Engineering and Mining Journal - Whether the market is copper, gold, nickel, iron ore, lead/zinc, PGM, diamonds or other commodities, E&MJ takes the lead in projecting trends, following development and reporting on the most efficient operating pr
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E&MJ; 150 YEARS 72 E&MJ; • APRIL 2016 www.e-mj.com and the Calumet & Hecla, Lake Superior, which is third. In June 1896, E&MJ; would report that the sale of the Hearst interest of 270,000 shares in the Anaconda mine for $27/share, to the London syndicate, represented by the Exploration Co., plac- es "nearly, if not quite, one-half of that stock and perhaps the effective control of that company in foreign hands, prac- tically those of the Rothschilds, who al- ready control Rio Tinto and some other Spanish mines, and who, with the An- aconda output, will control 40% of the world's copper." Gold Begins to Replace Silver World gold production has, "for a few years past, been the most engrossing subject of discussion in the mineral in- dustry. The partial disuse of silver as money throughout the world has greatly increased the demand for gold and the... purchasing power of gold has been an all-absorbing topic of discussion." The increase in gold output from all of the principal countries in 1895 is very pronounced. Total world production is about 9.8 million oz (fne), with a coin value of $203.1 million (or $20.7/oz). The U.S. leads the world in gold produc- tion with 2.2 million oz or $44.9 million. (Because production in the rest of the world is measured in kilograms; E&MJ; refers to gold production by value.) The whole of South Africa comes a very close second with $44.8 million. Australasian production is $14 million. Russia makes a good showing with $34 million. Gold production has increase $23 million worldwide and by $5.1 million in the U.S. In the U.S., gold production has in- creased in all of the mining districts. The greatest has been in Colorado, "…the gold discoveries in Leadville, and the very active exploitation of the mines of Crip- ple Creek, the latest district, have raised production from $9.5 million, to $15 million. Nearly one-half of this amount, or $7.2 million is from the Cripple Creek district alone. Leadville produced $1.3 million. California has reached a total of about $15.5 million, owing to the work- ing of many new mines and the reopening of old ones. Cripple Creek's production has reached levels which not even its most enthusiastic admirers ever dreamed; a re- cord that has had no equal since the days of Leadville in the West." Cripple Creek's population has nearly doubled and the number of producing mines has increased nearly 100-fold. E&MJ; would later report that, on April 29, the town of Cripple Creek has been virtually wiped out by a series of fres, "… which was more than suspected to be the work of incendiaries with the object of plunder, chiefy directed against funds in the First National Bank." The destruction of the town by fre does not affect the productive capacity of the mines, "but at the same time it cannot fail to produce a certain disorga- nization which will probably show itself diminished product this month. We have not the slightest doubt that the charac- teristic energy of Westerners in general, and Coloradoans in particular will cause Cripple Creek to rise like a Phoenix from its ashes..." Electric Power Transmission The development energy converted from water power (hydroelectricity) for mining purposes is steadily gaining favor. Per- haps the most noticeable units in the U.S. are two three-phase mining plants (the Polyphase Tesla Motor), located near Silverton, Colorado, and at Park City, Utah. "The Silverton plant is the frst three-phase plant installed in the Rocky Mountain region. It uses water power tak- en from the Animas River through a 3- x 4-ft fume, 9,750 ft long. The electrical installation consists of two 150-kW gener- ators, driven by two double-nozzle Pelton wheels. The current, at 2,500 volts, is transmitted back up the mountains, a dis- tance of over three miles, to an altitude of 12,300 ft. above sea level, where it is used to operate various mining machin- ery in the Silver Lake group of mines and to drive the stamps and crushers in the mill. Previous to the installation of this electrical plant the mines were operated by steam, and the coal cost is $8.75/ton at the mine. These mines will likely save $36,000/yr through the use of electricity. "The Ontario mine located near Park City, in Utah, uses the power derived from the water of the drain tunnel of the mine—the most expensive tunnel ever constructed by any mining company." Measuring three miles long, it discharges 1,000 cfm of water from its mouth. This water, under a head of 120 ft drives gen- erators of the General Electric monocyclic type, which furnish current at 2,500 volts Readers begin to see the autogenous benefts of cascading grinding mills with the Dode pulverizing mill.