The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1914-06-06
CONTACT
IS A COMING CAMP
SALT LAKE MAN THINKS LEACH.
ING AFFORDS OPPORTUNITY
FOR CAPITAL

That capital is overlooking a great
opportunity at Contact, New, Is the
opinion of H. M. Shields, who leaves
for that camp today to begin work on
the Copper Shield Mining & Contact
Copper company's ground.
That there is much ore near the
surface of shipping grade awaiting
the advent of a railroad is we'll un-
derstood, but where there is one ton
of such ore there are thousands of
tons of low grade oxides running
from 2 to 10 per cent copper, with
enough silver and gold contents to
materially enhance the values. Much
of this class of ore was regarded of
no commercial value until the recent
discoveries in hydro-metallurgy as
demonstrated at the Butte-Duluth
mine at Butte, Mont, and elsewhere
have proven them to be amenable to
treatment on the ground.
Mr.. Shields says there are proper
ties at Contact for sale at prices and
on terms that would enable capital
! at an expenditure of from 100000 to
100000 in a teaching plant to &C
tually take from the surface ores
sufficient to pay for the plant and
property within the time required for
payment. The greater values are
found in the sulphides, which are
reached at from 200 foot to 400 foot
depth, but there are sufficient oxi-
died ores to pay the cost of devel-
opment to the depth required to
open up the sulphides.
This puts the camp on a very diff
%ferent basis from what it was before
the new teaching methods were dis
covered. All that is needed is cleo
trio power, and the Idaho Power &
Light company is ready and anxious
to supply that and offers to build its
line into camp as soon as there is
sufficient power to justify the ex-
pense.
A railroad. says Mr.. Shields, is not
absolutely necessary under these
changed conditions, although one
would greatly facilitate matters, and
it is believed either the Short Line
or Western Pacific will build in
shortly. But bullion can be hauled
to the railroad by auto truck for Sc
per ton, and lumber and other sup
plies in as cheaply. So that mining
and milling can be carried on even
without a railroad. Agriculture and
stock raising along the proposed line
of railroad between Twin Falls, Ida
no, and Wells, New, is being devel-
oped to such an extent as to demand
a railroad soon. irrespective of the
demands of Contact, and as soon as
the money market will admit there
is no doubt the road will be built.
The meantime, in MI. Shields
opinion, is the right time for capital
to avail itself of chances to buy
properties at prices that will seem
small in a year or two more.
The idea is prevalent that 1t takes
immense capital to develop a copper
mine. With big capital results can
be achieved more quickly, but in Con-
tact. with the methods outlined
above. a moderate amount of money
can develop a property to that stage
where large capital can be readily
acquired. Mr.. Shields has reports by
letter of two fine strikes Of high
grade copper ore on the esast side
Of the river at the head of Meadow
creek, n on property recently To-
Gated by Messrs. Church and Pratt,
ard the other by James Carroll
Salt Lake Tribune.