The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1922-04-20
HECLA STARTS WORK
CUT WIDE WEST VEIN
BETTER ORE ON 1000
Novel Scheme is Devised to
Stop Flow of Water in
Star Crosscut


started work on the Wide West
crosscut. The portal will be a
little east of the old Tiger shaft
and about so feet above it. 1t is ex-
pected that this crosscut will reach
the Wide West vein in about 1900 feet
and at a depth of about 500 feet below
the upper tunnel. shoot of high
grade lead silver ore has been ex-
posed in the upper tunnel, 100 feet in
length and varying from Is inches to
two feet in width, and all conditions
are favorable for the development of
an extensive ore shoot on the new level
that is now being opened up with
characteristic speed. The results of the
development of the Wide West vein
viii be watched with unusual interest,
for it should be understood that il is
wholly independent of the Hecla mine
proper. II is a parallel vein in the old
Tiger Poorman ground which was pur-
chased by. Heela from the Federal
Mining & Smelling company in the
settlement of apex legislation. While
the known value of the ground was
dluNlt ~ JUSTLY NAAC
company in making the purchase, the
discovery of the Wide West adds i'm
mensely. to the possible resources of
the company.
Great Ore Shoot on the 1000.
There will have to rapid change in
the Hecla ore shoot below the 1000 level
if a recent geological opinion regarding
sea level and Occur d'Alene ore bodies
is to be confirmed The 1000 is only
1900 feet above sea level, and 100 feet
deeper will bring it to the border of
the fatal zone but instead of giving
evidence of bearing out this theory all
indications point to a continuance of
the Hecla ore shoot 1000 feet deeper
and possibly then some. 1t is a fact
that the ore shoot is as large and pos
sibly larger on the 1000 than on the
levels above, the ore is richer and geo
logical land all other conditions are
favorable for its continuance to a much
greater depth. A recent assay of a
sample of clean galena taken from the |
1000 returned 70 per cent lead and As
ounces in silver. This is higher in both
lead and silver than similar samples |
taken from the workings above. The |
ore shoot is some 1000 feet in length |
and the east drift is being extended in 4!
ore. Evidently Hecla has no cause to |
worry over the sea level theory.
Star Crosscut and Water Flow.
Three shifts are pounding the Star
crosscut through at the rate of from u
to IS feet per day. The face of the
crosscut is now 5000 feet from the
Hecla shaft, considerably more than
third of the estimated distance to the
Star vein. The face of the crosscut is
now well within the Paulsen group.
ground that was formerly known as
the Thisbie. The evil forebodings re-
garding the deluge of water that was
certain to be encountered, and which
emanated from those who were en-
deavOring to stop this great enterprise,
have failed absolutely to materialize.
Water courses have of course been
passed through and the flow has in
creased, but not to an extent beyond
what was reasonably expected. How
ever, even this has been checked by a
novel plan which it is believed has
never been adopted before in mining !
operations. The plan is simple and eff
fective. In the roof of the tunnel and I
in the walls back several feet from the {
fractures in the rock through which {
the water escapes, holes pointed at an {
angle of As degrees or less are drilled ,
to depth of about is feet or until {
they pass through the fractures. Gas I
pipe incased in. hose or other material $
to make it water tight are driven into /
the holes until they are secure. A $
pump. in fact an old sinking pump re- (
in the Heela machine shop
to develop a pressure of 5000 pounds
to the square inch, is connected up
with these, pipes and a thinly mixed {
concrete is forced into them. AS soon a
as the concrete begins to run out Of q
the pipes they are closed up tightly c
and, this is continued until all are 7
closed except the one through which {
the pump lis operating. With all pipes '
closed. the full power of the pump is e
exerted. forcing the concrete into all t
the. cracks and creviees until it is no v
longer possible to get any more in. il
Then the pump is disconnected, the Y
asst pipe closed up and the job is done.
II, should have been stated that after
The holes are drilled a small charge of t
powderleis exploded in the bottom to a
Spring them This breaks more or
ess of the rock into gravel which v
forms a. bedding or obstruction and in e
a great measure prevents the concrete Fl
from. -oozing through the fractures into s
he tunnel while under pressure and s
until it sets OF course some of the Il