The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-12-08
UNIQUE POSITION Of
THE ZINC MARKETS
Over-Production and Lack of
Smelling Capacity Are
Features.

In regard 10 the unique position OF
| spclter the Engineer and Mining Journal
says:
| The remarkable situation tha, has late
| ly existed in the spcltcr industry con-
iinucs without material change. OF
course nothing is Immediately 10 be eN-
pected There Will. however. be naturally
working toward easier conditions, which
VIII he better for general welfare, in
Guiding that OF those smelters who arc
finding keen enjoyment and very
handsome profit in the situation, We do
not beGrudge them their profit, because
on the whole the Smeltcrs do not travel
an easy road and generally enjoy tat
year only after succession of lean ones
To which the record of defunct con-
Germs bears witness. But If the fat year
is made the occasion of an orgy there
are apt to be disagreeablc consequences.
This is not TO say that the smelters arc
TO blame for the present combination OF
circumstances. which have developed by
the natural march OF events. In the first
place smelling capacity suffered by the
dwindllng Of natural gas supply In Kan
sas. Then the ability OF the smclters 10
secure western ore on very profitable
terms. especially the low grade Leadvllle
caIamipe, still further diverted them from
the use of hieh-cradc Joplin orc and
correspondinSly decreased the quantity Of
sps,ter made Smelling capacity has been
still further absorbed by furnaces run
ming on bonded ore, deprivation OF do
mestic consumers that Is due TO the un-
fortunate tariff impositions.
Although this situation has been TO The
great advantage of the smcltcrs. IL has
not been enjoyable 10 either the con-
sumers or 10 the miners OF ore, the lat
ter not having participated proportlonate
ly in the advance I'm spclter for the rca-
son that they have been Offering such an
abundant supply OF ore. This very
abundance Is the chief element or nm
soundness in the present situation. the
present shortage Of speltcr being OF a diff
ferent nature from shortage arising
from scarcity of orc supply, which is
apt 10 be amclioratcd but slowly The
addition OF smelling capacity Is compare
lively simple when tho plants exist, and
IN this respect we are much better Oft
than IL the present conditions had de-
ing been constructed in Oklahoma In the
meanwhile, Additional blocks WILL of
course. he added 10 all OF the Oklahoma
plants. which will possess ample gas
supply. and that car be done in a few
months. III the meanwhile some Of the
and by some Of the new works in Illinois
VIII be ready and with these assistancos
the price for spcltcr viii come down to
q modcra 10 basis.
The Srca test danger to tho sme,iers is
that their present extraordinary profits
viii lead to an over building OF capacity.
with the disagrecable results that follow
that, A saving condition Hes perhaps i'm
The less ability 10 secure gas SIMPLY
and the large lnvcStmnnt that must hc
made IN modern smeltln;. works in
Illinois, which arc detcrrcnis 10 the en-
terprise OF reckless Adventures In the
zinc smelling business. anyway ii is the
consumer himself who is largely rcspon-
slble for the recen, elevation in the price
for spelter,