Cordz-Fischer Mine, Shannon County, Missouri, USAi

Regional Level Types
Cordz-Fischer Mine	Mine
Shannon County	County
Missouri	State
USA	Country

This mine is located five miles south of Birchtree. It consists of three relatively large pits distributed over a tract of 80 acres. The opening farthest to the southeast, known as No. 1, consists of a roughly circular pit about 300 feet in diameter and 40 feet deep with a large cone shaped area of barren ground near its center. There is only an occasional showing of wash dirt in the upper portion of the face, the best ore being exposed at the lowest levels of the pit where there is apparently considerable ore. Two shafts, sunk on the site of the pit during the early exploration of the property, are reported to have developed ore to a depth of 70 feet.

The next largest opening, known as No. 3, is located on the west end of the property. It consists of an irregular pit about 300 feet long, 60 feet wide, and 25 feet deep. Because of the caved condition of the face, ore can be observed in place at a few points only. Beneath about five feet of surface clay and chert, at the north end of the pit, there is exposed a six-foot ledge of rather dense, dark brown and red ore which no doubt is, in part, hematite.

Pit No. 2, located between No. 1 and No. 3, is about 100 feet in diameter and nearly circular in outline. That portion of the face not covered by detritus, shows no ore and the pit is reported to be worked out.

The dump at No. 1 is about 800 feet long, 75 to 100 feet wide, and from 10 to 30 feet deep. This dirt will apparently wash about 50% ore.

The ore is a secondary limonite. In both No. 1 and No. 3, boulders of ore were found to contain but slightly altered marcasitc encased in a shell of limonite. This material was found upon the dump and its original position in the mine was not determined. Much of the ore appears lo have occurred in the form of boulders containing seams and cavities filled with yellow ocher. It grades on the one hand to soft ocher and fine fragments of ore, and on the other hand to a rather hard blue and red ore resemhling hematite.

The property was opened by the Shannon County Mining and Development Company during 1901 and was worked intermittently by that and the Frisco Ore Mining Company up to 1903, producing 14,730 tons of ore. The average analysis of eleven shipments ran 49.95% iron, 14.13% silica, 0.094% Phos., 0.145% Mn., and 4.95% moisture. A logging road, crossing the property, made it possible to load ore directly into cars at the mine. This road has since been removed and the nearest shipping point is Birchtree on the St. Louis and San Francisco R'y., five miles to the north.