Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-07-03
YEAR 1915 PROMISES
GOOD MINERAL OUTPUT,

..-so ,,id-vear finds the mineral indus
of the United States generali!
os,o-ous and enjoying revival OF &C
80 ,o,.elonn,ent' With this statement
5:roo.or Of the United States Geolo-
-, survey opens an official review o.
mining conditions as reported 10 MIN ps
,-overruent biologists and statlsu-
inns working or this subject. This re-
.,,,,al IS particularly true OF some OF the
o.srs for which increased demands have
..en noted during the past six months.
rrhis country has been first thrown upon
80 own resources for mineral products
-,o,,;-ed and next, given the opportunity
=. ennDIv the needs of foreign countries
49, nave offered US their trade. Com
,,a~.+iye freedom from foreign conpeti-
-fon and. in some important cases, in
c-ease OF foreign markets have stimu-
1a.ed production and a general mining
ADVANCE has set in
Summarizing the special reports at
,snd Director Geo Otis Smith continues
hIs review.
The six months record in iron is re-
occurring in that hopes at the beginning
IF he YEAR have been reaiized. Ore ship
,rents from the Lake Superior mines
have begun well, May. 1915. showing 81
Der cent increase over May 1914. The
mig iron output is also promising in its
e+aadv increase month by month, so that
q reasonable prophecy is for a greater
total pig iron production for 1915 than
FOR last year Enlargement and extern
sions al the iron and steel plants furnish
unmistakable evidence of returning bust
ness confidence.
The half year period Just completed has
witnessed great changes in the copper
industry and in every particular the i'm
provenent has been notable. Prices, out
nut, and wages have shown an upward
trend and prosperity is the word in the
copper districts Of the United States.
The demand for spelier and lead, with
the present high prices, have given
double impetus TO mining in the zinc-leaG
districts In the Joplin region old mines
are beng reopened. new shafts are be-
ing sunk, and prospecting is most active.
Shelters are pushed to capacity opera
ton The six months period has been
altogether favorable for the zinc mines
ana shelters, and the June advance in
the price Of lead makes the outlook
bright for all lead mining.
In the minor metals. the first American
mine 10 be extensively operated for
1nolybdente has been opened in Colorado;
a lin shelter is reported as being built
in New Jersey; and the Colorado tung-
full time; an anthony smelter in Cali
fornla has resumed operations and a new
one has been erected in the same State
TO work California ores; and antimony
ores have been shipped from Nevada and
Alaska The demand for quicksilver has
increased with the result that the Cali
fo-nia, Nevada and Texas producers are
expected to work at top capacity.
An unusual feature affecting coal min
ing has been the loss of bunker trade
az the Atlantic ports, which is only par
italy Offset by increasing exports. Re
ports from the West on the other hand
show an increase in coal production over
last year and in the East the coke output
has increased considerably of late. thus
showing at last the effect of the recent
activity in iron and other metals
The petroleum production for the six
months Just closed is believed to exceed
that for the corresponding period last
year. Unfortunately for the producers,
this increase has not been in response TO
a demand expressed in higher prices. On
the contrary the persistent food of oil
from the Oklahoma fields and from the
new pools in Louisiana and Texas has
prevented any permanent advance in
price.
Reports from the Surveys western
Offices are in the main optimistic. Colo
RADIO already shows an increase in gold
output over the same period in normal
years. and while the six months has
shown no increase in tonnage for other
ores. there has been a large increase
in Value and the present high prices gil.
TIE promise Of increased mining activity
during the rest of the year Utah is ex-
pected to reach record output and
Nevada mines are being operated at
usual capacity, with new activity on the
cid Comstock. The lead and silver pro