The copper era., 1907-06-20
Cooper Deposits at EIy. Nevada.

The Ely copper district, White
Pine county, Nevada, is attracting
very general attention throughout
the mining field. This is due not
only to the rapid increase of the
proved mineral area, but to the very
extensive preparations now going
forward for concentrating and smelt-
ing the ore. The Cumberland-Ely
and Nevada Consolidated mines, two
of the best developed properties in
the camp, have fully 100000 tons
of ore blocked out at their sever a.
workings. One of the largest reduc-
tion plants in the United States is in
process of erection. A railroad IA
miles in extent now connects Ely
with the outside world. Other rail-
road systems are extending their
lines with Ely as an objective point.
A large force of graders and track
lay ers is at work between Winnie
mucca on the Southern Pacific, and
Bews, the junction point of the Ne
vada Northern. By July next, it is
expected that a through Pullman
service will be established over this
branch of the Western Pacific be-
tween Salt Lake and Ely.
Rapid development at the mines,
the construction of the reduction
works, and the building of a modern
city, mean an expenditure in the Ely
district of oyer $2O,OOO,OOO. Any
such investment before a single ton
of refined copper is made or market
ed absolutely unique in the history of
mining. 1t is warranted only by the
known presence of very large bodies
of low-grade concentrating ore.
Figuring on an output of 10000 tons
of crude ore day, the tonnage now
blocked out at these larger proper.
ties cannot be exhausted Tor many
years.
The successful treatment of a low.
grade concentrating proposition car
only be undertaken on large scale
This of course presupposes the ex
istence of large deposits. If there
were any question as to the extent
aud comparative uniformity of the
copper sulphide deposits in the Cum
berland-Ely and Nevada Consolidate
properties, the expenditure of $40,
100000 preparatory to the treatmeu
and marketing of these ores woul,
be unwarranted. Given the larg
tonnage, however, both actual an,
prospective, the undertaking, larg
as it may seem, resolves itself into
purely commercial proposition
Every step from mining the ore t
the production of refined copper ha
been most carefully studied. Moder
equipment is being installed through
out. Every proved labor-saving de
vice that will clip a fraction off tn
cost will be employed, and it
doubted if any camp in the countr
will rival Ely in economy of produC
ton when the concentration an
smelling plant is in full operation.
Electricity for operating the mine
will be furnished from the centra
power plant at the reduction work.
For the most part, the mines of bot
companies will be worked by tn
caving system. At the Eurek
mine, however, steam shovels will b
installed as soon as the railroad
completed to Copper Flat. Spu
tracks will run directly to the prime
pal working mines of both the Gun
berland-Ely and Nevada Consolidated
connecting them with the reductio
works. In the opinion of engineer
who have made a careful and exhau
tive study of the situation, the Gun
berland-Ely and Nevada Consolidate
Co. can produce copper at cents pc
pound, sold in New York. With col
per at II cents, this indicates
yearly profit of over S6,000,000. z
the present price of % cents for co
per, the indicated profit per annu
is over Sll,OOO,OOO, figuring on pr
duction of thirty-ive pounds of r
fined copper per ton, with a dai
output from the reduction plant
5000 tons.-From article by Villa
Starr Bullock, in Mines and Minera
for June, 1907.