The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1913-12-25


properly named. Taking hold Of the
old Granite mine, which had been
abandoned years ago because the pre-
dom!nence Of zinc in the ore rendered
it Improbable to mine for the lead,
the present management undertook to
solve the problem by finding process
by which the lead and zinc could be
separated and both metals turned TO
profit. The man who undertook this
hitherto new field of mining opera J.
tions in this district is H. F. Samuels
the controlling owner of the Success
mine, and he not only succeeded in the
task he undertook, but his success
had far-reaching effect in drawing
attention to the possibilities Of zinc
mining in the Occur d'Alenes Today
zinc has come to be an important item
in the mineral output and will con-
tinue to increase in Importance as i'm
proved methods are devised to save
the values But It Is with recent de-
velopments in the Success mine and
the improved milling facilities that
this article has to deal.
Strike Orc on 1000 Level.
On what is called the 1000-foot level
which is $40 feet below the main
working tunnel, drifting was started a
few days ago and last Saturday the
vein was encountered at distance Of
about 20 feet from the shaft. At the
time this is written the vein had just
been struck and it's width was not
known, but the ore is of fine quality
Of almost clean zinc with frequent
streaks and spots of galena all
through 1t. That it will prove a big
body Of good ore does not admit Of
doubt.
Orc Shoot 10 Big Above.
One hundred and fifty feet above
this strike is the $50 level. This level
consists Of drift on the vein dis
tance of about 800 feet, and Of this
is still in ore. Stopping has been start
ed on this level, but very little ore has
been taken out, practically all the ore
that is being shipped coming from the
upper workings. This ore shoot is in
places 80 feet wide and will average
Is feet Its entire length. 1t is fine
body of milling ore, running easily IS
per cent zinc. With this great show
ing on the $50 level, 1t is safe to as
sumo that the strike just made on the
1000 will be equally as great and pos
sibly greater.
improved Milling Facilities.
While the policy Of the Success COM
pany has always been to take advan-
tage of improved methods Of ore treat
ment, 1t is portable that the drop in
the price Of zinc has induced special
efforts in that direction, for 1t is no
secret that the present market price
Of the metal has reduced the profits Of
mining to a dangerously narrow mar
gin. To offset this three new features
are being added to the milling facili'
ties under the efficient supervision of
C. C. Samuels. To accommodate these
extensive additions to the mill build
ing have been or are being made.
Magnetic Separator.
While the Success company has
succeeded in making practically a per-
feet separation of zinc and lead, no
practical method has been found to
separate the iron and zinc, the two
metals being Of almost the same spe-
cific gravity. AS there is much iron
in the ore, It is easy to understand
what handicap this element Is in the
shipment of zinc concentrates. After
thorough tests, Mr.. Samuels is con-
vinced that the magnetic process
which is now being installed will over
come the difficulty to a great extent.
The principle Of the process is simply
the attraction the magnet has for iron,
holding the iron particles while per
mitting the zinc to pass.
Drying Tube.
Another feature that is expected to
make material reduction in freight
charges is a drying tube which will
soon be In operation. This tube is 30
feet In length and feet in diameter
Briefly described, at one end of this
tube will be furnace and at the other
an exhaust fan, which will draw
blast Of hot air through the tube. AS the
concentrates pass through the revolv-
Ing tube every particle Is brought IN
contact with the hot air, which Is never
at a temperature below 100 degrees
and the wet concentrates leave the
tube dry. This tube has capacity OF
12h tons per hour and will operate
at a cost of less than cents per ton
for fuel. The saving made by remov-
ing the moisture from the concentrates
amounts to about so cents per ton IN
freight, the actual weight Of moisture
being about 1870 pounds to the ton.
Other economies are also made In
handling the concentrates In the mill.
Reduce Loss in Shines.
Like ali the mills Of the district, the
HIT