Show AN AVERAGE SAMPLE it has always been believed by many that an average sample was a fair and accurate test of the true value of an ore body but this theory is incorrect unless the values are evently distributed from wall ta to wall the term average sample soun sounds cis well but in reality the average sample is more often misleading than it is correct in the matter of average samples a mine owner is apt to be misled as to the true value of his property and a great many operators taking such tests at their face value are liable to meet w with ith some hard and disappointing propositions if they are governed by them for instance a large body of ore is uncovered in which occur streaks and zones of pay mineral associated with shoots of vein matter carrying but little values an average sample is made clear across the vein with results that are most encouraging the pay streak poss possibly bly is two feet in width assaying 50 to the ton while the whole vein ten feet in width averages 75 this looks good to the owner of the mine and he goes ahead with its development and equipment laboring under the impression that he has a ten foot vein of 75 ore when as a ma fact he has only two feet of ore which it will pay him to handle the other eight feet being little better than slightly mineralized rock rock that cannot be handled at a profit under any circumstances and rock which if mixed with the pay product of the mine reduces Ls Ks grade without in the least increasing its value kalua the fact that the full ten leet of ore averages Z 1 75 to the ton realy rea ly amounts to nothing and is a detriment ment a ha haralm harcis ni without a question of doubt to the really good ore in the mine and does not give a fair and accurate idea of the value of the ore body no man coif d mix inix barren country rock with the ore lie he is shipping to the market or to the smelter and yet lie he might as well do so as to mine or niia wilh high grade ore mineral so low in 21 grade that thai it cannot be handled at a profit profet on its own merits on its own intrinsic value As a matter of fact the eight fi fiet fet f et of vein material would woud go only a little in excess of 3 a ton and this would not pay shipping and smelling smelting sm eltin elting or milling ch charges arcs and therefore is valueless excepting in the matter of tonnage along the same line of rezso ing i ng it is not fair to the mine or to the owner 0 state that the average of an ore obdy is 75 or as the case may be when as a matter of tact fact four fifths of the vein is so low in grade as to be practically worthless the average average sample has a tendency to make the proposition look bi big 1 but the idea conveyed is deceiving ani often works a hardship to uninformed and inexperienced parties who are in any way interested in a property from which the average sample has been taken the question of what is an aver average alge sample has often been called to the attention of the writer when reports have been submitted in which it is shown that an entire assayed way up into pay values but where it was shown that only part of the ve n was high in gade ade and that the main portion of the ledge was almost valueless for the mineral it contained in such instances the query arises Is this an average sample or is the unknowingly fooling himself |