The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1921-06-16

of the Bunker Hill & Sullivan
and the Hecla companies il
combining to develop and op-
crate the Star is the most important
step in the direction of mining devel-
opment that has been taken in this
district in many years. First of all il
means that another great mine will be
swelling the mineral output just as
quickly as men and money can bring
it about. OF course it is a large I'M
dertahng to drive a great crosscut
tunnel a mile and a half from the bot
tom of the Hecla shaft 1000 feet deep.
The preliminary work, which includes
a skip pocket at the 1000 level and ore
hin at the collar of the shaft, will re-
quire probably two months. How
long it will take to complete the
crosscut is problematical Some Won
derful records have been made in this
class of work, but the men making
them generally had the incentive of
attractive bonuses to spur them on
Size of the opening and character of
the ground will be the determining
conditions with respect to time re-
quired to complete the crosscut. With
three shifts WORKING it is probable
that the crosscut can be pushed ahead
at the rate OF 400 feet per month,
which would mean twenty months to
reach the star vein. Add two months
for preliminary work now going on
and it appears that two years would
be a fair estimate for the time re-
quired to open up the Star ground.
Star Great Mine.
The advantage of this big enter
prise undertaken by the Bunker Hill
and Hecla is that the Star is known
to be mine. The element of uncer-
tainty is eliminated, and it is simply
a question of going after the ore that
is known to be there. This was dem
onstrated in the Star-Federal litiga-
ton. but the exhibits in that famous
case were far from indicating all the
mineral resources of the Star. In the
old Star workings there is a shoot OF
ore exposed $50 feet long and ranging
from 10 to 20 feet wide which has not
been touched in the lower workings
and which was not involved in the
litigation. SO when the crosscut from
the Hecla cuts the Star vein $500 feet
below the original Star workings, ore
deposits so vast in extent will be made
available that the Star will take rank
at once among the great mines of the
district.
Bunker Hill Zinc Plant.
Coincident with the development of
the Star the Bunker Hill & Sullivan
will proceed to establish an electricity
tic zinc plant an enterprise of even
wider Significance with respect to the
future of mining in this district. Pri-
marily intended to recover the zinc
content of the Star ores, its scope has
now been enlarged, according to Off
cial announcement. and it will have
sufficient capacity to treat the custom
ores from Pine creek, Sunset and 9th
er sections which have a zinc product.
The zinc metal is coming into wider
use. according to those who are best
informed on the subject The market
is dormant now. but it will come back
and when it does the opinion prevails
that there will be a stronger demand
than ever before. due to the Increased
use of the metal. No doubt it is TINS
situation that has induced the Bun
ker Hill to proceed with its reduction
enterprise and in charging its ca
pacity Under these circumstances
the indications are strong that zinc
mining in the Occur d'Alene district
win soon take a position of greater
Importance than ever before.