The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-06-02

measures are those recognized and
used by almost all of the civilized
world, and are rapidly gaining recog-
milton In the few remaining countries
which have not yet fully adopted
them. In our country they are already
legalized. with the prospect of their
compulsory and exclusive use at an
early date. How desirable. such a
change Will be car be best appreciated
by those who have had occasion to COL
lect or use statistics of this kind.
We give below a summary showing
the course of production in detail dur
ing the year:
METALS.
Aluminum.-The production in 1897
was 1900. 900 pounds ($1, 400, OO0) against
1,300. 900 (S520,000 in the previous year.
The increase was due partly to the re-
duction in price for the metal and
partly to the development of a greatly
increased export trade.
Antimony.-The output increased
from 1.22S, 900 pounds 1854. 10 to 1900
600 ($107 .25o). This was produced chief
ly from imported ores, although the
production of domestic ores increased
from $50 ton 20 500 tons.
Copper.-The increase in production
from 479, S06, 1873 pounds in 1896, to &c.
100, 719 pounds in 1897. came chiefly
from the mines of Arizona and Mon
lana.
Gold.-The production in the United
States increased from 2,55S, 433 troy
ounces ($52. $50. 209) in 1896 to 2,s64,576
($59, 210. 1859 in 1897. The greater part
of the increase was due to Colorado,
which state is credited with an output
of $19.579.637 and now leads all the
others in point of gold production. The
Cripple Creek mines furnish upward
Of - =. .A> 80 ~ -. 1T e 1t
state. South Dakota and Alaska made
increased outputs. owing to the extern
sion of operations at the huge mines
at and on Treadwell island,
and the outlook is for a still further
large Increase in the yield of gold from
these sources. The large production of
the De Lamar mine caused a consid-
cradle increase in the figures for Ne
vada. There was a small increase i'm
the. output of Arizona and Montana.
Contrary to expectations at the begin
ming OF the year there was a falling off
in production in California and in
Utah. In the former state the camps
of Nevada county fell far below their
record of the previous year, while in
Utah the production of the Mercur dis
trict was only a trifie more than in
1896, the new large mills not having
been completed in time to add any
thing of consequence to the total. Al
though the increase in the gold pro-
duction of the United States i'm 1897
was very large there is much probable
ity that there will be a further in
turned out 5S4, 1888 troy ounces ($I2,-
09l, $3.50 of fine gold from ores and PULL
ion imported chiefly from Canada and
Mexico, making a total addition of
81, 302. 1894 to the domestic supply of
gold during the year.
Iron.-The make of pig iron in the
United States increased from 1928. 1877
Ion tons 1891, 577 ,610) in 1896 to 1852, $50
1885,, 677, 312) in 1897. The production or
iron ore was 16, 900, 056 long tons ($3l,-
200. $500 in 1896 and Is. 316. 967 1881, lbs. SAD
in 1897. Upward of &c per cent. of the
production of iron ore was from the
Lake Superior region. The production
of pig iron in 1897 was the largest for
any single year in the history of the
United States.
Lead.-The production of lead from
ores mined in the United States in
creased from 1852 short tons (slO,-
All. 643) to 1877, us 411, 7S4, O93). Beside
this there was a large amount of lead
ore and silver-had imported from
British Columbia and Mexico and
smelted n refined in the United
States. part of it being re-exported.
The Increase I'm the domestic lead pro-
duction in 1897 was due chiefly to
Southeast and Southwest Missouri and
the Occur d'Alene district of Idaho.
The production of lead in Colorado was
40, 400 tons. against $1,000 in the pre-
vious year.. The production of the
Occur d'Alene mines increased from
1880 short tons to IS. $50. The produc-
ton in Southeast and Southwest Mis-
souri, was $40 short tons in 1897.
Nickel--For several years, since the
Gap mine was closed. the
only nickel produced by the United
States from domestic ores has been a
amount derived as a by-product
from lead smeiters' matte from SOUTH
east Missouri. The output of nickel
from this source was 80. 700 pounds
($11 ,66s) in 1897, against 17.170 94.4s4)
in the previous year. There is a large
production of nickel oxide and nickel
salts in the United States from nickel
copper matte imported from Sudbury, /
Ontario.
Platinum.-A small amount of plati-
mum is obtained annually in the United
States as a ~by-product in the refining
of certain gold bullion from California.
We have estimated this as 200 troy
ounces in 1897. the same amount as in
the previous year. The director of the
mint reports to us also the production
of 20 % troy ounces of iridium.
Quicksilver.-The output fell of from
%. 1868 TASKS Isl. I04. s9D in 1896 to %. 07s
tss9l. 002) in 1897. There have been no
new discoveries of late years in the
United States which have come to
anything. and the entire production
continues to be from California. The
decrease in 1897 was due chiefly to the
permanent closing of the Sulphur
Bank mine, the temporary suspension
of operations in the Mirabel. or Stand
ard mine. and the Altoona. and III
diminished production of the Great
Western and Abbott.
Silver.-The domestic production de-
creased from IS. ASS. $40 troy ounces in
1886 to SIS. 457 .292 troy ounces in 1897.