Durango semi-weekly herald., 1904-08-08

snres. They increase in extent and
regularity. but seem to decrease In
richness as depth is attained In their
exploitation. BY proper development
through long tunnels the deep ores of
this region should yield large profits.
as did those near the surface for many
wears in the Custom. Yankee Girl and
others and Is still being done in Com
modore gulch
The Low Grades.
The San Juan is reputed to be a pro-
lucer of low grade ores. yet some of
the richest ore of Colorado has been
shipped from San Juan mines. The
reputation for low grade ores arises
from the fact that the art of mining
and treating such ores has been espe-
cially developed here until some of
the most satisfactory mining profits in
he region are derived from the big
low grade veins by systematic meth
DDS and large output. The successful
operation of low grade mines has be-
aome a great special industry. 1t Is
he most fascinating as well as the
most important field for study In mod
ern mining
On the other hand the tenor of the
ore in some of the mines. such as the
Camp Bird, Is fully as high as the av-
erage OF the ores shipped from Grip
ole Creek. The others range from
his down through all the grades of
profit A value of about Sc per ton of
crude ore is the minimum grade han
led. In the Silverton region. preyl-
Gus to the advent of the Rio Grande
railroad, ores were shipped ont at a
otal expense of about 500 per ton.
The Future.
In treating of the future, Mr.. Finch
says the San Juan mountains will
probably produce ore longer than any
nart of Colorado. The workings of the
revenue tunnel at Snefrels have de
Ieoped ore to the depth of $500 feet.
Progress toward deep work has been
made at the Silver Lake, Tomboy.
Camp Bird, Gold King and others.
Judge Terry's Mine.
In a separate article there Is a short
hut interesting epitome of one OF the
,est known properties near Silverton
md one of the best producers. the Sun
lyslde mine. belonging to Judge j. A.
Ferry OF Eureka The ore in this
nine runs from SO to $50 per ton, the
General average being about SIS The
values are mostly in gold. The ore
'hoot has been explored for length
II 800 feet along the vein and for
,bout the same depth The main vein
yerages forty feet wide at the bot
Of
Eighty feet wide at the top. Nearly the
whole forty feet OF the vein in the
over workings is mined ont and sent
the mill. being a good milling ore
mother part of the main vein fifteen
eet wide has been opened for a length
# 700 feet and the principal supply OF
IRE for the two mines is now being
rol,en from this norton of the mine
rhe two mills have a total capacity OF
80 tons daily.
The Great Gold King.
The Gold King. at Gladstone. a few
niles above Silverton. is one of the
great gold mines of the state For i'm.
nense ore bodies and continuous ore
ihoots the Gold King surpasses any
hing in the San Juan. 1t averages
from ten TO fifteen feet wide and In
some Instances is forty feet wide The
lepth is 900 feet. This vein has been
opened a total distance of 800 feet,
showing continuous ore the entire
ength of the drift with ore still in
Zach heading. The company's mill is
IN amalgamating and concentrating
mill capable of handling from $50 to
700 tons of ore per day. 1t is equip
ied with eighty stamps, each set hav
ng below 1t amalgamating plates for
'atching the free gold, II has thirty
eight Frue vanners, and the new addi-
ion just completed has four tubes for
'egrinding the tailings, and thirty-six
Nilfiey sinners for saving the finer
concentrates. The company owns and
operates Its own railroad from Silver
on to Gladstone. The last annual re.
,ort states that over so, 600 tons of ore
we're produced during the fiscal year
rhe average value of this product was
1929 per ton, and the total cost, in
'luding everything. was $500 per ton
n round numbers the gross value was
$1,000 900. on which there was a profit
u So'"so''s l'hilHS Nht HachI ytal
$3.50 900 was distributed in dividends
sl75.000 turned into the surplus fund
md 100000 spent upon permanent
improvements.
Taken altogether, this review by the
INVESTOR, comprehending all camps in
he San Juan, is one OF the most com
1lete and creditable that has been
published 1t contains a large amount
If very useful information.