Mohave County miner. [volume] (Mineral Park, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1882-1918, 1910-01-15
Spelter Production in 1903.

GI EAT GROWTH OF THE ZINC INDUSTRY
A statement just issued by the
United States Geological Survey shows
that the zinc industry in 1909 had a
year of uneXampled expansion. Not
only was the largest output Of spelter
ever made in the United States almost
completely absorbed by the market,
hut the imports-of spelter were much
larger than ever before. Local ac-
counts indicate a record breaking pro-
duction of zinc ores in the Joplin and
upper Mississippi Valley regions and
from the Franklin Furnace mines of
New Jersey.
The following figures have been com
piled without change by c. E. Sieben-
thai, of the Geological Survey, from
reports furnished by all operating zinc
smelters, showing their output for the
first eleven months of the year and
their estimated production in De-
cember, and are confidently believed to
be within | per cent of the actual out
put. Figures showing the imports and
exports were obtained from the records
of the Bureau of Statistics, likewise
with estimates for December.
PRODUCTION.
The production of primary spelter
from domestic ore in 1909 is estimated
at 24L.S42 short tons, and from foreign
ore at 26,373 tons, total of 26S, ,2l5
tons. worth at the average price 2S,-
967. .22OS, as compared to 2l0, ,424 tons in
1908 and 249, $3.50 tons in 1907. The pro-
duction of spelter from both domestic
a I'd foreign ores, apportioned according
TO the States in which smelted, was
approximately as sfollows:-lllinois, 76,-
1856 tons in 1909. as compared to 50,244
tons in 1893; Kansas, l04, tons in
1909 and SO. .29S in 1898: Missouri, S,479
tons in 1909 and lO,2Ol in 1906; Okla
homa, 2S,S2l tons in 1909 and l4,S64
tons in 1908; Eastern, Western, and
Southern States, 50,422 tons in 1909
a I'd 35,8I7 tons in 1908. The total pro-
duction of spelter is equivalent to the
output Of 56, III retorts operating con-
tinuously through the year, or 90 per
cent of the total sme,ting capacity.
IMPORTS AND EXPORTS.
The imports of zinc ore exceeded all
records, being approximately 1918
short tons, valued at l,3Sl,S36S. OF
this amount 81 per cent, or l05,6OO
tons, was from Mexico, more than
double the quantity imported in 1908,
which was 80, 757 tons, and even more
than the quantity imported in 1907,
which was lO3.Il7 tons. The exports
of zinc ore show a decrease, being l2,-
456 short tons, worth 4l2, ,300S, compar-
ed to 20, l0S tons in 1898. The imports
of Spelter show a remarkable increase,
being approximately l0,96l short tons,
worth 947, 1858, compared to 8Sl tons
in 1898. Tne exports of spelter fell off
slightly, being 2.4S7 tons, as against
2,64S tons in 1908. The exports of zinc
drOss were 1906 tons, valued at 1884,
1888, compared to S,4O5 tons in 1905
CONSUMPTION.
The aDpare 1t consumption ofspelter
in 1919 may be calculated as follows:
The sum of the stock on hand at the |
smelters at the beginning of the year. |
1892 tons, plus the imports, l0,96l |
tons, and the production, 26S,2l5 tons, |
gives the total available supply, 29S.- |
79S tons. From this there is TO be sub |
tracted the exports, ,, 487 tons, and the |
stock on hand at the smelters at the |
close of the year 10 be exact, on hand |
December I5), 1O,546 tons, a total of |
1908 tons, leaving balance of 2S5,-
765 tons as the apparent consumption. !
This calculation takes no account of |
stocks of spelter held by dealers for /
speculative purposes. On comparing /.
the consumption in 1909 with the 2I5.-
4Ol tons in 1898, the 22S,5 tons in
1907, and the 22),7S tons in 1906, it
seems probable that considerable
stocks are held by dealers.
PRICES.
Spelter opened at st. Louis in Jan
uary at cents per pound, but dropped
to ASP cents per pound late in Feb
ruary. A gradual rise carried prices
up to 6.27 cents near the close of the
year. The average St Louis price of
prime western spelter for the year was
"a cents per pound.