has purchased machinery, and will sink to a considerable depth before attempting any lateral work. A new plant will be bought to replace that of the Castle Creek Gold Mining Company, recently destroyed by lire. The new leaching plant of the Central Black Hills Copper Company was completed, but not in time to operate in 1903. The capacity is 100 tons; the process, lixiviation. After the copper has been extracted the ore will be treated by cyanide process. Work on the Cochran Mining Company, abandoned by the lessees, was resumed by the owners.
At the Columbia Gold Mining and Milling Company's properties the shaft was sunk to 200 feet and cross-cutting was commenced. At this time work was stopped, pending a settlement with the miners. A plant is contemplated. Work at the J. R. shaft of the Cumberland Mining Company was suspended for a short time during the year while a new air compressor was being installed. The shaft is now down 500 feet, and drifting has been started. Considerable work was accomplished at the Dakota and Calumet Copper Mining Company's properties. An aerial tram was erected, pumps were installed, and a small smelter was built. Drifting on the Golden Slipper was continued from the 450-foot level by the -Empire State Mining Company. The Golden West 10-ton mill was operated several months, and cross-cutting was started at the 150-foot level in the main shaft on the Yellow Bird group. The company expects to enlarge mill to 100-ton capacity. Work was resumed on the Gopher property after an idleness of several years. The property is well equipped with two shafts, 110 feet and 105 feet deep, respectively.
The Holy Terror operated but a short time during the early part of the year and then suspended work on account of several damage suits. The mine was allowed to till with water, submerging a $7,000 pump which was left in the bottom of the shaft. The Lakota Gold Mining and Reduction Company has cleaned out the Grizzly Bear mine and is erecting a 20-stamp mill and an aerial tram. Following the purchase of the Ida Florence group and the Bismarck mill, the Mainstay Mining Company inaugurated a new era of development, and has since opened a large body of good ore which is to be treated in the old Bismarck mill. The National Smelting Company started operations on ore from the Horseshoe, the Penobscot, and other mines in Lawrence County. Flux for the smelter is obtained from the Montezuma group at Deadwood.
The success of the cyanide process, operating on the black sands found in Rapid Creek, near Pactola, has been so far successful that 4 more plants are to be erected at once. The plant operated in 1903 handled about 300 cubic yards daily, and the new plants will be of the same capacity. Work has commenced on the new shaft at the Redfern Gold Mining
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