Mohave County miner., 1906-05-12
United States Smelling Company

Copper Mining Company, and the men in charge during the formative period, have set a new standard in California mining and reduction operations, says Mineral Wealth, discussing the Cali fornia property of the United States Smelling company. Ample capital and progressive capital was placed at the disposal of competent men, and the re- suit is a model plant and profitable operations.
 The operation of the shelter means a ready market for 200 tons day of silicious ores in a custom way, as the Mammoth company produces only basic ores in its own property. North ern California must develop transpor- tation lines so that silicious ore camps, at present remote, can supply the de- mand for fuxing ores. Long ore hauls to this smelting center are unneces- sary and the economies that can be brought about demand local silicious ore supply.
 The company has arranged as far as possible, for the handling of custom ores, and is now completing a belt line electric haulage system about its plant, which will enable it to store large quantities of ore and handle the same economically.
 The ''scenic railway" as the line is called, at one point shows three tracks, one above the other. The upper track provided for unloading in large storage bins, that will be used for both coke and ore: the middle track is on the level of the shelter charge floor, and the lower track admits of loading cars from tae storage bins. The ''scenic railway" makes a complete loop, in making the necessary grade, and on the steep mountain side, it provides ample opportunity for the exercise of engineering ingenuity.
 The Mammoth Copper Mining com pany has now reached the maximum capacity of its plant, but if what will be accomplished in the future can be measured by what has been done in the past year and a half, much more may be expected by Shasta county, from this progressive company.
 The little town of Kennel, in Shasta county, can boast today of the largest operating reduction plant in Califor ha -f..l- al (owned by the Mountain Copper Con- pany) has large capacity but it is not in operation. The Mountain Copper company's new plant at Martinez may exceed the Mammoth shelter at Ken net, when in full operation. Other large plants proposed may exceed it when completed, but at present the banner belongs to the Mammoth Cop per cUmpany's plant, and the opera tions are producing wonderful change in that portion of the Shasta county copper belt, lying west of the Sacra- mento river.
 Development work in the mine has largely incl e1sed the ore reserves and the average yield of copper is higher than was indicated by the reports of the engineers who examined and sam pied it. The mine is already putting out 600 tons of ore daily.
 About 20 tons of silicious ore is re- ceived daily, fully one half of this ton mage is long haul-all the way from Nevada, and some from Utah. About 40 tons of coke is used daily, about 130 tons of matte is shipped daily-no wonder smelters look good to the rail- roads.
 The freight created by the Nam moth plant alone will exceed l5OOS a day. It costs about SSOS day to haul the output from the shelter to the refnery-then the railroads have a chance to haul portion of the manu- factured copper product back to the coast consumer. It costs about 55OS day to haul in the silicious fluxing ores. It costs about 14OS a day to haul in the coke consumed. That's 157OS daily with no provision for the large amount of lumber and supplies used. Why should the railroads not shape their policies to build up the mining and smelling industry?