Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-05-22

six tons had TO be milled. The mill heads
we're silver, o.; 7.8 percent Lead tails liza
o.; silver Las percent lead. therefore the
recovery was silver SIS percent and the lead
/ about 80 percent This shows that much
silver was lost with the old mill. and as for
lead is fair, but this is from q test run,
which was closely watched and not avazAge
/ from operators who worked there. The av-
/ erage run was about 40 percent recovery on
the silver and SO percent on the Lead. which
| for our present day Is considered very poor.
Considering the size and continuity Of the
Mike Horse vein the rather shallow depth to
which Il has been developed and explored. IL
seems reasonable to expect other ore bodies
beyond the horizontal and vertical limits Of
the present workings change In the general
tenor Of the ore is probably not to be ex-
pected IN depth, except for an increase In
copper and zinc. The occurrence Of copper ana
blsmuth, accompanied By increased amount Of
SILVER, suggests an ore shoot worth deeper
exploration, as there are possibilities Of In
crease In precious metals.
At points GAO feet and $50 feet from the
portal. tunnel No. Of the Mike Horse mine
Penetrates the Little Nell and intermediate
veins. The Little Nell vein has been de-
yeloped by a 200 foot drift and the vein
shows a width OF 2 feet, with gaIena and
pyrite. which appear to have replaced the
porphyry. Some Of the property walls next
to the vein we're sprinkled with pyrite and has
some commercial values for milling The av-
craze value OF the full width Of the vein
including some OF the mineraitzed wall, gives
from to OF. in silver, and TO Is percent
The intermediate vein Is about parallel the
Mike Horse vein. A short drift shows an al
tered porphyry and consists of ] to 2 feet
Of almost solid pyTite.
on the Hogan claim the Mike Horse vein
has been traced, In an eastward extension.
tunnel driven on the vein disclosed oxi-
died ore containing iron oxide, lead carbon
ate, galena and pyrtte.
There are several exposures OF ore around
the Nike Horse property, showing extension
Of the vein system. with possibilities Of de-
veloplng the mine to quite a magnitude, along
the strike Of the veins as wen as parallel
veins. This Is worthy Of careful inspection
survey and exploration.
The writer inspected this mine a few years
ago. and noticed all the possibilities this
property presents for well managed eorpor-
alton as production could be obtained almost
at the start. However, development explora-
ton, repairs, remolding of the mills needed
and new modern equipment be had to bring
the fun advantage to this mine which has
been poorly managed in the past.
The mine presents most attractive future
for well financed organization, and the
mill has TO be partly rebuilt, the present
equipment is old and inefficient, such as the
igs, tables. and the old ziegIer fiotation
cells.
Modern methods must be employed such as
selective flotation, conditioning, fine grtnding
additional crushing equipment is needed; some |
Of the equipment could be salvaged and used |
for a while, but there are many repairs |
needed and Improvement In the power equip |
ment.
from an inspection OF the ore, there Is |
much ore 10 the mine that could be milled |
and much ore to be developed, and deeper |
exploration and development would increase |
the tonnage reserve enormously. The ore viii |
require fine grinding, selective flotation, care
full classification and possibly regrindng to |
obtain high recovery around 95 percent or |
better. Much recleanins through scarvenger /
cells viii be necessary. Several products win |
be made instead Of the old style bulk flota-
lion, increasing profits, and changing from
old-day penalties for zinc In lead concentrate,
70 increased returns by making high grade
nnc concentrate, and removing the iron to
make an iron concentrate, keeping IL out Of
.he zinc and out of the copper concentrates
Metallurgical supervision will be necessary
% obtain maximum efficiency and recovery |
Generally the country is well timbered for
mining Purposes and there could be had much
'inoer OF good size for sawmill purposes The
water is plentiful, and in later years much
Improvement has beenN done In the roads Of
his region through the cooperation Of the
orestry service and the state.
There are many excellent prospects In the
'egion and some are quite well developed
moving much possibilities as producers The
,iacer deposits Of this region need more ex-
'ioration as only easier reached gravel de-
'osits in the creek bottoms have been partly
worked. Much has been left untouched as
veil as the benches or the old stream beds
The future Of the district Is assured as
producer Of gold silver, lead. zinc, copper,
nd pyrite ores, and placer gold