The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1914-01-10
The Future of Prospecting

OF considerable interest to mining men generally are letters that
are being contributed by a number of prominent mining engineers and
mine operators to a symposium that is being conducted by the Mining
and Scientific Press. The letters re written in reply to a list of ques-
tons as follows: I. Is it true that money is no longer available in
adequate amounts for finding and developing prospects? 2. How can
additional money be made available? g. Do you believe i'll government
aid to prospecting and prospectors, and, if so, in what way should this
aid be given. 4 Can prospecting methods or conditions be so inn
proved "a to make the available funds adequate? 5. How can a better
market for undeveoped mineral lands be created?
From a large number Of replies received, eighteen were selected
for publication in the annual review number OF the Press and if, as is
proverbal. doctors are prone to disagree, the medical profession is not
the only one whose opponents are found widely at variance on important
subjects. The list of eighteen contributors to this symposium includes
the names OF such we'll known men as D. {. lacking, Hennen Jennings,
d. w. Brunton, Albert Burch, Charles Hayden, NJ. L. Requa, John H.
Mackenzie. E. J. Longyear, Benjamin i. 1hayer, L. Fasken, Walter
H. Aldridge, Philip 4Argan, +. w. Bradley, P. r. Bradley and Arthur
Thatcher. Most OF these lei declare emphatcany that there is no
scarcity of money for developing prospects, while a few are equally as
certain that money is to be obtained for this purpose only with the great
est difficulty. The idea expressed by nearly all is that the greater part of
the possible mineral area of this country has been to some extent pros
pected and that the opportunities for finding new mines or encouraging
prospects have materially decreased, with the result that men Of means
hesitate to take chances in stalking prospectors or in developing pros
poets. These men likewise apparently believe that the old type OF
Is hecon,;,o scarce and that If i, difficult TO find reliable men
who are capable of undertaking the work incident to prospecting.
Almost without exception these men aree mphaticaly opposed to
extending government aid to prospecting, at least insofar as any system
proposed to date with this end in view is concerned. 1t is suggested
that aid might be extended through the bureau of mines or by state min
ing organizations, in examining prospects and advising prospectors as
to the value of ground and the best methods of development, but the
opinion seems to be universal that any direct financial aid to prospecting
would defeat its own ends efectuany and serve ultimately to retard,
rather than to advance, the expansion of the industry.
A valuable suggestion IS to the best means OF improving prospect
ing conditions is offered BY Mr.. Albert Burch, who says in his letter:
Il know of a prospecting venture about to be started i'll which two men,
one of them a good mineralogist and the other a veteran prospector, are
to start out a partners, under a grub-stake agreement with a capitalist.
If Young school of mines graduates, with a little mining experience and
a fair amount of training in field geology, would seek alliance such as
this, instead of positions as assayers, surveyors and assistants around
operating mines, the standard of prospecting efficiency would UNI
doubtedly be raised and the demand for competent prospectors in
creased. A young man of this class, with few family responsibilities,
could well afford to devote a few years to this kind of work; because
even though not financially successful, the experience would be very
valuable to him in his subsequent mining work. Not the least valuable
of the lessons which such a life would teach him, would be sefre-
lance"