Mercur, EM&J, 1897
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Part I
The Camp Floyd Mining District And The Mercur Mines, Utah..
Written for the Engineering and Mining Journal by R. C. Gemmell.
Engineering and Mining Journal, Volume 63, Number 17, April 24, 1897, page 403
[Page 404 is the topography and geology of the Camp Floyd district and does not apply to the district's history]
The Camp Floyd Mining District is some 50 miles south from Salt Lake City, with which it is connected by the Oregon Short Line to Lehi Junction, the Tintic Branch thence to Fairfield Station, and the Salt Lake & Mercur Railroad. Mercur is the active center of Camp Floyd Mining District, and a brief description of its mines follows:
History
About two miles from Fairfield Station is a little colony of Mormon farmers, living in a settlement called Fairfield City, situated in the heart of a sagebrush desert, a small portion of which is watered from a large spring. It was at this spring that Gen. A. S. Johnston made his last camp tn 1858 at the close of the Utah war, naming the spot Camp Floyd. When the district was organized on April 16th, 1870, it naturally was called the Camp Floyd Mining District. The first location in the district was a placer claim, located by L. Greeley on April 20th, 1870. Other and similar locations followed, but placer diggings could not possibly be made to pay for two very good reasons — lack of gold that could be panned and lack of water. In fact, there is no evidence that placer mining was ever seriously attempted. The Sparrow Hawk, Last Chance and Marion claims were among the first lode claims located, and were the first ones surveyed for patent, the surveys having been made early in 1872. These claims are but a few hundred feet northwest of the present town of Mercur. Some very rich silver ore was discovered on them (some of it going $4,000 or $5,000 to the ton) and they were soon sold to an English syndicate. The ore proved to be very "pockety," and after building a mill, spending about $700,000 and clearing only about $100,000, the company suspended operations.
Soon after the Sparrow Hawk discovery, a rich strike was made in the Carrie Steele. It is said that from this pocket a few men took out about $83,000 in three months. Other strikes followed and in 1872 and 1873 the hills were swarming with prospectors. The town of Lewiston was built on the present site of Mercur, and was soon a full-fledged mining camp, with the attendant typical saloons, gambling-houses and dance-houses. But no steady producing mines were found; the excitement began to die away, and Lewiston, which had grown to a town of some 1,500 people, by 1880 had dwindled down to one house and to one inhabitant, Moses Manning, who remained to work out his own and others' assessments. It is estimated that during this excitement only about $350,000 were taken out, and that many times that amount was expended. Machinery, supplies and labor were all so high that it required $60 ore to pay.
On April 30th, 1879, a German named Arie Pinedo located the Mercur lode, believing he had discovered a valuable vein of cinnabar and naming the claim after the German word for mercury — Mercur. The claim was not patented until early in 1883. Some cinnabar was found, but not in paying quantities, and Pinedo soon abandoned the claim and left the country. Other prospectors drifted in, and about 1883 the gold ledge was discovered. The assay returns showed the yellow metal to be present in paying quantities, but after numerous attempts at panning with never a color, the prospectors gave it up.
In March, 1889, Capt. Joseph Smith (not "The Prophet") put up a mill on the Marion ground for the purpose of working the silver ore and tailing dumps. This was a small amalgamating mill of about 12 tons capacity. After spending $9,000 or $10,000 with no substantial results, Captain Smith was forced to abandon the idea of making the silver ores nay. He remembered the stories of cinnabar and gold being found in the Mercur ore, sampled the vein in the summer of 1889, and got good returns in gold. All thought of mining for silver or cinnabar vanished, and during the winter of 1889-1890 some work was done on the Mercur lode. A five-ton lot of the ore was brought across the canyon to the Marion mill and treated with apparent success.
Messrs. G. S. Peyton and H. W. Brown associated themselves with Captain Smith in March, 1890, and incorporated the Mercur Gold Mining and Milling Company, with a capital stock of $5,000,000, divided into 200,000 shares; $10,000 was paid to Pinedo for the Mercur claim. 30,000 shares of the treasury stock were sold to Messrs. John Dern, E. H. Airis and John Heimrich, of Nebraska, at $1 per share. Of this amount, $25,000 were spent under the direction of Captain Smith in building a mill near a spring at what is now called Manning, about half-way between Mercur and Fairfield Station. This was an amalgamating mill, like the one previously built on the Marion ground. The remaining $5,000 were spent in developing the mine and fixing up the wagon road from the mine to the mill. The attempt to treat the ore by amalgamation proved a failure, however, and once again the hopes of getting any money out of the ores of Camp Floyd District were blasted. About 1,500 tons were put through the mill that by careful sampling had averaged about $18 per ton. Assays of the tailings showed an extraction of about 80 percent, but the clean-up, instead of amounting to about $21,600, proved to be less than $5,000. Cyanide of potassium had been used for cleaning the quick-silver, and subsequent experiments proved that the gold had been dissolved and carried off by the cyanide.
About this time the successful treatment of gold ores by the cyanide process became generally known, and it was decided to give it a trial. A carload of ore was shipped to Denver for a practical test. An extraction of about 80 percent was obtained by this test, and in the summer of 1889 the mill at Manning was remodeled and turned into a cyanide plant, by which the ore was successfully treated. Captain Smith, having severed his connection with the Mercur mine, then turned his attention to the development of the gold ledge in the Marion group of claims. He remodeled and added to the amalgamating mill previously built, and by June, 1893, started up the second cyanide plant in Mercur. The successful treatment of the gold ores being assured, prospectors again swarmed in. Two of them, Messrs. Arthur Murphy and C. L. Preble, located two claims on the old site of Lewiston, staked them out into town lots, and the town of Mercur has since grown to be about the same size as was Lewiston in its palmy days — about 1,500 inhabitants. At present Mercur is a regularly organized municipality, with a water system, fire department, and the prospects of an electric light plant in the near future.
Part II
The Camp Floyd Mining District And The Mercur Mines, Utah..
Written for the Engineering and Mining Journal by R. C. Gemmell.
Engineering and Mining Journal, Volume 63, Number 18, May 1, 1897, page 427-428
The Mercur Mine
At the present time the Mercur mine has the largest mill in the district. Its leaching capacity is about 225 tons per diem. The average value of the 63,480 tons of ore treated during the year 1896 was about $12 per ton, of which about 80 percent was saved. The strength of cyanide solution used is about 0.25 percent, and the cyanide consumed is said to be about 3/4 pound per ton of ore treated. The ore is crushed to a size that will pass through a sieve of 5/8-inch mesh. The total time used for leaching and washing a charge is about 60 hours. The average cost of mining and milling is about $2.80 per ton. There are two ore bodies in this mine, each with an average thickness of milling ore of about 10 feet. The total amount paid in dividends up to January 1, 1897, was $600,000. The mill will soon be increased to a capacity of 300 tons per diem. The mine has been developed and worked under the management of Messrs. G. S. Peyton and John Dern, and under the superintendence of Messrs. John Treweek and George Edwards.
The Marion Mine
This mine is located on the north side of Lewiston Canyon, opposite the Mercur mine. The mill has a capacity of about 50 tons per diem. The average value of the ore treated is about $7 per ton, and the lowest grade milled runs about $4 per ton. The extraction obtained is said to be about 70 percent on $4 ore and about 85 percent on $7 ore. The amount of cyanide used is about 0.4 pound per ton of ore treated. The time consumed in leaching and washing is about 72 hours. The ore is crushed to a size that will pass through a 7/8-inch mesh. The average cost of mining and milling is about $2 per ton. The average thickness of the ore body is about 10 feet. Mr. Theodore Bruback is president, and Capt. Joseph Smith is superintendent of the Marion Mining and Milling Company. This is a close corporation, and the dividends paid are not made public.
The Geyser Mine
This mine adjoins the Marion on the north, and is on the same hill. The mill has a capacity of about 100 tons per diem. The average value of ore treated is about $6.50 per ton, and the extraction is said to be about 85 percent. The lowest grade of ore treated runs about $2.50 per ton, and the time of leaching is about 90 hours. The ore is not screened at all, but is simply put through a Gates crusher before milling. The amount of cyanide consumed is about 3/8-pound per ton of ore treated. The ore body is from 4 to 30 feet thick, and averages about 10 feet thick. The mine and mill are well arranged for economical handling of the ore, there being a double track gravity tramway from the mine to the mill, and the cost of mining and milling is said to average about $1.60 per ton. Mr. S. B. Milner is manager of the Geyser Mining and Milling Company. This also is a close corporation and no figures can be given as to dividends paid.
The Marion and Geyser companies have been involved in a lawsuit for a number of years, which has lately been compromised by the formation of a joint company with a capital stock of $1,500,000, divided into 300,000 shares. 100,000 of which go to the Marion people and the remaining 200,000 to the Geyser people. The new company is called The Geyser-Marion Mining and Milling Company. The Geyser and Marion have their own water supply; otherwise, it would cost them about 15 cents more per ton to mill their ore.
The Sacramento Mine
This mine adjoins the Mercur on the west. The mill is a new one of about 100 tons capacity. The ore is not screened, but is simply run through a Gates crusher. The time of leaching is about 86 hours, and the amount of cyanide consumed is about 1/2-pound per ton of ore treated. The extraction is said to be about 85 percent. The average thickness of the ore body is said to be about 12 feet, and the cost of mining and milling about $2. The mine is operated under the management of Mr. Glen R. Bothwell.
The Sunshine Mine
This mine is situated near the town of Sunshine, about 1 mile east and 3-1/2 miles south of Mercur. Its mill has a crushing capacity of 150 tons per diem, but a tank capacity of only about 40 tons. The average value of the ore is said to be about $7 per ton. and the average thickness of the ore body about 20 feet. Considerable difficulty has been experienced at the Sunshine in obtaining satisfactory results in leaching; this is said to be due to the large percentage of clay in the ore. It is reported that, ore of higher grade, containing less clay, has lately been developed in the lower workings of the mine.
DeLamar's Mercur Mines
The holdings of Capt. J. R. DeLamar comprise in all about, 2,000 acres. His Golden Gate mine — 143 acres — has been developed under the management of Messrs George H. Robinson and Hartwig A. Cohen, with Mr. George Kislingbury as superintendent. A large number of shafts have been sunk to therein, three of which are equipped with hoisting plants. The underground workings consist of several miles of drifts, inclines, crosscuts, raises and winzes, and large bodies of ore have been blocked out. An experimental mill was erected about a year ago, and the problem of the successful treatment of the sulphide ore has been solved by Capt. DeLamar's metallurgical engineer, Mr. D. C. Jackling. A mill of 400 or 500 tons capacity will probably soon be erected, which, according to Mr. Jackling's experiments, will render possible a higher percentage of extraction than is now obtained by any mill in the district.
The Brickyard Group
This group adjoins the Golden Gate mine on the north and the Geyser on the east. It has been developed under the management of Col. E. A. Wall by a number of shafts, inclines and drifts, but a mill will probably not be erected until further work has been done in the way of blocking out the ore bodies.
The Gold Dust Group
This group lies in the northern part of the district and has been developed by Mr. A. Jessen, superintendent. It is said that large bodies of ore have been blocked out and that a mill will be erected in the near future.
La Cigale Group
This group lies on the West Dip, about three miles west of the town of Mercur. The ore body is said to be about 12 feet in thickness, with an average value of $12 per ton. The contract for the erection of a 200-ton mill is about to be let. An independent water supply will be obtained, it is said, by gravity pipe line from East Canyon Creek. The mine has been developed by Mr. C. H. Scheu.
(Charles H. Scheu was one of the incorporators of the Boston & Mercur Gold Mining company when it was incorporated on March 29, 1897. The mine's property at La Cigale included portions of seven mining claims in the Camp Floyd mining district. Scheu was manager and vice president of the new company. -- Salt Lake Herald, March 30, 1897; see also: Salt Lake Herald, May 18, 1897; August 26, 1897)
Other Mines
A large number of other groups are being developed in various parts of the district. In Lewiston Canyon development work is in progress on the Wonder, the Hecla, the Seals, the Rover, the Eagle, the East Golden Gate, the Golden Gate Extension, the Cannon, the Herschel, the Hillside and other groups. In Sunshine Gulch considerable development has been done on the Gleneoe, the Annie, the Annie Laurie, the Overland and other groups. On the West Dip work is being done on the Omaha, the Daisy, the Badger, the West Mercur, the Green Campbell and other groups. It is believed that a number of paying mines will have been developed by the time another year rolls around. Mercur is not a poor man's camp, as a great deal of money has to be spent upon a property there before it can be placed upon a paying basis.
The Salt Lake & Mercur Railroad
Not the least of the achievements in Camp Floyd District was the construction of the Salt Lake & Mercur Railroad. This road was built during the year 1894, under the management of Mr. J. G. Jacobs, with Col. C. D. Moore as chief engineer. Starting at Fairfield Station, at an elevation of 5,116 feet above sea level, it reaches the Mercur mine with a length of line of about 10-1/2 miles, and Mercur depot with about 12 miles, crossing Mercur Divide at an elevation of about 7,100 ft. The road is standard gauge, with maximum grade of 4.2 percent and maximum curves of 42 degrees radius. So far as the writer knows, this was the first standard-gauge road ever constructed with curves of such short radius. At the time of its construction money was hard to get for such an enterprise, and the promoters were forced to lay the track with 30-pound steel. Since then some of this has been replaced with 40-pound steel.
The road is equipped with 11 cars, and with three engines, one of 20 tons and two of 28 tons each. The engines are of the Shay pattern, and pull regulation cars over the road. Since the road was built the average tonnage has been about 7,000 tons per month, and at the present time it is about 8,000 tons per month. No accident has ever happened to trains and no passengers have ever been injured or freight damaged.
Gold Belt Pipe Line
Another novel and rather bold undertaking was the construction of the Gold Belt pipe line. Previous to its construction the only water at Mercur was that piped to the Marion mine from a spring near the summit of the divide between East Canyon and Lewiston Canyon, part of which was used for leaching the Marion ores, the remainder being peddled around town by water wagons and sold at the rate of one cent per gallon. As early as October, 1892, Col. E. A. Wall conceived the idea of developing water power from East Canyon Creek and pumping part of the water over the divide to Mercur, some six miles away. In July, 1893, he made the necessary arrangements with the farmers for the water, but had great difficulty in obtaining money for the enterprise, as it was generally thought to be a visionary and impracticable scheme. With the assistance of Capt. T. B. Rhodes money was finally obtained from Messrs. W. S. McCornick and Theodore Bruback, of Salt Lake City, and the Gold Belt Water Company was organized. During the summer and fall of 1895 the power plant was installed and the pipe line laid under the management of Mr. Bruback and the superintendency of Messrs. Wall and Rhodes.
Water is taken from East Canyon Creek at a point just below its two main forks, and conducted to a Pelton wheel through 2,000 ft. of 18-inch and 5,000 ft. of 15-inch double-riveted steel pipe, giving a static head on wheel of about 337 feet. This wheel is belted to a Worthington duplex pump, which lifts the water to the top of the divide, elevation 8,000 feet, through 2-1/2 miles of lap-welded, screw-jointed 4-inch pipe. The feed water for the pump is taken direct from the power pipe line, and the pump works against a pressure of about 650 pounds per square inch. At the summit of the divide is a receiving tank, from which the water flows by gravity through 3-1/2 miles of 4-inch pipe to the tank at Mercur, and on down to Sunshine through 3-1/2 miles of 3-inch and 2-inch pipe. The static pressure at Mercur town tank is about 650 pounds per square inch, and at Sunshine tank about 750 lbs. per square inch. The water is drawn off into the tanks by the means of automatic balanced float valves, that serve to keep the tanks always full of water.
The water is clear, pure spring water, and is sold to the mills for leaching purposes and the inhabitants of Mercur for domestic purposes. The average rate charged by the Water Company for water used in milling is about 1/3 cent per gallon; and for that used for domestic purposes, about $3 per month for an ordinary household of six persons.
Conclusion
No "boom" at Mercur is wanted, but a steady growth into a large gold-producing camp is expected. Quite an old-time real estate boom occurred in Mercur last winter, which did the town nothing but harm. During the past winter, Mr. Charles Butters, the well-known metallurgical engineer from the Transvaal, visited Mercur with his corps of assistants, Messrs. Harry Butters, mining engineer: L. H. Mitchell, geologist and engineer: Mr. J. E. Clennell, metallurgical chemist, and others. Samples of ores were taken from the various mines in the district; a laboratory and office are being fitted up in Salt Lake City; and an extended series of experiments upon the ore will be made for the purpose of arriving at the most practical and economical method of treatment.
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