The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-06-21


dustry of the Occur dAlene dis
trict was forecasted year ant
a half ago when the Bunker Hill &
Sullivan mining company made the
definite announcement that 1t woult
build smelling plant at Kellogg tc
cost a million dollars and that 1t would
be prepared to treat not only the ores
from the company's great mine, but
that it would also do custom busi-
ness making a local market for all
the lead silver ores of the district. The
big smelter Is now a reality the dream
of years has come true Already the
entire district has felt it's quickening
influence, which will become more and
more pronounced as the years go by
great and small, have been erpeatedly
pointed out. and these are given a
practical illustration by it's first ore
contract. The Hecla Mining company
one Of the large shippers, found the
terms of the Bunker Hill smelter
more attractive than it's existing con-
tract with a distant smelter and be-
ginning with the first of July Hecla
ore will be treated in the home plant
Other shippers will doubtless find the
same advantage and will naturally
turn to the Bunker Hill upon the ex-
piration of contracts. Small shippers
miners and development companies
having small lots of ore on their
dumps, will be able to convert their
product into cash to aid in further
development work A large payroll
has been established by the building
of the smelter, and this will continue
to grow with the certain expansion OF
the plant.
Receives First Ore.
The first ore to be received by the
Bunker Hill smelter was delivered
last week and came from the Gale
donia mine. The roasting and sinter-
ing processes were started last week
and this week the big furnaces re-
GtlNe tHtlI hlol VIAL BCo, Dy tlit
first Of the month it is expected thai
all departments will be in working or
der and a new industry will be fairly
launched that will be an ever growing
factor in contributing to the prosper
ity of the district. Ores of the dis
trict will be mined, smelted and re-
fined at home, and a large proportion
of the costs of reduction which have
prevailed heretofore will be converted
into additional profits to producers
and distributed among home wage
earners and local business concerns.
The completion of the smelter is an
event that merits commemorative
celebration in which the people of the
entire district will be glad to join. 1t
marks the beginning Of a new era in
which the mining industry will re-
ceive a new impetus and every pros
pector will receive direct encourage
ment in his search for hidden wealth
The people should join In a demon
stration commensurate with the i'm
portance Of the event.
Zinc SmeIter Next.
The Bunker Hill & Sullivan COM
pany is not going to stop with a
smelter and refinery for lead-silvel
ores. Already 1t has been officially
announced by Mr.. Bradley. president
of the company, that an electrolytic
zinc refinery will be erected near the
lead smelter which will do for the
zinc miner what the present plant will
do for the producer Of lead. The in.
itial capacity of the zinc plant will bt
about 800 tons, but like the lead plant
1t will be designed to receive additions
to meet the growing requirements
Zinc has become q product of grea
importance in the district, and the in
creased demand for the metal which
1t Is believed will continue after tn
close of the war. is certain to en-
courage the development of new zin
ore bodies, and insures large ton
mage for local reduction plant.