New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-04-11
MINERAL INDUSTRY.

pectiye results though inevitably vast, are as yet
incalculable We allude to the devotion of capital
and labor to Mining. If we were to estimate the
aggregate product of our mines in 1920 at Twenty
Millions of Dollars, we should probably place that ag-
prepate quite high enough. Now, our alprOduct
of Anthracite Coal alone-anartice hardlypresumed
susceptible of combustion forty years ago-must
cost more than that sum to the consumers, while
our product of Bituminous Coal is at least equal In
extent and value to that of Anthracite, and must
soon far outstrip it. Nearly all the Prairie States
embosom magnificent beds Of this mineral which
has recently been found also in Utah and along the
eastern base of the Rocky ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
which, in view Of their poverty in wood and their
richness in other minerals, must soon largely ex'
hume and profit by these precious deposits.
TIE Iron of this country is perhaps its most i'm
portant mineral. Though found in nearly every
State Pennsylvania, Missouri, and large portion
of the Ohio Valley, boast the largest deposits of
the Ores so far as explorations have yet developed
them. Pennsylvania has hitherto been by far the
largest producers but Missouri is the richer IN
ores, and will probably soon surpass the Keystone
in the number and efficiency of her furnaces. For
time, Missouri will find an advantageous market
on the Plains and in the Rocky Mountains; but
these too will be producers of the first Of metals
long before the close of this century. Iron Pyrtes
has already, though unsought, been found abun.
dainty in the gold mines west of Denver, and the
cred Buttes," so-called, which stud the great
plain which slopes eastward from the foot of the
Rocky Mountains, seem evidently veined and col
ored by the abundant presence of Iron. So in
Utah, Iron in abundance has been found, but so
mixed with other metals that the attempts to fuse
the ores have resulted in failure and heavy loss A
ripper experience, q more thorough kno Hledge, will
doubtless discover ores free from such deleterous
amaleamation, or teach how that which has hither-
to interpOsed barrier to the production Of Iron
may be converted into an element of facility and
profit. Northern New-York and Northwestern
Michigan-the mountainous vicinage Of the Adiron-
dacks and the eastern coast OF Lake Superior
have extensive deposits of the purest and richest
iron ores on earth, though the absence or distance
of coalbeds seriously limits their productveness
and value. And the day cannot be far distant
wherein Illinois, with her immense ore-beds and
central position, her coaLfelds, her abundant rail-
ways, her navigable rivers and enterprisng popula
ton, will produce more Iron than Pennsylvania
now does.
But Mining Industry is necessarily of slow growth,
as Lake Superior has demonstrated. 1t is now
more than sixteen years since Copper discovered
at several points around that Lake. Visions Of
speedy and vast production of sudden and enormous
wealth. dazzled the eyes of spectators in locations
and stocks-or at least their dupes-for year or
two and then the matter settled down into the
tamest and most practical prose. There is doubt
less great wealth in Copper around Lake Superior
with some Silver, much Iron, and perhaps some
other valued metals. But, though sixteen years
have elapsed since the first diggiDgs" on Lake
Superior the annual production of Copper in all
that region has never yet reached Ten Thousand
Tuns, while the annual consumption of this metal
in our country is not less than twice that amount
A very few mining enterprises on that Lake have
richly rewarded those engaged in them; good
many more now promise bOunteous returns at an
early day; while the great majority Of attempts to
develop mineral veins from surface indications have
proved fruitess, involving their hackers in loss
We do not believe all the Mineral locations on Lake
Superior could to-day be sold for the aggregate
amount actually expended in mining in that remote
wild, rugged region.
The production of Lead along a portion Of the
Upper Mississippi, after years of depression and
laDguer, is said TO have considerably revived dur
ing the past Winter. Thousands who have been
trying to make themselves speedily rich by trade
and speculation have ex perienced collapse of their
fortunes and their hopes have relnquished their
wrecked balloons for footing on (or iu) the solid
earth, and have for some months been engaged in
digging Lead-in the main. with fair success.
The Northwest will probably be the better able to
face its creditors by at asst two millions Of dollars,
than it would have been in the absence of this Lead
revival.
A quite original Mining adventure has recently
taken air in the upper valley of the Allegheny river
"a valley which has long seemed to us the probable
future seat and focus Of vast mining and manu- |
featuring industry. The product of this new min
eral development is oil. For some fifty years, it |
has been known that kind Of Petroleum or Rock |
Oil oozes from the earth at certain spots in this |
valley, and has given name to "Oil Creek" a |
Crawford County (Pa.) tributary of the Allegheny.
Recent experiments in boring through the upper
rock strata of this region have resulted in bringing
streams or jets of crude but valuable oil to the
surface-in some cases, at the rate of many barrels
per day. This whole business is yet in its infancy,
and so enveoped 10 the fog of speculation that we
really know little about ii beyond the few facts
already stated Whether these illusions of oil tend