The Red Cloud chief., 1897-01-08
THE MINERALOUTPUT
TOTAL VALUE AMOUNTED
TO 1858, 3ll.46S.


otucr tFOuucttvuA Tor the wear.
NFw YORK Jan. 4.-The Engineer
Ing and Mining Journal says the pro-
duction of mineral and metals in the
United States for the year 1896
amounted To sG53,3 .i6s, showing a
decrease, AS compared with is95 Of
S24,6se, 266, or about 3 per cent. This
decrease was largely in values rather
than In quantities: In none Of the chief
articles was there any marked de.
crease. while in several there were
considerable increases.
The total productions Of metals vas
S242, 3il,4si, an increase OF 8 i,604,1il
over the previous year, while the value
Of non-metallic substances was S4iO,-
y09, 9S7, a decrease Of $50, 3s3, 377 from
1895. A large part Of this was due to
the lower values of coal, stone and q
few other important substances, very
little resulting from the smaller quan.
titles.
The production Of aluminium shows
an increase of 400, 900 pounds over
that of 1895. the total for the year be-.
ing l,300,O 900 pounds. The production
continues In the hands of u single com.
pany.
The increase in copper has been ex-
trnordinary, the total gain amount
ing to $3.50, $50 pounds, which was
made in spite of n large decrease in
the domestic demands. but was abb
sorbed by the extraordinary exports of
the year., which arc the largest on
record.
The gold production in the United
| States in 1896 reached the total OF
S57, OOO. 900. The increase far surpasses
the gain reported from any other coun-
try in the world and puts the United
States in the lead. This country's out
put Of gold was 20 per cent of the re.
ported output of the entire world.
The production Of pig iron was
$3.50, 800 long tons. The depression of
business which made itself manifest
in the latter part of the year had less
effect than had been anticipated, the
decrease from 1895 being only 677 ,439
tons, or about Z per cent. The pro-
duction Of lead from domestic ores
amounted to 1851 short tons, show
ing an increase of 20, sG3 tons over the
preceding year. In addition to this
there was 10000 tons produced from
imported ores or refine from imported
bullion. The quicksilver output was
33,0l2 TASKS Of seventy-six half-pounds
each, showing n decrease Of 966 TASKS
from the previous year. The produce
ton continues to come wholly from
the California mines, no new deposits
having been developed to the produc.
ing point during the year.
The production of silver from do
nestle ores reached II total Of 45.465, IFS
fine ounces, showing u decrease from
that of 1895 amounting to S65, 06a
ounces only. The silver production
has thus been maintained better than
had been anticipated. Moreover, there
were produced from foreign bullion by
our smelters and other works no less
than 10000. 900 fine of silver,
making the total quantity refined or
put into final marketable form in this
country 49, 65, l73 fine ounces. This
large production was almost entirely
absorbed by the markets and the aver
age price OF silver of the year shows
an actual advance which, having been
81 per cent, towards the close of the
year fell about two cents below that
point. OF the silver obtained from
foreign receipts it is estimated that
80, OO0, 900 ounces came from Mexican
} ores and bullion and 10000 900 ounces
from materials brought into this coun-
try from Canada, chiefly from British
Columbia.
The total production Of spelter for
commerce for the year 1896, amount
ing to n, Os4 short tons, showed a de-
crease Of 4,O74 tons from hat Of 1895.
The production was fully up to the de-
mand, however. OF the spclter 81, 43l
tons came from Illinois and Indiana
districts, 49, 3i tons from the Kansas
Missouri region and 9,322 ton from
eastern and southern productions. The
latter as well as the Illinois showed a
decrease. q slight gain being reported
from the Kansas Missouri region.
As was inevitable In a year OF bust.
ness depression, the increase IN coal
was not large, In fact it is surprising
shown anything at all. The output in
1896 was TAI, no. O99 tons, showing q
gain of 4,371, use tons over 1895. On
the other hand there was a decrease OF
!, U.s., O57 short tons In anthracite pro-
/, duction, this mount being greater
than the gain in bituminous. The
total coal production was therefore
1893, 1851, O27 short tons and the total de-
crease as compared with 1895 was -
40, 3O5 tons. With ordinary prosper
ity and activity in manufacturing we
would doubtless have passed 200 900,
900 IONS before this, and it is to be
hoped that point will be reached in
1887. The production of coke showed
a gain Of a., 426 tons; chiefly due to the
activity of the iron and steel trades in
the earlier part of the year. The price
of coal continues very low, the average
for bituminous coal at mines being be-
low 81 per ton.