The Florence daily tribune., 1902-01-03
OUTLOOK IN MINING.


The year opens with low prices
for silver and copper and a lower
quotation for lead than has pre-
vailsd since 1891 But there Is
no change in the price Of gold and
even a cusual reading Of the review
in cur Now ears issue will show
that Colorado is emphatically a
gold producing state and that
where mining for silver-lead ores
10 carried on, the main purpose is
TO meet the requirement of the
smelters for furnace mixtures. In
other words, the supply Of dry
gold ores oalls for corresponding
supply Of wet silver-lead ores, and
to insure this supply transporta-
tion and treatment charges are 80
arranged that the usual profit of
the miner remains intact. This
explains the continued prosperity
of mining in such camps as
Georgetown, Aspen and Creede,
where the output is largely con-
fined to silver-lead ores For per
capita earnings, however, few of
the gold producing camps are
equal to the districts named.
Time was in the ore treatment
Of the state when huxes for the
furnaces were purchased outright
or brought in from great distances
st high cost Of transportation. In
our comprehensive mining system
this is no longer necessary. The
tellurium gold ores Of Boulder find
their proper complement in the
high grade silver lead ores of Clear
Greek, while the ores of Creede, in
{ the carbonate GLASS, lower smeiter
charges upon the gold-copper pro-
duct of Silverton, Telluride and
Ouray. In the Leadville furnaces
the sulphides of Lake flow gently
with the silica and lime ores Of
Pitkin and all work together for
profit.
During the latter half of 1901
Leadville district was hampered by
an excessive output of silioious
ores from its own mines or from
those located within feasable reach
It is now demonstrated that as
depth ia gained the gold ores of
Cripple Greek are changing from
tellurium to a sulphide nature.
Hence preparation is being made
at the smelter to handle larger
quantity of sulphide ores and to
develop the needed mixtures at
home or distant points of produc.
: ton. The osmeltersl of Colorado,
beginning with 1901, have success.
fully met the requirements OF the
mines, and 30 well has this task
been accomplished that Colorado
ore treatment, from concentration
at the nine to the Globe refinery,
stands at the very head of metal
lurgy. 1t no longer borrows from
outside schools or sources lends
to the world. It's theory is the
best for rebellious or mixed ore,
and its practice and appliances the
mcst successful. We can rely,
therefore, upon profitable solu-
tion Of present problems. The
dividend list at the end of 1902
will challenge comparison with the
grand total that was given yester-
day.
In 1901 treatment schedule for
Cripple Greek ores was based on
81 material. The 1902 schedule is
based on $8 ores. This shows
tendency to the lower grades-a
movement which means the work
ing of many claims that are idle
st present, and the shipment of
thousands of tom from districts
which are now confined to the
shipment of hundreds. Under
long time contracts, with a sixty
day cancellation CLAUSE, 81 ores
can be shipped from Cripple Greek
to the smeltsrs, while the chlorine-
tion plants at Colorado City and
FlorsHos will handle e6 ores under