The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1916-02-24
The War Demand For Zinc In 1914
Proportion of Metals Used In Making of Ammunition


The war has developed an unexpec-
tedly large demand for zinc, owing
chiefly to the overwhelming use OF
shrapnel and of huge artillery. Spell
ter as a 80 per cent component of brass
is used in the equipment of war YES
sells of all sorts, In the mountings and
fittings of artillery of all kinds, In the
fittings of automobiles and aeroplanes,
in cartridge cases for shrapnel, for ra :
pid-tire machine gun, and for small
arms. OF these probably the chief use
is In shrapne cases. Contrary to the
statement sometimes made, these can
generally be reused as much as 80 or
40 times provided circumstances per-
nit their being saved. The conserva-
ton and reuse of old shrapnel and
cartridge cases should eventually lead
to reduction in the demand for spell
ter for such purposes. Their storage
after the war may result in such ac-
emulation of old brass as to affect
ter
There Is a heavy demand for zinc
sheets for export to Europe but 1t Is
not probable that the war Is respon-
sible for any large part of this demand.
Sheet zinc Is used to line powder cases
and ammunition boxes and magazines.
IA To lya1x To ihn AYNInuah nxtnn-
siyely in roofing the temporary bar
racks and other buildings and trench
shelters, the cheaper galvanized iron
being available for such purposes. 1t
is probable that the heavy demand re-
suits from the ordinary consumption
of sheet zine, which just now has to be
supplied almost altogether, If not
wholly, by the United States.
The following extract from the Iron
and Coal Trade Review will give some
idea of the quantity and proportions
of copper, lead, and zinc used in MAX
ing shrapnel and ammunition Tor small
arms:
"A British 1S-pounder, or 3,3 inch
shrapnel, requires pounds ounces of
brass containing 66 to 70 per cent cop
per, or nearly 3A pounds. A small
copper band around the shell adds Az
ounces, making the total copper 4.04
pounds. Spelter consumption per shell
OF this size Is about 1877 pounds. Lead
bullets weighing 1892 pounds and COM
posed of parts lead to / anthony,
constitute the metal load of the pro-
1ectile. Estimating the total orders
for shrapnel and other shells placed in
the United States by Europe at 25,000,-
600 shells, these orders would call for
total of 101,000,000 pounds of copper,
46,760,000 pounds of spelter, and 49,
100000 pounds of lead Actually the
metal consumption is larger, as a fair
proportion of the shells are 47-inch
howltzer shells, using more brass;
some 6-inch. I IA Inch, and probably g.
inch shells are also being made. Rife
cartridges are composed mainly Of cop
per, there being one pound of it used
In making "A Lebel cartridges, a type
widely used by the French army Every
l25 of these cartridges consumes one
pound of spelter and a small amount
Of nickel"
War Prices of Zinc.
The outbreak of the war was pre-
coded in the United States by 10
months of slowly declining prices for
spelter and of gradually increasing
stocks of that metal, so that the price
of spelter Immediately before the dec
laration of war was we'll under 6 cents,
and the stocks of spelter at the mid
year We're over $4,000 tons. The price
Of spelter responded sharply to the
scarcity of the metal in London con-
sequent upon the closing down of the
usual European sources, and there
were heavy exports in September. The
price took rapid drop, however, to |
the lowest point of the year in October, |
caused probably by partial recovery |
from the spelter panic in London man /