The Morning Mine Cuts Into a 60-Foot Ledge of Galena

The largest body of galena ore ever discovered in the northwest has been encountered in the property of the Morning Mining Company in the Metaline district, according to a statement made by C. J. Johnson, secretary of the company.

In running a crosscut tunnel to cut what is believed to be the main vein on the Morning property, an enormous body of galena ore was encountered in a ledge which was at first believed to be a blind lead lying nearly parallel to the vein which was originally opened up in the upper workings.

A crosscut was made entirely through the ledge, which was found to be over 60 feet in width, containing 46 feet of fine concentrating ore, which, it is stated, will average 29 per cent lead and three ounces of silver per ton.

This great body of ore was found at a depth of 300 feet, and the managers of the Morning mine believe this demonstrates beyond all question that the ores in the Metaline district go down, and that it can no longer be urged that the ore bodies pinch out at depth.

Since cutting into the new vein it has been discovered that the same had an outcropping which had been overlooked, and that buildings used by the mining company for shops and cabins have been built over the surface croppings.

The tunnel which cut the wide vein is being run to tap what is believed to be the main ledge on the property, where a strike of high grade steel galena ore was made several months ago in a tunnel which was run on the line between the Mammoth and the Morning mines. In this tunnel, at a depth of about 100 feet, galena ore running 83 per cent lead was encountered in large quantities. Assays of this ore show that it carries about five ounces of silver per ton. This ore is entirely free from zinc, which will make it an easy proposition to handle. It is stated that the ore encountered in the intermediate tunnel is also free of zinc. Hence it is maintained that its concentration will be an easy matter.