Montana Oil And Mining Journal

Western Mines Will Build 20-ton Mill At Florence Silver Bell Mine, Maiden

MAIDEN—Western Mines Corporation, B. E. Flynn, Route No. 3, Lewistown, president and general manager, is planning the installation of a 20-ton flotation mill at the Florence Silver Bell mine, located 20 miles southeast of Lewistown, Fergus county, in the Maiden district.

All the operations are in charge of A. Franchie, mining engineer, who receives his mail at the above address. H. W. Roberts is secretary and accountant for the corporation who makes the company's complete staff. Camp construction is under way and plans for the mill are being made and millsite surveyed by the company engineer. An assay office building is being erected. Mining at present is done mostly by stripping and open pit. A cross-cut tunnel is being driven to develop the ore in depth.

Some high grade ore has been encountered lately and is stripped and sorted for shipment. Several high grade shoots are outcropping and are being opened by open pits to mine this ore and at the same time determine oxidization of the vein and obtain data for deep development.

The new tunnel would at places give several hundred feet of depth on three known veins by cross-cutting and drifting at this level.

The ore carries high values in silver and gold. Richer ore is still expected by deep development as the formation is similar to the Spotted Horse mine of this district.

Large tonnage of mill rock is now available on surface and some is ready to truck to mill when ready to operate.

A compressor and drills are expected to arrive shortly at the mine.

Beside this silver property the company owns and holds 12 gold lode claims about a mile from the Florence Silver Bell mine. Part of these claims are owned by William Smith, pioneer miner of Maiden, and the balance is owned by the company. These gold claims are known as the Prince group.

The ore in this group is similar to the New Year mine ore, only the body is larger and richer.

The mine is being developed by glory hole and stripping methods.

Plans for a 100-ton cyanide counter current decantation process have been prepared by the company engineer who has made complete tests of the ore. The glory hole will be served by a compressed air hoist and slusher and will use quarry blasting methods. Construction of the camp has been started.

These properties are located in the same formation and ore zone as the old producers such as the Spotted Horse, the Florence, McGinnis, New Year and other famous mines of the '80s, the boom days of the Maiden district.

George Wieglander of Maiden and Kendall is now developing ore in the old McGinnis mine.

He reports very good ore, following the ore body worked by the old company from which much gold was extracted.

In the early history of the mine, 30 years ago, a surface open cut opened ore that produced more than $30,000 in 30 days.