The Washington herald., 1909-01-10
Product Shows Big Increase
in Year 1908.
PRICES OF METAL RULE LOW
Geological Survey Issues Statement
Covering Operations for Eleven
Twelfth MOnfh-Prospect Bright
for Greater Activity in 1909.

~ to1ADAA SuAAE-t4 III kL4t 4ciSA pa Z u 4s1A
Many producers that had greatly cur
tailed or even suspended production in
that year began again 70 increase out
put practically At the opening Of 1sJS.
and in spite Of the low price Of the metal.
nearly all the important producers Of
1897 were In operation throughout most
Of 1905, and a few new companies began
production during the year. The rate Of
production has been steadily increasing,
and is now greater than al any other
time in the history Of the industry.
The production Of copper in 1905 was as
Certalned by l. c Grafton. Of the United
states Geological Survey, through per
sonaI interviews and Geographic COM
munication during the last days Of the
year. Except one small company. all
producers OF blister and Lake copper
have furnished their latest exact figures.
in most cases for eleven months. together
with estimates OF their production for
the remainder OF the year
II these estimates are realized. the pro-
duction OF blister and Lake copper IN
1875 from ores mined in the United States
VIII be greater by about $4,000 pounds.
OF between > and s per cent. than that in
1897. which was S6S.9s6. 4s1 pounds
Arizona and Montana Lead.
II is impossible al this time TO publish
figures Of State production that are re-
liable. but Il may be stated concerning
the three great copper-prOducing States,
that Arizona and Montana show large
gains. and Michigan shows little change
from 49, Production Of total refined
new copper by works in this country
cannot Yet be given. but probably IL viii
hardly equal the output Of 1907. which
was l.0525l6.2T pounds
Based on records OF the Bureau o. sta
tistics covering the first eleven months,
the 1875 imports Of copper in pigs. bars,
DC. are estimated AT about 1900 600
pounds. and in ore and matte a about
s. 00o 90 pounds. With addition for cop
per IN pyriJe. not included above. the
total imports may be estimated as
equivalent TO about G0001 - pounds re-
fined copper. a decrease OF about j per
cent. from % 031- go pounds in 1907. On q
similar basis the exports Of metallic COP
per are estimated at about 69o.a59 90
pounds. the largest ever recorded. and an
increase OF about % per cent over the
5oS 90, 81 pounds exported in 1877
Stocks 81 refined copper are still IN
douhtedly very large. Domestic con
sumption Of new copper Will show a de-
cline from the 4S5 90 o. pounds Of 1907.
The average quoted price Of electrolytic
copper AT New York for 1918 was 1870
cents The price at the close Of the year
was 14IS cents
r~-a r---eval-4 f= N-sor-. a. ---a1--4
for still larger copper production in the
year 1909. but il Is evident that the prin-
CipaI producers Will. more than IN recent
years. gauge their operations by the con-
sumption 81 the metal which cannot at
this time be safely forecasJed-
SpeIter Production in 1905.
The production Of primary speI,e- from
domestic and foreign ores in 1905 IS es-
timated at 2N.oo5 short tons. worth az the
average price sl9.ss010. as compared 10
2fe So tons IN 1907. 2zi.-75 tons IN 1875. and
213. sac tons in 1855 Imports Of zinc ore
comprised 22.5a0 tons Of duty-free Gala
mine fsiIcate orel valued at 50. 1l3 and
$3.50 tons Of dUyiable ore carbonate and
sUlphidei value at sos 90.
These imports. which were practically
an from Mexico. show an increase OF
I5-o10 tons over the quantities OF the cor
responding ores imported in 1906. which
were 32.324 tons and 6.f72 tons. respec-
lively. The exports Of zinc ore also show
an increase. being &.10S tons. worth
SS73,745. compared 10 2oS52 tons in 1915.
The imports OF spelter show a decrease
Of % per cent. being So tons. worth
IS. ooa. compared TO LIS tons in 1877. The
exports Of spelter show q marked in
crease. being 800 tons, valued at S33Sa00.
as against 553 tons in 1907. The exports
Of zinc drOss were S.6S3 tons in value
SiS3,ocl compared 20 $50 tons in 1s57-
Prices Gradually Increase.
Prices maintained a uniform but very
gradual ascent throughout the year The
average New York price Of prime West
ern s1elter for the year was 473 cents
per pound. the extreme fUctuation in
value ranging from AZ 10 515 cents per
pound
The production Of spelJer from ddS1es-
tic and foreign ores. appoTtiOned accord
ing 10 the States IN which smelted. was
approximately as follows Illinois $50
tons in I9N. as compared 10 =. 100 tons IN
1917. Kansas. 5000 tons in 1908 and I34I9S
IN 1907 Missouri. 1000 tons in 1915 and
t.
1903 and 5oS5 tons In 1867; Western. Fast
ern, and Southern States, 25.5O0 tons in
1918 and 42.929 tons In I991
These figures Of production. prepared
by G. T. Siebenthal. OF the United States
Geological Survey. are based on reports
received from all operating zinc smelterS
for the first eleven months. with their
estimates for December. and are within
a very few per cent of the actual output
The figures Of imports and exports are
obtained from the records II the Bureau
OF Statistics. likewise with estimates for
December
Lead Production in 1905.
The total production Of primary re-
fined lead. desilverized and soft from
domestic and foreign ores in 1875 was ap-
proximately 39l, coo short tons, worth at
the average price So. $4,000. as compared
TO a production Of A41S9 tons in 1907 and
aei. 500 tons In 1906 These figures are ex-
elusive Of an estimated output az I2.O90
tons Of antimoniaI lead. as against S.e10
tons in 1891 OF the total production. de-
silverized lead comprised 2S7.500 tons, as
against S14,2;1 tons in 1907
The soft lead production increased TO
l03.500 tons. compared TO S994S tons in
1907. The increased output Of soft lead
accompanying a decrease in desiiverized
lead means apparently that Missouri re-
tains the first place among lead-produc-
ing States
There was 30 per cent increase II the
imports Of lead in ore and base bullion.
which amounted 10 1O5,o0o tons. valued al
S4l60,000 as compared 10 70.52S tons in
1907. From this il may be inferred that
the production Of desilverized lead OF for
eign origin increased considerably over
that Of 1901. which was S.. f23 tons The
imports Of refined lead fell of consid-
erably, being 1900 tons, with value OF
S200, 600, against 9.21T tons in 1907 The
exports of foreign lead dead Of foreign
origin smelted or refined in the United
Statesl show similar increase Of nearly
30 per cent, being $500 tons. valued at