39, 6S 4: bur 69 Bulletin No. 69 March fl 1923. Rk Ae a Pir ob ahsalae b: M a tds f r fi os fi } f J l \ COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA ener = ee ee te ee a ee DEPARTMENT OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS James F, Woodward, Secretary ooo BUREAU OF TOPOGRAPHIC AND GEOLOGICAL SURVEY George H. Ashley, State Geologist. ea aes SSS LEAD AND ZINC ORES IN BUCKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA By Benjamin LeRoy Miller, Location. Lead and Zine ore are not being mined in Pennsylvania at present, although they have been procuced successfully in several places in the past, There are reasons for believing that some of the deposits have not been exhausted, and now, when three recently organized companics are seeking capital to re-open some of the old mines, seems an opportune occasion to assemble the available information regarding these deposits, In Bueks County, lead and zine minerals have been found in the Triassic shales over 4 considerable area west and northwest of Doylestown, which is 25 miles north of Philadelphia. Considerable mining has been done‘in the vicinity of New Galena on the North Branch of Neshaminy Creck, three miles northwest of Doylestown, History. It has not been possible to secure a satisfactory history of the New Galena mine as there is much disagreement in statements. The following account, bascd on newspaper articles, a report by John Annear who styles himself a "practical metallic miner," and recolicc- tions of present residents of the region, is offered with some misgivings although in the main it is probably correct. Some of the information emanated from persons who were interested in having favorable reports of the minc circulated and these circumstances may have colorcd their statements, making them unduly optimistic. fhe story is told that when Washington's army was stationed at Valley Forge some lead for bullets was obtained from these deposits but the writer has failed to find any verification of this report and is not inclined to accept it. It is said that prior to 1856, residents of the region in digging wells occasionally found pieces of a hard, black material which was Supposed to be coal but would not burn. A piece washed from the embankment of a mill race in 1856 was tested and found to be galena. The following year two Doylestown men dug out about thirty pounds of the ore but did no further prospecting. In 1860 two men in digging post holes encountered a large block of lead ore which excited their curiosity because of its weight and the sparkling appearance of a freshly broken surface, They are said to have crudely smelted it in a neighboring blacksmith shop and obtained lead, ‘The story caused some excitement in the neighborhood and shortly after a Mr. Dickinson from Philadelphia visited the locality and secured an option on the Wetherill property where the ore had been discovered, Failing to find ore in paying quantities he surrendered the property. On‘April 1, 1861, Jacob and George Neimeyer bought the property for $21,000 ana began an active search for ore. They found several veins but unfortunately encountered so much water that they could not continue to work the mine profitably, They engaged John Annear to mae a report on the property and to assist them in finding a buyer, The following statements are abstracted from this report. “The mining operations consist principally of a large "Gauphin" or longitudinal opening on the course of one of the veins, extending from the cross road 256 feet northeast, and varying in depth from twenty to fourty-four feet from the surface, The south-western breast and along the bottom frém that point, to within a few feet of the engine shaft, the Lode avernges about two feet in width, rich in Lead, with Some Sulphuret of ‘Zinc, and rich speciméns of red and black Oy .de of Copper, which, if wrought on regular mining principles, would yield a handsome profit. "In the Engine Shaft, which is being sunk some twenty feet, east of the Lode; to intersect it lower down, there is a’branch of very rich Galena, four inches wide, evidently a "Dropper," and will doubtless enrich the Lode at the point of intersection, In the immediate vicinity of this shaft, the Lode is disordered by a "Slide," which passes through it at this place, About fifty-three feet north west of the shaft, the Lode has been followed down to the depth of fourty-four feet, (the water being kept out by a three inch branch pump, The length of this working is about seventy feet on the course of the lode, and the bottom of which is under the "Slide." ‘This part of the ifine presents the richest course of ore yet discovered on the property.’ Hor about thirty-five feet in length, the Lode is three feet wice, very rich in hard, compact Galena, with every appearance of lengthening in going down. At this point a crosscut is commenced to intersect the "Dickeson Vein," which appears to run parallel at a distance of about thirty-five feet, which is reported to be eighteen inches wide, of good Galena, at the bottom of the shaft, sunk by Professor M, W., Dickeson, to the depth of thirty-eight feet from the surface, near the cross road, mem ae Ys bth fy. re > ee mi) Pe , ; ; i Rigs 7 AD d ; ; Xe . bated tale OI tiie ed Sa ral hes od NOS ada ANON Ril, . i ibs ie Se ally Pe 4 ae Ral Ae bid! prea a Ai i } sade at DAN Ws halts UL ye ia My Vane nS, A) AY TE A ane! 7 ii a a { 4 ‘ Ws wer) ' mt HAM east t j bee Ride Fra ie ie). AEN a “A ‘ ' a ; 4 os “TOR » Aitier t ; RSEE Bue ROKR e JER aie SN, AOS : : ‘ nif> ne ‘ CA ede ry! . BA’ oink @e ieee Pee Ahk te Los? ae eek? Bd Re ak hie wild aly. \f 4 tee mine ip Gre ene if . " » ; ; ral bY i na » FD ( a { ae >? ve! ry ah al fouls aw Bar by { aay + > i . Ce : ey ee ae St \ oe Wey Say ys $ yi Yh ee ae ie ET: Ae Sy ahe e iy See ee iW * ? : INV en Ate a a A oY © Wee Wain We uk ty? Late | ‘ * \ } ‘ ¢ ’ it Ae ry ig at) . fal) U ¢ a pv ny ‘ ‘ } Bayete cane Tow 4 - KY bite Ws RN et Me Tae eo fae a 4 t a4! ¢ ‘ ah re é 4 : ie Wa. a he ; i i " re t . ‘ Ws \eep ah as . ; > tha ares a RLY, 5 ; . we wy? é Sy ea oh r Jorgen b ‘ ¥ 5) Tdi vs é ‘ ri i r 7 l 7 ai ay vps AL og / ‘ 4 ee she w Aen “ar t “ Pas 1 AF he 5% , ‘ ; . ; ‘ / oy 4; Ej ¢ ; 7 we . = - i PCR oF | “4 n : ¢ i : i Lie tye ft ’ d J 4 w@8 . ee) | re ’ : ; r a . e { ’ % i eA Fs b ney 6 “¢ de a th ew ae, ‘ " i me PMO Bl wt - ) ne ve ar *) 4 F / r PuaR j ) : if ts A ‘ Ca iy au) fr { gyn ‘ i ' y v4, ‘Al > 44 - am Whe ai x ta Tee 3 “ \- , 1 , 5 t : ayy bce bo sunt gaeeen % H 0) ' as hoy AE Lyte usr fe / . " é i , (aoe ‘ ’ , 4 oe y 2 +e , , i 4 : coke $i 4 " ' ‘. ' < 4 . / ‘ F ‘ 7 1 D “ Y ‘ v7 4 a - A Aye | ‘ ‘ i ) ; tau * ; vt - J ? oe , . . ‘ tf a ~~ ‘ 4 \ i iy, { iat a ein! Reh + aie aty et } ios: 1 oie aha) ey @ ne ny ae by a p , 4 Ow ih af hes ; F bis, ‘ aii ae Beh hs Med Ph ey rch 2 j DY ga 2 v , ey ig i et 1 RLS ae bm ‘e pl Hi ee : ie i Han! an +f pion es iM Fp "The Lode on which the present proprietors, Messrs. Js and G. Neimeyer are working, runs nearly north-east by south-west, and has .° been opened at places almost the entire length of their property. At the distance of 453 feet southwest of the main working, a trial shaft has been sunk on the Lode, where it is two feet wide, of rich ore. this shaft is being cleaned out for further operations. "The Lode where openeé has regularly defined "walls," and uncer- lies east about two feet in the fathom, when "Gangue" apoears. It is composed chiefly of Quartz, Calcareous Spar, with Conglomerate, . containing Shales, etc, The surrounding strata are composed of various colored slates and shales, interlaced with strings of Quartz, most of ‘which contain more or less of Galena, showing it to be a highly metaliferous channel of ground. ‘The strata at the west, or "Foot Wali" of the Lode, does not differ much in character from that at a distance from it; but on’the east or "Hanging Wall" it is of a much softer and kindlier nature, being of a light buff color, resembling’the white killas of Cornwall, and easily wrought with pick and gad, , being wide enough for "Resueing" the Lode; materially diminishing the expense of mining. The three other Lodes, as far as I could judge, seemed to exhibit the same characteristics, and will no doubt prove good courses of ore when explored. "Messrs. J. & G, Neimeyer have already shipped to market and sold one hundred and six tons of ore, yielding seventy-five per cent. of Lead, and eleven ounces of Silver, to the ton. They have now at the surface in various stages of preparation for the-furnace, as near as can be estimated, eighty tons of similar quality, and are daily adding to that amount." \ Knowing nothing of the trustworthiness and professional ability of Mr. Annear one cannot determine whether the favorable report was based on facts or was prepared for the purpose of effecting a sale. It evidently accomplished the latter purpose as the property seems to have been sold by the Neimeyers to a New York company for $75,000. This company apparently did little work other than to sell considerable stock, said to have amounted to $105,000, “General statements to the effect that the mine was operated after this, especially in 1888 and 1891, are vague and reports are conflict- ing. In 1894 a man named Cowan started work at the mine but evidently accomplished little. In 1904 some prospecting was started on a near-by farm. In fact a great deal of prospecting has been done throughout the region and although galena and sphalerite have been found the results have not been encouraging except in the one locality along the North Branch of Neshaminy Creek. In 1921 the Guerden Glen Lead Mining Company acquired the property but, up to March 1923, has done no regular mining, only surface development, working over the old dumps. The comvany proposes to unwater the mine and determine now much if anv ore remains in the underground workings, Considerable unproductive expense must be incurred for reopening the mine before any ore can be raised, i! Atk " Gt: Ie a i rf i S iidb a adie « Occurrence and Character of the Ore. “The country roc: of the region consists of dark colored Triassic Shales that have been intruded by igneous dixes or sills of diabase, commonly callec "trap rock." A sill is exposed in the vicinity of the mine and from specimens on the old dumps, as well as from hearsay information, the underground workings cut through some diabase. One Statement is to the effect that the ore lies under a sheet of the igneous rock, he ore seems to be confined to shattered zones that probably have a rather definite trend, according to all descriptions available. Within the zone of fractured rock the ore occurs as small veins filling former open fissures, as the cementing material in brécciated shale, and as cdisseminations and probable displacements of the shale. The galena and syhalerite are associated with much quartz, and numerous small cavities are lined with cruses of fine duartz crystals. The roc containing the ore minerals is either black or gray shale. ‘The gray taterial closely resembles limestone in general appearance and seems to have been mista’zen for limestone, Some unusually fine specimens of galena ané sphalerite ore have come irom the New Galena mines. According to report a block of ore = . ag ls oe a ‘ 2 weigning 1,000 pounds was once foundi : the -following-minerals have been reported from the mines: quartz; cOlomite, ankerite, calcite, galena; sphalerite, pyrite, chelcopyrite, and bornite. Galena has yielded 10 to 15 ounces of silver and 10 cents in gold per ton. Conclusion, So scanty is the available information regarding the operations, the thickness, number, and extent of the lodes, the character of the ore in the lodes and their richness, and many statements have been so conflicting and highly incredible that one is forced to be careful in either praising or condemning the proverty. Handling the water with improved pumps would not be as serious a matter as it was Sixty years ago, and if there is the showing of ore underground that has been Claizud it may be possible to operate a mine successfully. The writer would be inclined to encourage the judicious expenditure of a moderats sum of money under expert supervision to determine the real character of the ore bodies, but such expenditure should be regarded as a hazardous venture, Bibliography, Annear, John, Report of the New Britain Lead Mine, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 6 pages, Philadelphia, 1862. lyman, Benj. J., New Red of Bucks and Montgomery Counties: Pennsylvania Second Geol, Survey, Summary Final REPOLU VObe Oo, Dts kh, Deo cOod, 1895: ? ‘ Daily Democrat, Doylestown, Pa, June 6 and July 5, 1921. Doylestown Daily Intelligencer, June 6, 1921. pene 4 ee DERN CS By ie i eA Sib, oti ' ‘ er Man Tu “y [ATES we or MI ie FE ¢ ¥ J OTR A ] ate eh) Shey ae ath re AR , t . fal tie 8 ) ing as us UNIVERSITY OF ILLINDIGtinpRANA = = , ‘ Q ‘ 3 0112 077640537 ep, ae camcbaMl—