382 GEOLOGY AND GOLD DEPOSITS OF THE CRIPPLE CREEK DISTRICT. 
The “Basalt” vein following the Orpha May dike trends about N. 32° W., but 
with considerable local deviations. The dip is nearly vertical or, in the Favorite 
mine, 75° E. In the latter ground it proved productive at least down to level 5. 
A nonproductive interval follows, and then, just northwest of the intersection with 
the Orpha May, good ore again occurred on it. Much ore was stoped from levels 9, 
10, and 11, probably also on higher levels, but from 11 to 17 little ore is reported 
from this vein. 
ORPHA MAY VEIN. 
The Orpha May vein for 800 feet south of the American Eagle shaft trends due 
north; it then turns to N. 15° W. and continues with this strike through the Orpha 
May workings to the Lucky Guss and thence down through the Rubie to the Last 
Dollar and Modoc, a total distance of a little less than 1 mile. The vein is not 
continuous throughout, but is replaced at intervals by closely contiguous fissures. 
The dip is vertical or very steeply westward, as shown in the Porcupine shaft. The 
lode has been opened on several levels from the American Eagle shaft but is appar¬ 
ently not traceable far north of it; in this ground it is said to be nonproductive. It 
is next shown in the shallow Grouse shaft and 600 feet south of the American Eagle 
shaft, in the Porcupine incline, where it has been explored to level 6 and appar¬ 
ently produced ore. For 1,000 feet south of this point it has been developed by the 
Orpha May workings to a depth of 1,260 feet. Penrose describes the Orpha May 
vein as a fissured zone in massive volcanic rock, and shows four well-defined but 
short shoots on it down to the 97-foot level. The shoots are said to be more likely 
to occur where cross fissures intersect the main vein, which is interesting in 
view of the fact that the same holds true for the whole southern course of the lode 
through the Last Dollar and Modoc. The vein appears to have continued down to 
the bottom level, but little ore is reported on it below the upper levels. 
MINERAL ROCK VEIN. 
The Mineral Rock vein lies, with slightly divergent strike, a few hundred feet east 
of the Orpha Maj^. It begins 550 feet north-northwest of the American Eagle shaft, 
where it strikes nearly north-south, as shown on level 5 of this shaft. From a point 
300 feet north-northwest of the American Eagle shaft its course is very straight at 
N. 22° W. to the south end. It is opened by the following inclines, each about 500 
feet deep, indicating an extremely steep westerly dip: Mineral Rock, Garfield, Pikes 
Peak, Orpha May No. 2, and Lucky Guss No. 2. Its northern part is also crosscut 
by levels 5 and 8 of the American Eagle shaft. It is opened by drifts on level 5 to 
a point 400 feet south of the Mineral Rock incline, and on levels 5 and 8 to a point 
700 feet north of it. Levels 11 and 15 of the American Eagle crosscut it, but no 
drifts have been run. About 300 feet south of Lucky Guss No. 2 its continuation 
has been crosscut bj^ level 11 of Findley shaft, but whether the same vein actually 
exists here is doubtful. 
Penrose describes the Pikes Peak or Mineral Rock lode on page 196 of his report, 
saying that it consists of a zone of Assuring 3 to 4 feet wide; the vein itself is from 1 
inch to 1 foot wide, wholly oxidized to the depth then attained—197 feet. The 
sheeted zone in places follows a phonolite dike from 1 inch to 18 inches thick. Near 
the surface it splits into three distinct veins. 
