Eastern Colorado times., 1913-01-24
METALS IN COLORADO.
cHAS. W. HENDERSON COMPLIES
FIGURES ON 1912 PRODUCTION.
Large Increase in Zinc, Lead and Silver
Output, But Decreases in Copper
and Gold.
Western Newspaper Union News Service

Western Newspaper Union News Service.
Washington.-The output of Colora-
do mines for eleven months of 1912
and an estimate for December, accord
ing to preliminary figures by Charles
w. Henderson, of the United States
Geological Survey, shows a decrease
100000 ounces for silver, a decrease of
100000 pounds for copper, an in
crease of 100000 pounds for lead, and
an increase of 100000 pounds for
for zinc. With increased mar
ket prices for silver, copper, and zinc,
the value of the output in 1912 was
over S4,OOO,OOO greater than in 1911
H3,OOO,OOO in zinc and 81 100000 in sill
ver, the increased value for lead and
copper about balancing the decrease
for gold. The output for 1912 Is there
fore estimated at approximately $751;
100000 in gold, S,OSO,0O0 fine ounces of
silver, 7,O25,OOO pounds of copper, a..
$50. 900 pounds of lead, and 121, 100000
pounds of zinc, valued in all at nearly
$3G,500,OO0.
The tonnage treated by the Globe,
Leadville. Pueblo, Durango. and Sail
da smelters showed an increase for
the year. Ore was also shipped to the
Murray. Garfield and Midvale plants
in Utah. An increased tonnage OF COM
pcx zinc ore and concentrates from
Colorado and other Western states
was treated at the United States Zinc
Co.'S plant at Pueblo.
The output of Cripple Creek showed
an increase Of 100000 in gold. Early
in 1912 the drainage by the Roosevelt
tunnel had lowered the water in many
of the large properties Except the
Golden Cycle and Vindicator mines),
SO than an additional 100 feet in depth
could be worked. and an increased ton
mage was mined during the year.
Despite the closing of the Standard
custom chlorination plant at the end
Of the year 1911. leaving in the GUS
tom-millng field at Colorado Springs
only the Golden Cycle and Portland
mills, the total yield from the gold
mills showed an increase for the year.
The Portland plant during 1911-l2 had
been gradually transformed to cyan
idc mill; thus cyanidation In 1912 had
completely superseded the use of
chlorination in the treatment of Grip
pie Creek ores. The Colorado cyanide
plant at Colorado Springs and the I'm
ion plant at Florence continued opera
tions on old tailings. The Strattons
Independence Cyanide-concentratiOn
mill and the Portland cyanide-cncen-
tration plant. both at Victor. continued
to treat from 10000 to II 900 tons
month each OF dump and low-grade
mine ore. The Ajax cyanide plant, u.s.
ing the Clancy process. was operated
part Of the year. Several of the small
er cyanide plants in the Cripple Creek
district were operated with an in
creased output from this source. An
increased tonnage of the higher-grade
ores was shipped direct to smelters.
The tonnage shipped from Lake
county (chiefly Leadville) showed an
increase. with gains in output of all
the metals except copper. The output
of zinc was approximately 99.000.O0O
pounds. representing an increase OF
27000O00 pounds in quantity and $2,-
100000 in value. The output of zinc
carbonate was $4,000 tons of approx
imately so per cent zinc. against 49,
905 tons of 81 per cent zinc in 1911.
The zinc sulphide shipped decreased
somewhat from the 1876 tons of 23.3
per cent. ore shipped in 1911. How
ever. the Empire Zinc Co.'S magnetic
separation plant with an increased
capacity, at Canon City, and the