Bulletin NO.2 Economic Series No . .2

University of ArizonaBulletin

CHARLES F. WILLIS, Director.

SCOPE OF THE WORK OF THEARIZONA STATE BUREAU

OF MINESBy CHARLES F. WILLIS

Application tor entry as second classmatter at postoffice, Tucson, Arizona, ap-plted for. Issued forty times annually

PUBLISHED BY THE

University of ArizonaBureau of MinesTUCSON, ARIZONA

1915-16

I'HE SCOPE OF THE WORK OF THE ARZIONASTATE BUREAU OF MINES

The general function of the Arizona State Bureau ofMines is to conduct in behalf of public welfare the funda-mental inquiries and investigations as will lead to increasedsafety, efficiency and economy in the mining industry of Ari-zona. The work follows two broad lines that are of thegreatest concern-the safeguarding of the lives of the minersand employees of the metallurgical and mineral industriesand the development of more efficient and less wasteful pre-paration of our mineral resources. Such inquiries and investi-gations are general in scope.

The Bureau of Mines is a non-partisan organization. Itdoes not stand for the miner against the operator or for theoperator against the miner, but does stand for the welfare ofall the men who labor in the different branches of the miningindustry and for the development of that industry. The rea-son that mining has received little state aid in the past is prin-cipally due to the fact that the mining industry is generallyregarded as an industry comprised of a few highly profitableproperties, and their owners have never requested state aid,but there is a large number of small mines in the state, ap-proximately 2,000. Few seem to appreciate the importanceof helping these men who hold the small properties to findmethods by which they may be worked at a profit, instead ofbeing helplessly transferred to a few large corporations whoalone have the funds for developing processes which makeprofitable operation possible. An urgent appeal for state aidcomes from the prospectors engaged in the industry in Ari-zona, who desire state aid in the development of safer andmore healthful working conditions, who desire assistance inbringing the consumer of mineral products in touch with theproducer. Mineral products are becoming more and more in-dispensable in the domestic life of the people and to our manu-

4 Arizona State Bureau of Mines

facturers, as well as being the basis of transportation facili-ties and the products to be transported.

Agricultural products, if ordinary care is taken of oursoils, will be supplied continually by annual crops, but thecase is different with the mineral resources. Our mines can-not produce more than one available supply, which must meetthe future as well as the present needs. The experience has beenthat the use of our resources is increasing much more rapidlythan our population.

More important than all of the above are the hazards ofthe mdustry, the accidents which yearly result in large lossesof life, and the unfavorable conditions in many mines andmetallurgical plants which affect diversely the vitality of em-ployees. None of these conditions are encountered in agricul-ture,' but are in a peculiar way characteristic of the miningindustry.

It may be argued that the mine inspector's office governsa great deal of this work, and it is true as far as mechanicaldevices for improving safety are concerned, but no industryhas the lives of others so dependent upon the personal factorof the employees themselves as the mining industry. It hasbeen figured that not over 40 per cent of the accidents couldhave been corrected through mechanical devices, and it is onlyby the education of the miner to his personal responsibilitythat the balance may be improved. This is the work of theState Bureau of Mines.

Besides improving the conditions for the miner, the workof the State Bureau of Mines is aimed towards increasing theproduction, which means an increase in the number of menemployed and under better conditions, will mean a more com-plete utilization of our present resources, and the making ofa large number of small mines into producers. In the actof creating the Arizona State Bureau of Mines, the followingwere given as its objects:

Economic Series, Bulletin No.2' 5

I. The collection, compilation and publishing of statis-tics of all kinds relative to Arizona mining, such as produc-tion, values, e ciency reports, methods, mill statistics andother things of interest and importance to every mine opera-tor of this as well as 'other states.

2. The collection of a library and bibliography of allliterature pertaining to Arizona mining- and geology.

3. Experimentation, and publishing of results of Ari-zona problems of wet, dry and electrostatic concentration, dryplacer, fetationmethods, etc. '

4. The qualitative determination of rock and mineralsamples.

6, The collection of typical geological and mineralogi-cal specimens to constitute the museum of the State MiningBureau. ,

7. To serve as a bureau of exchange and informationon Arizona mining.

8. The collection of models; drawings and descriptionsof appliances used in mining and metallurgical work.

9. The establishment and maintenance of a state minerescue car for service and training in mine rescue work, firstaid and general safety.

However, the Bureau of Mines is many times called uponto do things which are not within its scope, and often whichare iinpossible. The Bureau ,is allowed to make gratis qualita-tive tests of rocks, where the sample sent may be giV:et;J"eith~ra pertrographical of a mineralogical name. It is also withinthe scope of the Bureau to answer definite questions regardingthe rocks sent in, if these questions may be answered withoutan assay. The questions "Is copper present?" "Is Molyb~denum present ?" "Are nitrates present?" are perrnissable, aswell as any of the minerals which do not require an assay.But to find out if gold or silver is present would necessitate

Anz(}na State BureGIUof M~nes

assaying, which would be in competition with the legitimatebusiness of the state, and which is therefore prohibited bystate law being done free .

. .-Many inquiries ask the commercial value of rocks, butthis also necessitates assaying, as the commercial value ofrocks involves quantitative rather than qualitative work, andis therefore prohibited.

Many samples are sent in of altered country rock, alteredto such an extent that it would be impossible for the Bureauof Mines or anyone else, for that matter, to determine theoriginal structure.

In some cases samples are received with a request to de-termine if a large number of minerals are present. Recentlyone was sent In for a qualitative determination of some eigh-teen metals. This individual case would cost the state fromthirty to forty dollars, and many hours of work, whieh, ofcourse, is unreasonable.

It is remarkable hoy many people believe that questionsof geology, further extensions of ore depths of shafts may beanswered from the examination of a small sample. So manyother factors enter into these matters; that such questions areimpossible to answer.

It is with no idea of criticism that this pamphlet is writ-ten, but merely to show the people whom we desire to servewhy many of their inquiries cannot be answered and that theinformation that they desire cannot be given unless satisfac-tory facts are at hand. We desire the people to understandthe limitations of our work and to appreciate that 'While 'Weare ready and willing to do everything possible to serue them,there are some things that are beyond our reach. We believeit is far better to give authentic information. The latterwould haue a tendency to deceive, and of course would injurethe reliability of the Bureau of Mines. With the large num-ber of inquiries that come in daily, it is often impossible, withthe funds at our disposal, to answer each inquiry in as de-

Economic Series, Bulletin No.2 7

tailed a form as we would like to do, and for this reason itis difficult to give the inquirer all of the reasons why we can-not give him a satisfactory reply. However, we wish him toknow that we have told him everything which we know to beauthentic, and that he may depenxl on this information.

The State Bureau of Mines is permitted to do assaying,but is required by law to charge precisely the same·as thecommercial assayers, In accordance with the act of the Legis-lature of the Territory, approved March, 1897, and amendedin March. 1899, assays of ores and minerals are made for theprospectors and miners of Arizona and for others at fixedrates established by the law, and tabulated below. Extremeaccuracy and excellence of work are considered of more im-portance than pecuniary profits. All assays are rnade indu-plicate, and if not accordant, are repeated. The money re-ceived for assaying is deposited montbly to the credit of theassay fund, which is used to pay the assayer and the cost ofmaterial and apparatus.

COMMON ASSAYS AND CHEMICAL DETERMINATIONS

ONE ELEMENT ONLY:

Gold, or silver, or copper, or lead, or iron, or insoluble ...$ 1.00Zinc, or calcium, or magnesium, or sulphur, or manga-

nese _ ,.....•.......................;.. _ _.._-" _.._..... 1.50Silicon, or chlorine _........................................2.00

COMBINATIONS

Gold and silver _ _ _ _ _._ _ 1.00Copper and iron, or lead and, iron _ _ _ _.... 1.50Insoluble, copper, and lead _ _ _....................2.00Insoluble, copper, and iron. _ _................. 2.00Insoluble, 'lead, and iron..............................................................................2.00Insoluble, zinc, and iron..............................................................................2.50Insolubie. lead, copper, and iron.........................................................2.50Gold, silver, copper, and lead...............................................................2.50Gold, silver, copper, iron, and insoluble. _ _.. 2.50

8 Arizona State Bureau of Mines

SPECIAL CHEMICAL DETERMINATIONS·

ONE ELEMENT ONLY:

Aluminum, or tungsten, or barium,or chromium ,.... 3.00Cadmium, or tin,or arsenic, or bismouth, or antimony,

or titanium, or sodium, or potassium, or uraniumor phosphorous.......................................................................................4.00

Nickel, or cobalt, or molybdenum, or vandium..................... 5.00

CHEMICAL ANALYSIS

Coal and coke analysis, .giving moisture, volatile com-bustible matter, fixed carbon and ash ~ .

The same, including determination of sulphur and phos-phorus .

Silicate analysis...................... , , , .Cement analysis (chemical) , .Cement tests (strength and soundness, by the Depart-

ment of Civil Engineering) .Boiler water anaiysis , .

5.00

7.5015.0015·00

3·0010.00

All assays, chemical determinations and chemical analy-sis, except gratituous qualitative tests- mentioned elsewhere.are required by law to be paid in advance. Remittancesshould be made by. post office money order. Wells Fargomoney order, bank draft, or check of a Tucson bank, payableto the State Bureau of Mines, Tucson, Arizona.