The copper era. (Clifton, Graham County, Ariz.) 1899-1911, 1906-06-14
In the CHftOn.Morenci District.
(staff Correspondent Mining Reporter)

LABOR troubles, TO CuTldll Tic present
output, it is assured that the Clifton
Morenci districts copper production
for 1906 will be the largest in its his
tory. This statement is amply borne
out by visit to the camp, whereby
the betterments to and engagements
of the reduction works of the several
larger companies may be observed.
From week to week in issues of the
Mining Reporter these have been
noted, and the following brief notes
may be regarded in the nature of a
summary:
Paramount among the extensive
improvements under way and con-
templated by the Arizona Copper
company, is the more general use of
electric power throughout its plants,
and the construction of a new con-
centrating plant at Morenci. The
Detroit Copper company has lately
extended its power line to the Santa
Rosa mine, above Metcalf, and is in
stalling the necessary machinery for
an extended operation at this prop
erty. The extension of the branch
line of the Morenci Southern railroad
from a point near the rock house on
Chase creek to Metcalf, as well as
line from the Detroit Copper COM
pany's pumping plant on the San
Francisco river to the Shannon
smelter, will afford ready outlet of
the Morcnci district ores to .Morenci
as well as to Clifton, and with these
improved transportation facilities, it
is probable that so much greater an
output will be made from the Met
calf section that additional reduction
facilities will be installed by the
various companies. The Shannon
Copper company's converting plant
has been in successful operation for
several weeks, and among early addi-
tions by this company will be 100
tor dn ping pIaLf~-ca- facilitate the
sampling of custom; ores, for which
the Shannon company is now in the
market, 1O0-ton track scale and ad-
ditional bins to permit of the storage
of larger supply of smelling ore.
The Coronado railroad, extending
along Chase creek from Clifton to
Metcalf, distance of eight miles, is
being made of standard gauge, to
facilitate the reader handling of the
increased shipments of ore from the
Arizona Copper company's properties
at Longfellow and Morenci and from
the Shannon mines.
Among the newer and less devel-
oped properties in the Chase creek
valley and Copper King sections,
lying between the San Francisco
river and Chase creek, to the east of
Metcalf, there is a noticeable i'm
provement in operations and condi-
lions. The New England-Clifton
Consolidated Copper company, which
is now under the management of
Jacob King, has about completed its
four-mile tram traCkage from its ore
bins along the San Francisco river,
whereby the daily shipments, which
have amounted to fifty tons for the
past few months, will be consider
ably increased. The ore from the
mine is now extracted through the
3,2OO-foot Durham tunnel and de-
posted into bins, from which it is de-
livered by wagons to the storage
bins on the banks of the river, but it
is among the early plans of the COM
pany to install tram from the por-
tai of the Durham tunnel to the
river ore bins, thus doing away with
wagon haulage. The four mile
tram trackage is of twenty-five inch
gauge, and, for the present, mules
will be the motive power in deliver
ing the ore in 2,50O-pound cars from
the river bins to the standard gauge
road at Clifton. The average value
Is he cH he
mines is 13 per cent. copper and two
ounces silver, although a consider
able tonnage of % per cent. and %
per cent. ore is available.
The Standard Consolidated Copper
company's properties are To-
Gated about mil southeast of Met
calf, at an eleva+ on of 1900 feet and
about three-fourths of a mile above
the railroad level along Chase creek.
Interest is evinced in this property
on account of its maintenance of
high grade ore shipments in sufficient
quantity to insure profitable opera
tons, inasmuch as, generally speak
ing, the ores of the Clifton Morenci
district are uniformly of low grade.
The Standard company has been
shipping for the past year about 300
tons monthly, 40 tons of which runs
about 40 per cent. copper and the
balance II per cent. copper. The
ore is mined from a large assure type
vein, along which large and irregular
ore bodies extend out into the por-
phyritic country rock. Near the
surface the ores are malachite in
association with limOnite, while in
the lower workings chalcoCite and
malachite are in association. The
developments extend to a vertical
depth of about 400 feet. The total
underground workings aggregate
about three and one-half miles.
From the company's lately acquired
San Jose mines, quantities of red
and black oxide, malachite and azu-
rite, together with silicate, are
available for shipment or extraction
in the shallow workings. Values in
silver make the ore of unusually
high grade. From the mines to the
railroad bins along Chase creek de-
ivery of ore is made by means of 4 !
ROO-foot tramway, having drop of
feet.