The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-12-30
CONSOLIDATED MERCUR
Is A RECORD BREAKER

AS a record breaker in the matter Of
economy and in the output of the mine
for the year the palm must go to the
Consolidated Mercur, which is regarded
as the greatest gold mine in the state
and from the figures which are compiled
on the output of the mine during the
past year, il is equal to any other mine
in the country, for that matter Con-
solidated Mercur certainly has taken
the prize for production during the
year. The annual report of the COM
pany for the year ending June 80 last
shows that 302 800 tons of ore were
mined during the year. This amount
makes an average of about 500 tons
day There are few mines in the cOun-
try which can show results of this kind,
and if is certain that the company IN
the matter of production goes far ahead
of any of the other mines in this state.
Despite all of the extra expenses
which the company has to undergo to
/ have it's ore treated because Of the pc
culiar position it is in. it is undoubted-
/ " fact that il shows considerable saw
ing in the cost of getting the precious
metal out and treated. While most of TIE
mines in the district and other places
get their ere out by way of tunnels or
open cuts, all of the ore of the Consoli-
dated is brought UP from underground
workings to the mill and has to be
roasted before being put through the
/ cyanide process. because about half OF
! the ore is sulphide Besides, the ore
has to be hauled long way On the
trans. and then the company has To
paw for its water. 1t is obliged to pay
A higher price for its milling on account
of the extra work and different pro-
cesses the ore has to go through.
Reduces Expenses.
Manager George II. Dern. in his re-
| rort of the mine during the last fiscal
wear. points out that the expenses OF
handling the ore has been reduced SIS
a ton. which includes not only the ex-
penses Of milling end mining the ores
and the other processes, but also tire
general expenses, such as the prospect
ing and maintenance. repairs. salaries
taxes and all other expenses eXceDt the
! construction work.
| This is certainly record to be proud
Of and the company recognizes the val
liable services which Manager Dern has
given to the company during his man
\ agement of the affairs of the company
Two Kinds of Ore.
The Mercur ore is of two characters
oxidized and base. The former is sim
ply crushed, charged into teaching watts
and treated by the ordinary cyanide
process. The base. or sulphide ore. re-
ouires roasting before it is amenable tC
cvaniding, and for this reason it 1;
ground finer than the oxidiZed. After
its treatment is Identical with that OF
the oxidiZed, the two being charged to-
gether in the teaching watts.
Low Operating Cost.
Mercur ore is low grade, having
averaged s3.76 per ton during the past
year 1t is obvious that on such low
grade material keen metaflurgfea
work, and low operating costs are es-
sential. That skill il. these lines wa:
in evidence the past year is shown
by the fact that the comDany's not
earnings aggregated Sl12.7S7.15. Of thi.
amount 500, 900 wss paid to the stock
holders in dividends, sS,104S4 went rol
construction items, ard the remainder
was added to the company's surplus
which amounted on June so TO $12T,-
1866.
Has Big Plant.
The Con. Mercur mill, Or the Colder
Gate MILL" as it is generally known
is a wonderful plant. For a long tim'
it was the largest straight cyanihns
plant in the world and even now j
is surpassed but by lew. IL any. Near
ly all of the largest mills with which i
!. is compared employ a combination q
processes, usually amalgamation fol
lowed by cyanidation.
In Mercur, however, nothing but Tx
straight cyanide process is employed
The plant is annually visited by scores
of travellers from all over the work
, seeking information of the most ad
; vanced practice.
Electrical Locomotives.
One of the interesting features abou
the plant is that everything is driver
by electricity. From the Mercur min
to the shaft the ore is hauled by cleo
| trio locomotives. Thence it is elevate.
; to the min by electric hOists. In tn
, mill the crushers, rolls, roasters
: pumps, ali, compressors, and. in fact
all the machines are driven by electri
: motors. The electric current is bough
{ from the Telluride Power compan,
and is transmitted from the generating
: plants at Provo AMI Logan to Mercu
. at 10000 volts. II is then steppei