The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1912-05-09
BUTTE ERPRECIPITATI0N

Of the water from the mines old tin cans scrap whc
less than quarter Of century ago considered vauees
now bring quite revenue to who collect them from thu
back alleys and garbage dumps and have brought good
fortune the persons who secured control OF the waters
The discovery that tin and scrap iron when brought
contact with this water would turn into "copper" was hrs
discovered by old miner 80 years ago when ne obse
ed that the tin and iron when thrown into the water soon dis
appeared leaving dark red sediment in their place He made
examination and decided have assay made Of the sed
ent with the result that he learned that large percentage
of copper found Like in many other such cases the ole
miner did not live long enough to reap the benefit OF his dis
covery friend took the matter up and damned the water
into small ponds into which he placed tin cans and old iron
After metal disappeared he drained the ponds and crape
up the precpitaes For time he made some money! but
others jealous and many endeavored to get into the
business that the second in the business quit In dis
lgust.
Twenty years ago man with considerable experience Sc
Icured lease of the waters from the Anaconda and
IS Lawrence mines at rs per cent royalty and in that time
lceared up least 100000 During the lease the copper
tier became strong that in short time it ate the pipes
through which it was pumped to the surface whereuon e
companies reduced the water by passing it iron under
ground This action resulted in lawsuit the lessee SUNG
Anaconda company for damages the ground that ne was
Ito have the sole right Of the precipitation The result OF this
suit was verdict for several thousand dollars damages The
upsho of this that the companies would not give more
leases and decided conduct their precipitation plants
After that the Amagamated which after came into eX
sence along with the Boston and Montana and the CLARK
!companies conducted their precpitating plants
The most economical and successful plant put IN opera
ton was that at the Original mne owned and operated at the
time by W. A. Clark Two took of 400 linear feet
of boxes The hose washing system is Called was INTRO
duced City water with good pressure was plped to ali
parts of and regular intervals the precpate
washed from the half eaten metal and from the bottom OF the
boxes By means of shelf two inches from the bottom OF
1.-THE boxes the precptates separated from the metal was
lmimpeded in it's to the tanks Tins system was SC
ARRANGED that the copper water could be shut off from any part
Iof the plant The high grade precipate flushed into
tanks 2x7x9 feet in steam drying ROOM
The plants which secure their water direct from the
mines and those operated the sites of abandoned shelters
have by far the strongest water with which to work The
from the mines averages from 004 to OO6 pei
"copper" With the OO6 per cent water copper prectate
las high 90 per cent secured and from this high percentage
lit low 80 per cent Some of the operators SC
favored in the location of their plants that they can use the
water to flow through the ang of the abandoned smeters
Thereby materially increasing the efficiency OF the water
At present there but two methods of precipitation the
box system and the tower system. The latter is generally
conceded be the most successful the towers occupying less
space and the precpant thoroughly exposed to the
water The box system consists of series of troughs from
lone to three feet wide and foot Deep covering great deal
Surface The boxes arranged that there gentle IN
feline and the law Of gravity keeps the water in motion int
these troughs the scrap iron and tin cans are thrown lh
"copper" precpitae after being washed through many com
partments sinks to the bottom OF the receiving TANK when
cleaned out about a month.
81 The system of tower about three feet wide
20 feet high and 80 feet long and paroned Oft by mean
oOrsS inches apart These floors made OF XXI mel
scantlngs placed three inches apart running engwlse Ill
cans and scrap iron placed the several floors BY IN
means of small motor the copper water raised to the top
the tower where is distributed equally and constantly owe
the scrap iron The tin and smaller pieces OF IRON ar
eaten up comparatively short time but the larger piece
be scraped regularly order to remove the pecpate
latter washed to the bottom and then into tanks aon
Inside the towers
The operators sell their output to the shelters at cent
less than the market quotations for copper and the shipper
must pay treatment charge Of SIS ton The cost OF making
pound of copper estimated at between and cents
shat onofooo y far
1T is generally conceded that pound of tin iron Wi
make its weight "copper" but authorities say they VII
better than that Tin used for the most par
where the water is weaker and iron and steel sought ae
by those who have high grade water test made Win I'll
same water shows that made 80 cent copper pre-
cpate and iron 80 per cent AT OF the plants one ma
and times do nothing but the paper from an
punch holes the order that the free passage OF wae
Il