Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1908-08-27
BEAHAN TELLS
Of BIG CAMP
IN SONORA
Says Annals of Copper indus
try Do Not Show Any More
Interesting Chapters Than
at Greene Cananea.

The following article from the pen
OF Simon ]. Beahan, web posted in
copper mining matters, being now as
ISOLATED with Hayden & Stone of Bos-
ton, will read very much like those of
other writers who have visited the
property and made careful examina-
ton of it:
1T is extremely doubtful if the an
nails of the industry 6f copper mining
contain any more Interesting chapters
than those of the past year relating
10 the achievement of the management
of the Greene-Cananea in solving the
various problems which since its dis
covery have Fcted as barrier to the
position il is now assured in the
worlds list of leading producers. Pro-
ducticn from the company's mines was
suspended during the recent era of abb
normally low priced copper, when it
was widely known that its output
could not have been marketed at a
profit. But while the fate of the COM
pany was being discussed its working
organization, under the lead OF DR..
Ricketts,, pressed forward with in
creased energy the changes which
were planned with the passing of con-
troll of the company's affairs, until it
Cananea is firmly entrenched in its po-
sition as a big low-cost producer.
From the standpoint of mining
costs per ton, conditions at this prop
erty have been satisfactory for more
than a year and the improvement not
ed underground is largely in the shape
of a more careful handling of the ore
and waste and their proper disposition,
thanks to which the product finding
its way to the concentration and smelt-
er contains a much better percentage
of copper.
The increased recovery is not due
to any efforts to mine a higher grade
of ore. in fact, at these mines, the
ore bodies are large and even in tenor.
AS above indicated, the bettered re-
turns are tracable to the elimination
of the drone miners and the substitu-
ton therefor of men with sufficient
conscience TO send the ore to the mills
and the waste to the dumps. This is
one Of the most aggravating problems
with which the mine superintendent,
]. II. Kirke, had to contend, but it is
now satisfactorily disposed OF as is
fully atteseted by the results.
Mexican labor is employed wher-
ever it can be utilized, and while not
as efficient as American labor, yet it
is more so than the quality finding its
way across the border.
"The concentration, daily capacity of
$500 tons, is first-class in every re-
spect and has been subjected to no
changes or improvements during re-
cent period.
But it is in the mechanical devices
incident to the handling and smelling
of the ore output that the Greene-Can-
anea has introduced a new and unique
feature, and one which undoubtedly
marks the greatest stride in recent
years in this direction.
Under the new management, the
ore is unloaded from hopper cars into
a 3000-ton capacity bin system from
which it is discharged to a 36-inch con-
veyor which is operated by but four
men and has capacity nf 2n9 tons
per hour.
From the belt conyeyor the ore
passes successfully through automat-
ic, crushing, sampling and mixing de-
partments, the latter comprising three
beds each of from 5000 to 10 900 ca
pacity, the standard capacity beng
5000 tons While one of thes beds is
being made, with a second in reserve,
automatic machinery is removing the
third to the smelling plant This is
gathered up in the shape of a perfect
mixture by a special machine, the
first OF its kind constructed, and de-
Iiyered direct to the belt conveyors,
which carry it TO the steel bins above
the furnaces, where il is drawn out
and dlivered direct to the furnaces
without the assistance of any aand
labor whatever, except for the few
men to guide the operations and keep
the surface of the furnace charge in
proper condition.
''The company has eight furnaces,
capacity OF each 400 tons daily, of
which four are Il commission. With
the starting of additional furnaces
not an extra man viii be required IN
the operating of the ore handling ma
chinery. The only increase viii be in
a few men TO attend to the furnaces.
THE total cost of operating the two
furnaces was $500, this including all
departments from the time the ore was
received from the railroad until the
bullion was loaded in the cars await
ing shipment. This included ore re-
ceipts, handling. mixing. recovering
the mixture. blast furnaces, converter,
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