The Republican journal., 1903-10-08

Rnffaln N Y
of years, was to purchase the accumu-
lation of dumps, or ''tailings' from
many of the old Spanish mines, more
than half million tons of which were
piled up near the shore of the lake, to
be used as reserve for the smelters.
At present the Sorato mines are pro-
viding a daily output Of 800 tons OF
silver-lead ores. with all average yield
per ton of 81 per cent lead and 70
ounces OF silver Following the gene
raj rule of this country, the ores in
crease in richness as depth is gained;
fortunately being so situated as to be
worked entirely by tunnels. AS the
works of Nature are on grander scale
here than elsewhere, so are the de-
posits of mineral wealth greater in
comparison and the precious veins OF
corresponding wealth and thickness.
The two main tunnels OF the Elm
presa' are run parallel to one another,
on vein of solid metal fifty-slx feet
wide, gaining a descent OF 2200 feet IN
a run of the same distance, cutting
hundred cross veins, some of which are
~ feet wide. This mine covers total
superficial area Of 100000 square
meters. guaranteeing enough galena
for the uninterrupted function of the
smelters for many years to come. l
have these figures from Mr.. August
Stumpf, the manager and general man
of business of the 'EmpreSa Tltlcaca.
The ore bearing district wherein Mr..
ChriSty's property is located embraces
an area of go square miles, or more
with great surface indications of mineral
groupings of the veins are oxide and
hydronade of iron. At the depth OF
about ten meters permanent ores OF
argentiferous galena are found with
pvrites. carbonate of lime, sulphit of
baryl, and some quartz from the cross
ings of the veins The average yield of
ounces per ton. More than 800 veins
have been marked out to be cut by
tunnel, which has already been run 49,,
900 feet. on an average depth OF 1900
feet below the outcroppings. The coal
mine is only "A miles from the lake and
has an area of 104o0 square meters.
The proximity of the property to the
lake and the railroad greatly increases
its value, because easy and comparative
ly cheap transportation is thus afforded.
Very much of Bolivia's wealth is not
available on account of lack Of trans
portation. Since Chilli has seized her
sea-coast, the country has no outlet of
her own by which to reach the markets
of the world At the best, transporta-
tion to the Pacific is over the passes of
the Andes and across the desert; and
when arrived at the port there are no
facilities for landing or loading cargoes.
There is long and difficult route to
the Atlantic, across mountains, woods
and plains to Buenos Ayres, and an
other through the heart of Brazil; but
both are dangerous and very expensive
Journeys. The same reason prevents
the incoming of proper machinery for
working the mines. Today, as in the
old times, Bolivian ores are mostly ex-
tracted from the sulphurated zone and
are not suitable for amalgamation,
which has been, and still is, the only
system of treating them. The people
have no knowledge or conception of
heating with purifying furnaces and
other modern inventions. Thus great
quantities of ores, from Nighty to 200
ounces of silver per ton, entirely worth
less today, can be bought at a low price,
for this kind of metal does not yield any
profit if sent to Europe, freight to the
coast being too costly. Now that
American enterprise has started home
market for all this that was formerly
wasted, mining industry in Bolivia
ought to receive new impetus. The
mills of Potosi in which ores are crush
ed are fair samples of the primitive
methods employed here in the richest
mines The best of the mills are rude
affairs, beside which the most old
fashioned homemade cider mill one
might find in the United States would
look like dainty piece of cabinet work.
A Bolivian arastra, as the crushing
mill is called, has great stone wheels at
tached to the ends of horizontal bar
moved by an upright shaft propelled
by an ak, mule, or couple of bare
legged Indians. Thus the stone wheels
revolye in a sort Of rude trough into
which the broken ore has been tum-
bled, moving slowly around, crushing