LUE clue...the Obit of Hardrock Hammond

[Crow]

Its seems all very suspicious that this story 1929? With Ajo in which had Arizona first open cut copper mine.

The ore mined there was smelter into blister copper ingots. below

Blister copper ingots with have impurities in then Some time lead silver gold and other metals in then they are reprocessed in a refinery. Ajo did not have the capacity to refine the copper blister it produced until an updated plant 1924 with anode casting and tank house refining, precious metal plant capacity.

If the story of treasure being found in 1929 was true. it might of been pilfered blister ingots before 1924. after then pilfer precious metals from the precious metals plant.

In 1929, during a period of “stabilization,” copper men squeezed their price up to stratospheric levels of nearly 24¢ per lb. It was a cordial invitation to open every high-cost mine in the world. By 1933, the U. S. price was down to less than 5¢ per lb., foreign quotations to 4.40¢.

So temptation was there for employees to pilfer copper ingot or even process refined copper or precious metals.

A strike in 1985 led Phelps Dodge to suspend production, and depressed worldwide copper prices throughout the 1990s stymied efforts to reopen the mine. Nearby are the Papago Indian Reservation (east), the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge (west), and the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (south).

Mining stopped in 1985. PD remained a presence in the community but sold much of its holdings, including the Plaza and the company housing. The remaining mines property is now owned by Freeport-McMoran Gold and Silver, Inc., which merged with Phelps Dodge in 2007.

That sure I am not sure there is any substance to the alleged Lue being connected to AJO operation?

Before 1872 AJo did not exist. the area is copper belt with very little significant gold vein deposits.

Crow

 

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[Crow]

The smelter below was fully functional by 1924 before that date ingots of blister was produced and shipped out through San Diego. A little more research Ajo smelter did have a tank house where used cathodes to help resolve copper anode in the electrolysis process. this the surrey of impurities could be processed in gold and silver in a precious metals plant.

Here is anode furnace creating copper anodes from the copper blister. Copper anodes are used in the purification of steel during the process of steel making. Electrolytic refining is the process of refining copper from other metals by passing an electric current through a solution of copper sulfate.

Looking at furnace below it look like a type 2 reverbitory furnace which would of used timer to reduce oxygen in blister copper to refine it to be into copper anode.

In the picture below you can see the anode cooling tanks and the anode casting wheel behind it. the furnace would have tap hole usually blocked clay.

And when the oxygen levels are reduced either by timber placed in the bath of molten copper or gas pumped in to push the air out. When air content reduced the furnace is ready to cast. unblocking the tap hole the molten metal flows down a series of heated launders into casting ladle pouring anodes in wheel of molds.

Here is the cast copper anodes below.

They they are sent to a tank house below. and placed in between sheets of cathodes over time the anodes dissolve and copper transfers to cathode and impurities such as gold silver etc fall to the bottom of the tank in slurry.

The slurry is sent to precious metal plant where through flotation tanks is separated.

If any gold came out Ajo area it was originally from theft most likely through employed in the late 1920s stolen over a periods of time.

Having worked in the industry I knew it easy to fOR employees to cheat their employees. While most plants had security there was ingenious ways to pilfer Copper and precious metals.

My guess this alleged treasure found in 1929 if the story was true? was actually from pilfering from smelting and refining process.

So if anything was recovered in 1965 my guess it would of been connected to previous employees 1929 pilfering from the smelting and refining process.

is this connected to Lue if any? is matter for conjecture.

Crow