The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1915-07-17
Mid Year Mining Reuiew

George Otis Smith,, director OF the geological survey,
recently prepared a mid-year review of the mining indus
try for the current year, based upon reports from his t1eld
men. Reports from the surveys western offices are IN the
main optimistic. Colorado 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 tor
other ores, there has been a large increase in value, and the
present high prices give the promise OF increased mining
activity during the rest of the year.
Utah is expected to reach a record output, and Nevada
mines are being operated at usual capacity, with new actlv-
itv on the old Comstock. The lead and silver production
of Idaho has only recently been stimulated, but a large
increase in zinc output has already been shown. In Mon
tana, the copper mines have about reached normal condl
ton, the zinc production already shows a notable increase.
and the gold output will be larger. New Mexico reports
increases in gold, silver and zinc, while lead production has
fallen off. The six months output OF copper IN New Mex
leo was probably equal to one-half last years total output,
so that there is good expectation of a better total tor the
year. Arizona, as a copper state, has shown the usual I'M
provement during the six months, while the gold mines
promise a record-breaking year. No large increase IN Ar
zona's output of lead or zinc is expected in 1915 over other
years. In California some gain in gold yield is reported
and copper conditions are much improved over last year:
Oregon shows a slight increase in gold output; while IN
Alaska the outlook is good for increased output OF copper
as we'll as gold. More Alaska mines are on a producing
basis this year and more dredges are in operation.
H. d. McCaskey states that during the first halt year
of 1915 the precious metal mining industries have been
normal and affected only indirectly by the great war abroad
Gold mining has been active in all the great mining camps,
with little change since the close OF 1914 Continued de-
velopment Of ore supplies, application OF efficient methods
and freedom from labor difficulties have tended toward IN
creased output. For a time since the outbreak OF the war
gold mills were threatened with serious shortage of cyanide
supplies, hitherto obtained in quantity from Germany, but
domestic production of cyanide has increased under the free
dom from foreign competition and sufficient supplies are
understood now to be had for home consumption at least.
II cyanide for the solution of gold from its ores be abundant
" provided, as now expected, zinc, in the form of shavings
and dust, must continue to be needed for precipitation OF
this gold from solution, and the recent abnornally high
prices Of zinc must tend to further increase the cost of the
extraction of gold.
Silver production is mainly from gold and silver mill
Ing ores, and from the refining of copper and lead bullion
from smelling ores. The output of the milling ores, as
those of Tonopah and Go1dfield, have been normal during
i half year and will probably show little change from con-
ditions at the end of 1914, and the great copper, lead and
siver-lead mining industries have profited by recent high
prices for copper and lead, and their revival from the re-
Guced output during the latter half of 1914 will result in
a resumption of normal production for the first half-year.