The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1912-09-07
DECREASE IN PRO-
DUCT|ON OF iron

There was a decrease of nearly %
per cent in the production of iron ore
and a smaller but noteworthy decrease
in the production of pig iron and steel
in the United States in 1911, compared
with the production in 1910, due to the
large over production of ore in 1910,
and to lessening demand for iron
products in 1911. The prospects for
1912 are encouraging, according to
Ernest F.. Burchard, of the United
States Geological Survey, in a report
just issued on the " Production of Iron
Ore, Pig Iron and Steel in 1911'' but
at no time since 1907 has the excessive
capacity for manufacturing iron and
steel been fully utilized, and nothing
short of abnormal activity, which is
not likely to occur in 1912, will result
in employing the full capacity of the
plants.
One of the important features of the
iron ore industry in 1911 was the in
creased attention paid to the conserva-
tion of ore in the Lake Superior region
through benefciation (washing con
eentrating, roasting, nodulizing and
briquetting of ores).
The iron ore marketed in the Unit
ed States in 1911 amounted to 40,9S9,-
sos long tons, valued at $S6, 6,419.S30 at
the mines, compared with 56,SS9,7 ,734
long tons, valued at $40, 735 SOY, in
1910. Minnesota and Michigan pro
duced the bulk of the iron ore, the for
mer 23,39S, ,406 long tons and the latter
s,944.3 long tons.
During the year l59 mines produced
over $4,000 long tons of iron ore each
compared with 191 mines which ex
ceeded that output in 1910. The larg
est quantity produced by any single
mine in 1911 was 1,o33, 80 long tons
from mine at Marble, MINI.
The production Of pig iron in 1911
amounted to 23,257 .2sS long tons
valued f. o. b. at the furnaces at 1927.
234 ,624, compared with 26,674,123 Ions
tons, valued at $412,162 ,4s6, in 1910, &
decrease in quantity of 3,416,S35 tons
and in value of $s4,s2 1862. Pennsyl
vania produced the greatest quantity
of pig iron, 9,5s1, 100 long tons; Ohio
was second, with 5,371,37S long tons
and Illinois stood third, with 2,036,
0Sl long tons.
The total quantity of steel produced
in 1911 was 23,675,501 long tons
against 26.094 ,919 long tons in 1910
The bulk of it came from Pennsyl
vania, whose output was 13,207
539 long tons.
In this report the United State
Geological Survey has undertaken fo
the first time to present the statistic
of production of iron alloys separated,
frow those of pig iron, with whicl
they have been heretofore included
Although the total quantity of thes'
alloys is small, amounting to onl,
about one-eighth of the average pro
duetion of pig iron for one month. thu
value per ton is relatively so great a
TO have an important influence on tn,
apparent value Of the pig iron if in
cluded with it. The total marketed
/ production of these iron alloys, o
/ ferro-alloys, in 1911 as reported to th
Geological Survey, was 253,375 lon,
tons, valued at $S,377 ,S32. These al
/ loys have a variety of names, such a
ferromanganese, spiegeleisen ferro
silicon ferrophosphorus, frromolybde
mum, ferrotitanium, ferrotungsten an'
/ ferrovanadium, according to the meta
with which the iron is combined
A copy of the report may be obtain
ed free on application to the Directo
of the Geological Survey, Washington