Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-01-18
MINING ENJOYS
SPLENDID YEAR
OFFICIAL ESTIMATE SHOWS
GAIN
CAUSE LIES IN REMOVAL OF A5-
NORMAL FEATURES
Mint Places Increase In Domestic Gold
at Six Million Dollars for 1908.
Gradual Recovery In
Copper

Copper
According to a special press bulletin
prepared by Waldemar Lindgren OF the
United States geological survey, the
gold mining industry of the Unlteo
States had a successful and prosperous
year in 1908 in spite of the many ao-
verse conditions of trade and nnance'
Fundamentally, this prosperity is due
to the fixed price and apparently limit
less demand for the product. The I'M
mediate causes operating 10 lncledSS
the output were in part the removal VI
certain abnormal features tenolng 70
depress the production in 19OI' sucn as
the partial closing of the HomescaAo
mine in the Black Hills of South La
Toto and the labor difficulties in the
mother lode counties of California. TO
Some degree the increased production
Of cold is also indirectly due 70 the
closing of many mines in the DaSe-
metal camps. A tendency toward IN
creased production by small operators
was noted as early as the last months
of 1907, and continued through 1913.
Large numbers of miners left the dis
tricts in which the output of lead, cop
per and zinc were curtailed, and began
placer work or took up leases in gold
mining camps.
The director of the mint estimates the
production of gold for 1908 from domes-
tic sources at SOC, 313,256, against $780,
ZOO in 1907. South Dakota, Alaska,
California and Colorado show large es-
timated increa SeS, ranging from 81, 00O,
600 to So 600, 900. The estimates for Utah
indicate a decrease of about 81, 10000
for Nevada a decrease of SO, 300, 900. The
production of Montana, Arizona, Idaho,
Oregon and other silver producing
states has remained approximately sta
tionary. The production from the
Philippine islands shows a gratifying
increase, the estimate of the mint being
$36,70S, against $78,700 in 1907.
Is Larger Than Figures
AS part of the Philippine gold does
not reach the United States minis the
showing is probably even better than
these figures would indicate. Most OF
the gold was recovered by quartz min
ing in Benguet and by dredging ope-
rations in Paracale.
The depression in the base metal in
dustries did not affect the gold produc-
ton to any considerable degree, for the
total base metal ores contribute only
to 10 per cent of the normal output OF
gold for the country. The gold from
copper ores suffered little reduction, but
the small amounts contributed from
lead and zinc ores were much reduced.
The silver mining industry presents
far less satisfa Glory condition than that
of gold, owing to the low prices for sill
ver lead, copper and zinc. During the
wear the large SmelterS of Utah and
Colorado were partly closed and partly
operated on a reduced capacity. I'm.
portant mines in Leadville, Aspen, Park
City and Creole, which were operating
on low grade ores, found it very diff
cult to make profits on ore of the same
grades that yielded well in 1906 and
1907, and were therefore compelled to
reduce their output or to close.
Owing to temporary lack of demand
from India the silver market declined
almost continuously from about Sc cents
per ounce in the early part of the year
to about As cents in December, the av-
erage price being So cents. The year
closed with New York prices at 5O
cents. However, the purchases by India
during past years have been large ana
have gradually increased, and there is
no reason to expect a sudden falling off
in this market.
Contributes to Depression
The extraordinary heavy production
of the Cobalt district in Canada, which
for 1908 may approximate 1900, 900
ounces. undoubtedly contributed to the
depression in the price of silver. A
great reduction in the output of silver
in the United States was clearly fore
Swallowed in the figures of the geolog1-
cal survey for the mine production In
1907, which amounted to only 525OO,lO4
fine ounces, whereas the refiner1es and
the minis reported Sc, 700 fine ounces.
The shortage in the mine output for the
last months of 1907 was naturally re-
Elected in the refinery returns for 1908,
and was accentuated by still further
reduction in the production OF the
mines. The director of the mint esti-
mates the production of silver in 1908
from domestic sources at 51,79S,O53 hne
ounces.
To the copper industry of the United
States for the year 1908 was a period
of gradual recovery from the severe
depression suffered in the last part of
1907. Many producers who had greatly
curtailed or even suspended production
in that year began again to increase
output practically at the beginning OF
1908. and in spite of the low price OF
the metal nearly all the important pro-
ducers of 1907 were in operation
throughout most of 1908, and few new
companies began production during the
year. The rate of production has been
steadily increasing and is now greater
than at any other time in the history
of the industry.
The production of copper in 1908 has
been ascertained by L. G. Granton of
the United States geological survey,
through personal interviews and tele-
graphic communication during the last
days of the year.
All Furnish Exact Figures
Except one small company all pro-
ducers of blister and lake copper have
furnished their latest exact figures,
most of them for eleven months, to-
gether with estimates of their produc-
ton for the remainder Of the year. If
these estimates are realized the pro-
duction of blister and lake copper in
1908 from ores mined in the United
States will be greater by about 50,000-
600 pounds, or between and per cent,
than that of 1907, which was 500, 1896. 491
pounds. It is impossible at this time
to publish reliable figures showing state
production, but concerning the three
great copper producing states it may be
said that Arizona and Montana show
little change from 1907. The produc-
ton Of total refined new copper by
works in this country can not yet be
given, but probably it will hardly equal
the output of 1907, which was 1,032, 516,-
247 pounds.
Estimates based on records ne fhe