White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1922-12-31
NEW CYANIDE SYSTEM
PRONOUNCED SUCCESS

II is announced in the Nevada
State Journal that the new cyanlda-
ton process at the Tonopah EXten-
sion plant is a pronounced success.
This process, known as the Halyer-
son system, promises to be 10 the
/ cyanide process what the cyanide
process was to the various processes
for metal extraction some years ago.
! Extraction plants that only had a per-
| centage of recovery of from 81 to 50
per CEN by the addition Of the cyan
ide process brought extraction up to
above 80 per cen and in many In
stances to around 95 and 96 per cent.
Meantime extraction costs were great
ly reduced. Now the Halverson sys-
tenn steps in and again cuts extrac-
ton costs by so per cen and, II Is
claimed. will later bring the redue-
ton down 10 per cent.
Ii remained for the Tonopah Elk
tension Mining Company to make the
first test on a practical scale. The
services of Arthur l.. Halverson. the
originator of the system, were Sc.
cured and every facility given him 10
give the new system a practical test
In connection with the Extension
mill. So far the great saving seems
TO be in the reuse of cyanide. As
the cost Of the cyanide is an import
ant item in the extraction cost its re-
use effects the saving; furthermore,
1t is said that by this system the zinc
precipitates are eliminated.
The first cyanide mill in the Unit
ed States was built by ]. X. Turner,
the mining engineer % of Goldfeld
Altogether he superintendent the
building of fourteen cyanidation
plants. On the death of his brother.
whose death, IL was later discovered.
was caused by the inhalation Of the
cyanide fumes, Engineer Turner re
fused to have anything further to dc
with cyanide mill construction. That
was some thirty years ago. Turner
book on cyanide and its uses was for
a long time the recognized authority
on cyanide. Since that date many
changes have been made In the cyan.
idation process. Now as the last
word in c%yanidation comes the Hal.
verson system.
In addition 10 the use of the Hat
version system the Tonopah Extension
Is again increasing the capacity OF lis
mill. II is interesting to note that
the Tonopah Extension mill was first
put in operation January ., 1910.
The daily capacity on that date was
135 tons. Since that time the daily
capacity of the mill has been In
creased gradually until today IL Is
about 415 tons. BY he addition o.
ten stamps and other equipment the
capacity is again 10 be increased to
800 tons daily. This tonnage. II Is
expected. will be reached by March !
1923. In addition to the ten stamps
the plant will be increased by the ad.
dition of a Dorr classifer and a sixty.
leaf filter box for precipitation. Il
is estimated that the increased ca.
paeity OF the extraction plant will In.
crease the monthly earnings by a
gross OF $4,000.
The Halyerson system will be later
applied 10 the West End. the Bel
mont, the Desert and the MacNamara
mills. So important Is the new sys
tenn that a representative OF the
United States Refining and Smelting
Company has been in Tonopah during
the last few days watching the proc
ess and its results. This man Is said
to be serving In the capacity OF con.
snlting mineralogist and Il Is alec
said that he has placed his unquali.
fed approval on the system.
The Tonopah Extension IS fast de.
veloping into the biggest as well a.
the most NJ to date mine in the Unit
ed States. The orebody is credited
with n length of coo feet and only
one end determined. Its full length
and depth Is rs yet undetermined.