New-York tribune., 1902-01-05
MINING PRODUCTS EXCEED RECORDS
THE UNITED STATES LEADS THE WORLD IN
COAL AND IRON-SILYER. COPPER
AND LEAD FALL. OFF.

The production and progress OF the mining and
HetaHurBicaI industries OF the United States for
the year Just closed were reviewd in the current
number OF Engineering and Mining Journal"
Coal. upon which all the other mining industries
depend for fuel. was treated first. and the total
production was estimated 800 600 900 short tons
an amount considerably in excess OF that brouE ht
TO the surface in Great Britain, and far beyond
the quantity mined In any other country Nearly
the entire amount was consumed home despite
a material growth in exports The anthracite coal
helds or Pennsylvania contributed one-fifth Of the
total There was great development OF the bitu-
mnous deposits OF Pennsylvania West Virginia .
Ohio Illinois Indiana and other Western States.
and the softer coal entered TO greater extent than
before into the market for commercial and
household fuel The production and consumption
of coke were also larger than ever before chiefly
on account OF the activity in the iron and steel
trades.
The reviewer drew attention TO the oil discoveries
in California and Texas and pronounced the latter
the most important since oil found in Penn
sylvania, and predicted that both would have an
important bearing on the mdnufa curing interests
of the States named and the Southwestern region
The iron trade showed production that few
years ago would have been regarded as impossible.
and the quantity of pig iron exceeded the output
Of Great Britain and Germany combined Raw
iron, steel and finished products showed aggre-
gate parallel with that of pig iron. The enormous
output in excess of the demand. and at
the emu OF tne year the great InllIS anu IuIHdSeS
were almost all behind with orders. Every indica-
ton pointed 10 equal prosperity in 1902. for the
larger plants had engagements now that would re-
quire half of the year to complete ore shipments
from the Lake Superior region exceeded 2O0O,0D
tons. Export trade in iron and steel showed CON
siderable falling of in comparison with 1900. but the
home market made up the deficiency.
Gold production showed an increase and amount
ed to between $50 10000 and $50 900 California
Colorado and the Black Hills region were the
heavy gold producers Silver made gain over
1900 and copper fell off slghty-2.500 tons The
Lake Superior region. California and Utah showed
gains copper but they did not make up the
shortage elsewhere. The refining interests drew
much more copper for refining from foreign mines
than in any previous year. There was some de
crease in lead argentiferCus lead falling off 2OOOO
tons and soft lead increasing lO.C0O tons. Zinc
showed gain, with Missouri as the chief gamer:
Exports OF zinc suffered, however. quicksilver and
nickel made good progress. The chemical indus
tries depending upon native products made salts
factory progress. In the metallic minerals.
including cement and bIilding stone and the clay
products the year prosperous one.
In closing the reviewer said Summing up ne
history of the year, may briefly that the
total production of the mining and metallurgical
industries CT the United States considerably eX-
ceeded the enormous total recorded I'm 1900 while
there Is every prospect that still further advance
will be made in 1902.