The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-10-17
MICHIGAN
LAKE SUPERIOR COPPER
$4,000 Miners In the Dlstrlct--Efforts to
.~ Save the TalIlnqs. --

10000 Miners In the DlstrIct--Efforts to
- Save the TalIlngs. .~ -
HOUGHTON, MICH.-The annual report
Of Captain Josiah Hall, mine inspector OF
Houghton county, shows, from careful
census, that the men employed In the
mines of Houghton county number ,l3O.
This Is a considerable gain over the figures
of last year, despite the general impress
sion that the forces employed were much
smaller in the aggregate than in 1901.
The Calumet & Hecla Is working about
1000 men less at present than two years
ago, and the Osceola and several other
mines have fewer names on their payrolls.
The new mines Of the South Range have
very largely increased forces. All told
there are probably 500 men working in and
about the mines of Keweenaw county. The
mines of Antonagon county are working
considerably more than 1000 men, with
prospects Of further increase before the
close of the year. This would give total
Of about 5000 men employed by the mines
of the Lake Superior district, an increase
Of 10 per cent from last year.
At present the lake mines are working
materially larger forces than are en-
ployed in any other copper district of the
world, and are turning out more copper
than ever before, with prospects of a
marked increase in production next year.
One head has been working steadily at
the new mill Of the Adventure since Sept.
%. The second head met with an accident
few days after the mill was started, but
repairs are almost completed, and the
third head is about ready for work. 1t will
| require upwards Of 1900 tons of rock a
| day to feed three heads, and will keep the
mine management busy, despite the extern
sive underground openings made before
the mill was started. Ten years ago only
three mines in the lake district were
stamping more than 1900 tons of rock
daily.
The returns of ingot copper secured
from one head at the Isle Royale mine are
said to be very good and the percentage
Of refined copper secured from the rock Is
materially higher than when three heads
were running, but it is hard to see how
the mine can make expenses with a single
head in operation, though a fair net profit
was being earned just before two heads
were closed down.
| A grinding mill is being installed at the
Quincy mills, and will be used for re-
grinding coarse sands, previous to thetl
| treatment on concentrating tables. The
percentage Of fine copper lost in tailings
Is being reduced steadily in this district
There has been nothing accomplished
along this line that can be called revolu
slant attention from every progressive
mill manager In the district and eyer!
little advance has come into general use
BY constant application, and small bu
steady gains In methods, the percentage 0
losses has been cut down to less than hal
the average Of ten years ago, and 1t i
likely that progress along this line of saw
ing will be continuous. There are mil
lions OF tons Of old tailings in the dis
trict carrying copper at the rate of one
half to one and one-half per cent. TIL
Calumet & Hecla, has some $4,000, 900 ton
of tailings, averaging probably three
fourths Of one per cent, and has been ex
perimenting for the past year, with salts
factory results, so it is probable that
start will be made soon at working thes
tailings on a. large scale.
The material is not lacking, as the tail
ings would feed plant with daily capa
city Of 20O0s tons for almost forty years