The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1906-10-30

tensiva mines III tie area \ teH
mines nevertheless. bE compare
lively small amount ~ development
work have opened UP large GRE bodies
OF "h!ch extensive open cuts Or Slopes
nave been made The deepest MOrk
ing in the area i at tho Halle mines
where u Wine extends l3J feet below
the bottom. or $50 foot level Thc
Kings Mountain mine Is about $50
feet deep and the Colossus about $50
feet. other mines That have consid-
cradle workings are the Brewer and
Blackmon, and it is said that there
has been a relatively large amount ~
underground development al the Nest
mine
The gold mining industry of this
region has, in recent years, suffered
decided decline. For about fifteen
years only i small addition - tho pro-
duction of this region has been made
by any but the Halle mine. which has
maintained its average yearly prDduc-
ton al something like 100000 during
that time. - the case Of Tho COlos-
Sus. il seems safe to say that If the ore
bodies are rs persistent as those at tn,
Halle nave been---1 statement which
there may be no reason to doubt. but
which ought to Dc demOnStrated-it
the ore averages as Well as the Te-
ported assays indicate, and if the cN,>-
nide process now being applied proves
4 successful means OF extraction. JnoH
z good production may b. expected
for some years. The HIaokm0n mine
lik eWiSc may make 4 respectable addi-
ton to the output Of the region il tho
size and value of the deposit persists
and certain obstacles t. mining can bc
overcome. There appears little roa-
son to hope that the Brewer mine VIII
ever again become an important pro-
ducer. While much gold undoubt-
edly exists in that immense deposit
it is doubtful if IL can be extracted
with profit Little can b. said Of the
Kings Mountain mine, because OF lac*
of authentic information. bat ii is
| unreasonable to suppose that ii would
now be lying Idle if much ore of the
grade which il has already furnished
were known to exist. Certain Of the
| smaller mines may. ana probably will
prove profitable for a period. but in
/ the case Of the vein mines the irregu-
| larities of the deposits Will make min
| ing an uncertain enterprise and tine
! relatively small size Of the ore bodies
| will demand that the value of the ore
| must remain fairly high Is compared
| With that of the large replacement
| deposits.
1t must be remembered also that
! increasing depth viii in general mean
increasing cost Of production, eSpe-
cia1fy in this region, where there is no
! apparent solution OF the water prob
! lem except by pumping. Further Serl-
| Gus handicaps to success are the facts
! that in nearly all the mines the dccom
! posed ores which allowed cOmpara-
| lively easy extraction of the gold are
now almost OF quite exhausted, and
| that the sulphide ores to which opera
! tors ROW must look for future produc-
! tiCn can be treated only if rich enough
! to warrant being shipped to a smclter.
| or, if of lower grade, only by the out
! lay Of considerable capital in the erec-
/ ton of q plant for concentration, if
| not for roasting and liXiViation also
The conclusion Of Mr.. GratOnS in
! yestigationS would seem to be that
the future is likely TO bring to this re-
| gion a gradual decline in Importance,
| both relative and actual
| This bulletin is published for gratu-
! itOuS distribution.