The Alaska daily empire., 1915-11-22

eve shall not loo able to achieve the expected results as soon as we had anticipated. We have encounter ed an unlooked.for intrusion of low grade schist on the 5th level, from which point we had expected to draw high.qrade material with which to sweeten up tho known lowergrade ores as we mined them neor the sur face. Notwithstanding thousands of drln hole tests, we strangely enough did not cut into this low-grade lntru- sion. It win take us three or four months to get this material out of the way and put the mine In shape to supply average ore to the full ca paclty of the mlli, It Is the inevit. able disappointment which accom- panies the development of large property,
 For time we were puzzled to know what had happened. Two stopes on the 9th level had run into some thing which completely upset our cal culations. As soon as VIC ascerlalned the real status of affairs, VIC knew we would be delayed in opening up stoplng ground of the desired aver age grade to feed 5000 to 10000 tons daily to the concentrator. For some little time we shall continue to show smaller returns than anticipated.
 up to the end of October we had
 treated in our new plant about 9oO0OO tons of ore. assaying about S1.25 per ton instead of the expected $1.75 per ton. We are now mining and milling for 60 cents ton and have gotten our taillngs losses down to 20 cents per ton. These figures compare with an estimated cost of 70 cents per ton and tails losses of 20 cents, 80 that in increased operating economies we| have an offset of 20 cents per ton against tho temporary low average ore. yield. Including the 100000 tons mill cd in the old plant, the average net assay value to date is brought up to St.SO per ton.
 A Mining Record.
 CT might mention that never before ln the history Of mining has ore been mined from underground workings, hauled under ground a distance Of two miles, hauled again to the mill, @ dis tance of two miles more, and put through a concentration for a total cost of only GO cents a ton
 'Just now we are treating 5000 tons of ore Q day ] think we will raise the tonnage next month to 5000; by the first of the year to 1000 and soon thereafter to 5000 tons. The next 2OOO.ton increase will come more slowly by reason of tho delays already explained Our milling plant is Q mar vel; it is more than meeting our ex- pectatlons. It Is the most efficient plant of it's kind in existence and we have more ore than can be mined out Tn generation.
 There are always to be found tim Id souls who seem unable to stand up and face discouragements and annoy  ances which mining men accept as part of their business. When we were opening up the Utah Copper property. we were informed from the outside that our ore was too low In copper tenor to permit of profit All sorts of dire predictions were kindly sent to us. A Ray Consolidated and Chi- no also lt was said we had run up against insurmountable problems. But we worked out of them an, until to- day at all of our properties we are milling no less than 2i.O00,0oo tons of ore a wear. Every one of these conn panies has money in the bank, is pay Ing good dividends and does not owe dollar.
 Alaska will prove an that was ev- CT claimed for 1t, but we will be delay ed a little in getting shere' that is the situation in ntshell"