The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-11-05
COBALT, ONTARIO,
THE SILVER CITY
is 1T A PERMANENT CAMPING
DENYING THAT THE FORM
ALTON OF THE DISTRICT
is "FREAKlSH."

Boston. Mass. Nov. 5.-Althougl
the Cobalt mining camp is today prob
ably producing more silver than al
any previous time I'm it's history, and
is making good its boast that II would
this year make ten per cent. OF the
worlds silver, speculative interest
both In the mining shares. and in the
camp was probably never at lower
ebb. In the streets OF the silver city,
itself, only one man now walks where
six walked three years ago. With the
realization that the mineralized area
of Cobalt is contained in a section only
about three miles wide and five miles
long the fortune hunter has trans
ferred his activities to the newer
finds" in the Porcupine and the Cow
Ganda districts.
Doubt as 10 the permanency of
values at depth is largely responsible
for lack of speculative interest in and
low prices for Cobalt shares. Barren
ness at depth, however, has never been
proven. though perhaps no expert
mining engineer would care To make
definite statement that good values
will be found. The deepest shafts In
the camp have, indeed, found good
ore. But there is no denying that
Cobalt is a freak camp. Veins are
throughout irregular. They come in
10 good values quickly They may
pinch OUT just as quickly but for
those that pinch out, new veins APP
parently crop up. one might instance
the Crown Reserve. the richest mine
for it's size in the camp. where a vein
at the point Of intersection carried
only eighty ounces silver per ton.
but was found 100 feet along carry
ing 1000 ounces To the ton of ore.
The problem of values at depth Is
one which apparently varies from
mine to mine the perslstency largely
depending on the continuity of the
particular rock formation in which the
mine is working. There are three rock
formations prevalent in Cobalt the
conglomerate, Keewatin and disbase
Most of the paying mines are in the
conglomerate. In Keewatin, however
good values are also found The Tenn
iskaming, which has the deepest work
ings in the camp at 500 feet, is en-
tirely in Keewatin, and has found
values down to $50 feet at least In
the diabase there is scarcely a pay
ing mine. In fact. the only two good
paying veins in the diabase are No 6
O'Brien and Kerr Lake No. veins.
The very important feature, however,
is that where the Keewatin underlies
the conglomerate values almost invar-
iably decrease or pinch out entirely.
Therefore. until each mine is certain
OF the continuity of its formation II
would seem that the question Of values
in each individual case must go with
out definite answer. The workings.
houses and equipment, however, at
the various producing properties re-
fleet a large degree Of confidence OF
those most familiar with the dis
trict.
Cobalt mines today are not rushing
production. II is possible that about
26 100000 ounces Of silver per annum.
or a trine more than was produced last
year. may mark the high water point
or output for the camp. They have
adopted scientific methods Of mining
are conserving their resources, and
many Of them are putting two tons
OF ore in reserve for each ton taken
out The volume Of ore shipment
moreover, is becoming less and an in
dex 20 silver output. In twelve months
OF 1909 29,942, tons Of ore were ship
ped. as against 14,s43 tons the first
six months this year. Total ore ship
ments this year will probably be less
than last year; though there is little
doubt that this years silver output
will equal or surpass that Of last year.
A large part Of this years ore, how
ever. is concentrates Cobalt has now
thirteen concentrators. and another
IS being built Low grade ore, aver
aging from ten 10 twenty-five ounces
Of silver, previously left on the dumps
IS being concentrated 10 about one
ton concentrates from forty tons of
ore. Concentrates therefore run from
1000 90 $500 ounces per ton. This Is
making for decreased ore shipments,
but greatly enhanced silver values per
ton Of ore shipped.