Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-02-29
UNTOLD WEALTH Of
AMERICA SET FORTH
BY SECRETAR LANE
United States Produces TWen-
ty Per Cent of Worlds Out
put of Gold, Being Exceed
ed Only by Africa
ny FRANKLfN X. LANE.
Secretary of the Interior of the United
StaTas

| - @hboAAOE % the n160Q
states.
/ WASHINGTON, Teb. 27.-The produc-
ton Of gold in the United States in 1880
was $36,0O0,000, while in 1914 the total
domestic yield was $94,500,000. The
worlds output of gold is approximately
| S460,OOO, OO0 Of which the United States
produces 20 per cent, and is exceeded
by South Africa only, with an output of
s2l2,OOO,0O0. Europe, outside of Russia,
Is absolutely dependent upon the rest of
the world for its gold supply
The balance Of trade in 1914 in gold,
largely in the form Of refined domestic
! bullion and United States coin, amount
ed to $165, 300, 000
| IT is not possible to give an accurate
estimate of the total reserves of gold
ore in the United States, but it is safe
| - assume that they are sufficient for
a long period Of years. For example,
at one of the large mines in southern
Alaska there has just been completed
a mill having a capacity daily OF 5000
tons of ore and it is estimated that ore
| deserves are between 100000 and
| 100,000,000 tons.
In 1880 the United States produced
| 30,300,000 ounces of silver, valued at
S4,700,0O0. The production has gradu-
ally increased until in 1914 the total
! amount produced, the largest ever re-
corded, was 100000 ounces valued at
! SAC, 100000. The silver production Of
| the world is estimated at about 225,-
| 600 900 fine ounces, of which the United
| States produces one-third Practically
! three-fourths of the worlds silver pro-
duction is derived from North America,
| about II per cent from Europe, and the
| ramainder mainly from Australia ana
Asia. The imports of silver in 1874
contained in foreign ore and base bullion
amounted to approximately $26,OOO,OOO,
while exports for the same period
amounted to s51, 900. There is every
reason to believe that the United States
| will continue TO retain it's position as
the largest producer of silver and have
large surplus for exoprts
! In 1880 about 1000, 900 long tons of
| iron ore. valued at $17,50O,OOO, were
mined in the United States, as compared
with 6O,00O,000 tons in 1913, valued at
| about $4,000 900. The production or
pig iron increased in the same period
| from less than 100000 tons to more
| than 10000, 900 tons, the value of which
! IN 1919 exceeded s45S,000,00O. The
! United States leads the world in the
| production of these commodities, iron
ere and pig iron, and produces annuaIly
| about 40 per cent of the world supply
| of iron. This is shown graphically in
figure 2. - tn
| Comparatively little iron ore is I'M
ported into the United States--less than
one-half of l per cent or the quantity
ANNUALLY mined Moreover, the. exports
of iron ore from the United States nearly
offset the imports, so that the United
STATES is self-sufficient so far as inc
| production of iron ore is concerned
The production of copper in the Unit
ed states has increased more than TWEEN
ty-(ive fold since 1880. The productlon
I'm 1918 was t652,000,000 pounds, valued
AZ s255 soc. 900. as compared with pro-
duction of 6O,4SO.000 pounds, valued at
$4,000 in 1880. The worlds pro-
duction of copper is Approximately q
l211,OO0 900 pounds, of which the Unite1
States produces 60 per cent Europe IL
per cent, Canada and Mexico per cent
south America and Cuba : per cent,
and all other countries IL per cent
In 1918 the United states consumed
about Al per cent Of the worlds output
Of copper, or about IS per cent of her
production from native ores so that III
addition to producing sufficient copper
for her own needs the United States has
been a heavy exporter for many years.
One fact about our mineral resources
that is pretty generally known rs lhal
nur coal reserves are immense-hundTeus
If millions of tons-an6 that the high
grade coal is in the east and the low
grade coal is chiefly in the Vest Al
though we are the largest consumer Of
coal IN the world, using nearly 40 per
cent of the total worlds production, we
have as yet consumed but one-half Of
per cent Of the total quantity the geol'
ogists estimate as present in the United
States. The comparative coal reserves
Of the United States and the rest of the
world are graphically indicated in fig. D..
The annual production Of coal in the
United States has increased over 500 per
cent in thirty-fve years-from 6S,00C,OOO
short tons in 1879 to 570,00O,OOO short
tons in 1913. The total value at the
mines of the coal produced in 1913 was
$3.50, 900, 900.
If need be, the United States can sup
ply the world with coal. The supply Of
coal Is here, and undoubtedly the capital,
labor and transportation facilities will
be forthcoming if the price Of coal rises
sufficiently to warrant their use for this
purpose But il is to be hoped that the
great bulk of our coal will be utilized
at home in the upbuilding OF our indus
tries.
The worlds production Of petroleum.
in 1914 is estimated at 100000, 600 bar
rels, of which the United states fur
nished 66 per cent.
A million miners are employed in the
coal mines, metal mines and quarries
OF this country and probably 100000
men labor in the affiliated industries
that depend directly on the mines. The
total value of the minerals and metals
produced in this country in 1913 was
nearly $4,000, 000,0 600.