The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1899-03-31
PRODUCERS OF WEALTH
The Granite and BimetalIic Among Mon
tana's Greatest Mines.
SOME HIGH GRADE SILVER ORE
samples Literally Impregnated with Ruby
and Native silver Taken From the
Lower Workings - Immense
Quantities Left Intact.

1t is very natural to refer to the
Granite and Bimetallic as examples of
the great industry hereabout when
speaking of the mines in Flint Greek
district. Rated as the second largest
producers of silver in the world. up to
the time of the shut down, in July,
1898, is sufficient reason to entitle
them to that distinction Millions
have been paid III dividends during
the brief time these mines have been
worked and many more millions re-
main untouched in the various levels.
The Granite mine has been worked
to a considerably greater extent than
the Bimetallic, and in its early his
tory only the richest ore was extracted
and milled. AS a consequence thous-
nads of tons of lower grade ore remain
intact, ready to be stopped out.
This ore is said to average about $40
per ton, which is of insufficient value to
permit of its being treated at profit
at the present price of silver. The
system adopted by the management
since the consolidation of the two COM
panies is to mill the ores from the
two mines, together and as the BIZ
metallic ore is of considerably higher
grade, fair profit is the result
The ore bodies in the Bimetallic are
said to scarcely have been touched, and
immense quantities of high grade ore
are in sight. A representative Of The
Mail recently happened to be at the
company office at Clark, when Su-
perintendent Ziegler returned from
the mine with a sample of ore from
the lower workings. Among it was Il
chunk weighing perhaps thirty pounds,
and handsomer silver specimen was
never seen anywhere. nearly half of it
being ruby silver. Other pieces equally
rich, and full of ruby and native sill
yer, were among the lot, and to a
question jokingly asked by Mr. Paul
y. Fusz, president of the company, if
he had brought all there was in the
mine, Mr.. Ziegler replied that there
was still little of it left. 1t is said
that the vein wherever exposed, shows
from three to four feet of this charac-
ter OF ore in every level of the mine,
and the extent of it has as vet not
been determined. Sufficient ore is in
sight to keep the works running for
many years to come, and it is believed
that the company will eventually adopt
other means of treating the baser ores
III addition to the process now en-
ployed. There is no question about
the capacity OF the cOncentrator being
increased, and it is equally certain
that the company will in the near fu-
lure treats its own concentrates.
The Granite and Bimetallic are un-
questionably among the grestest silver
mines known, having produced over
nifty million dollars worth of the white
metal during the brief timo of about
ten years. When the mines were shut
down in in July, '93. the Granite had
been IN operation about ten years and
the Blmetalllc about six, and the enOr-
nous quantity OF silver produced dur
ing that period gives somewhat of an
Idea as to the magnitude of these prop
critics. Since the two great mines have
come under one management, opera
tons have again been resumed in ear
nest. The Bimetallic mill has been
remodeled, improved machinery has
taken the place Of the old, a concen-
TRAITOR has been built at Granite, and
many additional improvements now un-
DER way, all goes to show that the
mines will be extensively worked in
the future. The operations are carried
on under the personal supervision of
Mr.. Paul A. FusZ president Of the
company, at the head of a corps of
able assistants, and the closest atten-
ton is given to every department of
this mammoth establishment. 1t is
safe prediction that during the next
ten years splendid showing will be
made and that the output of Granite
county S silver mines will again attract
worldwide attention.