Rothwell Diggings (Rothwell Mine; Crissman Diggings), Miller County, Missouri, USAi

Regional Level Types
Rothwell Diggings (Rothwell Mine; Crissman Diggings)	Mine
Miller County	County
Missouri	State
USA	Country

Rothwell Diggings (Rothwell Mine; Crissman Diggings), Central Missouri District, Missouri, USA

These are in lot 5 of the N.E. 1/4 of section 2, township 39 N., 12 W. Several pits were opened along and adjacent to Rothwell branch. The vertical gash vein, is traceable in a sinuous line across the bottom of the pit and up its two sides, a horizontal distance of about 4 ft. It pinches out at the top. In a flat opening on the western side, a little above the vertical deposit, a mass of galena and barite about a foot in diameter was found. Some galena occurred mixed with the blende in several openings, and also some copper pyrite and smithsonite. The surface of the magnesian limestone at the contact with the ore is generally stained a red color.

Other similar occurrences were exposed in different pits, and, in some, large quantities of tallow clay were associated with the ore. Barite is frequently found in this vicirity in isolated nodules in limestope, and also over the bottom of small cavities, with blende between it and the rock; the barite seems thus to have been deposited after the blende. Crevices frequently traverse the limestone, expanding at intervals, forming lenticular cave-like openings. One was seen crossing the bed of the creek, running SW-NE, and containing galena and blende. No faulting had occurred along it.

A number of other openings of minor importance have been made elsewhere in Miller county, but special descriptions of such have not been obtainable. The above will, however, give a fair idea of the general distribution and character of the deposits of the county.