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Show 4 INTER-MOUNTAI- fore the gold fields of the Northwest are fully prospected, and better mines are likely to be found in the future than are yet worked. The Cyanide Process. Notwithstanding the rapidly extending use of the cyanide method of ore treatment, this process is yet in its infancy and is very imperfectly under- stood, even by mill experts. No hard and fast set of rules for the application of the process can be laid down, as the ores of different districts, and even of different mines in the same district, require different methods. It is only by patient experiment in each case that the requirements are determined, with reference to the fineness of the ore, duration of contact, manner of introduction of the solution to the tanks, strength of solution, etc. It is not improbable that it will yet require years of investigation and experimentation to determine the full possibilities of the cyanide process. Mr. William Orr, the expert sent out by the MacArthur-Forre- st company from Denver, has spent several months at the Sunshine mill, in the Camp Floyd district, and has assisted the company in determining how the best results may be obtained in its case. He is now investigating the work of the Mercur mill, with a view to increasing its efficiency, if possible, and states that a very satisfactory percentage of values is being saved at this plant. During his connection with the MacArthur-Forrest company he has experimented upon the ores of every gold region in the world, and he has found nothing that yields so readily to the cyanide treatment as the Camp Floyd I rock. He believes, however, that experience will teach the mills of that district how to obtain better results One than have been accomplished. mistake has been coarse crushing, and this has been one of the chief causes of loss. Mr. Orr has found pieces of rock in the tailings that were over an inch thick, assaying as high as $23. It is a mistake to suppose that the cyanide solution will penetrate and act upon such coarse crushing. The proper fineness depends upon the character of the ore, but a quarter inch mesh is approximately correct. The ore may be crushed to this degree of fineness, and in no way interfere with thorough In some saturation and percolation. case percolation is accomplished by introducing the solution from above, and in other instances, as at the Sunshine, better results are obtained by forcing it up through the ore from below. The belief entertained by many people that the arsenic found in some of the Camp Floyd ores interferes with the action of the cyanide is a mistaken idea. The solution does not act upon the arsenic in any manner and is not affected by it in any degree. The rebellious property is arsenide of iron, t, associated with the realgar and and the only remedy is oxidation MINING REVIEW. N any considerable body of ore worth $40 a ton that is not making regular shipments, you may put it down that there is something wrong somewhere. Rock that carries 25 per cent of lead is now worth about $14.25 to the ton. Given 30 ounces of silver at 68 cents, and a ton of the dirt is worth $20.40 in the demonetized metal. Say there is no gold whatever in the proposition and a ton of this ore will net $34.65. Dozens of teamsters can be found to haul the product from the Vale to the railroad for $5 a ton, and at the most $4 will see it through to Sandy. Smelting and sampling couldnt cost more than $15, and $2 will easily mine it. Thus the maximum cost is seen to be $26, and that leaves an easy margin of $8.65 a ton. One man can break two tons a day of the rock in a lead of from two to four feet, and so the daily profit would be $17.30 for each man employed. A Wonderful Process. The mining and ore reduction industries are again to be revolutionized, and mine owners, as well as the manufacturers of machinery, will take notice. Last week letters patent were issued to a genius at Cleveland, O., upon a process for extracting values from auriferous, argentiferous and platini-ferou- s ores, which embodies a proposition of such extraordinary magnitude and scope as to fill the mining world with amazement. This inventor proposes, under the sanction of the United States Patent office, to extract the values from the ores without extracting the ores to absolutely do away with mining. The simplicity of the proposed method is its most wonderful feature, and it is truly astonishing that the idea has never occurred to any of the thousands of distinguished experts who are engaged in the mining and ore reduction industries. It is simply proposed to inject into, and through and about the vein a chemical solution, wrhich will act as a solvent upon gold, silver and platinum. When all of the values have been taken up, the solution is pumped out or drawn off, the values are precipitated, and there you are! No more expensive hoisting plants or costly mills. All the miner needs is a force pump, a few chemicals, and an abundance of faith in the inventor. Camp Floyd mine owners can fill several square miles of the vein with this solution, bore a hole in the side of the mountain and have gold on tap. Fortunately the smelting industry will not be entirely obliterated, for lead and copper cannot be extracted by this truly wonderful method. Pending the receipt of a detailed description of the process and its practical application, the Mining Review would not advise the manufacurers of mining and milling machinery to close up their plants and retire from the field. short but interesting history. It was discovered upon the side hill opposite Three Forks during last summer by George Petty. An option carrying $30,-0for thirty days was given, $500 being paid down. This option was not taken up. With, the $500 as a start Petty began to ship ore, and the late prospect became a nice paying little mine. As soon as tills was accomplished more or less claims of being In on it were preferred; and these, it Is satisfactory to observe, have been decided as of no avail. The case is, however, carried to appeal to the Supreme court of British Columbia. The matter is one of great moment to prospectors. Their partnerships and grub stake agreements are of the loosest kind. A man easily gives interests in his future prospects, but after spending hard work and money on proving them worth holding, he is inclined to let his friends who are in on it and who have not done a stroke of work, carry their case to court, especially if the arrangement is not a matter of record. 00 -- The goldbug Insurance companies and are joining in goldbug policy-holdethe howl and seek to stampede the public by declaring that, under free coinage, all policies would be paid in depreciated silver coin. There will be no depreciated silver coin, as compared with any other coin, tut granting the pointless and senseless statement is true, would not the premiums be payable In the same kind of money? If the insurance companies were able to get hold of any with which to discharge their obligations they would doubtless do it, but what would prevent the policy-holdefrom using the same kind of money in paying their premiums, and who would be the loser or gainer by the operation? The holders of tontine or endowment policies are the only persons who would possibly be affected, and if each of these lives five years longer, he will find that free coinage has benefited him in double the amount of any loss on his endowment. rs flfty-cent-doll- ar flfty-cent-doll- ars rs The New York Financial Record has this to say concerning Utahs wealth and resources: Utah has become one of the richest countries in the United States. The city of Salt Lake has relatively per capita a greater number of wealthy men than any other city in the West. As indicating its financial strength, we take pleasure in noting that during this entire financial depression there has not been a single bank failure within the borders of the State. The State is not alone rich in agriculture, but has. within its borders the greatest mineral fields in this country. It has more dividend paying mines at present than any other State in the Union, and its great Mercur district promises to eclipse that even of South Africa. orpi-men- The decision of Justice Walkem of British Columbia, in the Monitor case (Wills vs. Petty), gives a good prece- The constant reader of Associated Press dispatches has not been able to escape the conclusion that every EastIn speaking of the evil effect of ex- dent for the of verbal ern Democrat has bolted the Chicago aggerated reports concerning the mines promises, or alleged promises, to share platform and candidate. Who are all of the Marysvale district, a veteran Interests in mining claims. The Moni- these people that are flocking to hear prospector says: When you hear of tor, in the Slocan district, has had a and cheer the apostle of silver? of the iron. non-validi- ty |