Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1906-01-15
TAKE BILLION
FROM MINES
Vast Wealth in Mineral
Products in Year
1904

In 1904. for the fifth time. the total
value OF the mineral products OF the
United States exceeded the enormous
sum Of $1,000 .0O0. 900, according to the
summary contained in the volume
Mineral Resources Of the United
States. 1904" which the United States
Geological Survey has recently pub
lished in bound form. The publication
OF this volume has been anticipated to
a great extent by the issue last spring
and summer. in pamphlet form, OF the
several chapters which compose II. The
complete volume will, however. be de-
sired by the many who find II valu-
able work of reference.
The figures given in the summary Of
the volume show a continuation Of the
activity in the mineral industries Of the
United States noted in 1900. 1901 1902,
and 1903. although the value Of the out
put for 1904 was about 2 per cent less
than that for 1903. The exact figures
for 1904 We're sl.2s904,14S. as COM
pared with s1.4192s0,s17 in 1908 with
81 $50 sol ses in 1902, with sl0Ss55os,1
in 1901. and with sl.063.s7s.o53 in 1900.
AS heretofore. iron and coal are the
most important of our mineral prod
ucts The value OF the iron in 1904
was $3.50 OPS. 900; the value of the coal,
s444S162Ss The fuels decreased from
ss3422sa91 in 1903 to s5s+,+S3.514 in
1904. a loss of s4a.7i2,.1,, or 1.s4 per
cent Anthracite coal showed a de-
crease in value of s13.062.42S. from
1852 03644S in 1903 to s13s,914.oeo in
1904. The average price Of anthracite
coal per long ton at the mine was 1885
as against $3.50 in 1903. 1885 in 1902.
s205 in 1901 and s1.s5 in 1900, and
$50 in 1899: and the average price
per short ton for bitumnous coal at the
,;,,a rnnnqrod with 81 %
in 1903 and with s1.1c in 1902 The
decrease in value OF the bituminous
coal output from 1908 was s45,S45,665.
a combined decrease in value of coal
Of SIS. COS 0s3 in 1904.
The loss Of sl3O233471 in the total
value Of our mineral production is due
to losses in both metallic and nonme-
tallic products the metallic products
showing a decrease from sS24.3ls,00S
in 1909 to 541.4ss.796 in 1904. loss
of $50 ssh o12 and the nonmetallic pro-
ducts showing a decrease from $685.
e62 500 in 1903 to s147.1S0.350 in 1904.
a loss Of S46TS2o59. To these pro-
ducts should be added estimated I'M
specified products. incluing molybden-
UNI, bismuth tungsten, and other min
eral products. valued at 100000 Gas
against $1,000. 900 of unspecified pro-
ducts in 1eo3). making the total min
eral prOuOctlOn lSu4 Sl,.SS."fi.lf ~
The manufacture of arsenious oxide.
noted for the first time in the United
States in the report of 1901, was con-
tinued in 1904, but again in decreased
| proportions as compared with 1902 and
1908.
! Statistics Of the production OF sand
] for molding. building engines. and fur
/ mace use. and for other purposes. We're
collected for the first time in 1904
! Included in the volume for 1904 is
brief report calling attention TO peat
! in the United States and to its possi-
/ bilities a. source Of fuel.
Tin was produced commercially.
though in small quantities. in South
] Carolina. South Dakota and Alaska.
| and the mines We're actively exploited
during the year 1904.
In accordance with provision in the
appropriation for mineral resources of
| the United States for the fiscal year
| 1905 1906. a comprehensive investiga-
ton is in progress (November. 1905) to
determine what minerals Of economic
value are contained In the black sands
found In the placer mines OF the United
| States. An invitation has been ex-
tended through the mails to all the
placer miners in the United States to
! send samples Of their heavy concern
trates for examination. These have
been tested as to their contents of pre-
cious metals. and their mineralogy has
been exhaustively studied. Where 1t
became evident that these sands con-
tanned useful minerals that are not
already utilized competent geolOgist
was sent to the deposit and samples
varying In size from 100 pounds to a
carload were obtained and examined
with concentrating machinery at Port
land, Oregon. The results OF this In
vestigation will be published in the
forthcoming volume of mineral resour-
ces Of the United States for the calen-
dar year 1905.