Golden Cycle Mill history

Ben Dugan
GCN Historical Writer

  The Cripple Creek Mining District produced vast amounts of gold during its years of production from 1891to the late 1950’s. It is still producing today at the Cresson Mine near Victor. Estimations vary, but the actual mean figure is approximately $450 million and rivals South Africa’s Gold production as well as California Mother Lode Country. Cripple Creek is remotely situated 45 miles west of Colorado Springs and ten miles from Pikes Peak. Development of the area resulted in large corporations controlling many of the mines. The Golden Cycle Mining Company had acquired many mines for its operations by 1900. The company was then sold to John Milliken of St. Louis. Milliken realized the need for a central mill to process the ore from all of the company holdings and built the Golden Cycle Mill in Colorado City in 1906. The Golden Cycle Mill was set up at an inexpensive location at Colorado City close to a  good water source, a close abundant coal supply, and a downward drop in elevation from Cripple Creek. A fire destroyed the original mill in 1907 and Milliken constructed an improved and more efficient mill which came on-line 1908. The new mill installed Edwards roasters which were successful in removing the sulphides from the complex ores. 

  Also in 1908 The Cripple Creek Mining District had reached a stage where flooding mines at great depth was a critical issue which threatened to cease all operations in the area. Albert E. Carlton organized a plan of driving the Roosevelt Deep Drainage Tunnel to prolong the life of the district and added millions of tons of ore to overall production. For three years Carlton superintended the work of driving the bore and raising the necessary capital to complete the work. In 1915, Carlton acquired a controlling interest in the Golden Cycle Mining Company and renamed it the Golden Cycle Mining and Reduction Company as he also had plans to gain control of the Midland Terminal Railway to accommodate the transportation requirements for the Cripple Creek ores.

  Under Carlton’s Management the Golden Cycle moved into a position of one of the foremost gold ore reduction plants in the country. In 1929 Carlton and his brother added a flotation unit to treat base metal as well as gold-silver ores from other parts of Colorado. The Golden Cycle was so efficient and cost effective that it put all of the other mills in the area out of business. The Carltons ran the mill until their deaths in the 1930’s. At that time the Golden Cycle Mill was the only gold refining mill remaining in Colorado. Mines from all over the state including Clear Creek and Gilpin Counties shipped their ore to the Golden Cycle Mill for reduction. The Golden Cycle Mill maintained full employment for 150 workers who lived in the area right through the depression. During World War II The Golden Cycle Mill advertised “Let’s win the war first” and contributed to the war effort by converting to reducing copper, lead, and zinc ore. The Golden Cycle required a 5-lb. sample of new ore before accepting  a consigned shipment from a new mine.

  After another period of the consolidation of mines in the Cripple Creek - Victor district, it was announced in 1948 that the Golden Cycle Mill would close down in favor of a new mill to be built closer to the Cripple Creek mines. The Carlton Mill was located closer to Cripple Creek and Victor and opened in 1951. It was even more advanced than the Golden Cycle Mill had been. Requiring only one-half the employees, approximately ninety-percent of the gold was recovered with a new method which utilized feeding a slurry to a Dorroco-Flusolids Roaster where the sulfur and tellurium are eliminated in their respective oxides. It ceased operations in the early 1960’s. The Golden Cycle mill also utilized Colorado Grinding Balls which were manufactured by the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company in Pueblo. The Golden Cycle Mill served as a Colorado smelter in Colorado City for 43 years and processed 14.5 million tons of ore. The Mill was managed by Max W. Bowen, a 1924 graduate of the Colorado School of Mines in Golden.