Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1913-07-26
Nevada High Grade May Save
the Industry From Extinction
Says a Government Expert


Especial To the BOBaazaD
WASHINGTON, July 26-Final and
revised figures OF the U. S. geologi
cal survey give domestic produc-
tion of quicksilver of 25.O64 TASKS.
valued at $1.O53,74l, of which 20,524
flasks were produced in California
and 4535 flasks in Nevada and Tex
as. These are the official figures
submitted by Fl. ID. McCaskey as an
advance chapter OF the Mineral Re
sources of the United States for 1912
Men who stand close to the Off
GERS of the survey say it is more
than probable that staff engineer
will soon visit the deposits at CHINA
bar City, Nevada, to determine the
real value of the discovery. If the
ore is as rich in mercury content as
claimed it will work a revolution in
this industry which is trembling in
the balance, owing to the high cost
of production and the low content
of the ore.
Dwelling on the condition of the in
dustry Mr. McCaskey says; lowing
to the generally low prices prevail
ing, the domestic quicksilver indus
try was not particularly prosperous
in 1912 The great majority of the
producers are operating old mines in
which high grade ore now is rarely
encountered and there were no new
rich ore shoots reported for the year
In most cases special skill is re
quired to prevent the plants from
running at loss II is probable tha
under the most favorable conditions
even with the lower prices of 1912
large deposits of rich ore would hav,
resulted in substantial profit, bu
such supplies are no longer reporte,
and it is questioned whether the
exist. Although each well develope
property is equipped with its ow
plant and presumably run at loves
costs. the margin of profit in man
cases is so small upon low grad
ores that during the periods of To-
prices, the mining activity is likel
to be considerably curtailed. Coz
versely during high prices it ma
pay to search the mine more tho
oughly for all ore of whatever valu
The domestic market for quic
silver appears to demand from q
600 to $4,000 flasks of Is pount
). each for consumption per annuI
The foreign market is not profit
; BILE to American producers in cor
petition with large European suppli'
available at lower prices. Unle
rich ore workable under favorab
conditions at large profit, be avail
BILE or industrial chemistry find ne
uses for the metal. and an increa
in the domestic demand resul
thereby the present producers mt
:, continue to operate under unfav'
able conditions,
"In 1912 there were altogether
mines producing quicksilver in
United States, against rs in 10
and 10 in 1910. Seventeen of
producing mines were in Californ
&c three in Nevada and Texas.
The average domestic price in S
nv Francisco for the year was $4205 |
no flask, or a total valuation of $l,0'
no GAL. The production OF Nevada a
nd Texas for 1912 was 4540 TASKS '
cd ued at Sl90.9O7 Referring to
cinnabar mines of Nye county,
an vada, the report states that the qui
Id silver deposits in the old lone
nd. trict, in the Shoshone mounta
ara have been acquired by the New
vd Cinnabar company Of Salt Lake {
ma and fifty ton Scott furnace is
iue prospect Of erection
hv That the readers of the Bona
ua may understand what is meant b
On low grade cinnabar mine 1t is stf
,hn that the average recovery from
uie in California in 1912 was II pou
nrv per ton of ore treated as aga
ion 10.S pounds in 1911, or 0.55 per
Joe of the ore in 1912. 05 per cen
Ter. 1911, and 052 per cent in 1910
From this statement it may
seen that the twelve and twenty
?. cent deposits opening at Nina
control the worlds product res
! OF less Of cheap labor or other q
,an, oioo