The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1916-01-08
QUICKSILVER OUTPUT
DOUBLES IN VALUE
WAR REQUIREMENTS CAUSE
ADVANCE IN PRICE AND
LARGER PRODUCTIONS

the United States geological survey
was 2O,6S1 TASKS of 10 pounds
each. valued, at the average domes-
tic price for the year at San Fran
cisco, at $3.50 per flask, at ST.
T6S,225.
Compared with the surveys final
statistics for 1914, which gave 4
production of 16,54S TASKS, val
ued at sS11,6S the smallest since
1860, the output of 1915 shows an
increase Of 4133 TASKS in quanti-
ty and OF $956,545 in value.
The value therefore more than
doubled, owing to the greatly i'll
creased prices, demanded, but the
quantity increased only about -
per cent. The production was the
largest in value since 1881 and the
greatest in quantity since 1912. On
comparing the production of 1891
with that of 1915 in value, it is in
teresting to note that it required
6O,S51 TASKS at the average price
of S29.S3 per flask for that year
to exceed in value the much smaller
output at the greatly enhanced aver
hge price for 1915.
Increase i'm Nevada
In Nevada active prospecting and
development continued in 1915, and
the total output increased. In Hum
boldt county the Goldbanks and
Ruby mines, productive in 1914,
made no output in 1915, reports
stating that the pipe retorts used
were unsatisfactory. A 5O-ton fur
mace was under construction at the
Goldbands, during the year. In
mineral county the properties near
Nina were not yet brought to the
productive stage.
In Nye county the Mercury mine,
near lone, was shut down from
February to July, but made a con-
siderable output the later half of
the year. The Nevada Cinnabar
company reported an active year
and largely increased yield. The
Telluride group, near Beatty, was
hampered by litigation, but made a
small output from concentrates
treated in a retOrt.
Increased Demand
The European war directly al
rected the domestic quicksilver in
llustry, first by greatly increasing
the demand for the metal in the
manufacture of illuminate for eX-
plosives, and second by reducing the
imports of foreign supplies into the
PUnited States. The net result has
been steadily increasing prices ana
, encouragement to producers to
Operate at maximum capacity.
For the first time in many years
the demand has called for more than
the output. The productive capac-
fty Of the domestic quicksilver mines
lis small but has averaged, in re-
cent years, more than the demand,
which has fallen off since cyanida-
ton has so largely replaced ANAL
gamation in the recovery OF gold
and silver from their ores.
The average San Francisco domes,
tic market price is estimated at
$3.50 for 1915, against $49.O5 for
1914. With the exception of the
lyear 1874, when the average price
was $1O5.1S per flask of 76R
pounds. the average price of 1915
was the highest since the begin
ming of the industry in 1850, when
the average for the year was given
as $99.45.
The monthly averages for 1915
show a rise from $3.50 in IAN
nary to SIS for March, a decline to
$75 for May, a recovery and rise
TO sos for July, a decline to $9l
10 September, and steady increase
since to an estimated price of $11a
FOR December. Though there nave
been temporary setbacks the tenden-
CIV has therefore beer steadily up
ward. and the year ends with pros
poets of still higher prices as the
demand continues, stocks are scarce,
and production fails to supply the
market requirements.
Larger EXPORTS; Smaller Imports
The records of the bureau of
foreign and domestic OF
the department of commerce, show
that the exports of quicksilver from
the United States for the calendar
-. year 1915 were about $500 flasNs,
Valued at an average OF ABOUT
$67.73 per flask, against exports OF
l446 TASKS in 1914. The imports
entered for consumption are esti-
mated for 1915 at $500 TASKS, val
ued at about $52.70 per flask.
against S19S TASKS in 1914.
Most of the iEelligerent nations
have not permitted the expectation
Of quicksilver, and Great Britain,
France, Germany, Russia and Aus
tro-Hungary have specifically pro-
hibited it. Some of these nations
permit exports to their allies or to
neutral nations, consistent with the
the export in metallic ores, but APP
of quicksilver as a metal.
The greater part of the output o.
Spain, from the Almaden mine, has
Nj