The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-08-02

chloride, and it is so evenly mineralzed
that it averages $14 per ton in all of the
mines thus far worked. The existence
of this blanket of gold ore has been
known for many years, and a number
of companies tried to operate it sue
| cessfully before the true method of re-
duction was discovered but all of the
old methods failed to get more than a
| fraction of the values out of the rock,
and one company after another gave
up the effort in despair. Finally last
| year a company composed of Nebraska
| farmers made notable success by
adopting the new cyanide process,
which is now extensively used for low
grade ores in all parts of the West.
They found that this process would
save all Of the gold in their ore; they
built a mill and are now enjoying big
| dividend every month.
Operating mine in this particular
region does not consist in hunting for
a vein and following it when found.
All of the ground is good territory, and
some of it has been shown to be worth
as much as 100000 per acre. New
mining companies buy a few acres Of
ground and Immediately erect a cyan
ide mill. For the building of such a
mill and for opening a, mine and get
ting it in working shape an expendi-
ture of about $4,000 is estimated; when
once the mill is at work profits follow
steadily, as there is an abundance of
the ore, and the business is reduced to
one of crushing and treating as much
ore per day as possible. The cyanide
process consists of first crushing the
ore in stamping mills, placing it in
large wooden vats into which is poured
upon the ore solution Of cyanide of
potassium which slowly percolates
through the ore mass and searches and
seizes upon all of the fine particles of
| gold. The solution is then turned over
zinc shavings, which have such an af-
finity for the yellow metal that all the
fine gold particles are amalgamated
with it. The shavings are then shipped
to reduction works in Salt Lake City
Denver, Pueblo or Omaha, where the
separating process is applied to them,
and the shipper receives promptly a
check for the cash value of the gold in
his ore. The high paying returns from
the Mercur mines will be gathered from
a few facts of information from some
of the leading properties. The Golden
4 Gate mine Is taking out gold at the
rate of 100000 per acre, three-fourths
of which is net profit. The original
Mercur mine has already paid in divi
dends to it's stockholders within about
a year over 100000, and they are now
increasing the capacity of its plant so
! per cent. When this work is finished
the company will pay a dividend of
$4,000 per month. Other highly sue.
cessful mines are the Northern Light.
I the Brickyard, La Cigale, the Gold
Dust, the Edna May, the Marion, the
Geyser and the Sacramento A num-
Der of new mining companies are at
work on the blanket vein, and it is
| probable that the total output of gold
in the Mercur district during the pres
ent year will not be less, than $4,000, 900.
Some of those who start for the Klon-
dixie will be wise if they ask for a stop
over in the Mercur district. They may
be so well suited with it that they will
not want to go where it Is much colder
and much less foodful
!