The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1915-04-08

The recent record advance in the
price of spelter and the present hig.
price, between and 9 cents. has caus-
ed much speculation as to what to OK
pect In the future and as to whether
there is O basis for the belief that the
present price viii be maintained UNI
der normal conditions II so the opt-
look for zinc mining in this district
could hardly be better and the output
may be expected to largely Increase
In this connection the following dis
cussion by President Kimball, of the
American Zinc, Lead & Smelling COM
pany Is of exceptional interest
KirbaIl's Statement.
at will be noted that the increase
In the worlds production and con-
sumption of spelter has been at the
average rate of about Z per cent per
annum. The increase in production
and consumption in the United States
has been about ~ per cent ner ann'lm.
"Tbe percentage of world prOduc-
ton in the United States for the year
1912 Omitted States geological survey
is as follows
Copper, 552 per cent.
Lead. 3O.7 per cent.
Speter, 81 per cent.
previous to the beginning Of the
European war, Europe produced mp
proximately two-thirds Of the worlds
supply of spelter. and the United
States one-third
1.-THE economics of this worlds zinc
situation are interesting The control
by European smelters of the Austria
liam output of zinc concentrates, which
produce approximately 100000 tons OF
spelter annually, gave Europe the
predominatng position in the zinc In
dustry. Whether these Australiah
concentrates, which were controlled by
Germany and Belgium, VIII be subject
to existing contracts or whether these
contracts will be abrogated by Eng
land remains TO be seen There Is
very strong sentiment now prevailing
in England against the forced curtail-
ment of production of these Austral-
ian mines, awaiting the decision OF
English courts as to the status OF the
contracts when peace is declared, and
the matter has recently been before
parliament In an effort to force action
to Immediately cancel these contracts
permitting English capital to erect
smelters In England, or possibly II
the United States, and Premier AS
quith Is reported to have replied tC
this sentiment recently that the mat
ter was now under serious considera'
ton on the part of the government
Some definite action on the part o.
the English government would be ne
cessary. as otherwise the large in
vestment necessary to erect sufficient
smelling capacity to care for these
Australian concentrates would be al
investment carrying great risk unless
these German contracts were can
celled, which would insure the con
tlnuous shipment OF Australian con-
centrates to now smelters in England
or possibly to the United States. wher
peace Is declared
IF, as seems possible, Australian
concentrates will be smelted either by
English or American interests, the
control of the spelter situation would
be shifted from continental Europe t
England and North America, either
acting individually or jointly In the
treatment OF Australian concentrates.
Control Shifted.
"By shifting 100000 tons of spetel
from continental Europe to either
England or America the control OF the
spelter situation would be shifted. and
this win result in a revolution in the
zinc industry which could have beer
brought about In no other way than
by war conditions The economic sit
uation has direct bearing on the tar
iff question.
III America, or America and Eng
land Jointly, controlled the spelter sit
uation, the necessity of any tariff van
ishes. as the United States would be O
continued exporter OF spelter and
would not fear importations as the
consumption OF spelter In Europe
would be much larger than the pro-
duction.
Assuming that the same relative
positions are maintained after the wal
is over as existed before the war; am
convinced that under normal business
conditions. both here and abroad. and
without new sources of zinc ore sup
plies to equal or approach the Austria
liam output to provide for this in
crease, the increased consumption
must necessarily mean higher prices
for spelter throughout the world; and,
even the present tariff OF Is per cent
ad valorem affords the United States
protection against Europe OF approx
imately ! cent a pound, assuming the
10-year average of prices prevailing
in Europe.
BASED on the most reliable inform
alton we can get regarding European
conditions while the war lasts. and
conditions which will continue with mt
doubt for some time thereafter. and.
further nsSun,Inp n ,.at,,rn ~ nnrr, a I