Arizona republican., 1903-10-16
MINING IN GENERAL.
Notes of Interest from Many
 Sources.

It is estimated that the annual gold production of Mexico now amounts to $2O.OOO,OOo.
 In Mexico City a plant for the manu- facture of a. new fuel from charcoal has been installed
 All the mines in the Comstock lode in Nevada are running full blast, for the first time in 15 years
 The United States production of molybdenum has risen from 10000 pounds in 1898 to 25O,OOO pounds in 1902.
 The largest alum deposit in the world is said-to be located in Esmeraldo county. Nevada. It is over 100 feet wide and the operators are not more than one half way through the ledge The greater part of it is pure crystaliz- ed alum.
 One of the largest porphyritic dikes that has ever been discovered has been located near Silver Plume, Colo. The dike is said to be 30 feet wide and has been drifted on for over 5000 feet A drift has been driven for about 30 feet and shows the lode matter to be made up of porphyry and gouge with the ap- pearance of clay formation.
 The advance in the price of silver is eagerly watched by Arizona mining men, and if the advance is permanent It will mean the reopening of a large number of mines. The increase of 10 cents an ounce means about 8 added to the value of each ton of silver-Iead ore. and this in a year amounts to a very large figure to a producing mine.
 Vanadium is quite common in the mines of Custer county, s. D. It is quoted as worth $500 a pound and it has been found that. combined as an alloy of copper, it adds to the elastic quality of that metal that it may be drawn out in wire to thefinest fibre. II IS also used for many other purposes. II IS found in many of the gold. veins near Custer, and 1t known by its color, reddish yellow.
 On the klondike and Forty Mile the miners are equally favored but there is some complaint of water shortage in number of the less important camps on the upper creeks.
 The mineral output of Mexico is plac- ed at s130,00O,000- Exports last year amounted to gold, s23, ,2S3 00O; silver, S69,S46,000: copper, s1S,S36 399; lead, s6,- 1S0.2S5; other minerals, SS37, ,O0O: total S11s.9S5, 900.
 According to an English expert the supply of coal yet remaining in the United Kingdom amounts to SO,6S4, ,OOO,- GOO tons, which, at the present rate of mining, would last 370 years. The same authority gives the total output of the world in 1900 as 767. .636,204 tons, of which Great Britain produced 229, 000,- OO0 tons. or 90 per cent, and the United States 2i5.000,0o0 tons. leaving a bal ance of about 3 per cent for the rest of the world.
 While the amount of refined copper yLake mines will fall trifIe short of 2O0,ooo.0oO pounds this year, the in crease will be very large and will be followed by further increase in 1904 As It is matter of four or five years to de [-iop a new property to the produc- ing stage. temporary fluctuations in tie copper market have very slight effect UT or :he p,ot:lction of til l.cal mines from year to year. The copper situation as whole is very satisfac- tory to the Lake producers. and the prospects of the tr.l1e seem mora set tietl than a; any the for three or fonr years past.
 About a dozen mining stock brokers of Portland, Ore, and one or two own CTS from southern and western Ore son, met there recently. and organized wheat they named the Oregon State Mining association. The following off, cers were elected: J. F. Wickman of Calico, president: J. H. Fisk of Port land. vice president; L. Kisure of Ba- ker City, second president: A. L. Morris of Portland, secretary The meeting was called while the prominent mining men of the state were attend ing the mining congress at Deadwood, s. D., and just what the new associa- tioa expects to accomplish no one seems to know.
 Work will soon (begin on an immense tunnel from Butte creek in Butte coun- ty, Cal, to drain the ridge between Big and Little Butte creeks. This ridge is rich in gold bearing dirt. but it can not be worked because of the presence of water. which drives out the miners. The gold lies in blue gravel in numer- ous ancient channels and these chan nels covered with lava, are flooded whenever the streams is high. Millions in gold in early days were taken from the Magilia mine before water drove the men out and it is now expected