The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1916-01-13
COPPER PRODUCTION
MAKES NEW RECORD
CONSUMPTION AT HOME AND
ABRoAD-sTATEs EXCEED
FORMER RECORDS.

The production of copper in the
United States in 1915 passed all pre-
vious records, according to the United
States geological survey. Preliminary
figures and estimates have been col
lected by B. S. Butler, who has receiv-
ed reports from all plants known to
produce blister copper from domestic
ores and refined copper. AT an aver
age price of about 17.3 cents a pound
the output for 1915 has a value of
1926, 100000, compared with 1852, $685.
600 for the output for 1914.
The figures showing smelter produc-
ton from domestic ores represent the
actual production of most of the COM
panies for II months and an estimate
for the output for December. The fig
ures of a few companies for November
were not available, and these compan-
les furnished estimates for the last two
months of the year. According to the
statistics and estimates received, the
output of blister and lake copper was
1,365,500,0O0 pounds in 1915, against
1850, 1877 900 pounds in 1914.
The output of refined copper from
primary sources, domestic and foreign,
for 1915 is estimated at 1,647, 000,0 900
pounds, compared with 1,533781 900
pounds in 1914 and with the previous
record production of 1,615,O0,O00
pounds in 1918.
Foreign Trade and Domestic Con-
sumption.
According to the bureau of foreign
and domestic commerce, the imports of
all forms of manufactured copper
for the first 10 months of 1915 amount
ed to 265,677,612 pounds. This COM
pares with an import for the II months
of 1914 of 06,350,S27 pounds.
The exports of pigs, ingots, bars,
plates, sheets, rods, wire, etc, for the
first 10 months of 1916 as determined
by the bureau of foreign and domestic
commerce, amounted to 529,321,S70
pounds, compared with an export for
the IL months of 1914 of S40,O0O,O0O
pounds.
At the beginning of 1915 there was
about 173,6O0,0O0 pounds of refined
copper in stock in the United States.
This quantity added to the refinery
production gives a total available sup
ply of about 1920, 100000 pounds of re-
fined copper. On subtracting from this
amount the exports for the first 10
months and the estimated export for
the last two months, it is apparent
that the supply available for domes-
tic consumption is materially greater
than the 711624,000 pounds of 1914, no
account being taken of stocks held at
the close of the year.
Higher Prices in 1915.
The average price of copper for 1915
showed marked increase over that
of the preceding year, being about 17.3
cents a pound, compared with 1873
cents in 1914.
At the beginning of the year the
price was relatively low, but steadily
advanced until it reached maximum
of about 20 cents pound near the
middle of the year. During the last
half of the year the price remained
uniformly high.
Records by States.
Arizona made a record production
considerably exceeding the previous
record production of 4O4,OO0,0O0 pounds
made in 1913
The output from Montana will be
larger than the 236 100000 pounds pro-
, duced in 1914. but will not reach rec
ord production for that state
Michigan, after two years of reduc-
ed output, made a record production
in 1915 reaching 242,O00,O00 pounds
as compared with 15S,OO0OOO pounds
in 1914.
Utah again shows an important in
crease over the previous record of l6O,-
SOC. 900 pounds produced in 1914,
9 The production of Alaska shows
relatively greater increase than any
other section, with S3,S50,0O0 pounds
in 1915, as compared with 24,9S5,OO'
, pounds in 1914.
), New Mexico will make some in
crease over the production in 1914
$4,000, 900 pounds-and will set anoth
err record for that state.
California will also show a substan
tial increase over the previous year
OUTPUT of 29,7S4,00O pounds, and Ten
nessee will likewise make an increas
over the 1S,661,O0O pounds produced IL
1914.