The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1915-04-29
ZINC MINING IN coEuR D'ALENEs

The development of zine mining In
the Occur d'Aenc district is one of
the most interesting features Of the
mining industry IN this county and
the magnitude it has already assumed
Is positive assurance that ii will con.
tinue to grow in Importance, ii has
been only few years ago when zinc
was nm unknown factor in The mineral
production of the district. 1t was
found more or less IN most of the lead
mines, and rs there had been no pro-
cess devised by which 1t could be sep
arated, Its presence often proved
serious detriment in handling the lead
for lead ore carrying above certain
per cent of zinc was heavily penalized
by the smelters and In some cases
rendered mining the lead unprolitable.
The Frisco is the most notable IN"
stance in which the preponderanee OF
zinc resulted In closing down what nat
been a highly profitable lead mine. II
that case however, 1t was not merely
nm Increase in the percentage OF Hlnt
i, the lead ore, on the contrary large
bodies of zinc ore displaced lead In the
lower levels, and coupled with the In
adequate methods of recovering the
zinc values in the ore, there was in
those days u limited market for the
metal combination which resulted In
the aband ,nment of the mine for many
wears. The success that has been
achieved within recent years In the
treatment of zine ores together win
the enlarged market have resulted in
restoring the old Frisco to the active
list with every indication that 1t VIII
soon bo earning dividends from the
very ores which years ago closed II
down because of their worthlessness,
These improved methods for the sep
aration and recovery of minerals and
particularly the flotation process, have
been added to the milling plants of
many ,aad mines Of the district, with
the result that the zinc which has
heretofore been lost and at times re-
duced the smelter returns ON the lead
IL now being recovered and makes a
substantial increase in the profits,
While slill maintaining its prestige
rs the greatest lead producing district
in tile west. and no doubt will con
tlnue to maintain 1t for many years
the Coeur dAlene district is making
rapid strides as a zine producer also
and seems destined to become as fam
Gus IN that respect as for the produc-
ton of lead Veins carrying great DO
pusits Of commercial zinc ore are com
ing to be az common rs those carry
ing de0osits Of lead. while the ever
expanding market for zinc and the
phen1menat1y high prices that now
prevail make 1t even more eagerly
sought than lead. Just as we have
long hoastcd of having the greatest
lead mine In the world, SO We viii soon
be able to boast of having the great
est zine mine also. The large bodies
Of zinc In almost every section of the
district which are still in the develop.
ment stage in connection with the
large ore reserves in the productive
zinc mines justifles the prediction that
the zine production of the Occur
d'Alenes viii at no distant date rival
that of lead.
The situation is most gratifying
from every point Of view We have
practically unlimited deposits Of two
metals for which under normal condi-
tions there is steady and ever in
creasng demand, at prices that insure
large profit to the mine operators
and good wages to all classes of en-
plaves. These conditions insure large
nayr1ls that bring prosperity to all
and win continue to make the Occur
d'Aene district the most favored spot
in all the west And in addition cop