Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1909-01-16


ouch great difficulties
One of the first questions to be solved,
as far as treatment of the refractory ores
is concerned, is, in what form does the
gold occur Is the gold alloyed to thai
lium or bismuth, or some other element; I;
is it an extremely fine free distribution
that could only be liberated by very fine
grinding, or is it in crystalline form or
in the sulphides of iron? 1t is evident
that this question should be solved first.
After finding out in what form the gold
occurs, it would be possible to devise
ways and means by which the gold can
be extracted.
A thoroughly systematic series of am
algamation, cyaniding and concentra
tion, besides the .anaiy Soal determina-
tions would undoubtedly bring US near
er to the point of success in the ultimate
recovery of the values.
Taking furthermore in consideration
that about one-fourth of the total values
of our ores, excepting the Homestake
company, are lost and that these losses
amount to approximately $500,0o0 a
year, it will be readily understood what
the loss means, not alone to this district
but to the state at large. Ten per cent
extraction more would mean that the
companies that are now just about max
ing expenses, would pay dividends. This
point more than any other, would in
duce capital to invest in Black Hills
mining properties and mean an area Of
renewed activity in mining and general
prosperity.
These problems can only be solved by
the rendering of aid from the outside
by men attacking the problem with a
perfectly open mind and thoroughly
equipped and trained for that purpose
My proposition, therefore, to achieve
results in the treatment of the low grade
refractory ores of the Black Hills is as
follows:
An appropriation of $4,000 a year
for the next two years, to be made by
the state legislature of South Dakota,
in order to carry on the experimental
work.
First year. $4,000 for the first equip
ment, 81, 800 for salaries, 81, 200 for op-
Grating expenses.
Second year. $1,000 for equipment
(additionaD, $4,000 for salaries, So, POO
for operating expenses, including ex-
penses for larger tests
The chemist shall be appointed by the
governor of the state and shall receive
$3.50 month salary. He shall be
graduate of university or equivalent
college. He shall have made previously
a reputation in research he shall for
ward periodically to the properly ap-
pointed committee Of practical, techni-
cal men, reports of the progress of his
work. Amy and all discoveries shall
become the property of the institution,
it being property of the institution, it
being understood that the chemist shall
be regarded as an inventor. The net
profits derived from such discoveries to
be applied to the experimental plant,
subject, however, to the payment of ~
per cent of the net profits to the inven-
tor.
At any time during the tenure of Of
fee, the holder shall, at the option of
the committee, take out patents at the
expense of the appropriation fund, on
condition that at the time of max ing ap-
plication therefor, he shall assign his
right under the conditions of the agree
ment.
The chemist to appoint an assistant,
subject to the approval of the commit
tee. The salary being $3.50 a month.
1t is also understood and agreed that
during the tenure Of Office, the holder
may publish results of his inveslig ga
tions, and that on the expiration of his
term, the holder thereof, shall have COM
pleted comprehensive monograph on
the subject of his research, containing
both what he and others have been able
to discover. A copy of this monograph
shall be forwarded to the committee and
copy shall be signed and placed in
the state archives and published for the
use and benefit of the people as soon
as this publication does not interfere
with pending application for letters pat
ent. 4
The institution could, under favorable
circumstances, become sef-supporting
and should be continued as permanent
experimental station.
There are outside of the problem men
toned, at length in this paper, many
others unsolved that would warrant
maintaining the same.
The rare minerals in the southern
Hills with their contents of wolfram;
lithium and other elements of value fur
nish great field of Investigation.
The greatest benefit though for num-
ber of years to come could be derived
for this mining district from the perfec-
ton of methods in extracting the gold
from low grades of ore, and the decreas-
ing the cost of treatment, thereby open
ing up new properties and making min
ing profitable of grade of ore, which
at the present time, must remain un-
touched in the ground.
| A. T. Roos.
Some of the ideas expressed in this
paper have been suggested to me by the
successful installation of a similar
scheme at the University of Kansas, due
To the efforts Of the professor of indus
trial chemistry, Robert Kennedy Dun
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