White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1914-09-20
WAR SHOULD STIMULATE
COPPER PRODUCTION

During the Balkan war, estimates
CT the large amount of copper hat
would be used before the conflict
ended were widely exploited by the
trade. Forecasts as to the beneficial
effect of the general European war
on copper have been lacking, which
is natural, in view of the curtailment
of SO per cent in the production OF
the metal in this country and the drop
in exports.
In November, 1912, one of the
largest copper producers gave to the
Wall Street Journal a statment as to
the amount of copper that would be
consumed In the Balkan This
statement, in view of the general Eu-
ropean war involving many millions
more men than engaged in the Bal
kan war. follows:
That the Turks and allied forces
now engaged in the Balkan wal will
prove to be a very important factor
in the copper metal market in the
near future is the opinion of leading
copper producers and manufacturers
of ammunition.
Expenditures of ammunition are
based upon what was used in the
Russo-Japanese war, namely $50
rounds per day of battle per man.
The allied forces have some $4,000
men under arms, so that the expendi-
ture of small arms ammunition by
them would be 155,7O0,000 rounds
per day of battle.
The Turks. on the other hand,
based upon the number of men under
arms, would expend los 900
rounds per day of battle, making a
total of 260.750.0O0 rounds per day
of battle.
ut is fair to figure at least five
days of battle per man, making total
expenditures of smallarms ammuni-
tion for that period 1.303,750,00o
rounds.
1.-The empty brass cartridge cases
DIT shells used by the Turkish army
weigh 22.02 pounds per 1000, and
contain ~ per cent copper, while the
ehells used by the allies weigh 2O.S5
pounds e 1000 and contain Sc 2-3
per cent copper.
Assuming an average weight of
21h pounds per 1000 shells, and a
Upper content in the brass of 10 per
cent, the copper used up to the pres
ant time would amout TO upward OF
1880 900 pounds.
THE expenditure of field gun am
munition, based on the figures of the
Russo-Japanese war, would mount
10 about 1880 pounds per day OF
battle. As an empty cartridge case
weighs about two pounds, 100000
pounds of brass were used per day OF
lattle. Counting five days of battle
since the war began, there has been
lsed 1,515.000 pounds Of brass. or
t,113,79o pounds of copper, making
> total of upwards 20.000,000 pounds
Of copper that has been used since
the war began.
1T is evident from this that the
ammunition manufacturers will be
xept busy replenishing depleted sup
plies as a result of the Balkan. Incl
lentally the amount OF copper con-
sumed by the Balkan war to date is
% per cent In excess of the increase
in surplus copper stock reported by
his country in September
With these figures at hand 1t is
1nly necessary to keep track of the
shots fired to get a good line on tins
amount of copper the Germans and
allies are using. If all the copper IN
Europe is used up by the wal thi'
country could supply n deficiency
by increasing production which Il
now so per cent of capacity. to nor
nal. News that the warning nations
lave run out of copper and mus
there after use muzzle leaders would
be sufficient to drive away the de
spair now in evidence in the Amer
an conner trade.