GOLD MINING IN COLOEADO. 583 



greater portion of it is not brought up to the required standard without remelt- 

 ing. Under existing conditions it is desirable to produce for shipment a matt 

 that contains about 50 per cent, of copper, with 40 or 50 ounces of fine gold, 

 and between 100 and 200 ounces of fine silver to the ton. The loss in smelt- 

 ing for the production of matt is said not to exceed 5 per cent, of the assay 

 value of the ore. 



Each furnace is in operation night and day, and requires two men con- 

 stantly, and four when charging the ore. It consumes from 10 to 12 cords of 

 wood per day, which costs $6 per cord. A full and detailed statement of the 

 costs of producing matt for shipment is not in the writer's possession. The 

 matt, being concentrated to the desired quality, is then broken in the crusher 

 and passed through the rollers; then packed in small sacks of stout canvas, 

 sewed up, and shipped to Vivian & Company, of Swansea. The costs of 

 packages, handling, freight, commissions, &c., not including anything of the 

 cost of treatment after arrival, are stated at about $120 per ton of matt, which, 

 per ton of ore, will depend on the degree of concentration which the matt rep- 

 resents. 



It has already been said that the proprietors of the Smelting Works pur- 

 chase their supplies of ore from the miners, or producers. The following 

 paragraph contains the scale of prices, according to which such purchases are 

 generally made. The schedule is not invariably adhered to, but is modified 

 occasionally according to the peculiar character of a given parcel of ore, or to 

 suit extraordinary conditions. It serves, however, as a general basis of cal- 

 culation.^ 



The scale is graduated according to the number of ounces of fine gold 

 contained in the ton, or 2,000 pounds, of the ore. Thus, for ores containing 

 any number of ounces, as expressed in the left-hand column following, the 

 price paid is the corresponding percentage, expressed in the right hand col- 

 umn, of the value of the gold and the copper contained. 



' Intelligence lately received from Colorado is to the effect that the prices paid for 

 ores, since January 1, 1870, are higher than those indicated in the scale here given. 



