Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1871-08-09
FACTS ABOUT EAST TENNESSEE.
More Information About Duck
tOAyn,
NO. XXXII.

estlng to any one who may be interested
in the mineral resources of East Tennessee:
DUCKTowN, POLK Co., Tenn,
August, 1871.
Just east of the Burr-Burr mine is por-
tion of this same Hiwassee vein that has
never been tested. 4 few hundred yards
further east, and on the same vein, is the
London mine-now abandoned. In 1854,
ut this mine, black copper ore was discov-
cred and taken out just few feet from the
surface. 1t is said to have been very rich
mine as long as the black ore held out \
test for yellow ore has never been made.
Still east of this and on the same vein is
situated the East Tennessee mine. This is
the only place at Ducktown where, at
present, any quantity of copper ore is be-
ing taken out This mine was first tested
in 1853, with II shaft sunk by Capt. Ton
kin. There was IL Mr.. Dram sank a shaft
in 1854 found yellow ore, worked it only a
few months and abandoned it. 1t was
opened properly in the fall of 1853, and
worked till the last of December, 1868,
when, on account of the war, it was sus-
pended. 1t was re-opened again in Sep
tember, 1865. This property belongs to the
"New York Consolidated Company and
is said to have heretofore yielded very great
profits and to be very valuable yet. Capt.
Tonkin now has charge of the mine and
works about two hundred hands in taking
out the ore merely.
In the last two or three months the
average amount of fine copper taken
from this mine, per month, has been
about $50, 600 lbs; and for the last twelve
months it has averaged over lO0,OO0 lbs.
per month. During some months the ore
from this mine has averaged from to 10
per cent. copper. 1t now averages from
to per cent. But am informed by Capt.
Tonkin that there is now an increase in
the quantity that will more than compen-
safe for the decrease in quality and, also,
that he is now opening n portion of the
vein which is richer than usual.
There is big business" being carried
on here. Your correspondent was con-
Quoted through and introduced to all the
operations on the surface by Capt. Tonkin.
He was also piloted under ground by Capt.
Hoskins, where he had the privilege of
examining and, with explanations from
his genial guide, in some degree under
standing the modus operandi in extract
ing wealth from the 'bowels of the earth" ;"
Here is decidedly a big hole i'll the
ground ~ Let those ready in calculation
consider the length of time the mine has
been worked, that there have been during
that tine from 100000 to l50,0 900 lbs. of
fine copper obtained per month that
the ore has never averaged more than
to 10 per cent. of copper, and that
many shafts, drifts, cross-cuts and tests
have heen made where no ore has been
obtained and then they will have some
thing of an idea of the dimensions Of this
excavation. This mine, and the others
heretofore noticed, are on what is here
known as the Hiwassee vein. This vein
has been tested no futher east than this
point. Some think it terminates near
this. Others think that, in connection
with some other veins south and parallel,
it extends right on east, and that the
mines in Carroll county, Va, are on the
same vein. If this be true the mountains
east of this either throw it out of its regu-
lar course or so destroy the out-crop that it
cannot be discovered. The ore taken
from the East Tennessee mine is conveyed
by means of n narrow gauge railroad, in
small cars for the purpose, to Isabella
mine. Here it is first roasted once if the
roast-pile is covered, and twice if not COW
cred it goes then to the smelters, where
it is smelted and comes out in the form OF
substance called "mat," this mat is then
roasted again four times, then smelted
again, when portion of it is black copper
and another portion what is called "con-
centrated mat both of these then go tC
the ''reverberatory furnace y from which
it comes out pig "copper" it then passes
to the refinery where it is made ready fOl
the market, as fine copper. There is now
being erected at Isabella new refining
works and several new furnaces; also
there is here in active operation stamp
ing mill which is very interesting to any
one never having seen one before.
1t would be almost impossible to de
scribe all the processes in connection Will
this machinery; crushing stamping jig
ging, tossing, tying, stripping, building
&C., are some of the processes, the names
of which, in some cases, being suificien
descriptions. Here also precipitation II
carried on extensively where old bits o
iron are very soon converted into copper
by strong copper water being made 10 con
tinually pass over them in small trOughi
made and arranged for the purpose. This
water Is obtained from the mines nearby
a large pump being used in obtaining it
After the iron has been precipitated it il
gathered from the troughs aud taken t.
the reverberatory orpig copper furnace anC
prepared for the market. They have OBJ
tanned by this process in the period of
month from 10000 to IL 00O pounds of fin,
copper and are now getting from 1000 t,
5000 pounds per MONTH This is fast be
ing made the centre of all work and pro
cesses in reducing the ore to copper
There is some little roasting beinl
done at other places, hut most all here
The refinery Is Mt another mine, but a.
soon as the one now in process of erection
at this place Is completed, this work will
be done principally here. Here Capt. J
Il. Raht has "a large brick store house
which Is a fine one for this mountain coun
try. The Captain, learn, does vas
amount Of business, especially with those
employed by him.