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Ruby Mills | |||
LocationExact location in Ruby unknown. Mining and milling operations at Ruby were similar to Many Arizona mining camps. The first people came in as early as 1840 - 50 but the Civil War pulled out the military and the Indians took over the area. After the war, troops returned and resettlement began. In the 1870’s, mineral discoveries were made and exploration and development of the mine took place. Most ore benefaction was by hand sorting and/or a simple gravitational separation with some amalgamation. Water was scarce and the old methods of reduction were inefficient and not profitable. One problem was to get the metal out of the ore, the other ptoblem was to get the concentrated or bullion to market. Isolated remote camps in rugged terrain plus Indian attacks made costs very high. Ore bodies were rich and large enough, but until railroads advanced into the mining camps, the development was relatively slow. About 1899 a ten stamp mill was erected and a pan amalgamation system installed. The venture failed because of poor recovery and high freight costs. There were other attempts to operate but none was successful until the Gold FieldConsolidated Mines Exploration Company took charge in 1916 and built a new mill using flotation for the first time. Few records were kept but the mine and mill operated successfully until 1940 when the ore played out, the mine closed, and the mill was moved to Sahuarita. E. D. Gardener was largely responsible for the early sucess of this complex multi-flotation plant at Ruby. Later, when the Frailey family acquired the town site in the early 70s, a number of tests were run by metallurgist R. J. McCrary in conjunction with the Arizona Bureau of Mines. The results using the Humphrey’s Spiral showed interesting results in the old mill tailings but depressed lead and zinc prices did not warrant further action at that time.9
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