Table 12.—Mine production of gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc in
1967, by types of material processed and methods of recovery, in terms of
recoverable metals 
 
Type of material processed and 
method of recovery 
Gold 
(troy 
ounces) 
Silver 
(troy 
ounces) 
Copper 
(pounds) 
Lead 
(pounds) 
Zinc 
(pounds) 
Total 4,776 16,986,208 8,246,600 119,479,800 100,521,600 
 8,246,600 119,479,800 100,521,600 
266 
MINERALS YEARBOOK, 1967 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lode: 
 Amalgamation 163 51 
 Concentration and smelting 
    of concentrates 4,613 16,986,157 
Direct smelting: 
 Ore 22 3,541 
 Mill cleanings 14 3,074 
 Old tailings  139 
 Oldslag  40,367 
 Total 36 47,121 
Placer 26 1 
 Grand total 4,838 17,033,330 
 8,300 47,400 7,600 
 800 64,500 34,100 
 4,600 6,200 
 164,300 3,177,700 12,486,500 
 173,400 3,294,200 12,534,400 
 8,420,000 122,774,000 113,056,000 
 
 Demand remained excellent throughout the year, and mine operators continued
extensive exploration and development programs in the Coeur d'Alene region.
Hecla Mining Co. began a program to extend the Star No. 4 shaft at the Star-Morning
Unit mine at Burke to the 9000 level, with the installation of a new hoist
at the 2000 level. In the Bunker Hill mine, a two-compartment timbered raise
was completed between the 21 and 19 levels in the "J" vein area which will
permit mining lead-silver ore of the west "J" vein. 
 A study of the lead-zinc industry of the Pacific Northwest was published
as a Bureau of Mines Information Circular.5 
 Fifteen lead and 12 lead-zinc mines in the State reported production of
53,627 tons of lead. Significant developments included the following: 
Mineral Hill District (Blame County). 
—Federal Resources Corp. continued to be the major Blame County producer
at its Silver Star-Queens mine at Bellevue. Ore production of 29,270 tons,
off 16 percent from that of 1966, yielded 2,037 tons of lead, 252,908 ounces
of silver, and 775 tons of zinc. Development ore was taken from a winze sunk
182 feet on an ore shoot below the 700 level. 
 Hunter District (Shoshone County).— The Star-Morning Unit area mines,
owned 70 percent by The Bunker Hill 
Co. and 30 percent by Hecla Mining Co., produced 228,021 tons of lead-zinc
ore, down 7.4 percent from 1966. According to Hecla, the decrease in tonnage
mined was mainly attributable to the effort expended on the No. 4 shaft project,
which involved excavating a new shaft and installing new ore and waste facilities.
The $3.5 million project, which included installation of a large new hoist
on the Star 2000-level tunnel capable of hoisting 7,100 feet in a single
vertical lift, was scheduled to be completed in the latter part of 1969.
Ore containing 10,515 tons of lead, 560,077 ounces of silver, 18,665 tons
of zinc, and 75 tons of copper was recovered. 
 Production from Hecla's Lucky Friday mine totaled 145,471 tons of ore yielding
15,080 tons of lead, 2,414,191 ounces of silver, 1,069 tons of zinc, and
187 tons of copper. The 19-percent reduction from 1966 total was primarily
because of a strike at the mine which began in October. Prior to the strike,
the Lucky Friday shaft was deepened to a point 50 feet above the proposed
4050 level, and development was completed on the 3450 level. At yearend,
ore reserves were 677,000 tons compared with 658,000 tons on January 1. 
 
 Knostman, Richard W. An Analysis of the Pacific Northwest Lead-Zinc Industry.
BuMine~ Inf. Circ. 8827, 1967, 53 pp.