The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-29
FROM LEVEL AND STOPE
Mines and Mining Matters in
Various Districts.
THE COAL FIELDS OF GEBO
Rock Formations and Ore Values-Vary-
ing Forms of Gold Deposits.
Limits to Cyanide Re-
duction.

dpIt " USE all Tie y II Cdl stCul Z.
A day and night shift is now getting
out 10 cars of coal day, but the force
is insufficient. The company is making
arrangements to erect from so to rs cot
tages for rent to miners and Others
The company is advertising that a
meeting will be held at which time the
capital stock will be increased from
s250,0O0 to $4,000 A bright future is
surely dawning for Gebo.
The Denver Republican considers the
Swandyke mining district an exceed
ingly promising one, and reports pay
values in scores of prospects. The values
seem to be decidedly assorted. In some
claims they are silver and gold, in
others silver, lead and gold, and in still
others copper comes in as an item. They
are mixed up in divers proportions. But
value is value, and it is to be hoped
that Swandyke has it in abundance.
All the ores treated at Mercur, Utah,
from the Rover, of the DeLamar sys-
tenn, are conveyed through a subter-
ranean paSsageWay more than a mile
in length. The trans are pulled by
mules and horses. The animals are sta
toned in the mines and are rarely
hoisted to the surface.
When an ore shoot pinches in depth
and the vein walls continue and remain
well defined there is no positive assur-
ance that another shoot will be found at
greater depth, though this has been
found to occur so frequently that there
is a reasonable inducement to explore
deeper in hope of finding such deposit.
Not infrequently ore shoots are found
to offset few feet the ends overlap
ping, but separated by vein material a
few inches or several feet in thickness.
The formation in which vein &C.
ours has little to do with the value of
its ores. The condition of the wall
rocks, however is sometimes an indica-
ton which may guide the miner in his
search for ore When the vein occurs
in a rock which in it's normal condition
is massive, like granite, diorite or dia-
base, and the wall rocks are found al
tered to a chistose or slaty condition
softened and mineralized-ore may DE
looked for, though il may not always
prove to be pay ore. No hard and fast
rules have been found applicable to all
cases. A dyke may have a beneficial
effect on vein, but rich veins exist
which have no dykes near them.
The main object in the regulation and
adjustment of a quartz mill is to crush
as much rock as possible with the
available power within a stated time
and to keep the loss of gold as low as
possible. When a certain stage is
reached it is usually found to cost more
to save the gold remaining in the tail
ings than the value Of the gold itself.
After the highest saving with the great
est capacity has been attained a few
simple automatic devices may be intro
duced to save a little closer, in the way
of mercury traps, etc. These require
little attention and are cleaned up when
occasion requires.
Gold is deposited in segregated
punches of greater or less size, as ir
regular masses, crystals, dentritic in
filtrations, in foliated, fernlike and
other forms in crevices in the rocks,
and are called pockets. The genesis of
these Accommodations of gold is not I'M
derstood, though 1t has been observed
that they frequently occur in veins at
the intersection with cracks which
have a strike and dip differing from
that of the vein. Sometimes they are
found where a change of formation
takes place. While there is great va
riety in the conditions under which
pockets occur they are usually found
in any particular mine surrounded by
similar conditions.
Portland men, who have been pros
pecting on Prince of Wales island, re-
port SOOu success III the discovery ol
gold and copper lodges of great width.
On one mountain they spent several
months in driving a tunnel in 100 feet
in ore that assayed $40 in copper and
gold They pronounce it a mountain
of ore. On the opposite side Of the
same mountain they uncovered a cop
per ledge 80 feet wide, with a pay
streak two feet wide, that asasyed 500
a ton. Both claims are within 1000 feet
of fine harbor. They have prospected
the island for year, and, from their
pronounce 1t one of the
most promising districts in Alaska.
The development of the Mountain
Lion is proving that in the Republic
camp not only do values increase with
depth, but the size of the ore chutes
themselves may increase enormously
beneath the surface, says the Republic
Miner The work is proving more and
more convincing of the permanent
character Of the camp and the result !
of 1t is matter of absorbing interest |
to every holder of. undeveloped prop |
critics.
The Mining and Engineering Journal
says that no place in the Mercur dis |
trict to-day maintains battery on ore
above Sc per ton and possibly around |
$50 is the high point. The low point |
for profit winning is S2.75, though con- |
siderable ore which it is necessary to |
mine is sent 10 llt DltdCHlllS ldllhS
that goes only So a ton. One mine pays |
dividends on SO gold ore. If non |
pyritic, quite free from slime making |
ingredients, $3.50 rock will pay, if |
handled in sufficient quantity. In this |
regard definite particulars of individual
mines cannot be given.
Returning miners ana adventures
from Alaska continue to bring conflict
ing reports as to the richness of the
mines of that country, Notwithstanding |
which the correspondents for English
and Canadian papers are persistent in
their estimate of a production of $20,-
700 900 for 1899. However, there is no
doubt about the exaggeration of such
while the pictures of poverty
orivation, suffering and death that
hedge all the highways and byways
eading to this ice bound land of gold
ire not overdraWn.
The announcement is made by the
survey that the coal product