THE MAY ACM AS BELT. 371 



been supplemented by observations by Mr. Turner. While the foregoing 

 notes indicate in a general way the distribution of andesite and basalt, no 

 attempt was made to map the two lavas separately. The areas marked as 

 igneous are to be considered as only approximately correct, the cartograph- 

 ical base not being sufficiently good to permit of much detail. The area 

 not occupied by igneous rocks is metamorphic. 



The most southerly mine of this district is at Lidell and is known as 

 the Valley claim. Lidell is resorted to by invalids for the sake of the hot 

 sulphur baths, supplied by a spring which issues from the old workings of 

 the Valley mine. Cinnabar may still be seen in the silicified and opaline 

 rocks. The mine never paid for working, but is interesting for the direct 

 association which it presents between cinnabar and hot springs. 



The iEtna property is a mile distant from Lidell and comprises sev- 

 eral claims between which are marked differences. The Phoenix, which 

 has yielded large quantities of quicksilver — indeed, most of the product of 

 Pope Valley — is entirely in sedimentary rocks consisting mainly of serpen- 

 tine and other highly metamorphosed strata, though unaltered sandstones 

 also appear in the workings and in parts of the mine are in direct contact 

 with the metalliferoiis ground. The rock directly inclosing the ore from the 

 surface downward was highly silicified slate and black, opaline chalcedony. 

 The cinnabar occurred in stringers in this material and as impregnations 

 in the softer rock and in the attrition products accompanying it. There are 

 manifold evidences of the existence of a fissure system and of motion in 

 the ground, so that in some places well defined walls exist. Tiie ore was 

 first found at the surface and was followed down for about one hundred 

 and fifty feet. This uj)per ore body yielded about seventeen thousand 

 flasks of quicksilver and then gave out completely^ Vigorous prospecting 

 below the old ore body of late years has disclosed the existence of more 

 ore in depth. The Phauiix appears to belong to a group of deposits of 

 cinnabar, instances of which are very numerous. The ore-bearing solu- 

 tions have ascended along a fissure system, formed in very heterogeneous 

 material, and have penetrated the wall rock with corresponding irregularity, 

 producing irregular stockworks and impregnations tending to a tabular 

 form. In the upper levels the ore contains ^omc native quicksilvei-, which 



