The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1916-04-08
METAL INDUSTRY
IS PROSPEROUS
PRODUCERS OF THE WAR MET
AIS" POSSESS PROVERBIAL
GOLD NINE

Had there been an individual a
year ago who possessed sufficient op-
timism to predict the present posi-
ton of the metal market, he would
AVE been ~adjudged a pipe dream
err" obsessed with all the hallucina-
tions and vagaries that are supposed
to be the allotment of such an indi-
vidual. But the most roseate dreams
of yesterday are as nothing to the
realities of today, and copper, lead,
zinc, tungsten and other properties
are proving the proverbial COLA
mines of the early days.
The American metal industry at
no time in its history has enjoyed
so great a Ieand for the metals,
now known as war metals" as it
is doing today. These include prin-
cipally copper, spelter and lead,
for which today there are unpre-
cedented demands that give no in
dication of lessening for a long
period of time, with little though.
being given by the buyer to the
price asked-prompt delivery be-
ing the important consideration.
That there is to be an even
greater demand for these metals
from foreign countries is the gen
eral belief, as the result of the
enormous quantities of munitions
used up in the big battles ron
going on in France. Other factors
that will have a bearing on this in
creased demand is tie heavy buving
consumption and which gives ever
indication of continuing increasing
for some time to come.
Copper, which has been enjoy
ing a ps i'd of Unprecedented pros
perity with the metal now selling at
close to % cents, has a long period
of prosperity ahead Of it.. judging
from the unity of opinion expressed
that eve if the war were. to era
before the ,ntr is over. il would
be followed ~ such Il wor d." &c
RESUMPTION of industrial activity
rs was w before witnessed, par
ticularly in ire war-ridden cGun-
tries.
That the copper supplies abroad
are rapidly being depleted is evil
denced by the decrease in stocks OF
1928 tons and q drop Of 2123 tons
in visible supply in England,
France and afloat thereto. The
Mexican situation will also have it's
effects on the copper industry Tor
large qlaHtit:es of blister copper
and concentrates are very likely to
be shut off, thereby c%urtailing the
Americas output to some extent.
Domestic buying. added to the
war; demands, during the past
two weeks. has permitted spelter to
regain some Of its price losses AID
it is ag1'n selling around o cer;s
per pound. Exporters are said to
be on a still hunt" for supplies
covering nearby shipments. and
seem willing to pay considerably
above the present quotations.
There has been a great deal of
activity in the lead market the last
two weeks. in fact more than for
several months past, owing to a big
export demand. Foreign. manufac-
turers of war munitions are MAX
ing heavy drafts upon this coun-
try for pig lead. Since the first of
March sales aggIlgating between
5000 and 1000 tons have been made
by New York dealers and operators,
largely for export, the heaviest buy
ing being for shipment to Japan.
Domestic consumers are also begin
ing to awaken to the fact that thew
have seen the last of low prices for
some time to come and are now
seeking supplies at much higher
prices than prevailed a few weeks
ago.
No other metal necessary in the
manufacture of war implements has
reaped so largo . benefit as has
dor $500 ia ton to nearly $4,000 per
ton, To make high-speed tools.
rocessarv in manufacturing shells,
rifles and big guns. as well as other
war implaments. only one kind of
steel can be emnloved. that alleged
with tungsten, which will retain a
cutting edge at over 1900 degrees
Fahrenheit. or white red hot. The
average tungsten content of this
steel is Is rer cent. And there is
orlv a limited supply of tungsten
commercially available in the world.
So heavy is the demand for tung-
stem that some manufacturers are
refusing to consider any foreign
orders for the metal. The supplies
ae not sufficient to meet TIE de-
mand from machine tool makers
at home. and that is given as the
rr'e reason for the great rise in
price.-Mining World.
SCuEEI JTE &c