The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-06-27
MINERAL RESOURCES
Annual Report Of the United
States Geological Survey.
MARKED
In the Value Of the Annual Output
Of the Various Metals PRO
duced in this Country.

sources OF the United States,'' by Albert
Williams. jr., Chief Of the Division of Mining
Statistics and Technology, United States
Geological Survey, is now in press and will
be issued shortly. This report is for the
calendar years 1883 and 1884, and con-
tains detailed statistics for these periods,
and also for preceding years, together with
much descriptive and technical matter.
Thu following are the totals of the produc-
ton OF the mineral substances of the great
est interest in Montana in 1884.
Gold and silver.-The mint authorities es-
innate the production in 1884 at $3O,8OO,-
900 gold and $4S, 800, 900 silver (coining
rate(; total, $79, 900, 900. This was an in
crease of $500, 900 gold and $2,6OO,OOO
silver, as compared with 1883. The gold
production was equivalent to 1,489. $40
troO ounces; and the silver to 37,744,6O5
troy ounces.
COpper.-The production in 1884. includ-
ing 2,S5S, 754 pounds made from imported
pyrities, was 145, 221, 934 pounds, worth
SIT, 7S9,6S7, at an average price OF 12A
cents per pound in New York City. The
amount was 2~S,O7O,139 pounds greater
han the production of 1883; but the value
was $275,12O less than that for 1888,
owing to the decline in price. In 1884
4,224,OO pounds of bluestone (sulphate
OF copper, blue v~itirol') were made, worth,
at IA cents per pound, $1S1, 632.
Lead.-Production, 1887 short tons.
Total value, at an average price OF $75.32
per ton on the Atlantic sea-bOard, $1O,-
537, O42. The production was 1900 tons
less than that of 1883, while the decrease
in value was $1,7S5,677. The production
about 5000 short tons, worth, at Ak |
cents per pound, $6,337, 500, almost all of
which was made from pig lead. The pro-
ductiOn of itharge and red lead has not
been ascertained.
Zinc.-Production OF metallic zinc, 49,
544 short tons; worth, at an average price
OF 4.44 cents per pound in New York City, |
$3,422, 7O7. The output was 1872 tons
greater than in 1888, and the value in
sheet zinc, about Ii, 1000 short tons of zinc
white (oxide) were made directly from the
ore, the total value of which, at 3H cents
per pound, was 100000.
Observation-Disclosures, 31,913 TASKS
(of 76H pounds net-2,441 ,344 pounds), or
1852 TASKS less than in 1883. Total
value, at an average price of $29 "a per
flask at San Francisco, $685. 2 Il de-
cline OF $317 ,3O5 as compared with the to-
tai value OF the product OF the previous
year.. During the year SOC, 600 pounds of
quicksilver yermilion were made, worth
$2SS, 900. |
Pyrites.-About $4,000 long tons were
mined in the United States, worth about
$751; 900 at the mines. Some 33, 500 tons
Of imported pyrites were also burned, max !
ing a total consumption OF SO, 500 tons.
Barytes.-Full statistics not received.
The production is estimated to have been
about $4,000 tons, worth, at 81 per ton,
lnground, at the point of production,
800, OOO. ]
Mica.-The production OF m~erchantable
sheet mica, not including mica waste, was
l47,41O pounds, valued at $685. 25.
TOTALS. !
As was remarked in the former report, it /
s impossible to state the total mineral
product in any form which shall not be q
open to just criticism. 1t is evident that :
he production statistics of such incongru- t
)us substances as iron ore, metallic gold
IND silver, the spot value OF zoe mined and r
he market value Of metallic copper after
having been transported hundreds of miles, I
he spot value OF a crude substance like I'M '
unrefined barytes, n the value OF
finished product like brick lin which the 1
OF manufacture is the leading item) t
annot well be taken az items in q general i
ummary. The statistics have been COM n
,iled with a view to giving information on Q
hose points which are OF most interest and a
Utility, and are presented in the form usual Z
n the several branches of trade statistics. n
The result is that the values stated for the | a
|ifferent products are necessarily taken at a
stages OF production or %transpor- {
alton, etc. Theoretically perfect sta t
istics of mineral products would include a
Of all the actual net spot value of each q
in it's crudest form, Ms taken q
rom the earth; and yet for practical pur- G.
such statistics would nave little in
crest other thar the fact that the items
ould be combined in IL grand total in
each substance should be rated on a q
airly even basis. The following groupings, 8
therefore, are presented with a full ~realiza- Y
ion Of the incongruity of many of the n
The grand total might be consid- Z
reduced by substituting the value of A
he iron ore mined for that OF the pig iron a
made, by deducting the discount on silver, T
nd by considering lime, salt, cement, h
orax, etc, as manufactures. It will also Il
e remarked that the spot values OF copper, y
,ad, zinc and chrome iron ore are much
ss than their respective values after
transportation to market. Still, the form !,
dopted seems to be the only one which -
dmits OF a comparison of the total values "a
the mineral products from year to year. Y
ETALLlC PRODUCTS OF THE U. S. IN 1884. a