Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-07-09
Misesllansuas Rsaains.
SHORT OF TIN.
The Worlds Supply Is Already Less
Than the Demand.

| Than the Demand.
| Where is the world to obtain it's fu-
ture supply of tin?
| This question assumes considerable
Importance in the light of the recent
failure of the production to meet the
demand and the resultant inroads that
have been made upon the accumulat-
ed stocks Of tin held in various coun-
, tries. The demand for tin Is rapidly
| increasing. One reason for this, II
| not the chief reason, Is the large
growth Of the canning industry and
Of the use Of tin boxes and cases in
shipping various articles. To no
country is the question Of tin supply
more important than to the United
States, which consumes more than 40
per cent Of all the tin produced in the
world.
II Is only within the last few years
that there has been any attempt to
produce tin in this country. Three
years ago this metal was produced in
Alaska, South Carolina and South
Dakota Compared with the to-
tai consumption of tin in the
United States the production Is
very small, but those who have in
vestigated the question say that the
small beginning made in these three
sections may before long become an
important home industry. None Of
IAt. l. H. ,to f,~xy
The smelling is all done in England.
In the South Carolina-North Carolina
region, although the output has been
small, much prospecting and devel-
oping work has been carried on,
chiefly in the vicinity of Kings Noun
tain and Lincolnton. At the former
place a mill has been erected and
prospecting is in progress. Some very
promising ore has been struck at
mine about seven miles north Of the
town Of Kings Mountain, a small
rolling mill with two Bartlett tables
erected and a small quantity Of con-
centrates turned out. A few miles
north Of Lincolnton, in the same state,
extensive prospecting has been car
ried on, a large number of surface
trenches have been dug and rich ore
has been uncovered in a number Of
places. Near Gaffney, s. c., few
miles below the North Carolina state
line, a plant has been assembled and
some small quantities Of ore obtained.
Tin has also been discovered near Ell
Paso, Tex. In California, at the old
Temescal mines. some prospecting
has been done, and also near Santa
Ana. Some development has also
been in progress at the linton depos-
its of South Dakota and at the Buck
Creek deposits Of Alaska. But the
production Of tin ore in the United
States continues to be so very small
as to make additional discoveries Of
the ore in this country a cause Of con-
siderable interest.
by far the largest quantity Of tin In
The World comes from the Malay Pen
insula The approximate tin output
Of the world in 1905 was 103,149 short
tons, Of which the Malay states turn
ed out 65,565 tons, upward Of Ga per
cent Of the total output Of the world.
Bolivia came next with 1856 tons.
Although there are many rich tin
mines in Bolivia, many Of them are
located at long distances from rail-
roads. Other obstacles in the way
are the scarcity of fuel and water,
the rough character Of the country
and the great altitude-conditions that
make 1t almost impossible to work
the deposits. 1t is expected that one
of the important results Of the devel-
opment of Bolivia will be a large in
crease in the contribution Of that
country to the worlds supply of tin.
The new lines Of railroad running into
Argentina and to the navigable waters
Of the Amazon are certain to increase
Bolvia's production Of this article by
making larger proportions of the
country accessible.
More than 13 per cent Of the tin
output of the world comes from Banka
and Billion, although the falling OH
In the supply from this source in re-
cent years Is undoubtedly due to the
exhaustion Of the placers. About b
per cent of the worlds supply comes
from Australia. The Mount Bischof
mine, Tasmania, continues to be one
of the largest tin mines Of the world
and dredges are working tin-bearing
gravel successfully in Queensland, New
South Wales, western Australia and
Victoria. Very rich ore Is produced
by the mines IN Queensland. China
is the only other country where the
output of tin is worthy Of account at
this time. There the annual produc-
ton, estimated at from 5000 tons up
ward, comes largely from the province
Of Yunnan. Small quantities OF tin
are also produced in Burmah, Siam'
Germany, Austria, Russia, Spain, Por-
tugal, Mexico. Nigeria, Swaziland ana
the Transvaal But the whole amount
is probably less than a thousand tons
In 1905 the average price OF tin I'M
ported IN the OHlteu ototSS "SN' ''~' -
80 cents per pound, but since the first
Of last year the price has risen great
ly, reaching at one time 4Sl cents per
pound on the New York market. La
ter the price fell to between 3S and
40 cents per pound. 1t is declared
that there has been good reason tor
| tin to rise in price, for the consump-
ton has greatly increased, the pro-
duction has remained about the same
and the stock on hand has materially
diminished. Doubtless the high price
of tin during recent years has more
or less stimulated prospecting for new
deposits of tin ore, but the only nota-
BILE discoveries recently reported are
one in the Transvaal and one In Nj
geria.
One effect of the scarcity or the
worlds supply Of tin has been the
birth of a new industry few years
| ago, which is known as defining
tin scrap. 1t has become of consider
able Importance in this country
where many hundred tons of metallic
L a1,tA AHNr