The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1914-02-12
RAD|UM BEARING ORE
IN WESTERN STATES
REPORT GIVES GROUNDS FOR
EXPECTING NEW.
DISCOVERIES.

A recent report issued by the bureau
or mines on the possibilities of finding
and developing carnotte deposits. for
the recovery OF radium contains ma
terial that is of interest throughout
the mining country. In part the re-
port says:
In the course Of investigations of
these uranium and vanadum ore de-
posits 1t was found that much low
grade ore was left in the mines, and
thus lost, and that there was great
loss in hand sorting. Since the mar
ket demand is for material contain
ing at least per cent uranium oxide,
the miner that he may ship no ore
below this limit eliminates all ore that
in his opinion contains less. AS re-
!, suit much low grade and also some
shipping ore are left in the mine or
thrown on the dump. BY concentrat-
ing the low grade ores at near the
mine these wastes can be reduced.
There is no doubt that the ores can be
COHCEIllIdltu ItSlS IIlduG pll Il Sillttll
scale substantiate this statement.
Wet or Dry Concentrations.
In concentration by mechanical
means the dry as well as the wet
method may perhaps be used to adj
vantage, as little or no water is avail
able in many places where these ores
occur. AS formerly stated, most Of
the deposits are far from a railroad.
so that wagon hauls are long and ex-
pensive. BY concentration the bulk
of low grade ore to be hauled can be
reduced and at the same time the per-
centage of mineral in the concentrate
raised to marketable point. Thus a
saving in hauling and freight rates is
effected and the concentration on ac
count of being richer should bring q
better price. Low grade ores thrown
on the dump or left in the mine con-
stitutes natural waste. Much of the
low grade material left in the ground
during former operations, and perhaps
much of the dump material, can never
be recovered. Much of the ore thrown
on the dump disintegrates on exposure
to the air so that much Of the valu-
able content is washed or blown away.
Some Of the minerals in the dump
rock are liable to be leached out by
the rain.
Utah Ores Low Grade.
The possibility of a continuous sup
ply of carnotite ores in the future IS
naturally of great interest. In the
Utah fields the ores are generally low
in uranium, although occasional small
rockets of high grade ore are found.
Some of these deposits have the ad-
vantage of short hauls; such as those
at Table Mountain, have as long
haul as most of the ores taken out u
Paradox valley.
Since the present demand requires
an ore containing at least per cent
uranium oxide, the operators in the
Utah fields have to do such careful
sorting that a large proportion of the
uranium ore is not wasted.
Cheap Concentration Required.
There u.s. therefore, great need OF a
concentration method, or methoos'
that can be used by an operator at MS
own camp or at least by group OF
onera tors working nearby claims. In
This way not only would the low grace
uranium ores be made available, Dat
also the vanadium ores that contain
too little vanadium to be worth MAJ
keting under present conditions II Is
quite possible that such ores MAY NC
an concentrated that the concentrates
can he handled for their vanadlufn
content alone, even though they con
tain foo little uranium to warrant thelr
being classified as uranium ores
Paradox Valley Ore.
In Paradox valley at present niue
difficulty is experienced in obtaining
ner cent ore by careful sorting anu d
fair amount of ore carrying per cent
or even more, has been mined durihs
Tho mast wear. but there has been nuch
waste in the SortlnS VI tl'iS Va
more low grade has been left IN Inc
mines untouched. This is particularly
true in Saucer Basin and at certain
noints on the south side of East fara-
dox valley. 1t is difficult to state JUST
how much ore suitable for concentra-
t;on hut not rich enough to snip Oh
tho nresent basis is available IN tie
porodox and surrounding districts u
,s certain, however, that there -
enough already in sight to double .iie
ortnut for several years to come IL ~
could all be made marketable As
4b,s is hardly possible, a % per GEM
,ncrease is probably all that could DC
.oa under the most favoraple
conditions.
...,..,> cANINEERS.