Gilpin observer., 1906-04-12
NEWS FROM THE MINES and MILLS

the whole of the mining districts of the
state, or to visit any one of them as
sample Of the rest.
Clear Creek and Gilpin counties are
making an increased production Of
both smelling and milling ores
At Leadville and in Eagle and Sum.
init counties, in addition to large indi-
vidual enterprises producing an enor-
nous aggregate tonnage of low grade
ores that go direct to the smelters,
there are numerous smaller enterprises
fairly under way, involving large out
lay, exploiting, either by shaft or tun-
mel, known mineral bearing ground,
with many others about to begin opera
tions.
In the San Juan region of southwest
ern Colorado, including Lake City, Red
Mountain, Rico. Ouray, Silverton and
Telluride in addition to the numerous
existing mills, now producing very
large tonnage of concentrates, fully ten
more large plants, already ordered, will
be in operation before the close OF
1906, which, in itself means an abnor-
NAL increase in production of ores and
concentrates.
The same remark applies to the east
end of Gunnison county, which is being
equipped with mills where necessary.
Even Aspen and Creede, formerly
ore-eminently silver producers and COR
respondingly injured by the demone-
ization of silver in 1893, are now, by
means of the evolution of metallurgy
md the use of large modern mills, pro-
lucing other metals and are steady, ac-
i've mining districts.
In all the aforementioned milling
districts there is a considerable per-
centage of crude ore that goes direct
to the smelters.
The ore milling business is now
down to as much of a manufacturing
basis as is cotton spinning in New
England and the great majority of the
mills handle at a profit ores OF so low
a value per ton that only few years
ago they were considered practically
worthless and were thrown over the
dump; in fact. many of the dumps
of the state have been or are being
worked over at profit.
In the Cripple Creek district new
mines are being discovered and old
mines are keeping up their tonnage
output, although in many cases the
value per ton has decreased. I'M
proved metallurgy has kept pace with
the changed conditions and ore for.
merly outside the range of profitable
mining and treatment is now well
within it.
The progress is the profitable treat
ment of zinciferous ores, formerly I'M
available, in the Leadville, Creede.
breckenridge, Rico. Georgetown, AS
pen and other districts, as the result OF
the invention of various electrical or
magnetic separators, no one OF which
is universal machine adapted to
every ore, but all of which will add
their quota to the increased Colorado
output of zinc.
The outlook for good. stable. market
prices for lead, copper and zinc is en-
couraging, while as to silver (now
practically a by-product in Colorado)
present indications are that its market
price is bound to at least remain at its
present figure, il it is not materially in
creased.
AS to the gold output of Colorado, in
which it leads all other states, it is
always worth, by law, s20,67 per ounce.
Generally speaking, the ores of Colo
rad are complex. seldom carrying less
than two metals and sometimes as
many as five. Modern metallurgy, as
practiced in this state. now saves prac-
tically all the metallic value in the
ore, and 1t is the combined value of all
the metallic contents that necessarily
constitutes the basis of profitable min.
ing in Colorado and elsewhere.
With the above conservative but
very encouraging outlook for Colorado
mining, it is only natural that very
considerable new capital is going into
the industry. While too many get.
rich-quick" mining companies, not bet
ter than "three-shell games.' are pro-
NOTED by INSCRIPTIONS and irrespon.
sible professional promoters" appar-
emily on the basis that the public
likes to be humbugged," by far the
greater portion of such capital is being
intelligently (often by private individ
uals, or syndicates, or private compa-
MES, promotion profits" being absent)
and with every reasonable prospect OF
satisfactory returns to the investors
THOMAS TONGE.