Mohave County miner., 1911-07-15
Mining Dividends

ln the lfSJ SIX months or the current year l23 American mining companies paid out S4I ,2SO, SIS in dividends, which compares with ll2 companies which paid S34, 2lS, l02 during the same period in 1910 and S6 companies and BPS, 443,- l39 in 1900. These hgures are con- piled by the Mining and Engineering World, and while they do not fully represent the returns made by all con- panies, yet the companies reporting are sufficient in number to give fairly good representation of the profits real ized as a sane-and-safe method of oper- ating mines and works.
 In view of the fact that there are hundreds of mines being worked at a profit sufficient to pay dividends but from which no reports are obtainable, the half year just completed will stand out as probably the most profitable in point of dividends paid in the history of the industry.
 Adding the S7, ,722.524 disbursed by eight notwithstanding corporations, an amount derived from the holding of shares of other corporations, make a total of s49,OO2'S42, which has gone into the hands of holders of stocks of Amer ican mines and works during the half year just ended.
 By the figures available it is readily seen that dividend payments of certain American mines and works are not of an irregular nature, for in most cases they are to be depended on to be made at stated intervals, either monthly, quarterly or semi-annually. As for in- stance, the l23 mines and works men, tioned herewith have, since incorpora- tion distributed among shareholders dividends totaling s695, 134, lS6, a re- turn of approximately l04 per cent on their combined issued capital of S6SS,- 4S7, ,96l Adding the disbursements of the eight securities-holding corpora tions-l24. 933, ,326s-brings the total for these l3I companies to 820, ,066, ll2S, a return excelled by few, if any other industries.
 To investors in mining shares the point of probably the greatest import ance is the relative standing of the various dividend payers. By classify ing them as copper producers and gold silver-lead-zinc producers, we find that the latter-93 in number-have con- tributed the largest amount to the half years total, or 17,8SO, ,836S. On the issued capital of these companies PAS, 799, ,9S6-a return has been made by these companies since incorpora- tion equivalent to 90 per cent of 499,- 296, ,6O6S.
 With but g companies participating tall but one in the United States) the copper properties contributed to the half-year's total, but little less than the gold-silver-lead-zinc properties, or 16,9ll, ,534s. Since incorporation, how ever, these g properties have divided among shareholders the princely sum of 3SO, ,322, ,O34s, a return of approxi- mately lSO per cent on the outstand- ing 211, ,196, ,O25s share capital.
 Six metallurgical works during the half year earned profits sufficient to pay shareholders dividends totaling 6,427, ,S49S. Since incorporation these companies have paid out IA, 163, 146s. making a return of 54 per cent on the 2O7, ,997 ,95Os issued capital.
 Of the g gold-silver-leadz zinc pro- ducers paying dividends in 1911, 5S are operated in the United States and they have to their credit disbursements totaling 9,S37, ,75Ss, with record to date of l3S, l42, 1858, an S5 per cent re- turn on their issued capital.
 Sixteen companies operating in Can ada contributed to the half-year's total 5,6OS, 1858, with a total disbursement during the few years of the incorpora- tion of 2S, ,S93, ,O5Ss, a return equivalent to B per cent on their issued capital.
 Mexico, by reason of it's internal strife, contributed only 2,379, 9S2 to the half-year's total, but the Is companies contributing have made a record of disbursements since incorporation of 29, ,193, 763s, a 96 per cent return on the outstanding return.