El Nuevo mexicano., 1916-01-06

ANI
The midyear review Of mining c0n-
ditlons reported to The SECRETARY Of
the Interior on July j By the Direc-
tor of the United States Geological
Survey IS well supported by the pre-
|limlnary reports 1or the year submit
ted today The Geological Survey Is
making public lis usual estimate Of
mineral production for 1918 in The
form Of d separate statement for each
OF the more important mineral pro-
ducts.
"A review Of these statements con-
firms Secretary Lanes comment Of
last July TO the effect that the mining
revival Is in full swing. In the West
ern States alone the metal Droduc.
lfion shows an increase In value Of
more than $130.000,000 over the COR
responding figures for 1914; and the
years increase in output for the prin
cipal metals measured in value IS
more than $25O,00O.000. Moreover II
is not unreasonable to expect that
when the full returns for all mineral
products are compiled they will show
that 1915 was the c0nntry's most
productive year IN the mining indus
try. The total may even reach two
and one-half billion dollars.
In the response TO bettered COM
ditions the production figures for cop
pei, iron and zinc show the largest In.
crease.
Copper Beats All Records
The copper mines passed all re-
cords for previous years, the 1916
output having a value Of 1896. 600, 900
or s83, 100000 more than the value
of the production FOR 1914. The sta
~Btistics and estimates received place
the output Of blister and Lake copper
at 1866, 500, 900 POUNDS or than
120,000,000 pounds IN exces of the
largest previous production and
eighteen per cent above last years
figures. Only twice in the history OF
copper mining has there been a lar
ger Increase in quantity Of metal pro-
duced. a
Large Increase in Iron
The total shipments Of iron ore
from the mines in the United States
in 1915 are estimated to have ex.
ceeded 55,000,00O gross tons, an in
crease over 1914 Of more than 3S per
cent. Based on the same price as re-
ceived in 1914 this represents an I'M
crease in total value Of about S27,
$4,000. The increase in pig iron is
estimated at $500, 900 tons, with a to-
tai increase in value Of pig iron pro-
duction Of more than $120,00o,000.
zinc Records Also Broken
The output of zinc (spelter) made
from domestic ores was larger than
ever before being about 425,O00 tons
worth 1920, 100000 as compared with
343,41S tons in 1914, an Increase Of
about $4,000 tons or nearly 25 per
cent in quantity and of $4,000, 900 in
value. Production was increased
during the latter half Of the year, as
the production during the first half
was at the rate OF $4,000 tons annual
" and at the rate of $4,000 tons dur
ing the last half.
The output Of refined pig lead from
domestic ores wal about 515,0 tons
worth about 48,500,O00 as compared
with 512,794 tons In 1914, an increase
OF only $500 tons in quantity but OF
So. 500, 900 or 20 Per cent in value. he
production Of artimonial lead was
20,550 tons as compared with 1865
tons in 1914, an increase of 1882 tons
or 2S per cent in quantity and an in
crease in value Of nearly $~2,000,000.
Gold and Silver increases
The annual preliminary estimates
on the production Of gold and silver
in the United States, made jointly by
THE United States Geological Survey
and the Bureau Of the Mint, are not
yet complete. but early figures based
on reports from the mines indicate
an increase in mine production over
that Of 1914 OF over $1,000, 600 in gold.
principally from Colorado, California.
Alaska, Montana end Idaho, and an IN
crease in mine production of silver
of fully 100000 ounces. chiefly
rom Montana, Utah. and Arizona
This INCREASE in gold production may
bring 1915 up to the record year Of
1909. when the gold output of this
country was nearly 100000.
Quicksilver also has had its best
year in 1915. The quantity increased
Is per cent over 1914, but the value
of the output more than doubled ow-
ing to the much higher prices. The
estimated production was 20.6S1, L
TASKS Of rs pounds each, valued, at
the average price for the year-the
highest in the last 40 years. at s1,76S,- +,
225. In value, this domestic produc- s
ton was the highest since 1881 and !
in quantity the largest since 1912. +.
Small Changes IN Coal :
The production of bituminous coal
and anthracite in 1915 is estimated