Los Angeles herald., 1908-12-21
MINERAL WEALTH
OUTPUT SHRINKS
SURVEY REPORT ON SILVER,
GOLD AND COPPER
NEVApAs GREAT GAIN OFFSETS
GENERAL LOSS
Gold Production Amounts to Almost
One Hundred and Twenty-eiaht
Millions-Thirty-s Mill
lions in Silver

The total production of gold and silver
in the United States in 1907, according
to figures published by the United
states geological survey as the result of
conference and adjustment between
that bureau and the bureau of the mint
was valued at S127.135,4OO.
The total production or gold Ior tns
wear was 4,S74,S27 fine ounces, valued
at $50. 435, 7O0-a decrease, when COM
pared with the production of 1906 oil
1gO.506 fine ounces, worth S3,95S, lOO'
The production of silver in 1907
amounted to 56.514,700 fine ounces, with
a commercial value OF So. lSS' 'Vo. 90 a.
compared with the production III l90o
this is a decrease in quantity OF S2OO
fine ounces and in value of 1856, 700
OF the twenty-five states and terri
tories contributing to the total gold
output, twelve showed decreases IN pro-
duction in 1907 The greatest losses
were shown by Alaska, $2,S75,700 South
Dakota, 2,466, 700: Colorado, $20SO, Soo;
california, 81, 979, AGO. and Montana, 81
GAG. 400. In no other state or territory
did the decrease reach $lO0O0O. Zen
states and territories increased their
nrod1Iction of gold in 1907, but in only
observation-disclosures the increase of great
inheritance. The gain in this state was
SCI 400, a strikingly large amount
which almost counterbalanced the
losses in California, Colorado and south
Dakota Idaho increased its output by
s200 200 and Washington by $159, 300, but
in no other state did the Increase reach
The production of silver in 1907 was
contributed by twenty-five states ana
territories, of which only nine showed
a decrease as compared with the pro .
duction of 1906 The greatest losses
were shown in Montana, LAO. 700 hne
ounces: Colorado, $4,000 fine ounces;
Idaho. 947, 800 fine ounces, ana Otah'
1O1 100 fine ounces. In no other STATE
or territory did the loss reach 'ooVo
fine ounces In sixteen states ana ter
ritories an increase in the production OF
silver was reported from Nevada, which
exceeded its output for 1906 by 1902 800
fine ounces. An increase OF l46, l0o nne
ounces was shown in New Mexico, and
in Michigan the gain was $4,000 fine
ounces. In no other state did the gam
reach $4,000 fine ounces.
According to tables published by the
director of the mint the total produe-
ton of gold in the United States from
1892 to 1907 has amounted to 143, I2o, S3y
fiue ounces. valued at $2.971 OIL .000 the
silver product has amounted to 1,730,-
7Os. 200 fine ounces, having a commercial
value of $f.509. $4,000.
The production of copper i'm the
United states in 1907, according TO re-
ports returned by the smelters of the
country to the United States geological
survey. amounted to S6S,996491 pounds.
The production in 1906 compiled on
the same basis. was 917, S05,6S2 pounds,
and that of 1906 was SSS, 7S4267 pounds.
Production Shows Decrease
From the record production of 1906
the output for 1907 shows decrease
of 4SS0g,191 pounds, or So per cent.
This is the largest actual decrease eyer 4.lsr
recorded, and is the largest relative
decrease since 1886, when the percent
age of decrease was SO. In 1907 for
the first time since 1901, the production
was smaller than that of the preced-
ing year, and for the first time since
1872 the production was smaller than
for the second preceding year.
The smelter output chosen by the
survey as representative of the copper
output of the country is made up of
the production of blister copper and of
flfrnace-refined or so-called 'ingot
copper of Michigan plus the Michi-
gan copper cast into adodes for cleo
trolysis. 1t thus consists of the final
product of the distinctly smelling OPP
erations and does not include the
product of any additional distinctly re-
fining process. The figures of smelter
production for 1907 are absed on di-
rect returns made confidentially to
the geological survey by all but one OF
the known smelling companies that
handled United States ores, concen-
The quantity of copper given as the
OUTPUT of the mines of the United
states in 1907, based on reports col
lected by field agents of the geological
survey from all mining companies in
fhe country which produced copper
during the year, was SAT, ISL 015 pounds,
quantity rs per cent less than the
product of the smelters for the same
period.
BY far the greater portion of the
mines' output is treated directly in
smelters owned by or having some
connection with the mining companies.
and this large part of the mine pro-
duction is reported on practically the
same basis as the smelter production.
But many of the mine returns are
based on the actual or estimated re-
covery from the ore shipped from the
mines during the year, whereas the
smelter returns indicate the quantity
of copper actually turned out at the
reduction works in that period In
state like Montana, therefore, opera
ton of the smelters at full capacity
for a few days after the mines had be-
gun to reduce shipments would .ac-
count for a distinct excess in smelter
output over that reported from the
mines This fact-that when curtail-
lnent of production had once been de-
cided on the mines were able to exc
cute the plan more promptly than the
smelters-is responsible for the greater
part of the difference between mine
and smelter production of copper in
1907. In 1906. when mine and smelter
production were conducted at prac-
fically the same rate, returns from the
two sources were in very close corre-
spondence the mine output being only
0.s per cent less than the production
Of the smelters. A second cause of
the difference in favor of the smelter
figures is the fact that the smelters
recover more copper than the mines
are paid for The difference on this
account is smaller than that due to
other causes, but it is especially i'm
portant in states like Colorado, where
the greater part of the production is
from custom ores generally low in
copper.
Locates Claims Near Yuma
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