The Arizona copper camp., 1916-03-03
Riches Being Taken
From Discarded Mines
Of Yavapai County
By William q. de Wolf

PRESCOTT, AriZ., March 2.-At no
previous time in the mining history of
Arizona, not excepting, even, the de-
double standard" have the records of
Yavapai county chronicled as efficient
and energetic campaign of mine devel-
opment as the one at present in force.
There have been times in the past
when mining results were more spec
tacular than now, but never a period
when they were as satisfactory as now.
To illustrate:
In the days before the railroad in Ari-
zona-the days of river traffic on the
Colorado-the gold and silver mines of
Yavapai county outputted a large ton
mage of high grade ore. A portion of
this ore was reduced nearby through
the medium of the inefficient processes
of that period. That is to say, the ship
pers received such per cent of the
precious metal content as the tailings
did not preempt-a sotr of fifty, fifty
split, as you might say. Most of the
ore was, however, transported in
wagons across the desert to the Colo
RADIO river, where it was loaded on boats
and freighted to railway long, ardu-
Gus and expensive journey.
Under the conditions as stated, it
seems needless to add that mining in
those days was an expensive job and
that the ore had to carry an excep-
tionally high precious metal content to
be profitable. Hundreds of thousands
of tons Of ore were thrown over the
dump or left standing in the workings
by the old-time operators because it
was too low grade for their purposes.
In this day of efficient milling process
ses, capable mining devices and ade-
quate shipping facilities, the greater
portion of this at one time despised
tonnage has high commercial value.
Not alone are these ores valuable be-
cause of their precious metal contents,
but likewise because of their o-called
base metal by-products. The latter
tungsten, lead, copper, zinc, etc.,-have
a high commercial rating, and are be-
ing eagerly mined by the present day
operators as are gold and silver AS a
matter of fact, the base metals before
e mentioned add very materially to the
value of the gold and silver ores of
Yavapai county, and are attracting
quite as many operators to this field as
are the two last mentioned. Follow
ing is partial resume of mining opera
tions in Yavapai county.
Twelve miles south of Prescott, in the
is developing a group of IA claims,
carrying gold, silver, copper, lead and
zinc deposits New York, Duluth and
local capital is behind the enterprise
The ore bodies are being prospected and
opened by means of seven tunnels. A
large tonnage has been blocked out,
preparatory to reduction in the com
pany's 100-ton mill. The latter is to
be removed from the Mascott property
and established at the portal of No.
tunnel on the Big Pine
Fourteen miles south of Prescott. in
the Senator district, the Y. P. Mining
company is working the Cash mine. N.
H Getchell a former operator of mines
in Colorado and Nevada, is in charge
of operations. Development is under
way at depth of $50 feet and has been
uninterrupted for a period of three
years under the Getchell regime. Dur
ing that time an average of $4,000 worth
OF bullion per month has been re-
claimed in the company's Cotton mill,
and dividends totaling $500 have been
paid. In Iast days the property pro-
duced approximately $500, 200 worth of
ore. Values prevail in gold, silver, COP
per, lead and zinc, and average $2525
per ton in gold, silver and lead. Getchel
estimates he has about 5000 tons of
ore in sight.
Getchen recently returned from New
York city, where he closed a deal for
the consolidation of the Cash and
Storm Cloud estates. The merger is
most desirable from an economic stand
point, as the two properties can be
readily worked by means of a single
shaft and the efficient mine plant
owned by the Cash people. The Storm
Cloud is being developed by two tun-
nels and is said to have a large ton
mage of gold, silver copper, lead ore
in sight. AS soon as the merger plans
are completed the Storm Cloud ore is
to be treated in the Cash mill. The
latter is to be increased to $50 tons
capacity.
In the Copper Basin country, about 12
miles from Prescott, the Commercial
Mining company is shipping 100 tons
of copper ore per day. Nearby, is To-
Gated the shaft of the Iona Prieta
company, an enterprise in which John