The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1916-11-30
NOW IS THE TIME TO WORK THE NATIONAL
TAKE ADVANTAGE Of HIGH METAL PRICES
MULLAN eEoLoeIsT ANSWERS A SERIES QUESTIONS
THE NATIONAL SUBMITTED BY A GROUP
OF LOCAL srocKHo LDERs IN COMPANY
MuIlan, Idaho, Nov. q, 1916.


The status of the National mine.
near Mullan interests resident stock
holders, many of whom are working on
days pay. Some of these recently
Hclubbed together to get repotr and
answer to the following questions, and
have requested publication:
Question 1.-What is the amount of
ore in sight and grade of same? What
are the prospects for more?
Answer-There is a shoot above the
tunnel level, 600 feet long and 20 feet
thick, part of which has been mined
through. This shoot is capable of ex-
tension on the length for the same
distance. Below the tunnel level, on
the dip, the same or more length and
thickness prevails, There should be
mel level.
The 20-foot thickness will average
1 and a per cent copper, a ounces
of silver per ton of feed. Narrowing
the thickness will raise the grade,
while below the working tunnel there
! is better ore than above It.
Question What are the causes of
previous failures to operate profit
ably?
Answer-They did not follow the dip
of the ore upwards. The mineralized
beds dip flatly, They stopped more
vertically and worked through ore in
to poor rock, dragging the copper con-
tent below / per cent.
No means of hanging wall support
was used and huge blocks of waste
/ fell, having to be broken up and sent
out as mill feed. The method soon ex-
hausted the good ore, leaving the
temptation strong to satisfy mill ca
pacity with waste. Stopping up on the
dip would have yielded more or less
constant grade of mill feed.
There was a lack of knowledge of
the geology of the deposit, otherwise
the development work would have
been laid out to suit. This existed
from the start and was persisted in.
Question 3-With the present mill
what can be earned per 26-day month,
ID. o, b. mill concentrate bins, on grade
of ore given?
Answer-With copper at 20 cents,
silver at IS cents, IS per cent mill ex-
Traction, and with costs to mine,
transport and mill $3.50 per ton, the
met profit will be $2.44 per ton. At
1900 tons monthly the net value is
IRO1
ment must be deducted to smelter. AS
"a matter of fact, mill extraction has
Exceeded S5 per cent, while prices are
Imuch higher than those given. The
$3.50 cost is capable of reduction,
above the tunnel level to $500 per
ton.
Question 4-What about improve
ments?
AnsWer-With coarse crushing at
the mine and a trestle across a gulch
the tram line can be greatly shortened
and costs lowered to 5 or cents per
ton, with capacity of 600 tons in 8
hours; $4,000 or less should do this.
There should be nearly $4,000 in
Ethe treasury from past assessments
tand ore sales, which amount is ample
Ito pay for improvements and start the
mine and mill.
The system of mining should be
changed to suit the deposit, present
IWork to be utilized as far as possible.
No assessments were necessary since
kthe mill was installed, nor should
Ithere be any in the future. If the pro-
lperty is ever to return its capital cost,
low is the time to work.
GEO. HUSTON,
Mining Geologist.