708 GEOLOGY AND TOPOGRAPHY OP THE LEAD REGION. 



Buncome Diggings. 



Tlie Buncome Diggings form a sub-district belonging to Hazel Green. They ai-e sit- 

 uated on the Galena river near the mouth of BuU branch. They were formerly veiy 

 productive diggings, and a few parties aa-e still working in them. They ai-e situated in 

 the Brown rock, wliich is the lowest bed of the Galena limestone, and is here from twenty 

 to thirty feet tMck; and extends down to the creek bed at the State hne, where the top 

 of the Blue hmestone may be seen. At the mouth of Bull branch the top of the Blue 

 hmestone is found to be twenty feet above the bed of the stream. Mining is generally 

 cai-ried on here by drifting into the side of the hill. An example of this is seen on the 

 land of Mr. Gabriel Mills on the N. W. or. of Sec. 32, T. 1, R. 1 E., where a flat sheet 

 of ore was found on the top of the Brown rook, on which a number of short levels were 

 run. Mr. MiUs is now engaged in running a level on the top of the Blue hrcestone 

 from the center of Sec. 32, westward, to prove the ground for blende, of which ore small 

 quantities have been occasionally found. The Buncome ground is also remarkable as 

 being the only locality in which native sulphur appears in sheet form. 



Carpenter & Bennett. These parties are mining on Mr. Mills' land on the N. E. 

 qr. of Sec. 32, T. 1, R. 1 E., on the east side of the Galena river. Tlie workings are as 

 usual in the Brown rock, and produce some lead ore and large amounts of carbonate of 

 zinc and blende. Exactly how much could not be ascertained.. They'have worked 

 continuously since 1872. 



Hicks, Piddick & Co. Situated on the land of the Edwards estate, on the S. W. 

 qr. of Sec. 29, T. 1, R. 1 E. The diggings are about a half a mile above the mouth of 

 Bull branch, and are also carried on in the Brown rock. They are drained by a level a 

 quarter of a mile long, discharging 100 gallons per minute, which was commenced in 

 1868. The ore is found in flat and pitching sheets, and sometimes contains a little 

 blende mixed with it. Twelve men are now employed here, and are producing a large 

 amount of Smithsonite. Since the commencement of operations, about 400,000 pounds 

 of lead ore have been produced. 



Gabriel Mills Diggings., This ground is on the N. W. qr. of Sec. 29, T. 1, R. 1 E., 

 on the ridge dividing Bull and Hard Scrabble branches, and contained the large lode 

 mentioned in Prof. Whitney's report of 1862, on pages 285 and 286. The ore was dis- 

 covered here in 1854, and has been worked uninterruptedly ever since, which is some- 

 what remarkable, as a single range seldom continues uniformly productive through so 

 many years. The property is owned by Mr. Mills, and is now being worked by WilKam, 

 Thomas and James Mills, and R. Pierce. The deepest shaft is 130 feet down to the 

 brown rock, in which the ore is found in flat and pitching sheets. The ore from these 

 diggings is always coated with pyrites, and some Smithsonite is found associated with it. 



The ground has produced alrout eight million pounds of lead ore, their present an- 

 nual average production is about 50,000 pounds, with no sign of diminution. 



Simmons & Sons. N. E. qr. of N. W. qr.. Sec. 32, T. 1, R. 1 E. A very fine 

 prospect has recently been discovered by this party on Mr. G. Mills' land. They com- 

 menced work about the 1st of September, 1876, with a horse pump. After sinldng a 

 shaft 14 feet deep, a fiat sheet six inches thick was discovered in the upper pipe-clay 

 opening. The sheet consists of lead ore, blende and pyrites, about half of the thickness 

 being lead ore. 



There are also several isolated ranges lying between Hazel Green and Benton, and 

 not properly belonging to either district. They are as follows : 



Johns & Harvey. On the N. E. qr. of Sec. 6, T. 1, R. 1 E. The range was struck 

 in 1858, and was worked for some time with an engine and pump, and then abandoned. 

 Work was recommenced by Messrs. Johns & Harvey, in 1869, and they are now work- 

 ing on the natural water-level, at a depth of one hunlrel anl ten feet below the sur- 



