New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-27
WONDERFUL GAIN IN MINERAL PRODUCTS
ENORMOUS INCREASE IN TOTAL VALUES AND
OUTPUT FOR TIE YEAR 1887.

ENORMOUS INCREASE IN TOTAL VALUES AND
OUTPUT FOR THE YEAR 1887.
Washington July 26.-Dr. David 7. Day, Chief of
the Division of the Mining Statistics, has submitted TO
the Director Of the United States Geological Survey
a summary statement Of the mineral product Of the
United States In 1857, IN advance OF the oicla re-
port Mineral Resources of the United States 1897"
The total value Of the mineral products So38Oo6,-
345; It shows a wonderful gain over 1886 and Is
one hundred million dollars greater than the output
of 1885 The United States leads the world in the
production Of minerals The production OF pig iron
alone increased than $2G,0O0,00O the high
price of copper caused notable expansion In that
Industry The product of coal is the largest ever
recorded The great total value Of more than half
billion dollars I'm the mining industry the report
resulted not only from an increase in the quantity
of minerals mined but also from general advance In
the prices OF metals The year 1883 will fall con-
siderably below this total. Among many reasons for
the decrease this year the decline in railroad build
Ing
The principal items of interest concerning each
product follow:
IronThe principal statistics for 1887 were Domestic
iron ore consumed about II, 300 900 long value
mines s33 900 900; increase over 1886 OF 13OOOOO
tons In quantity and s5 100000 In value Imported
Iron ore consumed l. 1914 30 tong tons: total iron
consumed 1887 about L. 494 30 long TONS 145486S
tons more than In 1885, Pig iron made 6,417148 long
TONS value furnace s1219 500; an increase over
1880 OF 733,s10 In quantity and 800 30.040 In
value Steel OF all kinds produced $780, OIL long TONS
an Of 7765 500 1885, value at works.
SOB 900 Total spot value OF all iron and steel I'm
OF manufacture excluding all Implications
Sill OOO OF s2s 0o3 600 compared with
1886.
1887 according TO the Mint authorities s33c10s 900
decrease OF 100000 from 1886 Silver increased
from s5l 600 1856 to s53441 300 (conng valde)
In 1887.
Copper-Tota production 1884, 52i pounds. Of which
$3.50 900 pounds made from imported pyrites The
total value s21 052 440 average OF ia cents
per pound Tho estimated total consumption OF copper
the United States Increased by about IA cent
Lead-The production OF lead 100 700 short tons,
valued at ala 0oo at $50 per short The heavy
Increase OF desyerized" lead from 1iS29 short tons
in 1886 1885, $50 In 1887 probably due to the i'm
poson OF Mexican lead silver The large product Of
lead 20 las short tons Is due chiefly TO
tho development OF the Saint Joe district In Missouri
production OF white lead and the several oxides from
pig lead increased total OF about rs 900 short
Zinc-The producers returns show an Increase from
a. CAL short tons in 1886 so 40 in 1887. The price
Increased to "a cents per pound making the total value
in 1887 si7s2, $50 The production Of zinc oxide
practically steady at $4,000 short TONS valued at
si,440.O0o
Observation-Disclosures and value increased from 90 99i
TASKS valued 81 0G0 600 to 33S5 TASKS, valued at
sii2s0oo Except tasks from Oregon the total supply
from California. The price In 1887 varied from
ESQ so to s4s per flask in San Francisco
Alurnnum-The production OF aluminium bronze
aiming per cent OF aluminium, increased to H4 7Gi
pounds In 1897 valued at s57,905 Other alloys, prln-
clpally and aluminium amounted A. GIT pounds
worth $1,000.
Platinum Considerable search by dealers produced
44e ounces OF crude platinum. valued &1,s3s. Part
,, this from British Columbia. This Is than
has produced In all previous years taken together
Fuels: Coa.-Tho total output Of the mines, incud
Ing coery consumption. exclusive OF slack coal thrown
the dumps 100, 925 $50 short increase H.
49, I1 ,na). valued AS follows: Anthracite. FSi, 552
1871 dnereasc sS433 O61) btumnous, s97 $3.50 tln
crease 5000 total value. sis24ol,s37 increase
f27s0 GOD. Tho above figures show notable Increase
In 1887 over 1885 IA the aggregate output and value Of
both anthracite and bituminous coal.
Coke.-Total produotion for the year was 7s57,4s7
short tons. valued Ri57o3574 This II tho greatest
product reached In tho United States being O22.
f1e tons greater than In 1856
Natural Gss-Production In 1887 was equivalent to
ooS60o0 short tons Of coal displaced value sl35s5 $780,