The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1908-04-06

leo nave Deen searched from END 10
end in an endeavor to discover new
deposits of copper which lie near the
surface and can be mined at a low
cost
1t was only five years ago that 1t
was discovered that the big porphyry
deposits in the Bingham Utah camp,
for years regarded as waste rock
could he treated at commercial
profit and an average of % pounds
of copper per ton of rock recovered
and today the Utah Copper company
controlling this vast deposit. Is turn
ing out nearly 100000 pounds OF
copper per month and should soon
be outputting 100000 pounds, en-
larging its plant to a capacity even
greater than the latter figure
About three years ago the big por-
phyry deposits of Ely were discoy
cred since which time the Nevada
Consolidated Copper company and
the Cumberland Ely company icon
trolled by the Guggenheims) owning
these deposits. have expended S15,-
100000 in preparation for mining.
Production should commence within
a comparatively few weeks.
These big deposits in Bingham and
Ely have been the only large sources
of new copper supply discovered in
the past five years and their develop
ment has been watched with great in
terest by the mining world. 1t OPP
ems new era in copper. for 1t means
an enormous production at figure
about cents per pound lower than
h., f.,t. ~ Of hl
producing mines last year. A mini
mum cost is, OF course. the aim of
all the mining companies. yet with
the old producers especially at Lake
Superior and in Butte. as depth has
been attained costs have been creep
ing upward until. in many instances.
they are now as high as > cents per
pound
1t stands to reason that In times
of restricted consumption and neces-
sity for low costs, the deep mines of
Butte and the Lake which, combined,
have been contributing well over
500, 900, 900 pounds of copper per
annum. are at some disadvantage In
comparison with the low cost pro-
ducers in Ely and Bingham. One of
the leading interests in the Bingham
and Ely properties says that he fig
ures out that these three Guggen-
helm properties within two years will
be producing at the rate of 800 .0O0,-
900 pounds of copper per annum. for
it is not 4 question of ore, but OF the
building of reduction works. Rarely.
If ever, in the history of copper min
ing have there been plans of such
Onit N thnGa pranaFpd nv the
Guggenheim engineers. which, If car
ried out. will result in the smelling
end of the Guggenheim business be-
ing made subservient to the mining
end.
BY the fall of 1908 the Utah Cop
per company. Nevada Consolidated
and Cumberland Ely companies
should be producing copper at the
rate of 100000 to 10000, 900
pounds per annum, and this copper
will come on the market no matter at
what price the metal is selling.
The Utah Copper company is now
handling 5000 tons of ore per day
and producing copper at the rate of
over 100000 pounds per annum,
and yet only nine sections out of II
in its 5000 ton concentration at Gar
field are in operation. As the sue
cess of the Utah Copper company,
however. seems assured. attention is
diverted somewhat to the Ely COM
panies. which are fast approaching
the producing stage.
The big Steptoe valley reduction
works. owned jointly by the Cumber-
land Ely and Nevada Consolidated
nj Shnnld inf n nj
sion the early part of May. when the
first section of the concentration will
start up and treat $50 tons of ore
per day BY July the entire present
concentrator capacity of 1000 tons
should be in operation. and also the
1000 smelter. and the indications
are that the capacity of these works
will be doubled during the coming
year
The Nevada Consolidated has al
ready blocked out in its $50 acres.
14,500.000 tons of ore which will
average 40 pounds OF copper to the
ton. Churn drills have also proven
up wholly or partially, many million
of additional tons.
The Cumberland Ely company with
its SOS acres has not been developed
to the same stage as the Nevada Con
solidated. Its principal work has
been upon what is known as the Vet
eran claims but this development OF
but year, has brought into sight
about 100000 tons of ore, of which
100000 tons have been blocked out
on three sides. Average assay OF
the entire ore body shows a possible
recovery of between 30 and GO
pounds of copper to the ton.
Both these companies are prepared
to furnish 1000 tons of ore per day to
the Steptoe plant and when the works
are in position TO take such tonnage
sometime in July, the Cumberland
Ely should he producing copper at
fhe rate of 30.000,000 per annum
and the Nevada Consolidated from
10000, 600 to 25,000.000 pounds.
The Nevada Consolidated and
Cumberland Ely own jointly the Ne
vada Northern railroad. Earnings
from this railraod and profits from