Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-05-25
New Mexico Mineral Output.

procession, and to correct this
impression the New MEXICAN herewith
gives a few facts and figures relative to
the true status of affairs.
In the northeastern portion of the
territory, Pueblo smelters receive the
product. while from the northwestern,
Durango smelters arc supplied. These
pres as a rule are oxidized fern genious
ores, very silicious, and are amenable to
cheap process treatment Of the cyanide
or %chlOrinatiOn character. The ores
supplied the Pueblo smelters range in
value from $40 to $50 per ton. The cost
of shipment is: Freight to railway 81
to $40 per ton: railway freight to Pueblo,
49, 0 to 81 per ton; smelter charges, SO
per ton; cost of production and develop
ment. SO to ST per ton. These figures
make totals of from $3.50 to $50 per
ton, lost in shipping to Colorado smelt-
ers. The same ores could be treated at
home at a cost of ~ to Sc per ton. The
exorbitant freighting, hauling and
smelter charges absorb the profits and
prevent the operator from accumulat-
ing a sufficient reserve fund for the
erection of reduction plants near his
property, for the reason that freighting
facilities are poor and it is impossible
for the miner, located from 20 to so
miles from a railway. to ship more than
20 to 80 tons of Gre per week. Thus
much Of this ore remains on the dump
and is of no practical value, as only the
very best can be shipped under the cir
cumstances now obtaining. This class
of ore must also be sacked and
handled from two to three times. Some
of the values are lost in this manne
and the extra labor required, cost of ore
sacks, ETC., increases the cost of produc-
ton. But the chief objection is, that
this ore which gives the local operator
little or no remuneration, goes to swell
the output of a state where smelling,
cyanide and chlorination processes in
abundance, enable the miner to work
ore giving but ~ to Sis values, at a
profit.
At present northern New Mexico is
but a tributary to Colorado and has no
distinction as a mineral producing ter
ritory, for it's output, as we'll as the pro-
fits on the ores, are given to Colorado
institutions.
From the southern portion of the ter
ritory, Ell Paso, Tex, Aguas Calientes
and Zacatecas, Mexico, are supplied
with ore and there again New Mexico
loses the credit of its mineral produce
ton.
The placer fields evidently contribute
nothing to the mineral production of the
territory, if statistics compiled by Colo
RADIO authorities (D are to be credited,
yet it is well known in this territory
that the placer production amounts to
hundreds of thousands of dollars an
nually. Much of this gold is sent to the
mint or to Burllngame at Denver for
refining, and considerable more goes to
Philadelphia and San Francisco. Many
eastern companies who operate here
have their retorted gold expressed direct
to eastern banks, where 1t is some
times held considerable time before re-
fined.
As an illustration, the Moreno valley
alone has produced in the past, $4,000
600 in gold that is accounted for by the
individuals and companies receiving it,
yet statistics place the production at
$500, 900, the remainder being credited
to Colorado and other localities. The
same can be said of every placer pro-
ducing region in the territory. The
placer gold production from land grants
demanding royalties from the operators
cannot be estimated because secrecy is
observed and the grants get but small
royalties on the actual production.
For 1897, the gold production of New
Mexico is given by Colorado authorities
as $470, 600 and the silver production as
$211 1877. This, however, is but u small
proportion Of the actual output.
Fully $4,000 per month is produced
in the Mogollons, which amounts to
$780, 900 per annum, more than the total
production credited to New Mexico.
Cooks Peak produces $50 tons of ore
per week that averages $s5 per ton,
in silver and lead, making an output of
80, $50 per week or $455, 900 per year.
This ore is shipped to Ell Paso and
credited to Texas or not credited at all.
The Wicks, X. X, Richmond, Happy
Jack, Snake group, Opportunity, Sher-
man, Prosper and Rex, at Hillsboro,
alone produce nearly 8400,O00 per an
mum. So far this year -four months) the
above mines have produced $3.50 tons
Of high grade ore. "A conservative value
would be $50 per ton. II the same aver
age is pursued during the whole year
Hilsboro will show a production Of 9,89C
tons Of ore valued at s4s4, 500. This