The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1918-05-16
SHIP LEAO.z|NC ORE
TO MOSCOW STATION
Encouraging Result
in Differential
Flotation
PRACTICAL TEST SOON
Work of Station Has Proved
of Great Value to Min.
ing Industry
PRACTICAL TEST SOON

States bureau of mines, In
- charge of the experimental
station at Moscow, arrived
last Monday, One of the objects of
his visit at this time was to arrange
with some of the operators of the dis
trict for the shipment of a supply Of
lead zinc ores to the school Of mines
laboratories of the university of Idaho
for testing purposes. The cooperative
work between the United States bur-
eau of mines and the state university,
which was made possible through di-
rect financial support from certain
mining companies of the Occur d'Alene
district was started during the sum-
mer of 1917. During this short period
substantial. results have been accom-
plished which have proved beyon ques-
ton the great value of the cooperative
ork to the mining industry of Idaho
The mining interests of the Coeur
d'Alene district fully appreciated this
in advance, which accounts for their
support of the station in the absence
OF an appropriation from the state.
Work Of the Station.
In the course of conversation with
Mr.. Wright he gave an interesting ac-
count of the work of the experimental
station, the problems already engag-
ing attention and others to be taken
lup. 1t was natural that the first to
be considered was flotation that re-
markable process which some one has
described as concentration turned
upside down." which within a few
years has almost revolutionized MILL
ing methods, many features of which
are still shrouded in mystery and the
solution of which is engaging the at
tention of metallurgists throughout
the west.
"The work of the Moscow station"
said Mr.. Wright, has been confined
chiefly to the treatment Of lead-zinc
ores from the Coeur d'Alene district
by differential flotation to effect a
separation of the lead and zinc sui
phides. Some very encouraging re-
suits have been obtained, and it is
planned to try out the tests on a
practical scale in the mills of the dis
trlct as soon as the results warrant
doing so.
Oil From Western Wood.
"The plans for the coming year in
clude the continuation of experiments
in the lead-zinc problem along the
lines of differential flotation; the in
vestigation Of the desrability of west
ern wood oils for fotation, and the
treatment Of complex gold silver ores
of southern Idaho"
The forestry department Of the
state university, in conjunction with
the federal forestry bureau, has been
experimenting with the extraction OF
oil from western pine, tamarack and
other woods indigenous to the west,
with very encouraging results. The
mines experimental station will try
these oils out In flotation and 1t Ia
probable that they will prove fully as
satisfactory as the oils now In COM
mon use. The only question seems to
be one Of cost Of production, whether
this can be held down to a point that
will enable the western product to
compete successfully with oils now on
the market.
Report on Idaho Mining Districts.
In addition to the experimental
work of the station, Mr.. Wright stat
ed that preliminary report covering
the field Investigations of the mining
districts throughout the state was re-
Gently completed and forwarded to
Washington for publication. This
should be of great help to prospectors
and mining companies interested in
the mining industry Of the state
Mr.. Wright returned to Moscow this
morning.