130 Journal of the Mitchell Society [. November 
Eight pounds of lime are added to each ton of tailings 
on its way to the cyanide plant. This is to cause the 
slimes to settle more readily and neutralize any acid which 
may be formed from the pyrites in the ore, and which would 
otherwise consume cyanide. The chief loss of cyanide is, 
therefore, in the solution that is wasted with the wet 
slimes. 
There is required one solution man at $1.50 a day for 
each shift. If one-half of the steam used at the mill is 
charged to the cyanide part, the total cost exclusive of inter- 
est and depreciation is $0.90 per ton. The tailings from the 
cyanide plant contain about $1.00 per ton of gold. Since the 
sands from the mill had been carrying $4.86 per ton, there is 
a handsome profit in the cyanide plant — about $2.90 per ton 
treated. The cost of the plant was from $10,000 to $12,000. 
The loss in the tailings could be reduced by a longer treat- 
ment of the sands and the intention is to add two more sand 
leaching tanks for this purpose.* 
At the Montgomery mine, which adjoins the Iola, there is 
another cyanide plant for treating failings from a 10 stamp mill. 
All of the tanks are square. The stream of tailings is first sepa- 
rated into slimes and sands in a pointed box. Near the bot- 
tom of this box is a pipe out of which the coarse sand, which 
settles most rapidly, flows to the settling tanks, over the 
sand tank, while the slimes overflow at the top opposite the 
inlet. The slimes are not treated and the sand treatment 
does not differ essentially from that at Iola. The mine was 
shut down at the time of the visit so no data as to the 
cyanide (treatment could be obtained. From the relatively 
greater tank capacity, the sand probably receives a longer 
treatment. The solution tanks and zinc boxes are inside the 
mill. 
There is a new cyanide mill at the Southern Homestake Mine, 
13 miles south of Thomasville, near Cox, Randolph County. 
♦Note — The data as to the cyanide treatment was mostly obtained from 
Mr. W. T. Sawyer, former superintendent, checked as far as possible by 
Mr. Jones, the present superintendent. 
