The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1913-01-23
MINES AN1 MINING

tion will be found in the addenda.
Present Duty Is Not Restrictive.
From 1905 to the end of 1909 Their
were imported 35O,8S9 tons of foreig
ores. or at the average rate of 1913
tons annually for that 5-year perio
when ores We're entered free of dut,
lii the three years since the duty ha
been on and even with revolution Il
Mexico. the principal source of foreig'
ores, the importations have been 2i3.
] 797 tons. or at an average annual rat
Of S1.249 tons. In other words, unde
the new duty now levied and with un
usually untoward conditions for or,
production in Mexico during the two
thirds Of that time, the imports hav'
averaged "A greater tonnage than tn.
previous period when the ores wer,
free; showing conclusively that thu
present rate of duty is not prohibitiv.
but has been an unusually good reve.
nue. producer. 1t is safe to presume
that had the revolution in Mexico no
been interfering with ore production
there, the zinc ore imports under thu
present duty would have been 50 t
100 per cent greater.
Zine Mining Free From Monopoly.
No mining industry in the Unite
States is so admittedly free from mon.
opoly as that of zinc mining. Accord
ing to census returns Of 1910, 35 PEI
cent Of the annual product was turne,
out by individuals or firms whose por
ton of the product ranged from less
than 5000 to 100000 each. In oil pro
duction the percentage Of small pro-
ducers falls to 27.3 per cent; in preci
GUS metal mining to 1913 per cent; ir
coal mining to 9.8 per cent; In iron t.
81 per cent. in COPIED to O.S per cent
In Joplin district in 1909 reports show
812 operating concerns varying from
the employment of men to that OF
much larger forces Often these con,
Germs consisted of from to 16 men
part of them working at the mine OF
prospect and the others working 70,
wages at other mines or places an(
their wages as the work
ing capital of the mine till it is plac
ed on a paying basis or sold to a larg
er company. 1t is the hope of these
small operators or prospectors to de
velop mine which will pay dividends
AT the present time this Is an industr,
In which there is hope for the small
man. He may open up a prospect ir
common with his fellows that will give
him a good start in life. On the other
hand, 1t is very hazardous business
The prospect may become a mine to
and the mine of today ma,
cut blind" tomorrow. The field fo'
he Joplin district is extending and It's
zeal limits are unknown. These condi
ions operate In favor of the small OBJ
,rator.
1t costs approximately $40S4 to pro.
luce ton of 60 per cent zinc ore. l.
'osts approximately $12 to turn this
on Of ore into spelter. IL costs from
3 to So to turn this spelter into gal.
'anized sheets or wire into which the
'ulk of all spelter goes. 1t will be OBJ.
erved therefore that Sc to 20 per cent
+ the cost of manufacturing zines fo,
he consumer is expended in minnie
nd concentrating the ores. More thar |
ne-half of the cost of mining and
zinc ore is paid to labor
A ton of average Joplin zinc ore
ontains 1900 pounds of zinc. A ton
nd half of average Mexican ore
ontains 1900 pounds Of zinc. 1t costs
1851 to produce and deliver to the
meters Of the United States a ton Of
verage Joplin ore. 1t costs $20.96 t.
reduce and deliver to the smelters OF
he United States a ton and half NJ
Verage Mexican zinc ores. The diff
renee between $3961 and s2O.96 ie
$3.50. This Is the actual difference in
le cost of producing American an, !,
exican zinc ores. This difference i, ,
1-2 cents per pound 4;
the metal content. :.
This difference is the cost of nro.
'ction of zinc ores in Mexico and the =
nited States is due in a large meas :,
e to difference in wages. :
nese lacts 1t seems to us spea,
themselves on the question of whe.
er or not this congress in it's wisdom
ould allow the zinc mining industr,
participate in the benefits of a pro y,
'tion that is incidental to revenu
-iff re