Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-08-13
PRODUCTION OF IRON
Inc United States Again Leads the
World in Iron Ores.

Again the United States has sur-
passed all competitors in its yearly ont
put of iron ores. This is the most i'm
por.art tact contained in the report
made by Mr.. John Birinbine to tbo
United States geological survey on the
production of Iron ores in 1903 tn.
report, which will be part of The animal
volume Mineral Resources. 1oo3 he
just been published as a sen.r,+o
pamphlet ANA may be obtained free of
charge from the director of the s,,rva-.
It's opening paragraph declares that ,ha
quantity of iron ore produced in the
United States i'll the wear enairr
December 81. 1903. was 35.0l9. 3OS long
tons. This means a decrease IF 53t
So7 long tons, or about IL per cent
from the maximum of 35.55. 135 long
tons in 1902 The quantity mined in
1903 is, however, the second largest re-
corded ana is greater than the
combined totals for the wear 100
of Germany. Luxembourg, ana the
British empire. which are the nearest
competitors Of tn. United States The
data for 19"% for these countries are not
vet available, but the same comparison
will probably prove true for this y..r
also
The iron ore obtained in 1909 fr,ir
from >. states and two territories
Minnesota, Michigan, Alabama NV.
Wisconsin were the leaders in protlur-
ton. Nevada was added this wear ,y
the list Of producing states. Will. Mr.
mont and Montana reported 10 Or.
mined in 1903.
The iron ore mined was of The four
general commercial classes: rnd lrtna-
tite. brown llcnatite mucn,t,t unl
carbonate. In 1868 the uuan,ity Of ,,.I
hematite mined III the United States
was sec per cent. of the tolul for fh,
country. and of that Mnri"stta con-
trilutvd over onc-hhn. Alullna WAS
the most important contributor Of
brown hcmatitc. The thrc" prinic;,al
states that mined magnetic in 100;
were New Jersey. New York, ana
Pennsylvania The red hematite showed
q decrease Of about | per cent from the
rrdii,t;nn Of 1902, the brown hcmutite
ana the magnetic II decrease each of !
per cent. Only the carbonate ores. the
least important class. showed an in
crease over III" output of 1902. That in
crease amounted to no less than 26 per
cent As i'll 19n2. III of this class of ore
w;,s obtained i'll ohio and Maryland
The Lake Superior district stands pre-
.'l,:r'ut uS IL producer of iron ore. IT.;
;llEtnh output exceeds that OF any Ton
".:,u country, and The average character
%. rs ore, il excellent. In the year Eln.;
t.re "">;thi ana Ncrmilion ranges il Min
urE"tn. til" NaruucttS range in Miciiil ~,
IN Nj, hfgaM and Wisconsin produced q
t,.l .! y, :tl,.-I luG:: tons of iron ore. OF
III. the Mrsabi range alone produced
i pr cent. In addition to the above
narnvd ranges in til" United States.
y: I'll. the Mchipicot"n range. was opened
IN Canada in the year 1909, but its product
in l:"B. .23,o1G long tons, is not included
in tn, above data.
of special interest in connection with
the nrnduation Of Wisconsin is the fact
output Of iron or" in the new I;araano
iron range. near the town of Freedom.
in the southern part III the state. Tn'sc
deposits Of Besscmcr ore. which ara with
in convenient railroad haul Of chi ~"
Illinois. max furnish important additions
to the ore supply of these furnaces.
The state of PENNSYLVANIA showed q A.
cline Of - per cent. from the total of 1.|:.
This decline is due almost cntit clr "a the
diminished output of one If the large
mines. the Cornwall Ore Hills. to which
Pennsylvania has been mainly Indebted
for its position as u lromG"nt nrodnr"r
of iron ores. New ,terseN. on ~" 0'h"r
hand. showed an incrc;iSa Cf n"Ir!V 10 ncr
cent. over its 1902 pro,lI"tirn IL" con-
struction Of several modern fu'n1cc@ va
the chief cause Of thr incr""S"h rNtnrt
in Now Jersey. ana il is probable that
an augmented production may DC ~
p"otcd in the near future.
Tho total valu" NJ th" mines ~ m"
- 90 30S long TOYS Of iron a." prod;crA
in the United States in tn" year 1903 wht
SfG o2S III, or 81 50 ~ ton. an iTcrrTSH -
cents a ton or :, n"r chr. Over ~" yam"
per ton in 1902 viz SlSa II 1"f the high
est average value ut tn" mi"" wac placed
ON tho Colorado iron ores viz. 81 T. ~ ron.
and the lowest on Texas ores. N.N ton.
Iron ore to tho ar1"''"t az n" " '"''''
tons. valued NJ s. 2sl UtN. Nv $'1 q tor.
wae inrnortcd into thie cnnltr- II FE"
from Cuba CHnaIr Sn"'" N"'vf"'''''
l.,rH Algeria tho ITUitc,l Ein~nnm. I'f1t-
iHh Columbia belgium n"d Germany II
ie evident from tho y 11'i'r'v hi;'' E1i""
placed on the OrrG from S"rr" cnillr'fl"S
that the oetr1ntc IS ba"a"l or rc'''.' ''h'r
cn"etiincrt than tho iron contained ~
tho ore The total "v""t of irn'' 90 "
the wear 1902 wne 90 Gil ton" vH'n"h =
s2l572S The greater rorti"n o; thie W"h'
ia 1,InGt fnr"rc"" 1pCItCi IN the lroNlilcc
II.