The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1915-05-06
THE MINING INDUSTRY.

From all over the west come reports
of renewed interest In mining and pre-
dictions for year of great prosperity
in all branches of the industry. The
great copper mines, after period OF
reduced production due to inability to
market their product in Europe on ac-
count of the blockade, have now over
come that difficulty and are working
at capacity. The price of copper has
advanced to point that has not been
reached before in many years and the
tendency Is to further advance under
the urgent demands for the red metal
In the manufacture of munitions of
war. Under these conditions the big
copper companies are preparing to in
crease their capacity, and there Is an
ever increasing demand for copper
mines. The effect of this great activ-
ity In copper has not yet manifested
itself to any appreciable extent in the
Occur d'Alene district, but the time
when the great copper deposits here
will respond to the ever growing de-
mand is certain to come.
The situation In lead is not as sat
isfactory as that of copper but tGe
price is firm at a figure that insures
fair profit to the producer, but not
strong enough to give a great impetus
to development nor to crowd mining
and milling capacity However, the
outlook for lead is good, for the for
eirn demand which Is the main sup
port OF the market now will continue
until after the war closes, and in the
meantime the domestic market must
soon show a change for the better
spelter continues to be the sensation
of the metal market and zinc miners
are rcaping harvest that ne one could
anticipate. The high prices are the
direct result Of the war demand anu
most of the product Is used In the
manufacturer of brass for the man
ufactrre Of ammunition. The result
has n, an to greatly increase the pro-
duetion Of zinc ore and this has reach-
Cd a point now that renders 1t ex-
tremely difficult to market zinc ore
except by producers who have con-
tract with the smelters to take a stlp-
ulated output. This situation Is due
IN the lack of zinc smelling capacity
to handle increased output Every
zinc smelter In the United states Is
working to It's utmost capacity, ana oio
plants long idle are again on the active
list Locally the two main zinc mines
are making shipments to the limit "t
tbo,r contracts and could send out
more II the shelters would take H.
small and irregular shippers. however
are finding difficulty in getting smelt-
ers to take their ore in the absence OF
a contract, and no relief can be eN-
Il pected in this respect until there Is an
Increase IN the smelling capacity of the
country.
The price OF silver still continues
dlsappolntment II was freely predict
ed by recognized authorities at the be-
ginning OF the European war that
there was sure to be big advance In
the price OF silver to meet the none
tary requirements of the great con-
nict but these predictions have not
materlalzed. Silver still remains
about where 1t was when the war
started. seldom advancing above 90
cents. The silver In the lead ores OF
the Occur dAlene mines Is an import
ant factor, and It's failure to respond
to the influences that have so strong
ly affected copper. lead and zinc Is
disappointing.
Taken altogether, and considering
the condition Of almost all other lines
of industry, the mining situation is
highly satisfactory and the confidence
everywhere manifested in the future Is
abundantly justified.