The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-03-29
Copper Becoming Equal to Steel and Iron in ImpOr-
 tance to Commerce
UTAH HAS GREATEST
 MINE IN THE WORLD
Copper Men Are Now Securing the Whole World to Find New Sources of Supply to Meet
 the Demand
Ry HOLLAND

! by
 New York, March 2S.-(Special.)-One in cident associated with the nationwide ! interest in the development of copper prop critics is the difference of opinion respect | ing the larger of the copper-prooucins | mines of the United States, lncluoihs Alaska. Some insist that the greatest copper-producing mine is that of the Juan Copper company. Those, who make tnls claim are confronted by others who say that Montana has the prestige of contain ing within it's borders the largest copper producing mine in the world. Others ln- sist that the greatest copper mine III the | United States is in Arizona.
 | Con1petent authority from whom infor- nation was sought said this morning that | this difference of opinion is due to ol1- ferent viewpoints. For if all of the prop critics in Montana which are associated | with the Anaconda are to be regarded as ! single copper mine then undoubtedly Montana as a copper producer stands at | the head of the list But If single copper properties are considered. then there is no doubt that the Utah company, whlch re- fleets the courage, patience and sclentinc attainments of D. c. lacking, Is the lars- est individual or single copper mine, so | far as production is concerned, in the l United States.
 Arizona by the production from the 1n- spiration mine, which reflects the ability in this of w. E. Thompson, stands second to Utah in this respect. Arizona, how ever, considered as a copper-producing ;z DrOductiOn last year was of approximately 45O,oo00OO pounds. This production represents, how ever, the output from many copper prop critics under various ownerships. The discussion based upon the question of state prestige is of no more than senti- mental interest. It does, however. make it clear that the interest of the public is now becoming almost as greatly centered in copper production as in the manufac- turing of steel and iron products. There begins to be some understanding of the fact that this is copper age as well as a steel and iron age. The best authorities, as miners and manufacturers of copper seem to be persuaded that the United States has really no more than entered the copper age. Already there are in con- temptation advances in this industry de- pendent upon the standard price of cop per which, if realized will make here after copper a strong competitor with cer- tain forms of steel.
 The men of capital who are now eontem- plating ventures in copper mining in other parts of the world and in the United States are doing that because they are persuaded that the demand for this metal will be maintained and increased after the European war is ended.
 ENGLAND'S NEED
 There were some commodities in the form of raw material for which the United States depended upon other countries for sufficient supply until the war began Then the supply stopped. Should the war be prolonged another year, our indus tries will undoubtedly find, either at home sources of supply or in those furnished by some of the neutral nations, the kind of raw material which heretofore we ob- tained from England, France and Ger many. On the other hand, it is believed that England will for long time after the close of the war be compelled to rely upon the United States for needed SUD- plies of copper. Some things England can make. Some raw material she can secure at home, such as tin and iron, but she must look elsewhere for the copper that
  the copper industry are convinced that she will look to the United States chiefly for her supplies.
 However much or little copper England may buy in the United States after the war is ended. it is deemed certain that the domestic demand for copper will in CT ease rapidly and may entail the utiliza- ton of all the copper supplies American capital has secured elsewhere than in the United States.
 STEEL AND COPPER
 It is not regarded as of more than mo- mentary importance that the market price of copper Is now as great as it is. It is believed to be momentary or ephemeral condition caused by European war emer- gencies. The economic and wise prepara- ton for meeting the great market of the future which will be offered to copper producers entails such prices as will make it possible for copper to compete success