The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1915-06-26
J.. S. HOLDS KEY
TO METAL MARKET
WAR HAS CUT OFF GREAT PART
OF THE METAL
SUPPLY

with the great increase IN inc ue-
mand for copper and zinc for NUM-
tions of war the United States is
in control of the metal markets Of
the world. 1t is believed that this
country will this ear control more
than half the worlds production of
lead, 80 per cen of the copper and
about 80 per cent CT the Yin: pro-
duction. Relative to the condition
of lead, copper and zinc, and the
immense earnings that are coming
to Utah mines on account of prices a
New York brokerage house says:
The yearly production of lead in
1913 for the entire world was $780,
40S short tons. of which the United
States produced 411,S7S tons Or 80
per cent. Spain Is the next greatest
producer. with 223,767 tons, and
Germany third. with 199,627 tons,
while Australia is fourth, with 1877
SGT tons. The ony other producers
of any consequence are Mexico, Swe-
den, Austria, Belgium, Canada,
France, Great Britain, Greece, Italy.
Russia and Turkey in Asia. All
these countries, it will be seen. are
involved in war, either directly or
indirectly, with the exception of
Sweden, which produces 1858 tons
a year other countries than those
mentioned produce only 1884 tons a
year.
This leaves the United States,
Spain and Sweden, with a produce
ton CT 637,2SS tons, or more than
half of the worlds production, UNI
hampered, while there are 633,16O
tons a year involved. Lead Is
needed and must be had, so that the
United States this year will control
more than half of the worlds pro-
Guction, instead of so per cen I'm
til February Of last rear the United
States consumed all it's own lead and
not a pound had been exported
since the late '7Os. So that the de-
mand on this country is pushing the
prices up.
At the same time the United
States has been producing 55.6 per
cent of the worlds production of
copper, which is 2,19S.732,130
pounds a year, according to sta
tistics of 1913. OF this amount, the
yearly production by the United
States is 1,224,3S4,09S pounds. ia
pan is next in production, with
161,373,72O pounds, equal to what
Utah produces; Portugal n
Spain third, with 12O,591.6 $40; Mex
leo is fourth, and Australia fifth.
With the exception Of Norway,
Spain, Portugal, Central and South
/ America and the United States. all
other producers of copper In the
world are involved in war or indf-
rectly hampered in production there
by. The countries mentioned pro-
| duced 1,53O,262,11 pounds of cop
per, against 6~6S,470,012 produced
by the countries involved in war, so
that the United States controls ap-
proximately 80 per cent of the pro-
! duction. There is now an excessive
demand for copper for munitions or
war.
Taking zinc in the same way, 1t
shows up a condition more striking.
: In this metal the United States
leads the world with a production
of 31.7 per cent, OF 346,675 short
tons a year. Germany is second with
| 20 per cen or 312,O72 tons and Bel
GUM third, with 217,9S2 tons, or
20 per cent From this it will be
seen that these two countries alone
control 40 per cent of the worlds
product. The worlds production for
1918 was 1903, 635 short tons. The
greatest zinc producing countries
are Germany, Belgium, Australia,
Austria, Italy, Great Britain and
| Poland, which, on account of the war,
involves 664,911 tons of zinc a year,
or over 60 per cent of the produc-
ton Of the entire world. The only
| countries producing zinc unhamper-
ed by war are Spain, with approx
mately 5000 tons a year; Holland,
26,S11; Norway, 1O,2S7, and the
United States with 346,676; making
a total of 42S,724, so that the Unit
ed States is practically in control OF
| the production of 90 per cent CT the
zinc being produced today.
The United States is now IN a po-
sition where it practically doml-
mates the worlds supply of lead,
spelter and copper. There is a great
er demand on the United States
than eve before. There Is no
doubt but that prices will continue
to hold for some time where they
are, and perhaps higher. Even after
the wars are settled they will hold
up for perhaps years during the time
of reconstruction and this vast
wealth is going to continue to pour
into the hands of persons holding
mining and metallurgical stocks.
We feel that spelter will continue to
sell around % cents. copper at ~
cents and lead around seven cents.