The Alaska daily empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1912-1926, 1922-08-11

plates; they COLLECTED the gold in
4claou..,ia.vS; ga.ena concentrate
and pyr.tc, concentrate
| ,e. Juneau's Early Troubles ..
| "Mcstnwhiles the Juneau had trou-
bles, but of a different character. A
mill, haYing an estimated capacity of
5000 tons per day was completed
early in 1917, but the maximum Ca
pachy during any month in that
year, was only 1888 tons. The prin-
eipal factor in this failure was the
tuse Of ball myils and the attempt
| to reduce the ore in them from 31a
inches to s mesh in one operation.
For this fiasco Mr.. Bradley is not
, 20 blame, because he urged further
experimental work in the pilct mill,
| of so stamps. The decision to erect
The big mill, and to hurry the cree
ton of it, was taken by the direc-
tors under the lead orship of Messrs
NJ. l.. Requa and J, H. Mackenzie
during Mr. Bradleys absence. owing
20 Illness. at Honolulu. rt.
During the year 1921 the net
loss on operations was $16S,73l; up
10 the end OF that year the total ex-
pendlture on property and plant
had been $l4,93S,75Q, of which
$1.965.332 was on mine development
and, $3,333.592 on construction and
equipment. In 1921 the total opcrat-
ing cost was 1851 cents. on .1,613,6Q0
tons, an average of 134,466 tons per
month. as against the 100000 tons
hat the mill was expected to treat.
The success of the enterprise de-
ponds on the treatment of tonnage
equal to the full capacity Of the mill,
for only then Is the cost low enough
20 leave healthy margin of profit.
In 1921 the yield was 64.16 per ton,
of which 1920 cents was in bull
lion, aad 1916 in concentrates. Since
then the mill has been tuned up
gradually. with the result that in
June POI 200 tons was treated. The
scheme OF reduction includes the
crushing of the run Of mine and the
.i,eraration OF the waste, the slate
and gabbro associated with the gold
bearing quartz being removed first
ON 12ipch grizzleyS. Alta later stage,
after re-crushing and washing. more
We. Is removed on a sorting belt
by hand Thus the 207 200 tons
81 onmed from the mine in June was
reduced 20, 103,40Q tons, or almast
exactly one-hllf. before the fine
milling began. The mining and tram
m'rg cost was II cents per. ton. the
m.r'ag cost % cents, and the gen
eral cost was cents more; making
a total cost cs al cents per ton of
ore trammcd from mine to mill As
against this the yield was $4,000
in gold. CT "a cents per ton, and
$4,000 in silver and lead, or 2.98
cents mere per ton. making a total
yield of $3.50 cents per ton. Thus
the operating profit was $4,000.
From this must be deducted $500
for expenditures on capital account
and $4,000 for San Francisco ex-
penditurcs. which include taxes, in
terest offices etc. The total ex-
nepd.ture amounted to S110,500,
leaving a profit of $500, The re-
suit is encouraging. but not conclu-
siye for $500 per month on
banded ,indebtsdness Of $2,3O4.o0p-
not to, mention the common stock
@oul1 rerrc ecrt barely, 4 per cent
ser rpaum.. Further improvement is
assured; but as It IS, the ifechpcal
ach;ev"me1t is astonishing to mine
and mill hard ore az cost OF Al
cents per ton. Even the small oper-
afjng profit cents per TOMS
performance in which the mining
profession can take PRIDE"