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Monday Morning, August 31, 1925.Nogales internationalPeopleNtw Leaching Process For Copper OreABOUT PROVED BY BIG COMPANIES MEANS MUCH FOR “THE KINO COPPER COMPANY.”lt;Modern Chemistry and Metallurgy seem to indicate that the old alchemists of the Dark and Middle j Ages visioned the accomplishments of their present day brothers overa thousand years ago. :For three years the big copper companies have been experiment- ^ ing in processes to reduce low' grade ore to bullion cheaper than the smelter method by fire, requiring an initial investment of $1,-.000,000 to $20,000,000. The present day metallurgists commenced 'with tentative laboratory processes, finally centering their efforts on dilute solutiins of relatively cheap and common chemicals. Then they became bolder, and in secluded outskirts of some of the big smelteries and refineries in New York and Connecticut they conducted small experimental plants. Further patient experimentation and success well earnedmade them still bolder but more secretive. Additional and largerplants were constructed with monastic silence, but apparent success. About a year ago they boldly tried out their metallurgical wizardry on a big and practical scale on the Ohio mine in Utah. It is reported that practically complete economic results attended their efforts, and they demonstrated a method far cheaper, less complicated and less expensive than the old smelter method.The Ohio mine is a near neighbor to the great monzonite porphyry low grade copper property of the Utah Copper Company After Jackling's success with the once despised low grade red mountain of the latter named company Augustus Heinze, then in the hey-dey of his Butte career, acquiredthe Ohio.The low grade disseminated copper Ohio was quite different from the high grade lode mines of Butte. But his aggressive litigation with the Standard Oil-Amalgamated had been too much fojrhim, both in purse and health*and the Ohio laid practically dormant or quiescent until the afore-4 mentioned leaching experiment.About that time eminent Yale and Columbia metallurgical author ity remarked that within a very short time, relatively, expensive smelters would be junked, and a cheap chemical colution in a huge system of simple concreted vats,or in the ore shattered in place inthe mine, with assistance from Mother Nature, would do all .the work and at far cheaper rate.While theoretical -experiments were proceeding, little or fto mention of the details of the method ' found its way into public print.Quite recently, however, there have appeared some vague and unsatisfactory references to the process. The first comprehensiverelease of details is that published recently in the Arizona Mining Journal of Phoenix, dated August 15th. Let that journal tell thestory:(From “The Oasis” of Ai“ARIZONA BAGDAD USING NOVEL METHOD OF MINING“Arizona Bagdad Copper of Hillside, Arizona, is trying the experiment of leaching copper ore in place without preliminary breaking up of the ground by underground caving. In many ways this is the most important experiment tried in mining for many years. That part of the copper in the ore will be leached is certain.The question i% how much,“Arizona Bagdad owns one of the few remaining large bodies ofporphyry ore that is not producing. Independent engineers place developed tonnage at 32,000,000 tons of higher grade chalcocite and mixed ore averaging 1.6 per cent copper and somewhere over 400,000,000 tons of primary chal-copyrite ore averaging around 1 per cent copper, much of which is without any overburden.‘“The copper impregnates a % quartz monzonite porphyry. There are, therefore, few^minerals to eat up acid while leaching out the copper. This rock shows 5 to 7 per cent porosity. The primary chalcopyrite ore has a porosity of 5 per cent, and the chalcocite ore a porosity of from 6 to 7 per cent. Experiment shows that water under moderate pressure travelsthrough this rock at the rate of two inches an hour.The leaching experiment is being confined to an area approximately 300 feet square. Two trenches were dug along the extreme boundaries and 15,000 gallons of water a dav for six . months were pumped into these surface trenches. The first waterarrived at the hunnel sump within 12 hours of the calculated time.Similarly to make certain some water with coloring matter wasrun through from the surface to the tunnel sump, several hundred feet, and the water appeared in the same time as ihe copper solution.“On June 26 the company began to pump leaching solution into surface trenches at the rate of15^000 gallons a day. The first ofthis leaching solution has just begun to make its appearance in the tunnel sump. It is too early topredict results, though the first water, which simply carried sulphuric acid without ferric sulphate, is green writh copper sulphate.“The leaching solution as finally built up will be similar to* that Inspiration will use in leaching its mixed ores, carrying ferric sulphate and several per cent of sulphuric acid, being stronger than in case of simple ..sulphuric acid leaching. By a special method differing somewhat from Inspiration practice the ferrous sulphate generated to ferric state for repercolation through the ore.“It is estimated that the company will be making 5,000 pound* of copper a day early in August, in the old solution is quickly re-and that this copper will not cost over 4 cents a pound. If the method is successful, output can be cheaply increased by percolating other unit areas. It will take several months of leaching to determine how efficient the practice is. This will have to be done by churn-drill sampling of winzes todetermine the percentage of copper still left in the ore at the end of the leaching.“The ore where the experiment is being tried is somewhat isolated from the rest of the deposit. It contains copper in oxidized form as well as chalcocite and chalcopyrite. The ore at that point extends to depth of 170 feet. By a modification of the method it is belived the primary chalcopyrite ore can be leached successfully by means of a sulphuric acid-ferric-sulphate solution. So far as could be determined after six months ofpumping no channeling had taken place but the water seeped through in slow regular manner.“In case this leaching in place does not prove efficient, the company will open the chalcocite area up for underground mining, crush ore and leach it in tanks. By using the Inspiration method of underground caving for the chalcocite ore and ste^m shoveling the chalcopyrite, both grades of orecan be made to yield a profit, as Inspiration has shown it is able to break even on ore carrying 0.8 per cent copper in sulphide form.“Arizona Bagdad chalcocite ore body has ngt been delimited yet.Most of the drill holes have beer* bottomed in ore. Engineers estimate that by drilling these holesdefepcr and putting down a few more along the boundary the indicated tonnage couM be increased at least 25 per cent.“The primary chalcopyrite ore is of wide extent, and more drillingwould show a much larger tonnage. This primary ore outcropsover a considerable area. In places it assays as high a3 1.4 per centcopper. Its thickness as now developed is about 200 feet.”If recollection of the writer is accurate the Arizona Bagdad Copper Company was known formerly as the Hillside mine. It was west from Hillside station, on the Santa Fe, between Ph^efiix and Prescott. If the same, it is in vicinity of the Mohave county line. It was owned formerly by Judge E. W. Wells and the Jack Lawlor estate, both of Prescott.—probably still is so owned. Some thirty years ago the property was op-Mrs. M. B. Crawford is in the Nogales postofice in the absenceof Mrs. T. J. Wylie.Miss Theo Sprecher is expected to return early next week from her visit in Illinois.cideien.oneanotnamiDr. H. W. Purdy reports thert has been a great deal of rain in the Patagonia mountains and grass is more than six inches high.Thursday morning Mrs. T. J. Wylie, wife of Post Master Wylie, started for Hannibal, Mo., summoned by serious illness of her mother. She will return home in been about a month.Ubers cil \ hear tion miss:in£goveandtheSineTuesday a cloudburst a short distance northeast from Nogalitos, drowned fifteen head of cattle owned by Colin Cameron of Lo-chiel and James Breen of Nogales.Dr. A. A. Doherty, the Nogalesdentist, is expecting return of Mrs. Doherty and the little folks of the Doherty family early next week. They are visiting in Los Angeles.Mr. James Liggett desires “The Oasis” to state positively that heis nut dead—contrary to his alleged death appearing in the last issue of the Custom House Clotheswringer.T1lenther.EasttrailmidibetvThuwasnesdnotnooiriveithevaca of tAfter long and diligent search Ashley, the watchmaker, has suc-ceded in finding a dog that suits him. Mr. Ashley asserts that the dog ia an original free trader, practicing those doctrines pure and simple. The animal has no hair.Thlt;GebProltieeearldisnChafrorerarTaxwenr*1aiWednesday Dr. H. W. Purdy was called to Harshaw to treat some men injured in a mine ftc-by “The Kino Copper Company, Mining authorities believe that a great body of such ore in that property can be successfully and profitably treated by the new process. described in the extended description culled trom the Arizona Mining Journal.olt;i 1TucDistWrito twouasCunpublwith righCABLMARTINEZMULLER, \SonoraNogaa. tioned to a New York and British'syndicate headed by Warner, of the Safe Cure fame. A very larcre paym nt was made. A misunderstanding about the tender of -a second payment caused a hot legal contest won by the vendors, ! to whom the mine reverted, j Verily, from the time of Kintr Solomon, probably the first recorded mining: promoter, the min-jins? business has been filled with .romance and reality. But that is .another story of absorbing inter-jest to a mining: community.The above described leaching pro jcess appears especially adapted to (treatment of disseminated copper I as it apnears in the monzonite of the old Roseboom properties, now named the Spnremp Court Group(twelve claims) acquired recentlyCAPI1SURPIHERMOSILLO, GUiCUL]A GeneralAccounts Carried i
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International
Nogales, Arizona, US
Mon, Aug 31, 1925
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Nancy H.
NJ, USA 08 Dec 2021
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