Arizona republican., 1898-04-03
CHEMICAL TREATMENT OF ORES
Experiments Made With New Ireat-
 ment for Refractory Ores.

Within the past decade the belief has become a conviction among mlnlng men that the key to the economic treatment of ores rests in chemistry. Experiments covering a Wide range have been made, usually with satisfac- tory results The improvements in the application of chemicals is as marked as the advance that has been made along mechanical lines during the same period. With new chemical de- vices to cheapen the conversion of ores, and new chemical combinations to search out the values in cheap re- fractory ores, it looks as if the morn ing twilight of the mineral millennium is at last dawning and that the indus try of mining will soon adapt itself to the progressive impulses of this en- frightened age.
 It is especially gratifying to note that Montana is contributing gener- ously to these improvements; both as to chemical appliances and in the field of chemistry. Inventive genius in this state has given to the industry new rock crushers, new amalgamators, new devices for the saving of placer gold, and many other mechanical fea lures of merit But in the line of
 
 is in fair way to make its most val uable contributions to the mining in dustry.
 The cyanide process, now used with success all over the world, has been subjected to number1ess experiments along tn line of we'll defined theories by MT. Matt Alderson, who is known as the cyanide king of the northwest. This gentleman, who was formerly a newspaper man in Bozeman, carried into his experiments with cyanide breadth of intellect and a depth of sincerity of purpose that knew no such word as fail. His speciality was the treatment of tailings- extracting values from abandoned dumps, and the like. Last year, hampered by unfa- vorable financial conditions and crude appliances not suited to the best work, he contributed over $S,000 to the min eral wealth of the state, in the few short months in which he was actively engaged in his experiments. He con- tinued to make improvements in the cyanide process, and with the skill of veteran made every step count. It is a low estimate to make that he will enlarge the output of mineral values in Montana the current year upwards of $20,000, with infinite possibilities beyond those figures.
 He is at present experimenting with the tailings of the Southern Cross mine. This mine has long remained idle on account of the intensely re- fractory character of its ores. Thou sands upon thousands of dollars have been expended in the past in an effort to devise some method of treatment NV VI hi oh ho vol ho fully and economically extracted. Ex- perts from various parts of the world have pondered over the problem and been compelled to give it up. The mine with it's wealth of ore bodies was closed down, it being impossible to realize enough values from the ores to pay the expenses of working the prop erty. MT. Alderson recently grappled with the difficulty and has at last sue ceeded in overcoming it by chemical processes known only to himself. It was hard job but the indomitable will and determination of the experi- mentor was equal to it, and at last vic tory crowned his efforts. He has dis covered that in the original treatment of the ore less than 25 per cent of the values were saved. From ninety seven tons of tailings so far treated he has obtained over $500. A few days ago he was in Butte with box con taining eighteen beautiful gold but tons, representing upwards of twenty ounces of the precious metal which his chemicals had eaten out of the limonite shines of the Southern Cross. Those who are familiar with the char acter of Southern Cross ores know that if they can be successfully worked the problem of conquering the refrac- tory ores in this state is practically solved. MT. Alderson's successes mean a great deal to the future of the state It vii be only question of time when his teaching plants will be adapted to the treatment of refractory ores all over the country, and almost revolu- tiOniZe mining in that thOusandc ot