The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1939-10-05
P| dns To
Put Glacier
In Operation
Bright Future For Libby
Mine, Says Letter To
Stockholders.
LARGE BODY OF ORE
READY FOR MILLING

nLhD Wv NAAALAlNo
Under date of September Is the
officers of the Glacier Silver Leae
Mining Company, with a mine II
miles south of Libby, sent out no
tees to stockholders of half-cent
stock assessment. Proceeds of the
assessment are to be used for in
: stalling additional Diesel power and
other equipment SO that the mine
can be placed in operation and adj
vantage taken of rising metal prices
Accompanying the notice of as
sessment was letter setting forth
conditions at the time and the plans
of the management. Inasmuch as
the mine is local industry, the let
ter will interest many 1t follows.
The present European war has
started rapid changes in economic
conditions which are vital to the
mining industry in general and the
affairs of Glacier Silver Lead Min
ing Company in particular.
At this writing lead, zinc and cop
per prices are advancing rapidly,
and already many of the mines pro-
ducing these metals are operating
full capacity. There also remains a
probability that the price of gold
may be raised, while silver pro-
ducers and the congressional silver
block are clamoring for higher
prices for domestic mined silver.
Your board. of directors, together
with Mr. Chas H. Goodsell, the
company's mining engineer, and
Mr.. J. L. REILLY, the companys mine
superintendent, have, after long
and thoughtful consultation, come
to the conclusion that these condi-
tons warrant your Board in serious
ly considering change of policy to
radically step UP activity with the
aim of putting the mine into pro-
duction in the shortest possible time
SO that advantage may be taken of
the present and expected higher
prices.
Ores from the Glacier Silver
Lead Mine contain all the metals
mentioned. The settlement sheets
of the American Smelling and Re-
filming Company, to whom the COM
pany shipped concentrates in 1888
and 1884, showed an approximate
average per ton of concentrates as
follows:
Gold-2.24 or. .-...................S 78 40
Sllver-50 or. ....,...-.,...,........ Al. so
Lead-27% .............................. 1850
Zinc-7M.
Of course, every effort was made
to eliminate the zinc from the con-
/ centrates for the reason that the
smelter at that time penalized for
excessive amounts of zinc.
] By selective flotation the zinc can
now be concentrated as an isolated
product which at present prices
should yield a profit from that
metal and add materially to the
profits of the operation We believe
also, that milling practice can be
improved, yielding higher grade
concentrr-e in gold, silver and lead
When your new Board took over
the management of your company
they were confronted with empty
slopes and barren faces. No ore was
in sight and an Indebtedness Of
about 100000 had to be budgeted
all of which has since been liqui
dated.
Today six places have beer
opened up in the mine showing orr
disclosures. Our engineer estimate,
we have 10000 tons of positive
probable and possible ore which car
be easily and economically minet
provided funds are available tt
make proper preparation AT tn,
present time chute lips are beini
installed on the intermediate ant
No. | levels, and a raise is beinj
driven from No. 4 TO No. 3 level t
connect with the REILLY raise from
No 3 to No. level This will pas
the ore directly from No, to No.
level without necessity of transfer
ring on No. 3. 1t is planned t
use the shrinkage system. At TIL
present time we have 1000 tons Q
, broken ore in the stock pile at tn
mill and another 1000 tons in tn
chutes and slopes. This ore has bee
taken from the development Wor
of the intermediate level only.
The mill, which has been idl
since December, 1894, has been re
conditioned by refining the ba
mill, rebuilding the flotation cell
, reagents and balls purchased, me-
E transformer installed and flow shet
revised to economic on power. |
, fact milling operations can be ri
, sumed on short notice.
Granite Creek, which is the sourt
/ of our water supply that furnish,
! power to operate our hydro -electr
plant, has dWindled each fall to
mere trickle. This condition is IL
result of changing climatic cond
: tons. If the future is to be judge
+ from the past, the present pow,
# installation cannot be expected
o carry on mining and milling oper
IS tons for more than five months
is the year The only alternative
d relieve this condition is the pu
d chase OF an auxiliary Diesel plant.
d We are also in need OF transport
+ ton equipment to haul the 0
t. through the No 4 tunnel to the mi
= - In