Potosi journal. (Potosi, Mo.) 1894-1929, 1912-04-24
Lead Production in 1911.


vey has just issued its annual advance
statement of lead productin for 1911.
This statement, prepared by c. f..
Siebenthal, gives the final figures
of output as made up directly from
reports from all lead smelters in
operation during the year. Preliml-
nary estimates Of the production in
1911 of lead, zinc, copper and some
other metals were published by the
Survey January 2, 1912. These pre-
liminary figures for lead are shown by
Comparison with the final figures to
have been one ninth OF per cent, or
54i tons. in excess of the actual pro-
ductiOn.
Missouri held first place in the pro-
duction of lead, with an output OF
1S2, ,201 short tons, and also made the
greatest increase for the year, the gain
over 1910 being 20,549 tons. Idaho,
ranking second in production, with
III ,l59 tons, made also the second
greatest gain, 17'235 tons. Arizona
has an an output of :, },450 tons, as COM
pared with S5S tons in 1910. Utah
produced 55, 1913 tons, falling off of
about 1000 tons. Colorado. with an
output of 30,621 tons, lost over 5000
tons as compared to 1910. The pro-
duction of lead from African ore fell
Off, being 500 tons as against $500 in
1910. The lead ore of Mexican origin
likewise suffered a big reduction,
chiefly due to political conditions in
that country. The total production
of lead Of foreign origin was 81, ,134
tons, as compared to 1885 tons in
1910.
The total production OF refined
lead in the United States from both
domestic and foreign ores was 486, ,975
tons as compared with 470, $50 tons in
1910, a gain of Is, ,595 tons, Or 3.5 per
cent. The total production, including
antimoniaI lead, was for the first time,
more than half million tons, the ex-
act figures being sol ,053 tons. OF the
refined lead produced, 5,357 tons
was desilverized lead, and 155 ,947 tons
was soft lead, in addition to which
there was 1851 tona Of desilverizet!
soft lead. The gain in soft lead pro-
duction over 1910 was 22,374 tons.
which compared with the total gain
for the year, 1866 tons, shows that
the output of desilvered lead fell Off
5,779 tons. The antfmonial lead pro-
duction for the year was 14,07S tons,
practically the same as in 1910.
One table in the statement shows
the recovery of secondary lead from
Dresses, old metal. etc, both as pig
lead and rejuvenated lead alloys.
Other tables give the exports as we'll
as the imports by countries and by
classes.
There is also given list of the lead
smelters and refineries, including
those idle in 1911 as we'll as those
operating or under construction. \
diagram covering the period from 1906
to 1911 inclusive shows by curves the
| average weekly price Of lead at New
York and at London. TIE average
New York price for the year was 4.5
cents per pound, and as shown by the
curve it was nearly stationary for the
year. The London price gradually
rose during the later half of the year
and reahced the highest level since
1907. The result is seen in the in
crease in the exports of foreign lead
from 7S, $50 tons in 1910 to 113,307 tons
in 1911. This is correlated with a re-
duction of stocks Of foreign lead in
bonded warehouse from 35,972 tons in
1910 to 4,4Sl tons at the close of 1911.
A copy of this statement may be had
without charge by addressing the
Director, United States Geological
Survey, Washington, d. G.