The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-02
ACRES OF GOLD IN UTAH.
The Ore of n Low Grade, But Is BEING
Mined Successfully.
From The Chicago Times-Herald.

From the Chicago Times Herald.
Salt Lake City.-I do not think II is gen.
orally known in Chicago or in the east
that there exists in Utah an immense
quantity of low grade gold ore, that is now
being worked successfully and is making
fortunes for a number Of mining compa-
MES This ore deposit is found in the
Mercur district about fifty miles south
west of Salt Lake City. and is in the form
of blanket vein, about eighteen feet in
thickness, which covers pretty evenly an
extent of country fifteen miles long by
about five miles wide The ore is a chic
ride, and 1t is so evenly mineralized that
il averages Sl4 per ton In all of the mines
thus far worked. The district is easily
accessible by rail and is attracting a great
deal of attention. The existence of this
blanket of gold ore has been known for
many years, and a number of COMPANIES
tried to operate II successfully before the
true method of reduction was discovered,
but all of the old methods failed to get
more than fraction of the values out oh
the rock. and one company after another
gave up the effort in despair. Finally last
year a company composed o. Nebraska
farmers made notable success by adopt
ing 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 NOT enjoy
ing a big dividend every month.
Operating a mine in this particular re-
gion 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 $780,
900 per acre. New mining companies buy
few acres Of ground, and Immediately
erect a cyanide mill. For the building OF
such mill and for opening a mine and
getting IL in working shape an expenditure
OF about $1,000 is estimated; when once
the mill Is at work profits follow stead
lily, 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. plac-
ing It In large wooden watts. into which is
poured upon the ore a solution OF cyanide
OF potassium, which slowly percolates
through the ore mass and searches and
seizes upon an OF the fine particles Of gold.
The solution Is then turned over zinc
shavlngs. which have such an affinity for
the yellow metal that all the fine god
particles are amalgamated with it. The
shayings are then shipped to reduction
works In salt Lake city. Denver. Pueblo
or Omaha, where the separating process Is
applied 20 them. and the shipper receives
promptly a check for the cash value OF the
gold IN his ore.
The high paying returns from the Mer-
cur mines Will be gathered from few
facts q Information from some OF the
leading properties The Golden Gate
mine. owned by Capt. j. r. de Lamar. Is
taking out gold at the rate OF 100000 per
acre, threo-fourths OF which Is net profit.
The original Mercur mine has already paid
100 dividends TO It's stockholders within
about "a year over t70O0O and they are
now increasing the capacity OF lts plant 30
per cent. When this work IL finished the
company viii pay dividend OF $4,000 por
month Other Highly successful mines
are the Northern Light. the Backward Ia
Ciralc. The Gold Dust the Edna MAY. the
Marion. the Gpyscr and the Sacramento
a number OF new mining companies are
"a work on the blanket vein. and it is prob.
able that the Total output OF gold In tho
Mcrcur district during the present year
VIII not be less than 5.OO0ooo. There are