The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1855-01-20
The LEAD AND COPPER IDUsTRIES IN THE UNIT

The LEAD AND COPPER IDUsrRIEs IN THE UNIT
ED STATEs.-According to Professor Wilson's
special report on the New York Exhibition,
though the existence of lead ores has been iden-
titled in nearly every State in the Union, and
though mining operations have been carried on
in most of them to greater or less extent, the
United States are yet dependent on the lead
producing countries of Europe for the greater
portion of their supply of this article. This,
the Professor thinks, arises probably from the
greater inducements offered to labor in the de-
velopment of other more important branches of
productive industry, from the want of the ex
perience requisite to direct the operations, and
the general insufficiency of capital to carry out
effectively those mechanical arrangements on
which success in mining so frequently depends
The lead mining operations in the United
States are confined generally to mere surface
working, except in Ph9nixville, in Pennsylva-
MIA, and one small mine in Arkansas. Most of
the lead ores of the States contain silver
though at present no attempt has been made
to separate the two metals, owing to an idea
that it was only profitable when the ores are
very rich in silver. The annual amount of the
United States is estimated in the report at from
$4,000 to 10000 tons, which is supplied by the
States of Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Arkan-
sas, Virginia, Pennsylvania and New York.
Besides this, about $1,000 tons more are annu-
ally imported from foreign countries. In the
year ending April, 1852 the import amounted
to 2O,7sO tons, of which England furnished
GOT tons; Spain, 6,563 tons; France, 5,749
tons and Germany, 1891 tons. Most of the
lead imported from France, the Professor says
is the produce of Spain, having been taken
from that country to France for the purpose of
having the silver extracted from it. The cop
per industry of the United States is in more
advanced state than the lead, although at pre-
sent the requirements of the country are sup
piled in very great measure from abroad.
Copper ores exist in most of the States which
are traversed by the great mountain ranges of
the first and second chain, and in the north
west of the State of Michigan, along the shore
lines of Lake Superior, large deposits of metal
lie copper are met with. The consumption of
copper in the United States may be taken at
between 5000 and 5000 annually, of which on
ly about 800 tons are produced in the coun-
try. OF the annual home produce about five
sixths, or $500 tons, are supplied by the Lake
Superior district. About 1000 tons of copper
ore were imported into the States during the
year 1923, giving an average yield of thirty
per cent, or 1900 tons of metal. The import
of manufactured ore for the same period, in
bars, ingots. cakes, &C., is given at 1890 tons
Of this amount, from 5000 to $500 tons were
supplied by this country, and the remainder
was obtained from South America About
1000 tons of copper are consumed by the roll
ling hills. and distributed over the different
markets of the Union, the remaining 1000 tons
being disposed of in the manufacture of sheet
brass, kettles, wire buttons, &c. There are al
ready six copper works, containing seven roll
ling mills and three smelling furnaces, in the
States. Notwithstanding the present small
proportion which the home production of cop
per bears to the imports, Professor Wilson is of
opinion that the extensive and rich deposits of
copper ore in the United States need only a jul
dicious application of capital, combined with
more enlarged experience of the mining prac-
tces of other countries, to be made capable of
supplying almost the entire requirements of the
country