The John D. Hoff Asbestos Company, of San Diego, is operating an asbestos mine in the San Jacinto Mountains, from the product of which a variety of fire-proof material is made, including roof paints, roofing, boiler and steam-pipe covering, fire-clay goods, etc. This is the only asbestos concern in the southern part of the State, and the business seems to be on the increase. The works are located near Pacific Beach, 7 miles from San Diego. Asbestos is also found near Palm Springs, in the San Jacinto Mountains, and several miles east of Indio. PINACATE DISTRICT. Near the line of San Bernardino and San Diego Counties, about 5 to 8 miles west from the town of Perris, are the mines of the Pinacate District, all being veins of quartz-bearing gold. In past years this district has produced a large amount of bullion, the quartz being worked in arrastras, the beds of over a hundred of which still may be seen scattered about. There are numerous springs of small size in the district, but timber is very scarce. The formation is syenite and granite principally; occasionally schistose and gneissoid rocks and quartzites being observed. The entire region is metamorphic, excepting a few dikes of granite (pegmatite) and quartz porphyry. Diorite is found near the Good Hope Mine. The region is one easily accessible, and but 4 to 8 miles from a railroad. STEELE’S MINE. To the northwest of the Good Hope Mine is the Victor Mine, formerly “La Plomo.” This mine is now better known as the Steele Mine. The vein is a foot or more in width, consisting of a highly crystalline quartz, in which is disseminated a small amount of iron and lead sulphuret and lead carbonate. The rock is quite rich in gold, some of it showing gold without the aid of a lens. A tunnel 900 feet in length had been run to develop the vein, on which an inclined shaft had been sunk to a depth of 200 feet. Besides this work there were numerous other superficial workings, in which quartz of good grade was exposed. The vein occurs in a region of metamorphic rocks, the foot wall containing much quartz and biotite mica. The hanging wall is dark gray color, and quite fine-grained in texture. Hornblende crystals are plentiful throughout the rock. Other rocks in the vicinity are mica schist, chloritic rocks, quartzite, and other more massive crystalline rocks. Granitic dikes (pegmatite) cut the formation on all sides, none of them being very large. These dikes are characterized by their exceptionally coarse crystallization. Good-sized tourmalines, of jet black color, are numerous in the granite. THE ROSALIA. About a mile northwest from the Victor is the Old Rosalia, now the Santa Rosa, which is opened along the surface for over 1,000 feet by cuts and shafts. The upper portion of the vein was worked out years ago, but new capital has been interested and a new shaft was being sunk at the north end of the property.