Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-12-06
ZINC MINING
IN THE WEST.
Time Approaching When its Pro-
ducti0n viii be as Valuable
As That OF Lead.
NEEDS HIGH CONCENTRATION.
Smelling Primitive But Methods Con.
stantly Improving and Produc-
ilon Increasing.

W. q. Swart In a very interesting
paper read before the mining congress
at III Paso, Texas. discussed the future
of zinc mining in the mountain west.
He started out by saying that only
high grade zinc ores could be smelted
at profit. This was owing to the
fact that the reduction of zinc ores has
not claimed the attention OF the smelt-
or men and the ore Is reduced in the
same manner 1t was years ago. This
makes IL hardly possible 10 handle
zinc ores which assay less than 80 per
cent IN the metal. Mr.. Swart stated
that az the present time the only way
70 make zinc mines pay was by the
means of concentration.
The fact Is before us" he continues,
that the only successful mills I'm OPP
GRAFTON In the Rocky mountain region
are those using magnetism or static
electricity. There are IL such mills in
the west at present. with a daily ca
paclty Of about 430 tons. Half this
tonnage may be taken as zinc concen-
trates, which may be assumed TO av-
erage 45 per cent zinc. The indica-
tions are that In another year this will
be doubled.
have spent the past six years work.
ing exclusively on this zinc ore prob
lem. am free to admit my preference
for wet work. but | cannot escape the
fact that electricity IL today making
the western output OF zinc ore, and IL H.
being done dry.
II put into the shape OF high grade
concentrates, zinc ores are worth more
per unit than lead ores. but low grade
lead ores can be marketed and smelted
direct, while zinc ores cannot. hence
the stipulation high grade" and the
broad assertion now made that In al
most every case Zinc ores must be
dressed before shipment. Not only IL
this necessary to raise the grade OF the
zinc product, but TO produce at the
same time a by-product as valuable
rs possible, carrying the gold. silver
lead and copper so that they may not
be lost. but made source of profit.
Any zinc ore can today be handled
successfully, and many an old. aban-
doned mine be made to pay. There are
exceptions. and the whole matter Is so
new that the statement made above
VIII bear repeaung--if failure Is TO be
avoided. an expert must be consulted.
In Missouri ores carrying or 4 per
cent zinc. with no other values, are
mined and milled at profit. At pres-
ent il win usually not pay to handle 4
western ore carrying less than 10 per
cent zinc, provided there are no other
recoverable values. One mine In Colo
RADIO Is working a I per cent zinc ore,
hut there is also recovered some SO IN
gold, silver and lead.
Methods are daily Improving. In three
years ores carrying per cent zinc
should be worked, In which the zinc
will represent the sole profit, though
not the sole value. Such ores are not
being touched now, but we all know
them 10 exist in large bodies, and ~
the knowledge of proper treatment
spreads they will come into market
The vital point IN the whole matter
Is the recognition of the facts that,
since zine is penaized at the lead and
copper furnaces, and lead, iron and
copper are likewise treated at the zinc
furnace, they must be separated and
sold as cleaned products In the high
market Exceptions must be made here
also. since the new zinc smelter at
Pueblo buys mixed ores and 40 d.
the Belgian furnaces, but It will be
found that the prices offered are us
ually such as to make II profitable TO
the miner tn separate his products be-
| fore shipment. Even the furnaces just
mentioned prefer the high grade ma
| terial. and win pay accordingly for II.
| II is a fortunate thing for the miner
that his gold and silver values usually
| follow the lead, copper and iron, rather
| than the zinc, for the zinc shelters do
| not ordinarily recover these values, nos
! pay for them in low grade ores
| Several things aside from new pro-
! cesscs have contributed to the present
| activity and opportunity. The price uf
| spelter has been uniformly high Tor
| some time, and bids fair to remain so o.;
| long as general financial conditions ara
| good; many OF the European mines
| have been obliged to curtail production
| on account of decreased ore reserve
| causing the European smelters TO look
! abroad for ore supply; the western rail
| roads have been generous In the matter
| of lower freight rates on these zinc ores
reapng their reward In the building up
| OF promising new business
! II has been suggested that the open,
| ing up OF these large zinc deposits viii
| lead To the establishment OF zinc smell
| tiers In the west This ls possible, but
| there are certain considerations that
| must not be overlooked. Cheap labor
| cheap transportation, and, above all,
| cheap fuel, are essential to zinc smelt-
| Ing Unlike lead or copper smelling 4,
| usually pays to haul zinc ores 60 the
| fuel rather than the fuel to the ores.
| II western smelling can be- made 40
| pay, Il viii come In time, but II Will
| not pay 10 wait for n. and meanwhile
| the miner should make the most of his
| opportunities, and recognize the facj
! that IN hls heretofore troublesome ziGa
| h haa told