The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1915-03-18


tin and nickel, potash and nitrate.
Among the minerals of which the
United States has a deficient supply
are manganese, platinum, gems and
asbestos. Still other minerals it has
heretofore been more profitable to buy
abroad than to produce at home. such
as chrome ore, barytes, flint pebbles,
magnesite, mica and graphite.
Short Three Types of Minerals.
"These deficiencies create problems
relating to three different types or
classes of minerals. In the first class
tin and nickel only seem to present a
j hopeless outlook; and as a matter of
fact the whole world is poor in tin.
Especially Is this scarcity felt in GER
T tain of the countries now at war,
where the shortage due to cessation of
imports is intensified by the increased
use Of tin In canning army supplies.
But we can look TO South America for
tin ore and make its importation a
foundation for profitable commerce
with Bolivia. For nitrate we can con-
tinue to rely upon Chile, but we should
develop our independence in respect
to this mineral by the manufacture Of
nitrates from atmospheric nitrogen.
Opportunities for cheap hydro electric
development will invite capital as soon
as congress will legislate. For potash
anfa fFa bar
only one potash-rich brine has been
found-that of the Searles Lake de-
posits in Calfornia--where potash
occurs in even greater quantity than
that at first estimated by the geologi-
lcal survey, but the problem Of its
commercial extraction has not yet
been fully solved by the chemical en-
gineer.
"The deficiencies Of the second class,
like manganese and platinum, are
stimulating to the geologlst and the
engineer the one to discover, the other
to develop. The recent find in south
ern Nevada of rich platinum bearing
gold ore constitutes notable addition
to the worlds supply of this too rare
metal.
"The third class of minerals, those
which 1t has paid better to buy from
foreign producers, probably furnishes
the largest incentive for the effort to
secure meteorological independence
Here especially can the geologist and
engineer cooperate. Magnesite, mica
and graphite, for example, are com
mon minerals. of which large deposits
have been found in this country, yet
up to the present time they have beer
large items of import from Austria
Canada and India.
Work for the Mining Engineer.
CAS- an encouraging instance Of
meteorological Independence you may
recall that onl about 10 years ago
this country imported it's sulphur from
Sicily, whereas now, by reason of the
work of one engineer, the United
States leads the world In the mining
of sulphur. Can not further success
be expected in the utilization of min
eral resources hitherto practically UNI
touched?
"The substitution of certain miner
ais Of domestic origin for those bought
in foreign markets will bring us face
to face with the problem of standard
ization Price is not the last word
with the manufacturer-consu This
! Is a good time to drop any ideas we
may have OF industrial superiority ane
to copy for while the industrial spr-
! it of Germany which systematized
processes and standardized products
until they won markets in every con-
tinent by sheer superiority.
"The outlook for successful endeav-
or by the American engineer seems
very bright"