1857.] ANSTED MINERAL VEINS. 241 



in many places so gradual as to render it almost impossible to draw 

 the line between them. The large per-centage of calcareous matter 

 is very characteristic, and the rock often decomposes into a rich and 

 valuable soil. 



Still further to the north the conglomerate character is better de- 

 fined ; and at a distance both towards the north and west a compact 

 limestone appears to overlie it. The general range of the rocks and 

 lodes may be stated as approximately east and west with a northerly 

 dip. There are, however, local exceptions. 



In the mineral field, as at present known, there are two principal 

 groups of lodes, of which the northern has been most examined. 

 Both are in the same kind of rock, and they are parallel to each 

 other, and at no great distance apart. They are very easily recog- 

 nized at the surface by a strong outcrop of quartz and oxide of iron, 

 the latter often colouring the former of a bright vermilion tint. The 

 quartz is often spongy and cellular, but sometimes compact. The 

 width varies, occasionally reaching fifty feet ; and, although obscured 

 by a rich tropical vegetation, there is no difficulty in tracing one of 

 the lodes for upwards of a mile continuously, and at intervals towards 

 the east for a further distance. The total breadth of mineralized 

 ground occupied by the two groups of lodes is about 1200 yards. 



There are two well-marked lodes in the northern, and three in the 

 southern group, and all appear to be cut off towards the west by a 

 change of ground on the other side of a gorge, along which runs the 

 stream called the Arroyo de la Bermeja. 



The lodes are all nearly vertical ; but, while the two northernmost 

 dip a little towards the north, the others seem to underlie south. 

 The northern lode is that on which mining operations have been 

 chiefly carried on, and here ten pits were sunk at intervals along a 

 distance of about 800 yards. i\lost of these pits went down at once 

 at very shallow depths into deposits of rich decomposed ores of 

 copper, through gossan consisting of iron-oxide and quartz, with 

 occasionally a good deal of blende. The ores included blue car- 

 bonates of copper, red and black oxides and yjurple and yellow sul- 

 phurets *, besides decomposed carbonates, oxides, and sulphurets. Of 

 these ores, not less than ten thousand tons were extracted and ex- 

 ported from Cienfuegos. It may safely be assumed that these could 

 not have averaged less than 15 per cent., and they were probably 

 much richer. The deepest pit was 32 fathoms, but the principal 

 workings are very much shallower than thisf. 



At the time of my \-isit the lode exposed in the bottom at one point 

 was 35 feet wide, including about 5 feet of " horse" or barren ground. 

 The hanging-wall was soft and loaded with mundic, which penetrated 



* The sulphurets seen were for the most part pale-coloured and hard, and 

 looked poor. A sample of this kind, however, yielded on analysis 17'80 per cent, 

 of copper and 7 ounces of silver to the ton of ore. 



t From a statement made by the late owner of the mine, I learn, that during 

 the year ending 1st July, 1856, and therefore since my %isit, about 480 tons of ore, 

 averaging 1 7 per cent., were shipped for Swansea ; and about 300 tons, supposed 

 to be at least equally good, were sold to the United States, the total value being 

 jC12,000. During that time the average number of hands is stated to be ten men. 



