Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1915-07-24
BREAKS THE REC0R.e
Production Of Bauxitc and Alu.
minum Greatly Increased.
Growth Of Aluminium Industry Shown
by Fact That Production In 1884
Was $50 Pounds, and In 1904
S,60o,o00 Pounds.

Washington.-The production OF
bauxite and the consumption of alu
minum In the United States in 1914
were the largest ever recorded. The
report prepared by w. G. Phalen of
the United States geological survey
shows an output of 219,318 long tons
Of bauxite, valued at $1,000 ,194, II
1914, against 210.241 long tons, valued
at 1897, 6s8, in 1918. The states which
produced bauxite In 1914 were Ala
bama, Arkansas, Georgia and Tennes
see. Arkansas produced more than 80
per cent OF the output and the outpu'
was larger In 1914 than In 1918. The
production of Georgia. which held sec
ond place In both years, and of Ala
bama and Tennessee was considerable,
less in 1914 than 1t was in 1918. Th
imports Of bauxite amounted to "a,
S44 long tons, valued at $96,500, OF
1888 tons more than In 1918.
Bauxite Is used in the production
Of metallic aluminium and In the manu-
facture of aluminium salts, of bauxite
bricks, and of alundum. The use Of
bauxite In the production of the metal
aluminium Is by far the most i'm
portant one, and the largest part of
the bauxite produced in Arkansas, as
we'll as most of that imported, is used
In the aluminium industry.
Alundum, which Ia used extensively
as an abrasive, is made at Niagara
Falls. N. Y. by fusing calcined bauxite
In an electric furnace. Alundum is
especially efficient for the grinding of
steel forgings and castings. Only the
best grades OF bauxite are used In the
manufacture of such chemicals rs
alum aluminium sulphate and alumni
mum salts, as freedom from oxide Of
iron is desirable for such purposes.
Another use to which bauxite is
adapted Ia in the manufacture Of cal
cium illuminate, which gives q quick
set to plaster compositions.
The quantity Of aluminium consumed
In the United States In 1914 was
79,129,000 pounds, against 72,379,000
pounds in 1918 and e5,607 900 pounds
In 1912. The growth of the industry
Is shown by the fact that the produc-
ton was $50 pounds In 1884, $4,000
pounds In 1894, and 100000 pounds
In 1904.
The value OF the exports of alumni.
mum and Of manufactures of alumni
mum amounted to s1,546,51O In 1914,
as compared with $966,094 in 1918.
Aluminium Is the most abundant of
metals and ranks third among the
elements which compose the crust of
the earth, being exceeded only by
oxygen and silicon. It Is an important
constituent of all common rocks ex-
cept certain sedimentary rocks, as
sandstone and limestone. 1t ia never
found native, or in elementary form,
but occurs as an oxide, hydrous oxide,
iuoride, phosphate, sulphate silicate,
or other compound. The only source
of the metal 80 far commercially util
ICED is bauxite, an ore that contains
so to co per cent Of alumina (the
common oxide), which corresponds to
a metallic content of 26.5 to 31.S per
cent of aluminium.
The consumption of aluminium is
constantly expanding, and aside from
Its use In the manufacture of cooking
utensils, IL 10 being employed In the
construction Of automobile castings |
and Of welded tanks used by brewers,
preserve manufacturers, and fat rem.
derers and for wire for power-trans.
mission lines Other uses which are |
important in their adaptability and |
efficiency but which absorb only a
small portion Of the domestic product |
are the manufacture OF powdered |
metal used as paint pigment and In
making aluminium foil. Aluminium foil
10 gradually displacing tin foil, which
has been. used for wrapping |
cheese. candies, tobacco. tea and 9th
ar prOducts