Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1913-01-16
GOLD AND SILVER MINED, 101.
Smallest Production of Gold in Past
Five Years.

The goldmining industry of the
United States was generally normal
in 1912, according to H. D. McCas-
key of the U. S. Geological Survey,
but early figures indicate the small
est production since 1907, when the
output was $9O,435,700. In 1908
the output increased to $94,56O, 900,
in 1909 to $99,673,400, in 1910 it
dropped to $96,269,1OO, in 1911 it
increased slightly to $96,S9O, 700,
but in 1912 it decreased to $91,6S5,-
16S, according to preliminary esti-
mates of the Bureau of the Mint and
Geological Survey.
The decrease is to be ascribed
mainly to Nevada, where there was a
falling off of about $4,50O,O0O,
chiefly from Golifield and to a
smaller degree from National and
Seven Troughs. The great Goldfield
mines produced more core than in
1911, but the average grade treated
was considerably lower; the mill at
National was burned in September,
and production was delayed at Seven
Troughs by cloUdburst in July. On
the other hand, the Manhattan,
Round Mountain and Fairview dis
tricts somewhat increased their
yields. A decrease of 100000 to
100000 is also indicated for Colo
rado, where, although there was an
increased production from Cripple
Creek of about 100000, owing
partly to successful drainage by the
Roosevelt tunnel, and an increase in
gold output also from Gilpin county,
there was an estimated decrease in
production of about 81 100000 from
the San Juan region, including the
counties of Dolores, La Plata, San
Juan, San Miguel and Ouray. The
bulk of the decrease, however, was
from the Camp Bird mine, in Ouray
county, as the output of San Juan
and Dolores counties increased. In
Utah and Washington decreases of
gold output of 100000 to 100000
are indicated. In Montana there was
probably smaller decrease.
The production Of gold was normal
in Alaska, Arizona, Idaho and New
Mexico, and there was a somewhat
increased output in California and
Oregon. The year 1912 was most
prosperous in South Dakota, where
the output increased about $4,000
and was the largest in the history of
the state. The great Homestake
mines, as usual, made the bulk of
the output. The hydroelectric plant
of the company owning these mines,
which has been under construction
for several years, was completed and
in operation in 1912.
California retains first place in
gold output, regained from Colorado
in 1911.
Gold dredging continued generally
active in 1912, especially in Califor-
mia and Alaska, where increased
dredging capacity was added The
output from 12O dredges in 10 states
(including Alaska) in 1911 was
$1O,311,5S9.
In the Geological Surveys report
on gold and silver in 1911 it was
shown that of the total gold produc-
tion "a per cent was derived from
placers, dredging alone producing
1913 per cent; 53.S per cent was
from gold and silver mills (23.9 per
cent by amalgamation, 26.1 per cent
by cyanidation, and 9.S per cent by
chlorination), and 22 per cent from
smelling. These proportions will
probably not greatly change for 1912,
except that dredging may be expect
ed to increase somewhat and the out
put from chlorination fill continue to
decline.
A. decline in prospecting has been
noted in several of the western
states and in 1911 and 1912 there
was no notable discovery of new ore
bodies or deposits that seem likely
to promise immediate material in
creases in the domestic gold output.
The largest producers are operating
at probably near their maximum ca
pacity, and though steady output
from them is assured, in some places,
as at Goldfield, the grade of ore has