MINING GEOLOGY 
87 
MINING GEOLOGY 
Curious Precursor of Modern Mining Organization. The early 
history of mining in the Upper Mississippi valley readily resolves 
itself into two quite distinct phases. One of these relates almost 
wholly to the development of the lead industry that had a funda¬ 
mental influence upon the early settlement of the region and the 
establishment of routes of commerce which persist even to the 
present day. 
Notwithstanding the fact that lead is known to have been taken 
out of Iowa land prior to the year 1650, it is generally considered 
that the first mining in the region was undertaken by Julian 
Dubuque. It is related how, in 1788, he began to extract lead- 
ores from the west side of the Mississippi River, within the cor¬ 
porate limits of the present city bearing his name. Dubuque gave 
the place the title of “Spanish Mines;” and the patent granted 
him by Spain eight years later thus distinguishes the tract. School¬ 
craft, who visited the Iowa lead district in 1820, states that Du¬ 
buque’s rich discoveries of ores were made by the wife of Peosta, 
a warrior of Kettle Chief’s band of Foxes. This reputed strike 
has a tinge of romance as well as a dash of Twentieth Century 
business method. 
As now known mining in the vicinity was in progress for more 
than one hundred years and was in a very flourishing condition 
. when Dubuque first appeared upon the scene. He sought not 
only to mine lead as others were doing, but he endeavored to con¬ 
trol the entire industry. Born in Canada, of Norman parentage, 
he was described as a man of wonderful energy and singular pop¬ 
ularity among the Indians. By divers machinations he secured 
from the full council of Fox and Sac Indians permit peacefully to 
operate the mines. He thereby established a monopoly of all the 
lead-mines on the west side of the Mississippi River. Later (in 
