Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1889-03-06
INDUSTRIAL AFFAIRS.
Smelling Works and Railroad Demand
cd for Oerrillos and
San Pedro.
Manauer Raunheim In Boston on This
Business Inter.
view.

Inc bOSlOH Dally AIaueoiIPtoi t'S ~o'h
ut. says The interest in the Santa te
Copper company is so great in Boston,
there being between 800 and 400 stock
holders in this vicinity, that we have oh
tanned some facts about the present con-
dition and prospects of the property from
the superintendent, Mr.. G. S. Raunheim,
who has been IN Boston this week on
business connected with the development
of the mines. The company owns about
3S, 900 acres Of mineral land rich i'll de-
posits or veins OF gold, silver and copper,
and also rich in placer deposits Of gold.
The point where developments are nov
gong on is what is known as the big
Copper Mines" a large mountain with
porphyry as a base, overlaid with layers
or strata of limestone, between which are
the mineral deposits. Along the side OF
this mountain for long distance are ex-
posed outcrops of quartz rich IN gold,
and of carbonate and pyrites of copper
ore of high grade. In November last,
when the superintendent took possession
OF the property for the company, no de-
posits of ore were in sight, except as
shown by the outcrop. The work done
since that time has not only developed
large ore bodies, from which the product
of the last three months has been made,
but has assured the company that 1t pos
sesses an almost
INExHAusTIBLE SUPPLY
OF high grade ore carrying enough gold to
put into its copper matte made from the
raw ore, without calcining. half ounce
to the ton, and that, when once fully
equipped and in proper shape to roast the
ores, much larger percentage of gold can
be put into this matte and also much
higher percentage of copper. Smelling
works ought to be put up at the coal
banks, about fourteen miles distant from
the mine, and railroad built to them,
and Mr.. Raunheim is confident that when
this work is done the company can make
copper as cheaply as any mine in the
world is now making it, because of cheap
fuel and other facilities which could be
made available. He says, also, that here
tofore it has been supposed that there
were only three strata of copper ore to be
worked, but that another and underlying
one has been developed as promising as
any OF the other three. BY midsummer
he expects to be able, with proper expen-
ditures III development, to supply the
smelters, if their capacity is sufficiently
increased by that time to take care of it,
with 800 tons Of, say 121s per cent, ore
daily, and for any given length OF time,
which would give daily product OF at
least thirty-six tons of fine copper.
THE QUESTION OF WATER
supply Is serious one where the smelt-
ing plant is now located but if established
at the coal bank the supply would be
abundant for all wants, and fuel cheaper
than at any other mine in the world now
working. The cost of location on coal
banks, including the railroad, is estimated
roughly at about 100000. The gold
deposit, which overlap the copper in the
form OF decomposed quartz, is II very large
one, and it is estimated from close average
assays from different points, that it will
yield an average OF ~ per ton, and that it
can easily be mined and treated at Il cost
of 50 per ton. The company has %
head stamp mill, which could be put in
repair for about $500, and the only thing
which prevents the running OF this mill
now is the want OF water, the supply not
being large enough to supply both slnelters
and u stamp mill at the same time. The
superintendent further says that the
parties having lease Of the pipe line will,
he has been informed, repair it this spring,
and that if this is done, the company will
ut once begin mining and treating its gold
ore also, and that the capacity OF its stamp
mill should be doubled, as there is NJ
question about
THE SUPPLY OF ORE
for such increase in the capacity for stamp
ing. He claims that this would add very
much to the profits of the venture. He
thought another we'll could be sunk at a
cost not exceeding 5000, and that this
done, the mill could be started at once,
and without any regard to the pipe line,
aud that the smelling capacity could also
be greatly increased. Mr.. Raunheim,
while cautious in his statements, leaves
no doubt Of his belief in the immense
value of the Santa Fe property and OF its
ability soon to become very large and
cheap producer not only of copper, but
also Of the precious metals, gold and sill
yer. He says that from this on its prod
uct, barring accident, will be over 100
tons Of fine copper per month, and as
many ounces OF gold as it produces tons
! OF fine copper.