Amador ledger., 1903-10-09
MINING NEWS OF
AMADOR COUNTY
The Defender a Good Producer.-To
Institute a Large Tailings Plant at
Sutter Greek The Sand Pile Mine.

DEFENDER mine in Pioneer
district continues to make fine record.
The mill is kept running steadily, the
output leaving net profit of. from
$500 to $4,000 monthly to its owner.
Recently W. A. Clark, sen of Senator
Clark of Montana, was negotiating for
the purchase of the property, but the
negotiations fell through owing to some
misunderstanding in regard to the time
of payment. From an inspection of the
mine the parties expressed themselves
as we'll satisfied with the prospects, and
there was no contention about the
price. 1t seems the intending .pur-
chaser wanted the privilege of sinking
another 100 feet and prospect the ledge
at that depth before being required to
make payment. F. B. Joyce. the
owner, who is not particularly anxious
to sell, concluded that this was un-
reasonable, and the sale fell through.
HoRN.-Geo. w. Horn, the superin-
tendent OF this property, was in Jack
son Saturday, on his way to San Fran
cisco to attend the annual meeting of
the company, which takes place in a
few days. 1t is expected that arrange
ments will be made at the meeting of
stock holders to resume work at the
mine. Nothing has been done for two
or three months. owing to lack of funds.
Mr.. Horn is a careful manager, and
adopts the wise policy of not attempt
ing to do any work unless he has the
money in sight to pay the employees.
He expects that by extending the tun-
nel another 100 feet at furthest, the ore
body disclosed by the shaft above will
be reached.
| NEW METHOD OF WORKING TAIL
INGS.-E. J. Harrah and H. Fl. Harrah
of Oakland, of the firm of E. Ell. Har-
rah & Co., haye been in Sutter Creek,
Amador county, this week, making ar
rangements for the working of a large
body of tailings on the dump at the
chlorine plant. They have purchased
the 25, 600 tons as well as tanks for the
working, and will commence operations
very soon, somewhat on the principle
of cyaniding, although entirely new
process of their own. The Messrs.
Harrah are at present engaged in plac-
ing the large tanks and putting in nee
essary machinery. Previous attempts
have been made to work these tailings,
but each was a failure.
SAND PILE MINE.-The big cyanide
plant for the treatment of the immense
accumulation of sand and tailings at
this property, near Forest Home, in
this county, is nearing completion.
This plant is the first attempt on a
large scale to introduce the cyanide
system iu the extraction of gold from
shines and fine sulphurets, the es-
capes in this case from the Plymouth
mills, into this county. The outcome
of the venture is awaited with consider
able interest. 1t is said that before
the present extensive plant was start
ed, practical test on small scale was
made, with satisfactory Results. The
plant now nearing completion is ex-
pected to start up about the middle of
this month. It consists of six large
vats, each of the capacity of 240 tons.
The auriferous bearing sand will be
subject to the action of the dissolving
fluid for several days, but the output is
calculated at 240 tons per day. The
works have been constructed at cost
of between $50, 900 and $40, 900. The
contract for the delivery of 240 tons of
sand. to the cars has been awarded to a
Plymouth man at 10 cents per ton-or
S24 per day. 1t is estimated that the
ccumulation of sand to be treated is in
the neighborhood of three million tons.
sufficient to keep the works running to
their full capacity for twenty years.
From careful assays, the tailings are
said to carry at least one dollar per ton
in gold. If 40 per cent of this value
can be saved, there is good margin of
profit in the enterprise. When in full
running order the plant will give en-
ployment to about 20 men.