The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1916-06-01
REDUCTION Of ZINC ORES
INCREASE PROFIT COEUR D'ALENE MINES
LARGE PLANT CONSIDERED SPOKANE RVER-cHEAP
ELECT RIG POWER AND PLENTY OF 1T AVAILABLE
ADVANTAGE Low FREIGHT

ore, which was first successfully ac-
complished by the Anaconda Copper
company, and which has been adopt
ed in more or less modified form by
other smelling and metallurgical COM
panies in various parts Of the west
and in British Columbia, promises to
become an important factor in the
zinc mining industry of the Occur
d'Alene district if the plans that are
now being considered materialize The
Anaconda company now has plant In
operation in Anaconda which is han
ding 25 tons of ore per day, and Is
rushing work on d large plant at
Great Falls which will have a daily
capacity of 200 tons or more. 1t was
the discovery of this new process that
induced the Anaconda company to
secure the Douglas mine on Pine
creek, the complex character of the
ores of that property having baffled
all efforts to treat them on a CONNER
cial basis. Thorough tests have DEM
onstrated that the electrolytie process
recovers the zinc in Douglas ore as
effectually as in those in which there
are no metallurgieal difficulties in
volved. This fact is matter of the
greatest significance, for there Is much
zinc ore of the same character on
Pine creek and in other parts of the
district which can now be successful
ly treated with the electric process
To fully comprehend the significance
of this new process, 1t must be un-
derstood that it Is a great advance
step in the reduction of all classes Of
zinc ores as we'll as recovering the
zinc in ores which under former
methods could not be handled.
Cheap Power Essential.
The zinc product of the mines here
is now shipped to smelters in Kansas,
oklahoma and states further east,
} where fuel is cheap and where natural
gas is utilized to a great extent. A
l process that can compete with those
conditions, and at the same time make
! a recovery of the metal with less loss
: and make a great saving to the ship
, per in freight rates, is certain at no
! distant date to be utilized to the ex-
: tent Of getting the output of western
mines. The one essential thing to
I bring about this result is cheap cleo
: trio power. 1t is this that caused the
r Anaconda company to build its new
S and permanent plant at Great Falls,
: and it is this that will induce the
building Of other great electrolytic
plants at other points in the north
west where practically unlimited wa
ter power can be obtained for the gen.
Grafton Of electricity This would off
set the cheap fuel of distant smelters,
while low freight rate possibly 81
per ton, would be an attraction that
could not be ignored by western zinc
miners
Plant Being Considered.
1t is known that a strong syndicate
composed Of both eastern and western
men have been making careful but
quiet Investigations of the zinc pro-
duction of the Coeur d'Alene district
and the probable production In q year
, or eighteen months, the time that
| would probably be required to erect
and get in operation an electrolytic
| plant at a point on the Spokane river
, below Spokane. This syndicate is
said to own a site where 10000 horse
, power could be easily developed, and
, if the prospective tonnage is in sight
4 from this and other territory seems
to justify it, the erection of the plant
! will begin as early as practicable. The
: product of the mines of this district
Is the chief consideration and while
> no one knows the result of the in
: yestigations which have been made, it
must be assumed that 1t has been
5 highly satisfactory. Inquiry of men
. who are well informed on the mineral
q production of the Occur d'Alene dis
{ trict indicate that, including mines
= that are about to become shippers and
! are reasonably certain to be producing
: within the next year, the daily ton
S mage of zinc ore and concentrates
e shipped daily is not far from 900 tons.
This showing would prove very at
tractive to a zinc smelling enterprise,
r and all indications point to a new
= rival in the field next year for th
= business that is now going to dis
- tant smelters.
@ 1t is understood that the entire ca
e pacity of the new Anaconda plant
= will be required for the product of the
8 company's own mines The plant here
t proposed which would insure a mini
O mum freight rate would give imme-
o date value to large bodies of low
n grade zinc ore that can not be profit
e ably mined under present conditions.