The Arizona copper camp., 1916-08-18
SIX MONTHS TUNGSTEN
PRODUCTION BREAKS RECORD

The tungsten production of the Uni
ted States during the first six months
of 1916 exceeded the production of
this or any other country in any pre-
vious II months says the Boston Fin
ancial News. Prices were even more
phenomenal than production and
reached more than ten times their or
binary level. The output was equiva-
lent to about 1920 short tons of con-
centrates carrying so percent WO-3,
valued at $9,113,0OO. according to an
estimate made by Frank L. Hess, of
the United States Geological Survey
Department of the Interior.
This estimate is believed to be cor
rect within 10 percent and to be under
rather than over the true figures.
These figures are no less noteworthy
when it is known that in 1915 much
the larger part of the production was
in the second half of the year, SO that
the total domestic, output for the II
months ended June 80, 1915, probably
aomunted to about 5000 tons.
Colorado has regained it's lead in
the production of tungsten ores and,
between January l, and June 80, mar
keted 1906 tons, valued at $3,63S, 900,
of which the Boulder field furnished
1494 tons. California sold 9S4 tons,
valued at $3,OO5, OOO The reason for
the higher value of the California ore
was that it was nearly all sold as
high-grade concentrate, but a large
part of the Colorado ore sold was of
low percentage and had to be milled
and concentrated with consequent ex-
pense and loss.
From Nevada 461 tons, valued al
$1,432,000, and from Arizona 175 tons
worth $565,000, are estimated to have
been shipped. Smaller quantities were
mined in Alaska, Connecticut, Idaho,
Missouri, New Mexico, South Dakota,
Utah and Washington.
Not only were the output and prices
unique, but the ratio of the several
tungsten minerals produced were diff
ferent from that of other countries of
values were approximately as follows:
Ferberite. 1,495 tons, $3,590,000; sche-
elite, 1.4O4 tons. $4.S22.OOO; wolframite
201 tons, $613,0O0; and hubnerite, 1876
tons, $5S7.0OO.
In most countries the prevailing min
eral is wolframite, and no other coun-
try approaches the United States in
the quantity of terberite of scheelite
produced. The scheelite comes mostly
from Ato1ia, Cal, but significant guam
titles are mined in Nevada, Arizona,
Idaho, and Connecticut
High Prices
The tremendous increase OF prices
caused by the need for high speed
tools to cut war steel ordered by the
governments of Europe of course caus-
Prices at the beginning of the year
were irregular and depended on the
buyers need of the ore and probably
on his fear of the possibly of not be-
ing able to get it when he might neeo
it even more.
Ores carrying 60 percent tungsten
trioxide brought at that time as much
as $50 a unit but the last of March
some ferberite sold for $3.50 a unit
at the mills, and even higher prices
were quoted in the newspapers though
they could not be confirmed. The
prices of the same ore in New York
market would naturally be somewhat
higher.
Under the stimulus of these high
prices production, not only in this
country but in the world at large, has
been at the highest point ever known
At first the sudden demand created
by the orders for war steel were fan
ahead of the instant productive power
of the country.
The rapid increase in prices, start
ing last fall at a time when tungsten
mining was at low ebb and culmin-
ating in the undreamed J maximum
mentioned, caused prospecting anG
consequent discoveries of new deposits
increase of development of known de-
posits. the operating at high tension
of old mills, and the hasty building
of new mills.
AS a result, the production increased
faster than the consumption and soon
overran the demand that would alb
sorb the output at the extremely high
prices prevailing, so that a drop in
prices was inevitable. June closed
with the price around $25 a unit
which was still much higher than any
price known before this year. The
highest price previously reported tc
the Geological Survey was SIS a unit
paid in 1907. The moral price has beer
Sc to 81.
Mining Activity
During the six months under consi
deration 40 mills of various types anC
sizes were in operation part or all o
the time on tungsten ores, and at th