The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-10-24
THINKS IT'S A co.
Prof. LOveWeIl's Investigations
of Trego County Shale.
Now Believes the Gage Process
is a Success.
BEATTY INTERESTED.
If Results Are Satisfactory Will
Erect Cotton Mill.
How the Cyanide Process Has
Worked i'm California.

Hays City, Oct. 24.-For over week
the investigation of the Gage gold mill
at Smoky Hill city has been in progress,
and so far. the results of the investiga-
ton have confirmed the representations
of Mr.. Gage and his co-laborers. The
investigation is being made by J. t.
Lovewen, of Topeka, who is in the en-
ploy of r. T. Beatty, the Beaumont
"oil king
From one mill run made without the
assistance or interference of Mr.. Gage,
MIR. Lovewen secured $12 per ton of gold
and silver. Another mill run showed
only 81 ton. This small showing was
due, according to Mr.. Gage, to the cleo
trio batteries, which had become Weah
and Ineffective. MIR. Lovewen is making
extensive experiments, and will remain
in Ellis county for some time.
The investigation has SO far been
made at the Gage mill, with the ma
chinery and material used at the mill.
The mill consists of a cruSher, which re-
duces the shale to small Jumps and pow
der. The crushed shale is dumped into
three large watts, each holding 1900
pounds. 1t is then subjected to the
cyanide process, and in the course of sc
hours, the gold and silver is secured.
Mr.. Beatty recently sold one of his
Beaumont oil wells for $1,30O.00O, and
owns several other "gushers" of equal
value If the investigation of the Kan
SaS ShaleS now in progress proves that
the Gage process is not a. fake" Mr..
Beatty will within 80 days erect a so ton
shaie mill, and commence the reduction
of the shale by the cyanide process. He
will erect more mills as fast as the
profits of the first warrant, and if pres
ent indications are fulfilled, the amount
of gold secured is only limited by the
capacity of the mills.
Asked to give opinion on the Gage
process MIR. LOveWen said: '.Al looks
favorable SO far. can not tell what the
final outcome will be- We are using ev-
are only endeavoring to ascertain the
truth about the Kansas shale-"
The cyanide process which is used by
Mr. Gage in his mill is not exactly
secret process, though MIR. Gage has in
vented variations of the regular cyanide
process to fit the peculiar kind of ore
with which he is working. 1t is assert
ed that these variations enable him to
get better values than by the straight
cyanide process. The cyanide process is
being introduced into the gold mines in
a mining magazine printed at Redding,
Shasta county, California, prints an ac-
count of a successful cyanide mill, which
shows that in all respects the Kansas
shales are susceptible to the same treat
ment. Mineral Wealth says:
An interesting cyanide experiment.
and a new one for northern California
is being successfully made at the Nc
kean mine, near Galatians, and prom
ises to be of no little Importance in the
quartz development, particularly of
SISklSOu ana TRINITY counties. Inc
rock is not treated by mill at all, but
goes directly from the rock breaker to
the solution tanks. Four forty-tOn ats
make up the present equipment of the
plant, and one is drawn off and re-
charged each day. The ore, of course,
is one that is specially fitted for that
method of extraction. 1t is a coarse
grained, pure silicate, carrying consid-
cradle sulphurets in spots. Most of the
values, however, are of a fine character
of gold, the fineness being of such uni
fOrmity that all can be depended upon
to go into solution in from u to 90
hours. A half pound of cyanide is used
feature with respect to this class of
gold extraction is that from 80 to 80
per cent. of a rather low grade ore is
saved from the rock just as it leaves
the crusher. Milling and concentra-
tions are thus done away with, and
thus the chief sources of wear. tear and
expenses are entirely obviated. The
theory upon which this process is based
involves the structure of the quartz. 1t
has been shown that the gold merely
lines the castings of fractures of the
rock, and accordingly the work of the
to allow the cyanide solution to pene-
trate to the presence of the gold"
Mineral Wealth further states that
credit for the successful operation by
this new method is largely due to Fred
erick Lundstrom. formerly of South
process. The plant on the property was
installed under the direction of e. H
Benjamin, mining engineer OF San
Francisco. and secretary of the Cali
fornia Miners association, who, as
stated in the San Francisco Chronicle,
IS the inventor of this new cyaniding
method.