Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1916-05-18
FIoTATIoN IN ORE DRESSING.
The Loss in Values Under Old Methods
Now Overcome Under New.

Idaho s mineral resources are most
varied. There is to be found within
the state almost every mineral. While
part of Idaho's great mineral wealth
is well developed, producing annually
enormous quantities of valuable met
ais, there is much which has not yet
been developed or even explored.
Why have certain mineral districts
been developed while other districts
remain undeveloped7 OF two dis
tricts of equally good indications, the
one the closest to transportation will
naturally be developed first. Long
wagon, or pack train haul detracts
from the profits or perhaps makes
work actually Improbable. OF two
districts equally close to Transports
tion, one district may have an ore,
which, although being equally rich,
may present some metallurgical diff
Guilty in the treatment that will detract
from the profits.
The duty of the metallurgist is to
extract the valuable metal or metals
from the ore and put it in merchant
able shape. The miner mines the ore.
The metallurgist extracts the values,
In proportion as he more completely
extracts the values, so the profits are
increased. He used to be satisfied
with So to IS per cent extraction,
losing the balance of from 35 to As
per cent.
The loss in treatment is usually lost
forever, altho occasionally the tail.
ings (waste product) are stored await
ing re-treatment by an improved
method of treatment when such is dis
covered. 1t is a calamity that there
should be loss in treatment for the fol
lowing reasons:
l. The profits of the mining COM
pany are lower than they would be if
the saving were greater.
2. Any loss in treatment is an
irretrievable loss of our heritage which
nature has bestowed upon us. Our
mineral wealth differs from our agri-
cultural wealth; the agricultural crop is
harvested annually, the mineral crop
is harvested but once.
During recent years the great min
ing companies have been experiment.
ing toward improving their extraction
in order to increase their profits Like
wise the Z. S. Bureau of Mines has
been working with its thorolv train
ed experts toward improving the saw
ing in metallurgical treatment for the
SAINT Vi conservation OF our natural re-
sources. Our national greatness hinges
on our natural resources. The state
mining schools likewise have been
working toward the same end The
result is there have been great ad-
yances in the treatment of ores. Of
course each individual ore requires its
own special kind of treatment for ex-
tracing values. Nevertheless, there is
one special operation, which may be
either the whole process or merely
step in a process, and which has gone
a long way toward raising the extrac-
ton of the values to that point which
the metallurgist might desire to reach
perfection.
Flotation has come. Everyone in
terested in mining must be informed
about it. Tt has revolutionized metal
lurgy. 1t appears to be able to i'm
prove the saving in every milling
operation. AS result of the applica-
ton of this great Improvement in
method of treatment, mining districts
which formerly could not be worked
at profit may now be worked.
Flotation will be discussed in sue.
ceeding issues.
r. r. Goodrich.
Meta1lurgist, University of idaho