Arizona silver belt., 1895-11-16
THE MINERAL MARKET
A GREAT AND GROWING INDUSTRY

The importance of the copper in- dustry Is not fully appreciated in the West, especially in localities where the wonderful progress in electrical science is not strikingly manifest In every portion of the world where the energy of civilization is marked, elec- tricity is rapidly superseding every other agent for the transmission of power and the production of heat and light and its application uthe mechan- ical arts is continually widening,
 As an instance of the tendency to increased demand, and the inclination to substitute copper for other metals wherever practicable, the Engineering and Mining Journal cites the fact that the Western Union Telegraph Com pany added over 10, 900 miles of copper wire to its lines during the year ending with June last, which do not represent more than an average years renewals and additions on its system The amount of copper which this repre- sents is about 76O long tons, The re- port of the company states, moreover, that they have adopted the policy of replacing all defective iron wires on its lines with copper, the intention being to use that metal exclusively on all the principal lines hereafter, The advantages of saving in weight, in creased capacity for electrical trans mission and diminished liability of Interruption from atmospheric coudi- tions are sufficient to make the copper wires more economical in the end, notwithstanding their greater first cost,
 Improved processes of refining and reduction in nearly all the working charges from the mine to the refinery have materially lessened the cost of production. In the matter of refining, the Western Mining World states that in 1892 the principal refn- ing works charged for treating copper matte from to 2 cents per pound, according to the quality of the copper produced and allowed only 92l per cent. on the commercial value of the silver separated. With the tolls at 2I cents per pound, the charge for treat ing ton of matte assaying 50 per cent. copper was, therefore, S25. Competi- ton among the electrolytic refining works has been so great that the cost of refining 9s per cent blister copper, at several large works, has been lowered to less than one-half cent per pound. The causes of the great reduction in the cost of refining are the 0heapening of supplies and the introduction of improved methods.
 Competition is sharp, not only among refuers, but extends to producers as well, and the necessity of economy nt every point will be readily appreciated Location and facilities for transporta. tiOn, as well as the character of the ore, and extent of the deposits, are import ant factors to the producer. Since the period of low prices began, and espe 3ially since 1891, the efforts of all thu great American producers have beer directed toward more economical hand ling and treatment, which has been ac compIshed by large expenditures fol new machinery, for railroad construc Sion and the erection of refneries neal the mines. In measures of improve ments Montana has been foremost anl she is now far ahead of Michigan il the production of copper The elec trolytic refining of Montana and Ari zona copper has to great eztou capitalized the value of Lake Superio and Western copper and for all prac tical purposes Western refined cope is fully as good 6s the Lake product,
 Owing chiefly to the lack of trans portation facilities, the copper industr. of Arizona has not developed as rap idly as her wealth of that minora would justify. Nevertheless, thi Territory now ranks third in produc tion, and the activity that is certain t follow the investment of new capita and the improvements made and con templated by all the producing com panies, will bring Arizona into greate prominence next year as a cope producer.
 Globe, acknowledged to Do one c She richest copper districts in tn Southwest, will share in this reyiys and become the center of great actiyit and progress