The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-04-27
PRODUCTION OF
COPPER METAL
No Effort Being Made to
Crowd the Market Ely
Won't Hurt This Year.

There is no incentive for efforts with
a view to an increased copper output this
year. while in practically all of the older
districts expenditures are confined to
those having a direct bearing on produc-
ton. Furthermore, there are a number
of mines flying distress signals, due to
the low price of the metal, which, If
maintained for any considerable period,
viii necessitate their closing down, says
Hayden, Stone & Co.'S market letter.
Mioligan will show but a very small
increase, as but four mines, the Copper
Range, Mohawk, Osceola and Ahmeek,
are capable of supplying an enlarged rock
tonnage The Calumet & Hecla is gradu-
ally increasing its shipments from the
Osceola vein. but with a corresponding
reduction from the standpoint of produc-
ton in its tonnage forwarded from the
cOnglomerate openings, which are being
rather conserved.
There is no longer any crying need
for additional Smelter or concentration ca
pacity in the Butte district. where the
energies are bent solely in the direction
of economy. In the Bingham camp, the
Utah Copper, Utah Consolidated and
Yampa are about the only creditable fac
tors. The Boston Consolidated is con-
fronted with difficulties which Will be
gradually overcome, but the indications
are that the full capacity of its coneen-
traitor Will be supplied but for a small
portion of the current year.
Nor will the equilibrium of the metal
market be disturbed by production from
the Ely district of Nevada this year. The
first unit of the SteptOe concentration Will
go into commission in May, and the whole
three units, with an aggregate capacity
of 1900 tons daily, should be in opera
ton by the middle of July. The smelter
should also be started in that month,
and with that the plant viii be a fin
/ ished proposition; that is. the Ely plant
will be producing to its full capacity only
during the last five or six months OF the
year. and as it takes some TIRES months
TO refine and market the product, cop
per from this source will not actually
be ready for consumption until well into
next fall.
I We consider that it is greatly TO the
credit of those behind the two principal
Ely companies that delayed shipments OF
materials scarcity of labor and financial
depression have made no more difference
than they have. and we maintain firmly
our opinion that eventually Ely viii be
one of the largest and most successful
copper producing Centers of this country.
/ But the point that we would bring out
is-that it is most improbable that enough
copper will be Forthcoming from ELY
during this period of depression to re
tard recovery or appreciably affect the
price of the metal.
The position of the metal market is
also reflected in the policy being pursued
in Arizona and Mexico. Very little IS
being done in the way of prospecting aud
a normal output is being mined only by
companies favored in the matter OF
operating costs.
There are a number of good mines
which are showing but meagre earnings
on the present metal market, but in the
end the companies interests are better
served by continuing operations than by
closing down, as the mine, surface plant
etc, are kept in good working condi-
ton.
In such instances, however, in which
DEVELOPMENTS of a number of years and
| the expenditure of heavy sums have failed
to disclose commercial values, the wis
/ dom of maintaining production at the
! expense of the working capital is open
10 question.