The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1918-02-02

VIEW ~ iOutC0 W
worthy, a mining engineer of Lud-
wig, as follows:
After a couple of comparatively
idle years, the Mason Valley mining
district once more resumed opera
tons on a large scale at the begin
ming of the year 1917. From all
the properties in the district regular
ore shipments have been made dur
ing the year. and the Mason Valley
Mines company's smelter at Thomp-
son has been operating at as great
a capacity as the supply of coke that
could be obtained would permit since
it was "blown in" in February.
Leasers, too, have made many
shipments from the smaller proper
ties throughout the entire district,
and one or two new properties have
Joined the list of producers or are
about to do so. On the whole,
though held down to a limited pro-
duction by the coke shortage, all the
properties have had an active and
prosperous year..
The Bluestone mine, owned by
Captain DeLamar, began prepare
tons for operating on a large scale
under the management of G. d.
Kaeding It the beginning of the year.
A 2O-drill compressor and an cleo
trio tram from the main tunnel to
the railroad bins, a distance of
about two miles, was installed. Bunk
houses, residences and a large office
building were built. The Nevada
Copper Belt railroad built a branch
line from Mason, three miles distant,
to the mine, and the mining COM
pany built a round house and ma
chine shop at the terminal.
A new pumping station, furnishing
an adequate supply of water, was
built in the valley. Water mains
we're laid and storage tanks con-
structed at the mine. This equip
ment put the property in shape for
a daily production of 1900 tons of
ore, but as in the case of all mines
in the district, the coke shortage has
limited the actual production.
About 10000 tons of oxidized
ore were shipped to Thompson previ-
Gus to Dec. 1 and the mine is now
furnishing about 1OC tons daily. The
ore is stopped in a large open pit
where the glory-hole system of min
ing Is used. The necessary develop
ments for s%hrinkage stopping in the
sulphide portion of the orebody,
where the glory-hole system is not
practicable, has been carried out by
raises and cross-cuts and these
slopes will furnish the ore for a flo
tation plant, having a daily capacity
of from 500 to 1000 tons.
This new plant is now being
erected by the company at the mine.
The plant will be modern in every
respect. Two eight-foot Hardinge
ball mills compose the fine crushing
unit and the flotation units will be
furnished by the Simpson company.
Work on the plant is being pushed
rapidly and it is estimated that 1t
will be ready for operation about
March /. When operating at ca
pacity, this plant will make the
the largest single producer
in the district.
The Mason Valley mine has been
producing continuously throughout
the year about ESQ tons of ore
daily. This is the tonnage the smell
ter has been able to treat under
present conditions, but the mine
could easily increase it very consid-
erably. The orebody has been de-
veloped to a great extent during the
year and a large tonnage of sui
phide ore blocked out. Several leas-
ers have been working around the
old surface workings of the property
and have made some large shipments
of high-grade ore to the smelter.
The Empire Nevada group, owned
by J. e. Gelder, has been operated
throughout the year. Regular ship
ments of high-grade ore were made
during the high copper market, the
bulk of these going to the shelters
at Kennett, CAL, where. owing to
their silicious character. they furnish
a very desirable flux for the iron
sulphide ores from Mammoth.
Leasers working on the same
property have also made several
shipments of ore to various places.
A long tram to the railroad siding,
built during the summer, greatly
facilitates the handling and loading
of the ore from the mine. A ferric-
chloride teaching plant has been
huilt near the %r0nart and has heen