The copper era and Morenci leader., 1916-02-04
GREAT PRODUCTION MADE IN STATE
 DURING 1915
Aggregate Amount of Gold, Silver, Copper, Lead and Zinc Reached Enormous Value of $eO,ooo,0o0 Last Year.
BETTER OUTLOOK FOR 1916
Loss of Approximately 2s,ooo,ooo Lbs. of Copper Was Insured By Shutting l Down of Mines in This District

A record of production was reached in 1915, the aggregate output of gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc amount ing to value of about $90,000,000 as with $60,0O0,000 in 1914. Yet there are still brighter prospects ahead.
 During the past year the Old Do mine was curtailed in it's pro- duction for two months by a flood, which drowned the lower workings and prevented, the operation of the plant and the production of 5,000,00O pounds of copper. The loss or about 2S,000,000 pounds of copper was incurred by the shutting down of the mines in the Clifton-Morenci dis trict, because of labor troubles. The Smelling '& Refining Go. started to produce copper in the month of June, and has not yet reach ed it's normal capacity of 15O,O0O,00O pounds annually, as the Inspiration mill, whose concentrate it is to han. dle, is not entirely completed. Twen- ty-five per cent of the copper produc- ed in Arizona will come from this plant. The shelter of the United Verde Copper Co. was blown in during the year, and although it's ca pacity is double that of the old plant, it has been gradually increasing to it's full capacity, but has not yet reach ed that point. During the year the Miami Copper Co. has gradually in- creased it's tonnage from $500 tons daily to 4200. The experimental work of this company has proved the feasl- bility of treating their low-grade ores, which run 21 per cent copper, and it is believed that this plant will also rehandle the main tailing-piles that rave been made by, the Miami mill. The New Cornelia at Ajo has com plcted it's railroad, and work will now be rushed on the construction of teaching plant using the Greenway process, where 1000 tons per day will be treated. This and it's sister prop erty, the Ajo Consolidated, will prove great additions to the copper produc- ton of the State.
 While copper in 1915 reached 45O,- 000,000 pounds, or almost 25 per cent of the production of the United States, it should reach over 6O0,O00,000 lbs. in 1916 This alone will increase the gold and silver production, as most of the copper ores contain small amounts of the precious. metals
 This, however, is but the beginning Publicity has been the keynote of Arizona's progress for the past few months and will continue to be so during the next year. For many years it has been known that the Oatman district contained gold ore in large enough quantities to make profitable mines, and that there were large veins traverSing the district. For many years two companies, the Tom Reed and the Gold Road, con sistently developed, mined, milled, and earned profits, but the develop ment of the district did not follow in the footsteps of these producers. It was known that the orebodies of the district were wide and long, and that the ore was free milling and cyaniding, but the knowledge of these facts alone did not mean the of the district, in spite of the fact that there are many lodes existing under as promising condi- tions. Consistent, truthful and per Fsistent publicity told the world of the FOatman district, and in one year more development has been done, more mines have been found, more properties have changed hands, and
 
 would have taken place in several de |cades in the ordinary course of events. Hundreds of carpenters are at work building a town; shafts are being sunk everywhere, all with the idea that development must go at least 800 feet Many operators are com plaining that they cannot get their head-frames, hoists and compressors It is a real boom, with four mines, the Tom Reed, Gold Road, United Eastern, and Big Jim assured.
 Following in the footsteps of Oat- man comes the notice of publicity work on the same lines from Yava- pal and Pima counties. The adver- ltising of their resources will bring to the attention of the investing world the possibilities of these dis tricts. The boom at Oatman, and the fact that it has called attention to Arizona, is going to assist in the development of the wonderful resour- ces of both Pima and Yavapai coun- ties.
 Copper and gold are not the great est of the States activities, however. The tungsten fever is raging, and the past few months has been an eXten- sive development of new properties
 The old dumps of the early-day silver chloride mines are being investigated
 and in many cases the tungsten char acter of the product has resulted in
 re-locations. The many samples be ing sent to the Arizona State Bureau of Mines for identification indicate that. there are a number of prospec.
 tors looking for tungsten, and many
 of them finding it. Records show
 that there are 26 producers of lungs
 ten ores in Arizona, most of them in
 deposits of considerable size, although
 some will undoubtedly have to stoI
 mining when the price of the metal
 drops. The Arivaca, Dragoon, and
 Globe districts are the largest pro ducers
 Molybdenum is also coming in fol it's share of attention, and is being pro
 duced from many localities, although
 the greater part of the prodrctioT T..r. |, T sr,4,, ,iy-f