Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-24
VAL STREET SATS GOLD

puted superiority over the rest of the worlc
, in regard to gold production. It's output
! was worth 100000 600 out of total of $50
| CG0G09, while Australia, now the leader
| only produced $685. eco.
| In 1893. a in 1902, the United States fell
| behind. The output in twenty-three states
| and territories was worth $13 ,591 100 while
| the AuStralasian total was SS3.210, 100. The
! African production. with South Africa just
| recovering from the disastrous effects of the
| Boer war, crept upwards, reaching SGT 1888
loo. The total of the worlds production was
S3.J.12I go. This was gain of S29, G31, 600
| on 1902, and of more than 2,0G0, 900 on 1899,
| when more gold was produced than ever be-
| fore in the history of the world.
A Falling Off.
In the United States there was a falling
off of over $6o00,030, as compared with 1902.
This was due almost entirely to the strikes
| in Colorado where there was decrease in
production amounting to nearly that figure.
There was also a slight decline in Cali
fornia's output. Colorado, however, was
sill by far the largest producer of gold
anong American states and territories,
with California second, Alaska third and
South Dakota fourth.
Silver is of much less Importance as an
Industry. Less than $50 0O0, 600 worth was
n;red in the United States during 1905
Mexico passed the United States in the
production of this metal in 1902, and she
has kept the first place and considerably
increased her lead. Nearly four-ffths of
the worlds output Of the white metal, which
amounts to about s1O0,OOO,O0O annually,
come from two countries-MeXico and the
United States. Last year Mexico reported
an increase of nearly 10, 500, 600 fine ounces,
which is nearly one-ffth of the total pro-
duction of the United States.
While gold is found in all parts of the
small quantities that it is impossible to
mine it at a profit Its extraction is a
great industry IN western Australia. the
Transvaal, Rhodesia, New Zealand, West
Africa, India Mysore). British Columbia
end other countries besides the United
States.
Out of the thirty largest gold-producing
mines in the world according to the Econ
omist," a London journal of high repute,
only three are American. They are the
Hon estake mine in South Dakota, which is
by far the largest gold mine in the world,
and the Portland and Camp Bird mines in
Colorado. Out of these thirty biggest mines
no fewer than seventeen are in the Trans
vaal. Six are in West Australia. and the
others are in India, New Zealand and
Queensland.
mine in the world, it is one of the poorest
relatively, as the ore only yields about So. 70
a ton. However, over 1 400, 600 tons are
treated every year. There are many mines
which earn better profits than Homestake,
but none approaches 1t in size. The next
largest gold mine in size, though not in
value of output, is Alaska Treadwell, on
Douglas Island 1t is a notable fact all
over the world that the largest gold mines
are not necessarily, or even generally, the
most profitable.
Most Important Field.
The most important gold field in the
world is unuuestionably the Witwatersrand
field in the Transvaal, which was discover
ed as recently as 1886. 1t is generally con-
ceded that mining is carried on more scien-
tificalIy there than in any other part Of the
world. Shafts are sunk to immense depths
before the reef is struck, but nevertheless
many of the mines We're yielding fabulous
profits before the Boer war. They are be-
ginning to report large monthly outputs
again. although their owners grumble about
scarcity of labor and have brought a hor-
nets nest about the ears of the British
government by clamoring for Chinese cool
According to one expert, at is not ex-
pected that the field will be worked out
for at least eighty years and there is
prospect that operations will be considera
bly, extended under British rule, which will
probably involve a reduction in the work
ing cost, and render some areas workable
which hitherto have not been able to be
worked proitably.
Gold is known to exist over a larger area
than that of the Witwatersrand proper, and
rumors of the discovery of the same
reefs at places considerably distant have
lately been current There are also other
fields in the Transvaal, such as the Lyden-
burg the Murchison, the Klerksdorp, and
the De KaaD. These have hitherto been
only very partially worked, but it is ex
pected that sooner or later operations will
Increase in magnitude, as economic condi-
tions improve and become more steady
1t seems probable, therefore, that South
Africa will soon pass the United States in
gold production, Australia has done.
Iron.
For the past two or three years the domi-
nant factor in the iron and steel industries
has been the exceptionally large demand for
those products in the United States. This
has naturally had the effect of stimulating
production in a remarkable degree 1t has
not only done this, but has practically with
drawn the American producers of pig iron
and steel goods from competition in the
markets of the world. They have not been
able to meet the native demand. Large i'm