The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-07-05
IRON PRODUCTION
IN The U. S.saINl9O4
DECREASE COMPARED WITH 1908.
CONDITION OF THE INDUS
TRYis SATISFACTORY.

as reported 70 the United States Geo.
logical Survey by Mr.. John Birkin.
bine, shows that the active iron ore
mines in 20 States and Territories
produced 27,G44.S3O long tons OF iron,
decrease Of Ts74;97s or q per cent.
from the output of 1903, which
amounted to s5.019,30s tons, this does
not mean that the present status Of
the iron-ore industry IS unsatisfac.
tory. 1t merely means that the year
1902 Witnessed the maximum produc.
ton of the iron ore mines of the
United States, and the increased out.
put of 1902 over that of 1900 approx.
mated the decrease Of the record OF
1904 over that of 1903. From 1895
to 1902 the iron ore production OF
the United States showed annual In.
creases every year, making a maxi.
mum of S5,554, 135 long tons in 1902.
The years 1902 and 1903 represented
phenomenal outputs.
The bulk OF the domestic iron ore
is smelted in blast furnaces to pro.
duce pig iron, but considerable nor.
ton of such consumption does not
occur in the year in which the ore
was mined. The reserve stocks of
ore at the open furnaces, or at ports
which receive the bulk of the iron
ore mined, or at the mines. together
with the imports and exports of iron
ore and other materials used as iron
ore, should be considered in making
comparisons of annual records. Mr..
Birkinbine's recent report shows that
during the year 1904 the stocks of
Iron ore at the mines decreased l..
6S0,957 tons; that 4S7,613 long tons of
iron ore were imported into the Uni.
ted States and 213,s65 long tons were
exported; that 6s,1s9 long tons of zinc
residuum were produced, and that the
stocks of iron ore held at lower lake
ports decreased 607.6S6 long tons.
The apparent consumption of iron
ore in 1904 therefore approximates
So,224,91o long tons.
The iron ore mined in the United
States may be divided into four gen.
eral commercial classes; red hema.
lite, brown hematite, magnetic, and
carbonate. The quantity of red hema.
tite mined in the year 1904 was 90
S3s,477 long tons, or Sc per cent. of
the total for the United States, a de.
crease of 6,4s9.1T7 long tons, or 81
per cent. from the 1908 production of
30,32S,654 long tons. Over one-half
of the total production of red hema-
lite was obtained from Minnesota, APP
pToximately one.third from Michigan,
with Alabama, Wisconsin and Tonnes
see following In order of rank. The
output of brown hematite in 1904 was
2,14G,795 long tons, decrease of $685.
GOA long tons. or 80. per cent. from the
1903 total of 3,OS0,S99 long tons. AS
in the previous year, Alabama was
the principal contributor, followed by
Virginia, West Virginia and Georgia.
The magnetic class has shown an in
crease in 1904, rising to 1,63S,S46 long
tons, or GS,42t tons more than in
1903, when 1,575.422 long tons were
produced. This is due principally to
the increased activity of New York.
The output Of carbonate ore, which
was only 1888 tons in 1908, showed
still further decline to 1922 tons in
1904.
The statistics of the different va
rieties Of iron ore were first collect
ed by the Geological Survey in the
year 1888. A summary Of the guam
titles mined annually since that date
indicates pronounced advance in the
amount of red hematite won, mod
crate increase in the quantity of
brown hematite which, however,
shows a decline in the approximate
percentage, and falling off in the
production of magnetic and of cor
Donate ore.
The most prominent iron ore pro-
ducing district in the world com.
prises the five ranges located near
the shores of Lake Superior, in the
States of Minnesota, Michigan and
Wisconsin. The total production of
the Lake Superior region in the year
1904 was 2O,19S.311 long tons, a de.
crease from the 1903 total 26,573,271
tons of 6,374,96o tons, or "a per cent.
OF this productions the Mesabi range
contributed 11,672,4O5 long tons, or
SIS per cent, the Menominee range
2,S71 100 tons, or 14.2 per cent, the
Marquette range 2,465,44S tons, or
1872 per cent, the Gegebic range g
132,s9s tons, or LOG per cent, and the
vermillion range 1,O56,4sO tons, or