Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-06-04

OF instances tue pTouuct goes over the
dump ITO await cheaper treatment" as
the operator states; yet he has previ-
ously had no idea where or from whence
such treatment will come. The expert
ments of the Beam, Moflitt and Paletin-
Clerici people have claimed the full at
tention of the New Mexico operator, and
repeated failures of the Beam and Moi
fit furnaces have, in part, discouraged
them from further investigation.
1t has been generally known that ore
giving from SO to S. per ton values was
being treated in various places and that
such ore at times contained mineral sub
stances derogatory to the straight ANAL
gamation process.
Meanwhile, the metallurgists have
kept pace with modern inventions in
other branches, and today low grade ore
of any character can find some treat
ment to which it is amenable.
New Mexico has two cheap treatment
plants in operation now; the Stevens
or Albian mill at Hematite and the
Paletin-Clerici mill at Andrews. Either
of these mills will treat low grade ores
at a profit, provided such ores carry less
than 4 or 5 per cent lead, and are to
some extent %''free." just how low
grade the ores that these mills will
protitably treat cannot be given here,
for the reason that such information
might, to a certain extent, %injure the
business of the operators. However, if
the facts were made public, the most
astounding results could be looked for
and capital would be readily induced to
erect plants for the treatment of old
dumps and vast bodies of low grade ores
opened In the past, which are now con
sidered worthless. 1t will be difficult to
erect a sufficient number of mills in the
territory to keep up with mining devel-
opments, and the field is one that holds
out to capitalists very alluring promises.
A large increase in the gold output
depends very much on the erection OF
additional mills.> That the ore is here
does not admit of doubt and the ques
tion of treatment is simply a matter Of
scientific research. Develop well, ant
when a large area of ore is exposed,
give a competent m%etallurgist the task
of ascertaining its treatment and a pro-
cess cheap in construction and cheap in
operation will be found.
Capital will soon find its way into the
development of new mines ii the as
surance is given that the ore mined
can be produced ut rates which will
render its production profitable. Thus
both mining and milling will be made
profitable and ore from the grass root.
will pay for development, and obviatt
the necessity for more Depth
A few hundred dollars spent in judi
cious experimenting will bring forth thu
proper results. The greatest fault O.
large syndicates is that they are prone
to erect immense treatment plants on
the recommendation of the expert who
examines the property and proceed tt
development later. If the ore change:
in character or the process proves q
failure owing to the presence of metals
that add little to its value, the result is
a great expense with no remuneration,
a busted company and a ''black eye
for the locality.
Develop first and do it extensively.
Then find a cheap treatment for the low
grade ores, if a smelter is not conven-
lent or if the treatment charges are ex-
orbitant. Stamp mills will work profit
ably onabut few New Mexico properties.
| but processes are in existence that will
treat nearly every known form of orc
found in the territory and extract from
so to 100 per cent of the assay values.
Do not accept the statement of the
g%eologist or mining expert as full testi-
mony; but secure full and adequate
tests on large quantities of ore and let a
competent m%etallurgist attend to the
experiments. 1t is within his province
and his alone.
The miner with the large body of low
grade ore las a treasure indeed, and it
needs but the magic wand of science to
transform it into current coin of the
realm.