The Washington times., 1902-09-01
HEAVY PRODUCTION
OF lead AND COPPER
Refined Lead Past Year
Reached 38l,o98 Tons.
LEADvILLE HEADS THE LIST
Conditions Surrounding the Mining of
Copper in Many Respects Extraordi-
nary-Many Pounds of Product on
Hand.

Hand.
The production of lead in the United
States in 1901, says Mr.. Charles Kirch-
hoff. in Mineral Resources of the
United States, 1901" now in press,
United States Geological Survey, was
fully up to the high total which was
in 1900, although the output of
individual districts varied somewhat
The total production of refined lead
in 1901 amounted to 3S1 .6S8 short tons,
as compared with 377,67s short tons in
1900. OF this total production in 1901,
the net American production was 270, 700
short tons, almost exactly the same as
in 1900
The total output of the Mississippi
Valley footed up to about $1,000 tons,
or about one-fourth of the whole pro-
duction of the country. Idaho con-
tinues the principal contributor, fully
IL. 600 tons of the total coming from that
State, and nearly all being the product
CT the Occur d'Alene mines. Colorado
yielded about $4,000 tons in 1901, Lead
vile remaining the largest single dis
trict, although in 1901 this district fur
nished less lead than in former years.
The production of Utah has been we'll
the quantity being 1880
short tons. about 1.SG0 tons in excess
of the production of 1900
Consumption of Lead.
The estimated consumption of lead in
1900 was 269,905 short tons, as COM
pared with 269,30 tons in 1900, and with
6,315 tons in 1899.
The total value of the lead imported
Cor consumption in the United States in
1901 was s364.459, as compared with
500. .213 in 1900. The value of the ex-
ports of lead from this country in 1901
was S624,534, as compared with s459,571
in 1900
During the first eleven months OF 1901
the price of lead was maintained at
4.37Is cents at New York, but in De-
oember the American smelling and Re-
fning Company reduced the official price
to cents. During the whole year the
lead market was held stationary by
main force, although the quantities
which consumption would not absorb
were added to the stock in first hands.
Low prices prevailed in Europe during
the year, and toward the close OF the
year they reached figure in the London
market which Is equivalent to 2.4B cents
per pound here.
Production of Copper.
The production of copper in 1901 is
also reported by Mr. Kirchhoff.
The conditions surrounding the cop
per mining industry during the year 1901
were in many respects extraordinary.
Production was only slightly less than
it had been In 1899 ard in 1900. and con-
sumption In this country was undoubt-
edly considerably greater. But deter
mined effort was made during the great
or part of the year to maintain values in
the face of adverse conditions in the
countries which are the principal GUS.
toners of our large surplus.
Prices were kept above the parity oil
Europe. SO that large importations were
added to the supply. The result was an
extraordinary accumulation Of the red
metal in the hands of leading interests
For a while cooperation between the
principal producers was tried, and
when this failed. coercion was attempt
ed by the breaking of the market to-
ward the close of the year. This was
preceded by very serious decline In
the shares of copper companies on both
sides of the Atlantic.
The total production of domestic cop
per in the United States in 1901 was
268, ,7S2 long tons. as against 270.5SS long
tons In 1900. The amounts produced
and the relative percentages of the to-
tai production of Lake Superior. Mon
tana, and Arizona were as follows:
Lake Superior. 69,7T2 long tons, per-
centage of total production. 25.9; Mon
tana. 102, ,621 long tons. percentage, 1872;
Arizona, 5S,3S3 long tons. percentage
21.7. Mr.. Kirchhoff discusses at some
length the conditions and production OF
the mines In the Lake Superior district
Tennessee.
Imports of Copper.
The total imports of copper in the
United States in 1901, from all sources
and in all forms, amounted to 124 $685.
323 pounds, as compared with 103, ,S95. ops
pounds in 1900, with 93,172, ,191 pounds
in 1899. and 50.26S. 499 pounds in 1885,
The total value CT the exports of cop
per from the United States in 1901 was
S36, ,01l ,4lS. as compared with sos. .S75, ,i39
in 1900, with 3,4S5. .654 in 1929, and
with s35, 5,545,251 in 1898. Germany is by
fo 1a~
since the greater part OF the metal
shipped to the Netherlands is in transit
for that country; on the other hand,
some of the copper which gees to the
United Kingdom is shipped from there
to other countries. The details of these
movements cannot well be followed
The estimated consumption of copper
in the United States in 1901 was 1892
161.0l4 pounds, as against $50, 1871, ,l21
pounds in 1900.
The stock of copper on hand in the
United States on January i. 1902. Is
estimated as being at least 30o, eco 600
pounds. equivalent to six months pro-
duction. In the absence of figures which
might be said 10 represent normal years,
1t is impossible to do more than make
guess al what might be considered the
excess over reasonable stock. 1t is
probably fair to assume that, even at
the beginning of the year 1901. the
STOCKS OF COPPER in this country were
beyond the working limit.
Market Rather Dull.
The copper market opened in 1901
rather dull al the official prices of II
cents for Lake and 1sia cents for cleo
irolytic. but actual sales were made At
l6B cents for Lake, and at 16A cents
Tor electrolytic. BY the 18th of Janu-