The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1907-04-27

was rich in silver containing also lead
and small amounts of gold and cop
per-: as depth was gained the cop
per increased and the silver decreas-
ed. | am told that in places rich gold
ore was found associated with wire
silver and silver nuggets, some of the
ore being almost solid metal. The
length and depth of the ore bodies
were never actually established, l be-
lieve. for. rs l have said before. the
system of gougine near the surface
l50 or 200 feet predominated and
systematic development was neglect
ed.
The character OF the ore at differ
ent points on the surface varies great
ly. at one point it will be entirely
copper carbonate and a few hundred
feet away galena and lead carbonate,
none OF the rich silver or gold ore
remains on the surface or dumps, the
lessees having removed 1t.
During the life of the mine lead
smelter of possibly 100 tons capacity
was built and operated for short Pc
Rod; this was an unsatisfactory way
Of treatment owing to the increasing
percentage of copper. Next lixivia-
ton plant was erected. tried and then
abandoned Finally 20 stamp mill
was built and run irregularly until
the mine was shut down about 1888.
The method of treatment in this
mill was as follows: The ore was
crushed and laid upon an open iron
floor. then roasted in 4 revolving tu-
bular furnace; from the roasters the
ore was elevated to the stamps and
crushed to 40 mesh and then run to
the pans to be amalgamated; the
product from the pans went to the
creek. From a study of the ore which
contained galena, copper snlphides
and carbonates, one can readily see
why the falling assayed so high. To
do justice to the operators of those
days, however, such mill was prac-
tically the only type on the market,
and it was question of making the
ore suit the mill If possible; today we
have wide choice and can design a
mill or smelter to suit the ore
1 AS development progresses and the
ore bodies are opened to a greater
depth. the ore is likely to become a
silver. In that case it will be a typi-
silver. In that case it viii lbe a typi-
cal concentrating proposition and but
| little trouble will be experienced in
making good saving.
The old workings consist of several
adit levels, numerous shafts and open
cuts. All the adits and shafts are
badly caved and little can be seen of
the underground workings, but the
dumps give mute evidence of what
was encountered during the old days.
Most of these dumps are covered
with copper ore that had been sorted
and thrown out to assist in the treat
ment in the smelter and the mill; the
copper seemed to be the sole source
of the trouble, and it was kept out of
the ore in every possible way. The
dumps from the mine, smelter and
mill have been sorted over and work
ed by lessees, who have made money
from them, but there still remains a
good profit for the company when
ready to treat them with the proper
methods of mechanical concentration.
The product can today be shipped by
rail to the custom smelters at Salt
Lake and can be treated for a nomi-
nal figure, or later it can be treated
at Ely when the Nevada Consolidated
copper company's smelter is complet-
ed
The greatly improved methods of
ore reduction. together with cheaper
transportation, and the high price of
lead and copper will make 1t posi-
for companies to successfully operate
properties of this type which have
lain idle for many years. Nevada has
many such idle mines as the Martin
White. and l shall not be surprised
to learn that many of them will be
opened and prove themselves far
from being worked out