Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-10-28

chinery. passing through the eight PAM
in four hours. From these the pull
passes into settlers, which clean up tn,
charge Of 1000 pounds in four hour
more. The mass is then retorted. TIT
average cost Of an average mill in Ari
IONA was from $3.12 to $500 per tor
of ore.
1.-THE Improvements in lead silver ex
traction have been perhaps more nota
BILE than any others. Prior to 1874 these
ores were reduced by amalgamation as
ordinary dry ores. About that time il
was discovered that this silver could be
far more easily extracted by process
Of smelling. Following this discovery
came the great development Of Lead.
vile and Pueblo in the early eighties
The essentials Of this method OF extrac'
ton are: ~ The smelling of the ore in
ar ordinary blast furnace; (2) the con-
centration of the silver into a much
smaller quantity Of lead; (3) the sepa-
ration OF the silver in cupelng fur
mace. The blast furnace has been great
ly improved during the last 25 years.
IAN important feature of the general
improvement in the silver industry has
been the rapid introduction Of electrici-
ty into mining operations. The use of
the electric light has greatly facilitated
all processes carried on within the
mine. Electric power is also employed
in hosting ore and In pumping. with
the very best results both rs regards
cost and convenience. Electricity can
be transmitted long distances with only
small loss Of power, and it is thus
possible to use power at such a distance
from its source as would render it other.
wise unavailable. The Importance Of
this improvement can be better realized
when we consider that one of the
greatest obstacles which mining. espe-
cially in Mexico. has to encounter is
the difficulty Of obtaining fuel for pow
er. owing both to the lack of transpor-
tation facilities and, where these exist,
to the high charges of hauling coal
from the United States. Where water
power exists within o radius of 50 miles
it can be used for the transmission of
electric power to silver mine. The
economy of power is very remarkable.
At one set Of mines in Mexico, those
operated by the Real Del Monte works,
electric power is obtained from Regla
falls and transmitted from Is to rs miles
to work pumps, hoists, stamp mills,
crushers and ventlators.
1T Is obvious that the results of this
long series Of improvements in silver
mining and silver smelling have been
greatly to lower the cost of producing
silver, These Improvements have doubt
less to some extent been accelerated
by the falling price of silver, which they
have also tended to produce. twas not
to be expected that the great advances
which have characterized every other
department Of industry would not affect
the production of silver, and it should
be remembered that there Is no reason
to believe that this march of improve
ment will be stayed. To take but one
illustration: II the experiments in the
utilization Of the direct heat of the sun
are ever successful the smelling of all
kinds of ores will be completely revo-
lutlonized The problem of fuel will
have been solved.
1.-THE second and most important ele-
ment Of the production Of silver is the
supply of ore" Mr.. Meade here notes
the many large deposits of silver, prac-
tically inexhaustible, left in different
parts Of the world, and the probability
that under new methods of mining and
smelling the output of many mines will
greatly increase.
"a third factor in the supply of sill
yer which has doubtless exerted con-
siderable influence is the silver stand
ard prevailing in Mexico and the Cen
trail and South American silver coun-
tries. The miners wages are paid and
most of the supplies are purchased in
terms Of the silver standard. Domestic
prices and wages have not varied with
the price Of silver, and by consequence
the fall in silver has not affected the
profit Of mine owners to the same ex-
tent as in the United States. This fact
has placed mining operators in silver
standard countries at an advantage in
competition with their competitors in
the United States and Europe and has
doubtless to some extent increased the
supply of silver, though we should be
careful not to eXaggerate its impor.
lance.
ITO summarize this portion of our
study: We find that the increase in the
supply of silver, which has been the
main cause of its fall in price, has been
due to the application Of improved proc
esses and appliances to series of ore
discoveries extending over the last 80
years, and that this advance of i'm
provement has constantly lowered the
cost of producing silver"
Humnty Dumutv,s Crcnt EnII