Graham guardian., 1901-11-15
THE ARIZONA COPPER co.
A Brief Review of Its History In the
Mining World.

brief review OF It's History In the
Mining World.
The Arizona Copper Co., Id, of
Clifton, was formed in 1882 when
it acquired title to its properties
by the purchase Of the property Of
the Longfellow Copper company
and also of other mines, such as
Metcalf and Coronado. At that
time the nearest railroad connec-
ton was Lordsburg-7l miles dis
tant-and all freight was conveyed
between Lordsburg and Clifton by
mule teams. Occasionally supplies
were cut off for several months on
account of floods which made the
river impossible. The new COM
pany at once saw that railroad
woulds be an absolute necessity.
They therefore commenced build
ing in 1882, but on account of fin
ancial difficulties the railroad was
not completed till 1884. At that
time the Arizona Copper Com.
pany, like all other Arizona Cop
per companies, depended upon its
bonanzas for its ore supply. The
treatment of low-grade ores was
then an unknown art in Arizona.
Moreover, Arizona low-grade ores
presented entirely new features
under conditions which were also
new and extremely difficult. 1t
therefore determined to live, if it
could, on its selffuxing frst-class
ores and it decided to allow low
grade ore to stand neglected for
many years until the approaching
exhaustion of its high grade ores
forced 1t to take action. The rich
selt-fuXing ores occurred on and
near the context which the lime
stone beds made with the porphyry
dykes which broke through them.
The old Longfellow and the De-
troit Mines were the principal
producers. These two properties
alone probably have produced as
much as one hundred million
pounds of copper. In 1892 after
ten years Of corporate existence,
during which time, in place of pay
ing dividends to its shareh olders,
the company had sunk deeper into
debt, it was found that the bonan-
"a mines were practically exhaust
ed, that there was little or no hope
of the discovery Of other bonanzas,
development work done by the
diamond drill having failed to
place anything of value upon the
surface. AT this time it was fairly
evident to the company that if it
was to live at all it must abandon
the limestone belt and explore the
eruptive rocks which had so far
been neglected. 1t also found that
it would have to devise new and
important processes for the treat
ment of low grade oxide ores
which abounded in the Metcalf
and Coronado districts. 1t was q
bard and apparently impossible
task, but it was the only hope for
the company, and they determined
with true Scotch tenacity. to hold
on so long as there was the faint
est promise of success. 1t would
occupy too much space to describe
the successive and successful steps
by which the desired end was final
ly reached. The successful starting
of the teaching plant was quickly |
followed by the discovery of low
grade sulphide ores in Humboldt
mine. Successive plants were
built for the treatment Of these
ores and gradually the company
began to assume better shape. The
success which had been attained in
5hese earlier efforts was, however,
very seriously impaired by the
great reduction in the grade of the
'res. In 1896 the average yield
or all ores was six and one half
Der cent of copper. In 1900 this
lad fallen to slightly under four
,er cent and as this ore carried no
'alues in precious metals it would
eem that the problem was by no
means an easy one. How difficult
was may be deduced from the
act that in order to make one ton )
f copper, 26 tons of ore had to be
mined and hauled down from the !
fountains to the works at Clifton.
On it's arrival there, the ore had
0 be put through a concentrator 8
nd other processes in order to
ender its profitable treatment pos
ible. After treatment in the
lills, it was mixed with suitable L
uxes, then it had to be smelted
ito copper matte which carries +
My about so per cent copper and
hich therefore had to undergo Z
lrther process of bessemerizing S
efore it was fit to be placed on
he market. At the prevailing
rices for copper, the company
,uld live, and live well, on it's
w grade ore, but last year the T.
,npopu daoidad ibot in ordo, IN