Valdez weekly prospector., 1908-09-10
OUTPUT OF COPPER
 SHOWS DECREASE

to l.. c. Graton, of the United States Geological Survey, was S68, ,996, ,491 pounds. From the record figures of 1906 this is a decrease of 4S, ,SO9, ,191 pounds, or 5.6 per cent. the largest actual decrease ever recorded and the largest relative decrease since the American copper industry became i'm portant. This is the first time since 1901 that the annual production has been smaller than that of the preced- ing year, and the first time since 1872 that 1t has been smaller than that of the second year preceding.
 The total given above is made up of the fine copper content of blister pro- duced and of the smelter output of ingot and anode copper from Michi- gan. Of this quantity, approximately 1O,075,04s pounds in blister were pro- duced in foreign smelters from domes- tic materials exported. In addition to the domestic materials handled, smelt- CTS i'll this country turned out as bls- ter 64, 145, ,64S pounds from foreign ore, concentrates, and matte. Domestic blistor containing 42,35O,9 ,963 pounds was exported unrefined, while blister from foreign sources containing ap- proXimately 183, 3,530, 132 pounds fine copper was imported for refining in this country.
 The greatest decreases in smelter output are shown by the returns from the three states that rank highest. Montana's production, which was 294,- 70l, 252 pounds in 1906, was but 224,- 263, 7S9 pounds in 1907, and the state yielded first place to it's rival, Ari- zona, whose production however, showed decreas of nearly 5000 ,OOO pounds, from 262 ,563, 1O3 pounds in 1906 to 6,7L8,4 pounds in 1907. Michigan still holds third place, with it's production decreased from 229, ,695,- 730 pounds in 1906 to 219,131 ,5O3 pounds in 1907. Decreased production is also shown by the returns from Alaska, Oregon, Washington and North Carolina.
 Many of the copper producing states showed substantial gain. The output of Utah, the fourth state in point of production, was nearly 16, ,OOO.- GOO pounds in excess of that of 19O6- 66.418,370 pounds in 1907 as against 5O,39, 119 pounds in the preceding year. The production of California in creased from 28, 153. POP pounps in 1906 to 33,696,602 pounds in 1907; that of Colorado from 2 7,427 ,253 pounds in 1906 to 13,998, 496 pounds in 1907; that of New Mexico from 7 7,099, ,842 pounds in 1906 to 10, 140.140 pounds in 1907 and that of Idaho from 8,578, ,046 pounds in 1906 to 9,707 ,299 pounds in 1907. Nevada and Vermont also showed pro ductive gains.
 Refined Copper
 The production in 1907 of refined new copper of domestic origin was 78l,271 ,427 pounds, q decrease of 1O3,- 4lo'26O pounds, or 13.2 per cent. from the production of 1906, The total out put of refined copper (exclusive of do- mcstic scrap, otc.) by domestic re- hnerleS in 1907 was 1,032, ,518, ,247 pounds. In addition to it's production Of refined copper 20, ,129,617 pounds were, recovered during the year by the regular copper-refining companies If the country from domestic scrap, dresses, etc., and returns from practi cally all the known reflneries of acc ondary materials indicate that 35, ,355,- 966 pounds additional were turned out by them as casting copper and in al- loys. The copper produced from sec ondary sources in 1907 was therefore somewhat in excess of 6O,OOO, ,OOO pounds, or more than 7.5 per cent. O f the years production of refined new copper.
 Stocks
 Returns from all the Lake and elec- trolytic retiners are practically com plete and show the following stocks of refined copper on hand at the begin ming and end of the year:
 Pounds.
 January 1, 1908. ....... 125, ,745,7 ,7g6
 January l, 1907. 46,497, ,181
 Increase during 1907 79,248,615
 UndeliVered sales are almost en- l nrely excluded from these figures and | stocks carried by con sumers and bro | kers have not been estimated. Tn ad- | dition to these stocks of refined cop per there were at the smelters, in | transit to the refineries, and at the | rrefineries blister copper and material | m process Of refining to the amount | of 135,310, ,239 pounds on January 1, | 1907, and 175, ,254 ,6b9 pounds on Janu. | ary 1908.
 Consumption. The apparent consumption of re- lined new copper in the United States | in 1907 was about 485, ,000 ,O0O pounds, | as compared with est, ,OO0, ,OOO pounds l in 1906, and it is probable tha t in ad dition most or all of tho 60, ,OO0, ,OOO pounds Of reworked copper was con sumed.
 The figures given above are com.