The Parker post., 1914-01-17
ACTIVITY in
OUR MINES
STATE MINING INSPECTOR C.. A..
BOLIN SAYS IN HIS REPORT
THAT MINING IN ARIZONA WAS
NEVER MORE ACTIVE.

OOAAs
of State Mine Inspector G. H. Bolin
to Gov. Hunt, which reads:
Mining in Arizona was never more
active than at present. AS copper
mining is far in excess, the demand
for this metal and the present market
price is responsible in a measure for
this activity. The new methods used
in mining low grade ores, that in the
past were considered worthless, has
resulted in the opening of this char
acter of mines and placed them on
a paying basis.
'All the producing mines in the
state of Arizona are employing as
many men as they can advantageously
use in the extraction of their ores
The number is much greater at the
present than at any. time in the past.
The blue sky law passed by the leg
islature in 1913, requiring promoter
to show that they have a proposition
of merit before they can sell stock
has driven most of the "bunco" men
from the state. No law, in my estl-
nation, could have been passed by the
legislature that would aid more in tn
development of the mineral industry
Of the state.
The principal porphyry mines that
q Nnn tir1o ooti hn
Copper Co., the Inspiration Consolida-
ted Copper Company, and the Ray
Consolidated Copper Company. These
mines produce low grade ore and are
mined by the caving and shrinkage
system. On April 18th five men wer
killed by an air blast in the Miami
company's mine. After investigating
this disaster, myself and Deputy Har-
per came to the conclusion that the
slopes were drawn too much, thereby
leaving too much open space between
the back of the stope and the loose
ore in the stope. Instructions were
given not to allow more than 10 ft. of
space between loose rock and back of
Slopes in the future. The number of
fatalities in the Ray company's mine
have decreased 200 per cent or more.
The narrowing of the Slopes which
was ordered by this department is re
sponsible in great measure for the
decrease.
Much improvement has been made
in the ventilation in the mines in the
past year. The manager of the large
mines, by installing large electrical
ly driven fans that force pure air
into sections of the mine where it
was impossible for a miner to do
shift of work, have found that such
sections of the mine can be cooled
to such an extent, that miner can
do much more work, without impair
ing his health to, a marked degree.
AS ventilation of the mines in this
state received very little attention
IN the past, consequently all details
must be worked out, and the best
method arrived at for remedying this
serious defect. l am pleased to note
the interest that is being taken in
regard to ventilation, and predict that
IN the near future th e hot Slopes of
former days will be unknown. The
most commendable system for ven
tilation seems to me, is to confine a
certain section of the mine and then
place large fan in some part of the
mine where the air is pure BY fore
ing pure air into this confined area
pressure is established which does
not allow the warm air to escape FROM
old workings into the new.
Waste and timber in sections of
mnes that have been finished or
where the ores have been extracted
are responsible for a great amount of
the heat encountered in mining
More attention is given to the
safety of the employees at the pres
ent than ever before Safety first"
departments are organized iby all the
operating companies. Regu lar meet
ings are being held and the men in
charge of operations exchange ideas
in order to install devices which will
prevent the occurrence of accidents
of similar nature occurring again.
Danger and Keep out sign boards
placed around abandoned places on
guard rails has been ordered by this
department and has met with the ap-
proval of miners and companies
The slogan of the department is
Safety first" When a miner enters
his place he should carefully bear
down the ground and see that all
loose rock is barred before starting
to drill or do any work; also see