Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1901-05-11
TINE EXCELSIOR MINING COMPANY.
A Visit to the Compaay's Copper Property 10
Mason valIey.-What Is Being Done.

"A L lhES tCA NlSlLCo hAC hllilC
and plant of the Excelsior Copper
Mining Company in Mason Valley
the first of this week, and through
the courtesy of those at the head of
departments was shown through
the mine, the new smelter and the
pumping plant. This property is
what is Familiarity called the Blue
stone Nine. The mine lies about five
miles to the southwest Of the town
of Yerington, and at an elevation of
about one thousand feet from the
river level. The Excelsior Company
secured control of the property one
year ago the 5th of this month, and
since that time has done a vast
amount of development work on it.
The company is incorporated under
the laws of Montana, and is COM
posed mostly of Montana people,
with G. s. Batterman as General
Manager; c. McHenry, General Su-
perintendent; and J. G. Smolt, Su
perintendent of Smelter. In COM
pany with Mr.. McHenry the reporter
first visited the mine, and while pre-
pared to see evidence of considerable
work, was surprised to see the
labyrinth of tunnels, cross-cuts,
drifts, upraises, etc. Without going
into a detailed description we will
state that on the so-foot level of the
mine there are upwards of 400 feet
of tunnels and cross-cuts. A shaft
has been sunk 100 feet deep from the
surface on the ledge, and is in ore all
the way down. A tunnel taps this
shaft at depth of 100 feet, being in
distance of over 600 feet. AT this
distance in the tunnel cuts the ledge
on the Ioo-foot level, and from this
point cross-cuts and drifts innumer.
able branch out. From this level a
Wine 70 feet deep has been snnk on
the ledge, and is in ore all the way
down. Another winze has also been
sunk from this level in the hanging
wall to depth OF 100 feet, and drift
ing tor the vein is now progressing
on this 2oo-toot level. The vein is
expected to come in ut distance of
ITO or lis feet. On the Ioo-ioot level,
in distance of 900 feet or more, a
station has been cut out where H.
horse power gasoline engine operates
to hoist ore from the 2oo-foot level,
and at a rough estimate there are
close to 1880 feet of cross-cuts and
drifts OH this level (Ioo-toot) and
with the exception of about 900 feet
of tunnel to tap the ledge, all of these
drifts are in ore. What is termed
the first zone of ore on this level is
from 20 to 60 feet in width. This ore
is black oxide mixed with a car
Donate ore, and will assay from as to
20 per cent. copper. The second zone
OF ore IL about IS feet in width and
about the same cha racter AZ the first
through SO feet, SO tar, and shows
up sulphide ore of good value. 1t
must not be understood that all this
ore goes as to 40 per cent. There are
streaks that will not go over 3 or 4
per cent, but the high grade ore is
in sufficient quantity to make the
entire lot work up to good percent
age, say from 10 to IS per cent. The
formation il limestone, and there is
plenty of iron in the ore to make it
just about the right character tor
smelling.
Coming from the mine a narrow
gauge track leads from the large ore
bins at the mouth of the tunnel to the
smelter, which is situated down the
canyon a distance of about halt a
mile. Cars of capacity of S or s
tons each are to be used to carry the
ore from the mine to the snelter.
These cars come down the hill with
the assistance of only a brakeman.
They are furnished with track
brakes, and can be lifted completely
from the track. In company with
K. S. Lloyd, Supt. of the Boston-Mon-
tana Company's smelters at Great
Falls, Montana, we next visited the
smelter. Mr.. Lloyd il on the ground
to start up the works and see that
everything is in ship-shape order to
start off. This smelter is of capa-
city of $50 tons daily. 1t has been
put up in the most substantial man.
ner and with a view to ha xino thinrs