The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1915-10-07
GREAT FUTURE FOR THE CoEUR
D'ALENES.

Twenty years ago the mining opera
tions Of the Occur d'Alene district
were practically limited to the pro-
duction Of lead with silver as a by
product. Lead was the basis 81 our
prosperity and the expansion OF the
mining industry contemplated little
beyond the extensive development or
the lead mines we already had ant
the discovery of new ones. The pep
ulatlon of the district was unsettled
and men generally felt that their stay
here was temporary and their pur-
pose if not expressed was implied that
they were here to make q quick stake
and be ready to move to a more IN"
viting field for residence when the
mines began to show evidence Of be-
ing worked out. Many did leave, be-
lieving that the life Of the district was
limited, and have lived to see inc err
ror of their Judgment. Some Of the
lead mines did play out, but before
thew were abandoned other and great
ar mines had been developed, While
some Of the first ones to produce are
still on the active list with more ore
in sight than they had twenty years
aso.
But lead is no longer the sole de-
~pendence of the district, although IL
continues to be the biggest single fac-
tor and will probably always maintain
this position. The metal which in the
early days was a menace to the pro-
ntable mining of lead has now come
10 be one of the big products OF the
district. Great mines of zinc are now
Welding an output that rivals that or
lead. and improved methods of treat
ment make it possible to recover the
values in both lead and zinc when the
two metals are found in combination
n condition which twenty years ago
rendered both metals worthless. New
deposits of both lead and zinc have
been discovered in practically every
section of the district, which taken in
connection with the great bodies or
ore that are now being worked insure
large production in the Occur dAlene
district beyond the life of any man
now living.
But lead and zinc are not all. Cop
per is rapidly assuming an important
place in the mineral production of the
district, and the success of operations
now about to start will have a most
beneficial effect in encouraging de-
yelopment in the copper belt of the
Occur d'Alenes. OF lesser Importance
so far as the magnitude of operations
are concerned, but nevertheless high
ly significant Of the possibilities OF
further mineral disclosures in this dis
trict, are the recent shipments OF
high grade silver and antimony ores.
And now following the demonstra-
ton of the vast and varied mineral
sourc of the district comes the
announcement that a great smelling
plant will probably be erected in the
district which will not only handle the
ores of the company which win build
II. but which will provide a local mar
ket for other lead producers. The
benefits to be derived from the build
ing Of a smelter here can hardly be
oyer-estimated. The addition of a
great payroll is in itself a matter OF
Importance, but its best feature is
that it will create payrolls in all parts
of the district by purchasing small
lots of ore that can not now be mar
keted with distant shelters, thus pro-
viding claim owners with much need
ed cash with which to prosecute de-
velopment and open up new mines.
The successful smelling of lead ores
here suggests the possibility Of re-
ducing zinc and copper ores here also,
and the next few years may see other
shelters built for that purpose. The