The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-07-08
LEAD AND ZINC MINES
SHOW INCREASING ACTIVITY

The high price of spelter that has
obtained almosr continuously since
the war began, has greatly stimulated
the mining and smelling of zinc ore
in the United States. The recent rise
in the price of lead has given double
| Impetus TO mining in those regions,
such as the Joplin district, where the
zisc ores are associated with lead
ores" This t. the Introductory
statement in the mid-year review of
the lead and zinc situation by c. T..
Siebenthal of the United States Geo
logical Survey
The present smelling capacity is
scarcely equal TO the demands upon
1t. This renders it imperative that
as much spelter as possible be pro-
duced per retort, and puts premium
upon high grade ores. The Joplin
district bende averages about So per
cent zinc content, though a consid.
cradle quantity of the concentrates
averages 90 per cent and higher and
contains very little iron or lead. that
of eastern Tennessee averages over
GO per cent, and Butte Mont, 80 per
cent Wisconsin district blende aver
ages 30 to 60 per cent after roasting
and magnetic treatment to remove
the iron. High grade calamine ores
are also in demand, and an increased
yield is being made from Arkansas
and Missouri also lead-free New Jer-
sey ores are in demand.
The spelter required for the manu-
facture of munitions of war must be
of good quality suitable for making
sheet zinc and brass, and particularly
Of the highest grade for brass car
fridge shells. This puts further
premium upon the higher grade, purer
zinc ores To meet the demand for
such metal, some smelters are re-
distilling their output to bring it up
to a high standard, and are thus able
to use a lower grade of ore. Such a
method reduces the output of the
plant by one-half, however, and adds
greatly to the cost of the product.
The lack of smelling capacity has
resulted in starting up old coal-fired
plants in Missouri and Kansas that
had been out of commission for years.
All smelters are being rushed to their
maximum capacity and additions to
capacity are being rushed to com.
pletion.
The Ligh grade zinc ores of the
Joplin regions are in greatest demand,
and the district is teeming with &C
tiyity. Churn drills are prospecting
on every hand. Innumerable new
shafts are ben: sunk, and old ones
reopened. Old diggings are being un,
watered, for ground too lean to work
at previous prices can now be oper-
ated at a profit The drilling cam
paign that has Neen proceeding north
of the Miami, Okla, district for more !
than a year has resulted in many
rich strikes and a number of concen-
trating plants are being built This
region is just now the most active
part of the JOPLIN district.
Demand for lead during the early !
part of 1915 was not sufficient to in
crease prices materially. but in March
the price per p,2nd averaged above 4
cents for the first time since Feb
ruary, 1914. In April and May the
advance continued, and during June
there was marked increase past 5
cents and well beyond 6 cents per
pound. The lead zinc, and silver-lead
mines will, of course, benefit by re-
turn to favorable prices for lead, and
this market, so slow to respond to
the general revival, has thrown an.
other favorable factor in the metal
mining situation at the half-year end |
The lead production had probably |
been above normal demands for it |
in 1914. however, and amount of sur
n1.tc mot lnnWn