The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-08-06


to Thoroughly Investigate the soundness
of claims made but. by their atutuue'
they deter outside capitalists from en-
tering the field and, like the dog III the
manger, will neither themselves eat nor
allow Others to do so. Men of no prac-
teal knowledge of gold mining, as a
| business. do not hesitate to make the
! broadcast and strongest assertions as to
| the impossblity of successfully mining
and treating our gold ores in the race OF
accumulated proof to the contrary. For
| tunately, there seems to be an end TO
these conditions in sight.
Leaving out for the present. Cleburne
county, which is largely placer mining
region, the most prominent gold bearing
district in Alabama today considering the
| extent of development and actual results
therefrom is in Tallapoosa county. With
in its limits are two main belts of gold
bearing ores, one, the upper, consisting
of groups of from 3 or to 10 or II de-
fined veins ranging in thickness from
few inches to or feet. and occasionally
as much as 10 or II feet Ores from
| these veins range in value from less than
81 to as high as $50 to SEQ and carrying
average values, as material comes from
the mine of SO to So per ton. The lower
| belt consists Of enormous zones of gold
bearing material, from 800 or 400 feet to
! 1860 POO feet In thickness, their values
ranging from less than dollar to IS or
| 50 with occasional values running to $50
! or higher, but showing an average value
| of ST. 20 per ton or more. Several years
| ago the writer was advised by DIR. Eugene
| A Smith, the able head of the state
! geological bureau. to carefully study Tai
! lapoosa county. as 1t contained in his
! opinion, the best defined and most ex-
tensive gold bearing deposits in the state,
and several years careful study of this
county by the writer confirms DIR. Smiths
| opinion.
The extent of these gold bearing veins
and ore bodies Is generally admitted; the
| general values have been demonstrated,
| and the only question to be settled is
can the ores be Mined and the values
extracted at such a maximum of cost
as to leave a reasonable profit and bring
! the operations of mining and milling on
a reasonably large scale within the limits
| of commercial success?
/ In undertaking any business adequate
capital is prime necessity Cotton mills
cost money, but even the best equipped
, mill will be losing proposition without
capital TO purchase raw material and for
operating expenses until returns begin to
| come In Iron and coal mines, furnaces
and mills, all call for ample operating
capital to make them successes. Beyond
this, all mining, manufacturing and mer-
| camille enterprises are subject to draw
| backs. In some, fluctuations in prices of
raw material. In all the same changes
in value Of output; varying demand for
| products delays in realizing their values,
/ and too often losses from i'll placed cred
its. Stiff competition materially adds to
expense of marketing goods, and re-
| duees profits Failures are common
enough in all these lines, yet there are
| always plenty men to fill the gaps. when
some unfortunates drop out. Mining for
| the precious metals is a business free
IT, L.
legitimate enterprise it requires first, a
fair material basis for operations-in this
case a mine Of fairly proved extent and
| average value. Second a reasonably am
pie capital for both plant and operating.
Third practical knowledge, executive
ability, careful management and honesty
But the raw material is taken from the
earth. and no matter how limited or
how extensive the output is, from the
moment II reaches the final shape of bull
lion it is that much available wealth
| added to the worlds supply, regardless
| of trade risks or market fluctuations, UNI
= affected by corners, Independent OF
supply and demand the most honest,
| untainteu dollars in existence.
The question of cost of operation can be
easily settled.
The HIillabee Gold Mining company OPP
Grating the Hog mountain gold mines il
the northern part of Tallapoosa county,
| is the perfected result of many years
! careful experimental work by Col. T. Fl.
, Aldrich and his son, 7. II. Aldrch, Jr.,
| who Is now the president of the company.
/ The ability of these gentlemen in every
department of mining business needs no
| mention. Their Mines In the upper gold
| belt, form a group running through Hog
| mountain at a sharp angle and the veins
| vary from 2 or 8 to u feet In thickness.
| Most of the ore Is taken from under
r1y tn, ic Qt IA
| and somewhat difficult to drill into and
blast. In character, the ore is very COM
| pick and refractory. Neither amalgama-
ton nor chlorinaton treatment gave sat
| isfactory results, nor did cyaniding, at
| first, but 1t is a monument to the per-
| sistence and skill of these gentlemen that
| they have overcome all the difficulties,
| and are effecting an average extraction.
| treating from 70 or so to 100 tons per day
| of 81 per cent of the total gold value.
! The writer believes this is not exceled
| in regular mill practice at any plant in
| the country.
| The average values of the ore at Hog
| mountain is, we are Informed, about 50
| per ton. The present average cost of oper-
] ating is $3.50 or less per ton, and with
| the perfecting of some changes and Inn
| provements in the mining department the
| total cost will soon be materially re-
| duced and increase of capacity of plant
/
| Another property, on the lower gold
| belt in the southwestern part of Talla-
| poosa county, where the ore bodies are
| sufficiently large to be quarried not
| mined. one of the best known experts in
| the country a specialist In cyaniding Mr..
| C. NJ. Fueller, of Denver. Col, reported
! on, after long an dcareful examination,
| and tests of the ores, to the effect that
| the entire mass, taking good and indif-
! ferent together, will average $500 per
| ton in value Increasing to 81 at bottom
! of 170-foot incline). That by cyanide
| treatment high extraction, IS to 80 per
cent can be obtained. regular mill treat
| ment, and at Il maximum cost for mining
| and milling of less than 81 per ton.
| On this and adjoining property the ore
| bodies exceed in extent. /. e., width or
/ thickness of vein, any other gold-bearing
| vein in the country, not excepting the
| world famous Alaska Treadwell mine or
| the Homestake in South Dakota The for
| iner Is one quo.el by Mr.. Aldrich In MS
| report of his Alaskan trip as "prohtably
| treating ore yielding less than " per ton
| in gold, while they pay labor $3.50 per
| day.
| That Mr.. Aldrich's figures are correct
| is shown by the official report OF the
| Alaska Treadwell q. M. Co. for the year
] ending May 80 1903 as published In the
| Engineering and Mining Journal OF sep
| TENDER 26, 1868. The mine was at that time
| opened to the 900-foot level. The report
| says the average value of ores Tor the
| year, as shown by 300 assays. was sz.N
| per ton. The cost of mining, the report
| shows, was 90c per ton. The concentrates
| (sulphurets) were shipped by steamer