The Mena weekly star., 1918-09-12
MANGANESE MAY
 MEAN MUCH MONEY
p.,snt Developments in the Mining rndustry in Polk County Indicate That Mena Will Be Benefited
 by Activity of Experts.
(By Robert M. Berry.)


 Nena today.
 you hear it everywhere. It's open ..ssme for a talkfest with any ..rapger within the city gates. and a
 ,a;obty powerful word for use be- tween the homefolks.
 What does all this mean? Whence
 ,ometh these mineralogical terms
 rsired of with figures of finance that
 souud like a war debt?
 It is the purpose of The Star to eliminate some of these interrogation noints by substituting exclamatory designs or periods as needs be. In other words, The Star proposes to tsll the truth about manganese that's sll-by gathering and dissem- mating the latest reliable informa- lion possible to be had about Polk coclty's newest industry. While we
 nav not become as enthusiastic as
 some might desire, again we may
 seem rnduly optimistic; but we're go-
 ng to give the truth and nothing but the truth.
 Those of us who have studied min
 sralogy, and most Menaites have
 more or less the last few weeks, know that manganese IS a mineral. We
 know if is used in steel making, and
 we know there is a worldwide de- mand for steel and steel products to- day The more steel, the more man.
 ganese, and with Kaiser Bill still running at large, the sky's the limit sn the call.
 recent assay of manganese mined near Meha showed a mill run return
 f 20 per cent, which at present prices of nearly $50 per ton. satis- fes mining experts interested it will be a mighty profitable enterprise to engage in.
 Some of Polk countv's ore is said to run higher than 20 per cent, and some of the men interested speak of spending Sl0,000 in production work more calmly than some of us can in buying sack of flour.
 Manganese, like most other miner als, is found in rocks. We Polk coun- ty folks know there are lots of rocks here, but all of them don't contain manganese But certain of them do, and il is the work of transforming these manganese-bearing rocks into that which will make steel and there by help give the Kaiser a bingen on the Rhine, that affords the biggest held for conjecture Polk county ever beheld.
 Now tn hese manganese-b bearing rocks have been with us always. slaking out mining claim is no novelty in Polk county. The records show that lots of filing notices are old enough to be beyond the latest araft age. Rut here's the nut in the kernel These hoary- headed mining claims, these supposed Golcondas and Ophirs that we've been talking ana dreaming about are passing into new hands. Lots of 'em are no long CT in the family.
 Strangers have come quietly to hena and have by warranty deed, or OPtlon or lease, taken over to them serves these footballs of fortune. fnese strangers have come from many points Gar variant in the geog- .apny' And here's noticeable fact: lney may not know each other, but 'hey ai! speak the same language, ana tneli chief saying is We've come v ., make money out of manganese" :, me eat finally got out of the bag manganese means money.
 Just between you and me and the sa'epost, 1t doesn't appear as tho Aena could fail to get inside the .:y money on this manganese proposi- .'oh To be sure the mining men prOpose to corral the bulk of the .n; nnealIh; it's only fair they should. for s'syre the ones who are taking the ,alsest , chances. But while they are ssg sssting ready to rake in the pot alsy se got lot of sweetening 10 do. ~'T T, mats Mena's opportunity.
 inese men to whom manganese +h .sans money, will have to spend husahds hao,, of dollars before they get sasA dime. There's a tremendous maes, aoSnt of work to be done, much a,hery manay to be secured before Mena
 Tsanese Tp gets market quotation. tha " hrst work is now being done at s"s., @ in'nes. At half a dozen points ,raa DsS'h and east of Mena groups of d are iaboring with pick and shov- 1 tbe h sna s siedge and drill to open up ! niaoa of minerai-bearing iodes. in r;Ja 'ne workings are to be 300 feet oens; @ others not so large, all de- ! m 'Trla'eiig upon the width of the vein ;n. s sort of work is preliminary to hsns,in hlllng the machinery needed for ross ,hg a the ore in the latest and -Osr efficient manner.
 ,;rt, en oi the mines now in process of - '. are planned to allow for crush % .;n as the mine mouth. The rock is anc"s a goes direct to the mill. is re- ,es;d,, ana separated, the worthless sannS e remaining on the millsite. the ssnessne seanese saved for shipment to the It can ~ D man can be seen that all this is going ,vo;oas saesn something for Mena if these Mas sss are carried out as planned. Ae hor.as asese mining means this to pd ,,n:'l!n r,oyment for workers, skilled E;la;au aunskilled. in opening mines Drtina,s and operating mills, trans kd rat, m ore from the mines to Mena T eoesorning with supplies.
 sss workers will have to be
 Continued on paos Fo,,-