Читать книгу Lead Smelting and Refining, With Some Notes on Lead Mining онлайн
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Cœur d’Alene.—The mines of this district are opened on fissure veins of great extent. The ore is of low grade and requires concentration. As mined, it contains about 10 per cent. lead and a variable proportion of silver. It is marketed as mineral, averaging about 50 per cent. Pb and 30 oz. silver per ton. The production of lead ore in this district is carried on under the disadvantages of remoteness from the principal markets for pig lead, high-priced labor, and comparatively expensive supplies. It enjoys the advantages of large orebodies of comparatively high grade in lead, and an important silver content, and in many cases cheap water power, and the ability to work the mines through adit levels. The cost of mining and milling a ton of crude ore is $2.50 to $3.50. The mills are situated, generally, at some distance from the mines, the ore being transported by railway at a cost of 8 to 20c. per ton. The dressing is done in large mills at a cost of 40 to 50c. per ton. About 75 per cent. of the lead of the ore is recovered. The concentrates are sold at 90 per cent. of their lead contents and 95 per cent. of their silver contents, less a smelting charge of $8 per ton, and a freight rate of $8 per ton on ore of less than $50 value per ton, $10 on ore worth $50 to $65, and $12 on ore worth more than $65; the ore values being computed f. o. b. mines. The settling price of lead is the arbitrary one made by the American Smelting and Refining Company. With lead (in ore) at 3.5c. and silver at 50c., the value, f. o. b. mines, of a ton of ore containing 50 per cent. Pb and 30 oz. silver is approximately as follows: