Tonopah bonanza. [volume] (Butler City [i.e. Butler], Nev.) 1901-1909, 1907-10-05
COBALT MINES
Cobalt Mines.

Cobalt, like Goldfeld and Tonopah,
has a wonderful development in a
short time. Its history mas practi-
cally been of less than three years
duration. 1t Is the center of a district
supporting from 5000 to 5000 peo-
pie, directly or indirectly engaged in
mining silver. Twenty mines are now
shipping ore and fifteen o are
ready TO ship, so one may say that
there are thirty-fve shipping mines
in the districts not over five miles
from Cobalt as a center. All the ore,
with the exception Of two cases, is
being taken from a depth of less than
| 200 feet, the greater portion being
from less than 100 feet in depth.
Hitherto the policy has been to shin
ore as quickly as possible, irrespec-
tive Of the cost of production or of
the conditions in which the workings
were left. This policy must change,
and at once, for nov that the snow
and ice are melting the surface cuts
and shafts, left without support, are
filing in. To keep up production
larger plants must be installed, and
to mine economically the get-rich-
quick methods must be changed to
mining methods whereby preserves
are being created as the ore is ex-
hausted. We find now that many
2 mines are passing their usual divi-
dends and holding their cash for new
machinery and for prospecting new
e ground. 1t may be that some OF
the veins have have proved too un'
certain for profitable mining, and
that others must be sought, or ii may
be too much has been spent on pros
/ pecting without results. At al
y events. the second stage OF develop
D ment has been reached. First
IS hurried production to boom stock
second. the inevitable reaction. Tn
, third stage will be legitimate mining
ie Now, here is the question, and tn
DIN one Oh Which, Ahtit . atNp
y The surface ores are ric hand tn
} The surface ores are rich and tn
ditions be below $50 or 200 feet?
e A few mines have gone below thi
, and the results have been kept secre
Il Some have not gone so deep, wit
poor results--that is, the veins hay
pinched to almost nothing, while IL
. majority have not gone below Z
= feet. All one a say is, that u
mines are unproven. in depth, wit
indications not very favorable f
-, the life of the camp. Possibly a POI
zone may be followed by another e
richment. but indications point
rich shipping ore on the surface,
within $50 feet of the surface, al
- low grade milling ore below this.
Individual mines may disprove I'll
but the results attained in the min
- that have gone below that depth
ing kept secret. one can only iud
by the development open to the pu
N, lie.
"a One of the worst features OF {
no bait is the number OF i%rresponsil
mine superintendent who issue IA
nv reports to boom their respect
mines. so that one. hardly knows wi
to believe without personal insp
ton. These men are fairly good
ava gouging out surface ores, but kn
"a little of actual mining operations.
tho is only fair TO say that this class
,ay being replaced by practical men a
him the others are entering the ranks
mining engineers but in Cob'
an at least, the title of mining engin
Gill does not signify very much.-Los
.ert. geles Mining Review.
lree
,uld IL You desire ruling or hindlhg
,out +, hrst-class manner call up the
Is n ,anza ana orr solicitor will att