The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-12
Assay Values.


There is no one thing connected with
mining operations by which people can
be more easily and innocently deceived
than by assay values"
In saying this we have no purpose to
underrate the importance OF assays in
determining the real worth of mining
properties. But in order to correctly
guide the judgment they must be based
upon selections carefully and even
scientifically made. Any good assayer
can accura tely determine the vaiu IS in
a given sample which may be handed
to him. but it throws no light VIII lt,ver
upon the value of the mine from which
the sample was taken.
1t is perfectly natural for The owner
of mine to be hopeful concerning It,
and to be enthusiastic over any devel-
opment therein. In taking samples for
\ assay he very easily persuades himself
that he is striking a fair average, when
in fact his selections are many times
above it,
In all mineral lodes Of any size there
is much rock that is practically barren.
tionally take a piece FOR assay which
he knows contains no appreciate value.
He knows that it IS worthless without
the trouble and expense CT an assay.
So in gathering his samples he usually
begin with the very richest and runs
down until he comes to those Of the
least value that can be worked, and
then strikes his average. But this does
not give fair one.
Intermixed with the ore Of CONNER
cial value is not infrequently a much
larger quantity that is worth nothing
This may be true in the case even of
sample weighing only, say, two or three
or five pounds. The value may all or
nearly all be in one pound or half a
pound, and unless the whole piece is
puverized and mixed, 1t will not give
fair test. However, assays are usually
made with intelligence. 1t is in the
general estimates Of the value of large
deposits that people deceive themselves
and mislead others.
If all the reports which have reached
the Standard within the last six months
were within 80 per cent Of being true,
the world would be literally flooded
with gold, silver and copper. We have
reports of lodges from twenty to TWO
or three hundred feet in width, extend
ing for thousands Of feet-in some cases
miles-and giving assays from fair
average samples so it is said. that run
into marvellous figures-showing values
anywhere from ten dollars to Il thou
sand or more per ton. 1t is scarcely
fair to suppose that these statements
are sheer fabrlcations, either with ref
erence to the extent of the lodges or the
actual returns from the assay; but it is
fair to assume that the assays do not
give anything like true average OF the
values contained in the lodges.
When the assays are taken for the
purpose of inducing others to buy or
invest in a mine, there is even greater
danger of their being misleading, to use
a mild form of expression. Some men
are perfectly honest in business and
others are not. No man is safe in buy
Ing into mine unless the assays are
selected under the supervision Of a
thoroughly competent and wholly dis
interested mining expert
A really good mine must be able to
show not merely assays of fair COM
mercial value, or high ones, but a suffi-
cient body of ore carrying fair value;
and 1t must Furthermore be of work.
able character so that the values may
be saved. These facts should be scien-
tidcally and reliably ascertained. If
this rule is followed there is no safer or
better business than that of mining; if
not, there probably is none in which
man can more easily lose the amount of
his investment. whatever it may be.