125 per ton. The ore is a chloride of silver, and the mine has already yielded over $30,000. It is opened by two shafts, 110 and 75 feet, respectively, and a tunnel 65 feet. The Seventy-eight, formerly known as the Sixty-three, carries a vein of chlorides from 1 to 3 feet wide. Ore from this mine, shipped to San Francisco, has yielded, on an average, $350 per ton. The mine has produced in the neighborhood of $300,000. The claim is opened by 300 feet of shafts and 700 feet of tunnels. The Silver shows a vein from 2 to 4 feet wide, that assays $80 per ton. It has a shaft 80 feet and 50 feet of tunnels. The Flagstaff is opened by two shafts, one of 150 feet, and another of 100 feet. It has a vein 3 feet wide that averages, by assay, $70 per ton. The Gold Bar has a 3-foot vein of gold quartz and a shaft 200 feet deep. Ores from this mine have been worked by arrastra process with satisfactory results. The Black and Tan is opened by a tunnel 250 feet in length, and a shaft 75 feet. It shows 2 feet of ore that assays about $100 per ton, and has yielded $20,000. The Flores has a vein of free-milling ore 3 feet wide, working $50 in gold, and $20 in silver. It is opened by a shaft 95 feet deep and a tunnel 200 feet in length. It has produced nearly $35,000, the ore being worked in arrastras. The Vanderbilt has one shaft 90 feet and another 50 feet. It carries gold and silver. The vein is about 2 feet wide, and the ore assays $70 per ton. The Tulare has 4 feet of ore that assays $50 per ton. It is opened by a shaft 110 feet, and has produced over $10,000 in gold and silver. The Bay State is a carbonate ore. Its vein is 4 feet, assaying $10 per ton.. It has 3 shafts, 90, 80, and 30 feet. The New London shows 3 feet of galena ore, worth $50 per ton. Its deepest shaft is 95 feet, and it has produced $9,000 in silver. There are many other claims in the Cerbat camp showing good ore and large veins. Nearly all the bullion produced has been taken from ore shipped to San Francisco by poor mine-owners, who have made their claims pay against every disadvantage.
Stockton: The Stockton Camp is situated on the eastern slope of the Cerbat range, about six miles south-east from Mineral Park. It has a delightful situation, fronting on the Hualapai valley, and is only eight miles from the surveyed line of the Atlantic and Pacific railroad. The formation is granite; wood and water are found in abundance. The camp has been self-sustaining, having received no aid from outside capital. The Cupel has produced about $150,000. It is a 2-foot vein, and has worked $100 per ton. It is opened by 500 feet of shafts and drifts. The ore is a sulfide of silver. The Prince George shows a 3-foot vein that assays $80 per ton. It has 100 feet of shafts and has produced $12,000. The IXL has two shafts, 110 and 80 feet. The width of the vein is 3^- feet, which assays $80 per ton.
The Infallible is a strong vein 4 feet wide, with ore that averages by assay $70 per ton. It is opened by five shafts and 100 feet of drifts. It carries gold and silver, and has produced over $5,000. The Tigress has 18 inches of rich galena ore, worth $150 per ton. It is opened by several shafts and drifts, and has yielded $25,000. The Little Chief is a small but exceedingly rich vein. It has nearly 200 feet of shafts and other openings. The ore shipped has gone from $400 to $1,200 per ton. The total yield has been about $50,000.The Cincinnati, Bullion, Silver Monster, Fountain Head, Miner's Hope, and many others, are very encouraging prospects, with every indication of developing into paying properties.
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