The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-05-03
per share with
P0RPHYRY MINES NOW
ARE ALL THE RAGE

During the last four or five years tho
mines of copper disseminated in porphyrY
have been amply discussed. Their ffultlon
has been slow because they nave peen or-
veIoped on an unparalleled scale, says
the Engineering and Mining journal.
However some OF them have now become
productive. one OF them Is paying dlVl-
dends and we can begin To see more
clearly how the estimates are going TO be
borne out In the first place let us call
attention to the fallacy Of referring to
these as "low-erade mines. AS compared
to mine like the Poderosa. that We
mentioned recently, which Yields ore OF
30 per cent copper. they are lnaeco y,
low grade. but as compared TO thoSs 9l
Lake Superior they average well. Their
ore is capable of cheap mining, the lirst
metalurgic process to which they are
subject viz, milling. is the cheapesI OF
all methods OF treatment, and when their
mineral undcrgoes the most costly smelt-
ing, the bulk has been so greatly reduced
that the cost referred 10 the crude ore
is not very much The reat low grad, rad,
all the ore must he smelted
OF the porphyry mines that have
reached the productive stage: Nexaoh Nyt,h
respect to grade of the ore. facility OF
mining. excellence in concentration. and
performance Of the smelter, II appears
that the engineertng estimates are gong
1uctIon cost Of &c per pound direct
operating expense I,s neighbor. Cum
berland- Ely, is also doing we'll, but has
so much smaller orc reserves that II can
hardly be considered In the same class,
At Bingham. the Utah Copper company
has become a large producer. already pay
ing dividends. which will doubtless he in
creased even at the present price Tor
copper. This company is certainly 10 be
pronounced a success. It's management
has always been conservative and lis pup
lie expression Of expectations and Wnat
II has Indicated has been approximately
achieved. Yet. IL has probably fallen
little bit short OF what was really eN-
pected; not as 10 tonnage of Orc. but
rather as TO cost OF production. How
ever the Utah Copper company Is un-
nuestionably a cheap and profitable pro-
ducer.
The Boston Consolidated has been
greatly disappointed as To the grade Of its
ore and consequently the cost Of produc-
ton besides by the beginning OF steam
shovel mining at place where the ore
was unexpectedly high IN Iron. In order
10 supply the mill IL became necessary on
the spur Of the moment TO develop an
underground mine. The feat of It's man
agemcnt In opening such mine in a
tonnage OF ore was a marvel. The Bos-
ton Consolidated is large property.
which has a great tonnage OF ore OF about
1.5 per cent copper. but 1t Is now esti-
mated that the cost Of production Will
be l0ic per pound.
Porphyry mines have become the fash
ion. as witness the numerous recent flo
Iations. To mention some Of them there
Is the Ohio fncaring the productive
stage). the Miami Ga wonderful develop.
mcnt), the Giroux. the Ray Consolidated
and adjoining It the Ray Central, and.
latest OF all, the Inspiration (near the
MiamD. In Chile there Is the Braden
Copper company. II will be several years
sooner or later they are undoubtedly 60
ing TO swell the production OF copper