Show STRIKE IN THE BLACK METAL special correspondence pioche nevada march 19 last sunday the black metal mining company struck a 3 foot ledge of high grade carbonate ore in the east adjacent to the foot lev level el A raise run by the old timers had narrowly missed this ore which lies along the north and south break and the face of the raise was but a few feet away from the ore when they quit however a careful study of the geological conditions led the management to resume this work and the recent strike was made although it is early yet yetto to fore forecast bast the extent of the ore the face at the present time shows over three feet of high grade carbonate ore these shoots of rich ore are an immense help in enriching the grade of the mixing ore shipped and though the tonnage found in these rich deposits is naturally not great the richness of the ore contained makes a satisfactory increase in the settlements surface equipment the recent improvements in ane surface equipment which included a new cylinder crank shaft piston and connecting rod complete makes almost a new engine of the fairbanks morse 60 horsepower engine this engine supplies power for the compressor the mine hoist being run by compressed air the complete installation is now running smoothly and the management does not anticipate any further delays on acco account of machinery break down underground conditions at the present time are more than satisfactory at least 1500 tons of ore lie broken in the and chutes ready for hoisting and this reserve is being added to every day an average amount of at least eighty tons of ore is hoisted every day tonnage will be increased with better weather conditions dit ions tonnage of fluxing flexing ore the principal tonnage of fluxing flexing ore is coming from the and levels and a sin smaller aller tonnage from the sublevel sub level on the level careful study of the geological conditions has demonstrated the southerly extension of the bedding planes from the enriched area adjacent to the old foot level through which the old shaft passed to connect with the main day tunnel ann ana active development work nork has proven up a large body of good ore in this section of the mine the extent of which has exceeded the expectations of the management on the foot level the ore Is but the twelve foot bed opened up months ago from the old mill hoze hole is still producing the major part of the tonnage produced in this area of the mine the raise which connects with this bedding makes for more economical handling of the product the mine force lias has now deen reduced to an average of about aho m men underground instead of close 10 0 dnny as f formerly ori this reduction in the working force has been made possible by more economical facilities for lian handling aling the dig tonnage and also by improve im a conditions of labor despite its immense former production product lon the old day mine is apparently capable of an even greater production in the future the high price of silver and great demand existing for fluxing flexing ore should assure continuous operation and a successful future for the company |