Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1911-02-09
Custom Mill Will Be Erected
at Elk City.
PLANS ARE WELL UNDER WAY
Equipped to Handle All Kinds
Of Ore.

The people of Elk City are now
about to solve the problem of treating
their ores by the erection of custom
mill. Plans are now being perfected
and in short time the Mining News
will be able to state just what the
treatment will be, and give a general
outline of what will be accomplished
by this plan.
That this custom mill is now re-
garded as the only means for working
ores in camps remote from transpor-
tation, or where the transportation
charges are high is shown from the
following article from the Mining
| World:
''The question of reduction of freight
rates and charges for ore treatment
is one that must sooner or later be
considered seriously by mine managers
in many districts, if mining opera
tions are to be continued at profit
There are many mines in camps from
which the cost of transportation of
ores is so high that by the time the
ores are mined, the freight to outside
reduction works, and treatment
charges at Il custom plant are paid,
little or nothing is left for profit.
AS profit is the primary object of
mining, such state of affairs means
that the industry cannot prosper in
districts so situated until means are
devised for reducing these bnrden-
some expenses. Mines producing rich
ores may keep in profitable operation
even under such adverse conditions,
but those producing low grades only
must often remain idle, as merely
potential mines, until lower transpor-
tation and treatment rates warrant
operation.
In a number Of mining districts or
regions this problem is being solved
by the aid of local reduction plants,
whereby the freight charges on the
ore are eliminated. In the Cripple
Creek camp, in Colorado, the prac-
ticability of local treatment of Cripple
Creek ores has been demonstrated by
the results at the new Portland and
Strattons independence mills. This
has encouraged Independent shippers
to organize for the purpose Of jointly
constructing and operating local
mill for the treatment Of their ores.
The Cripple Creek district has lately
been benefited by reduction in
treatment rates at the plants Of the
[. s. Reduction Il Refining Co., and
the Portland Gold Mining Co., near
Colorado Springs, amounting to S1.2O
on average grades Of ore. The Col.
den Cycle Co. is planning to meet
competition not by cutting treatment
rates at its Colorado City plant but
by erecting an aerial tramway for the
cheap transportation Of ores from the
Cripple Creek district to its valley
smelter. 1t is estimated that the
present reductions in treatment rates
will mean saving to the mines o.
the district of at least $4,000 pei
month. The natural result of thi.
policy has been largely increased
demand for leases.
'What is possible in the Crippl,
Creek district is possible also in othel
districts, which are struggling along
,, under the burden of high freight ano
outside treatment rates. If suffi
cient reduction in these rates canno
be obtained to permit Of pro6tabl,
mining the alternative of local treat
ment presents itself Where the or,
carries its values in amalgamabl
gold, the solution of the problem i
simple, but with low-grade ores tina
must be treated by cyaniding o
smelling processes, it is more compli
: Gated. The latter condition can bes
Il be met by the cooperation of small
operators by the establishment of loca
reduction plants.
"Action similar to this is bein
" taken by mining men of Boulde
/. county, Colorado. The Metal Minin
o Association is now planning to erec
|. two 5O-ton custom plants at sue
|. points that one or the other of ther
will be accessible from the most in
portant mining districts of the cour
ty."-Mining News.
- H.. I,,,,o, C,,rn:l.a of IL