Show mining mini ng operations in in yellow pine district di e d BY FRED FEED A HALE JR JK in spite of uncertain market conditions prevalent in 1914 mining has had a very prosperous year in southern nevada and particularly in dark clark county As in years just previous the largest producing district in the county was the yellow pine mining district which maintained its lead as tile largest lead zinc producing district in the state owing to the fact that the yellow pine mining company tile the largest single producer in the district operated at only two thirds capacity throughout the year the total production of tile the district shows only a slight increase over 1913 but the development of numerous properties from the prospect stage to producing mines during the year has placed the district in the most prosperous condition in its history the yellow pine mine the lessened production of the yellow pine mining company was due to the generally low market conditions prevalent throughout the year and in order to enable them to sink a new working shaft which will result in a marked economy in the P handling of the large ore bodies recently developed in the lower levels during the year the company milled approximately tons of ore of an average tenor or 31 per cent zinc 14 per cent lead and eleven ounces silver from which was produced 2150 tons of lead concentrate averaging 55 per cent lead and thirty eight ounces silver and tons of zinc tailing averaging 35 per cent all of which was shipped in addition to the mill products a total of 1100 tons of crude zinc ore was shipped which averaged 43 per cent zinc the above mill production was made with the mill operating but two shifts or sixteen hours daily during the year a new two compartment working shaft was driven to a depth of feet and a new surface plant installed consisting of electric power plant compressor plant and electric hoist gas engines are used for generating electric power which consume a cheap fuel known as special gas gab ailt oil which is obtained at a cost of 4 cents per gallon f 0 b jean at the mine large bodies of lead zinc carbonates have been developed on the lower levels the ore reserves being larger than ever before in the history of the mine during the past year in spite of decreased production a total of has been distributed to stockholders as dividends A wreck on the yellow pine railroad which badly damaged the shay locomotive necessitated a shutdown of the mill in november but it is expected that full operations will be resumed shortly after the new year at present only crude ore is being shipped mining engineer good springs nev sale of potosi early in the year the potosi property was purchased by the empire zinc company at a price said to be the new company has installed many improvements including an excellent motor truck road from the mine to arden and motor trucks are used for hauling A roasting plant has been installed to treat the zinc carbonate c ar bonate ores which it is expected will result in a considerable sid erable saving in freight rates etc it this plant proves successful others of similar character will undoubtedly be constructed in the district which will result in distinct advantage to shippers of zinc carbonate ore the potosi property has maintained shipments of about tons monthly other properties which have maintained steady shipments of zinc and lead ores throughout the year are the anchor bullion monte christo mountain top alice and bill nye dry concentrating plants of tile the stebbins type have been erected at the MR milford and doran properties an aerial tramway was recently erected at tile mobile which property is now shipping about tons per month the ore being hauled to jean by motor trucks A large body of mixed lead zinc ore has been developed at the frederickson and the owners expect to erect a mill in the near ru ture the st anthony during the year produced about tons assaying 20 per cent coper but ceased shipments at the time of the break in the copper market the discovery of platinum by far the most noteworthy development in the yellow pine mining district during 1914 was the discovery of platinum and metals of the platinum group in the gold ores from the western portion of the district the original discovery was made at the property of the boss gold mining company this company was incorporated in march 1914 to develop a rather low grads grada gold ore deposit about ten miles west of good springs the ore occurred along a fractured zone in limestone closely adjacent to a large mass of porphyry very little development d disclosed is closed a body of very high grade gold ore carrying from to ounces gold per ton some shipments of which were made to salt lake smelters shelters sm elters about this time a local assayer mr H K X announced that platinum in considerable quantity was present inthis in this ore the owners sent samples to ledoux company of new york for analysis and were astounded to learn that the gold ore contained as high as ounces platinum per ton further analysis disclosed that platinum and palladium was present in all of the ore varying from 05 to ounces per ton recent work on the property has de a considerable tonnage of ore of ex e cellena grade carrying copper gold silver platinum and palladium the property was recently sold to mr peter buol and assoil ates for one third of which was a cash payment the re discovery at the boss bosa acted as a great stimulus to prospectors in ia the vicinity and the western portion of the district was soon the scene of considerable activity much development work is now being prosecuted platinum has been dis als covered in the property of the oro amigo amiga platino mining company a recently organized company and the boss Exten extension slon mining company operating on territory adjacent to the boss is also carrying on ex s development A townsite near the mines is being surveyed and it would ap pear that the old town of sandy long deserted is to be rejuvenated activity in other districts there has also been much activity evident in other districts in the county during 1914 the production of the searchlight earch light district has been somewhat handicapped by the burning of the quartette mill which had been operating on custom ores from leasers leaders lea sers but considerable ore has been mined by leasers leaders during the year the gold being re covered in the smaller mills of the districts district 4 in the eldorado canyon district consider able development work has been done with encouraging results some excitement was f occasioned recently by the discovery of high grade gold ore in the golden sceptre mine located in the quo vadis district about twenty seven miles southeast of las vegas the ore occurs as quartz veins in andesite and some of it is of remarkable richness the town of quo vadis has been started and already boasts of two saloons and bids fair to become a town of considerable size in the near future on the whole it may be said that the mining industry in southern nevada was never in so flourishing condition as at tha opening of the new year it would ap j pear that capital has at last been attracted 4 C to the remarkable surface showings which occur in this section and the old timers who have held their claims for many years in hope of better times are at last to be rewarded for their efforts t |