The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-06-11
MONEY MADE IN COPPER.
Americas Immense Production of the
Metal,

Metal.
From the New York Tribune.
The rise in the price of copper from
the vicinity of 10 cents a pound to IS
cents, coupled with the avowed at
tempt to force it up to 20 cents, has
drawn attention to the sources from
which the worlds supply of this metal
Is derived. Twenty years ago the total
product was about 1872, 900 long tons, of
which Chile furnished nearly one-third
$4,000, Spain and Portugal together
a plump fifth (33,361), and the United
States less than onesSixth $50 tons).
After 1879 the output of Chile declined
and the United States soon passed her.
Spain and Portugal slowly increased
their yield. but this country easily out
stripped them, so that in 1883 the United
States led the procession and productd
one-fourth of the total. Two years
later her share was one-third, and by
1892 the proportion had been raised to
one-half.
Since that time there has been but
little change. The American percent
age is slightly and slowly gaining, how
ever. Indeed there have been years
when the only observed increase in the
total amount of copper mined was that
of the United States, the gains in one
foreign country being offset by losses
in another. At present the principal
IS,
are Spain, Portugal, Chile (whose re-
naming ores are all of low grade), ia
| pan, Germany and Australia.
| In this country copper is fairly we'll
distributed, but the chief centers of
production are Michigan, Montana and
Arizona. Moreover, in each of the
! three the region that is most product
i've is very limited. Along the southern
shore of Lake Superior there is mar
| row belt not over a hundred miles long.
| In Montana the most noted mines are
| confined to a single township Arizona's
| copper is apparently somewhat more
scattered than Montana's, but not so
much so as Michigan's.
The Lake Superior region was the
first to be worked. Copper mining in
northern Michigan dates from 1S45-a
trif1e over fifty years ago. And for
thfee tull decades that district rnOnCp-
l1zed the industry. That is to say, from
seVen-elghts to nine-tenths of the
whole American output came from
Michigan. The most famous of the mines
there was the Calumet & Hecla owned
almost exclusively in Boston. 1t has
produced from one-haIf to two-thirds
of the copper OF the lake region for a
long time. The company originally CON
trolled the richest ore deposits in that
part of the country. But the mining
laws of Michigan grant ownership
diaries, and are paramount to the fed
eral law, which would have authorized
the Calumet & Hecla company to fol-
low its vein slantWise under the ground
Hence, certain newcomers, notably the
Tamarack company, We're able to in.
and share it. The Atlantic, FRANKLIN
and kearsarge are among the othel
principal producers in Michigan.
Twenty years ago Arizona began t.
forge to the front, and for a time sh'
, held the second place. In 1882 she furn
ished one-f1fth of the whole output o
the United States and third as mucl
as Michigan Montana passed her tn
following year. The most noted Ari
iona producers are the Copper Queen
! United Verde and Old Dominion com
| panies,
| The Montana mines are situated a
Butte. That accurate and much-duote
authority in mining matters, Charlie
? Kirchhoff, editor of the Iron Age, say
f that the veins are located within a rect
, angle two and a half miles long an
one wide. The largest producers ar
, the Anaconda owned for many year
, | by Messrs. Haggin, DAILY, TeVis (
: Hearst: the Boston E. Montana, tn
! Butte & Boston. Clarks Co1usa, an
= the Parrot Montana passed Michiga
. in the race for supremacy in 1887. b
:, 1892 she was able to furnish one-haI
= the amount mined in the United state
> and One-Quarter of the whole suppl
a | of the world.
l This proportion has not been full
maintained for the last two or thre
u years but Montana still holds the pain
Last year the United States turned OF
i. 234,271 long tons of copper, of whic
$ Montana contributed 97.400 Michiga
) 70,462 and Arizona 4s,459. All of tn
?; rest of the country combined produce
q only 5000 tons The Anaconda mine
yield from one-half to hree-fifths
p the whole amount obtained in Nor
h tana. They are the largest producer