The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-01-11


information available at this time the
recoverable zinc content of ore mined
in the United States was about 7OS,-
600 tons, compared with 6O5,915 tons
in 1915 and 4O6,959 tons In 1914. The
largest district gain was made by the
Joplin district, which had an increase
Of over 10000 tons. Montana made a
notable gain and from the returns
available seems to have taken second
place. but 1t viii require complete fg-
ures to decide. Good gains were also
made by the upper Mississippi valley
region, Colorado, Tennessee, Idaho,
Nevada. New Mexico, New York,
Arkansas and washington. The east
ern states produced $4,000 tons, or
81 per cent. the central states 274,OO0
tons, or 80 per cent, and the western
states 2S6.OOO tons, or 40 per cent OF
the total output Of zinc in ore.
The following figures have been
compiled without change by c. E. Sci
benthal Of the United States geologl-
cal survey, department of the interior,
from reports furnished by all operat-
ing smelters of zinc ores except one
small plant, showing their output for
the first II months of the year and
their estimated output for December
The production of the smelter not re-
porting, which operated intermittent
ly, has been estimated on the basis OF
its output for the first half of the year
Figures showing the imports and ex-
ports for 10 or II months were OBJ
tanned from the bureau of foreign and
domestic commerce, and to these fig
ures have been added estimates for
the remainder of the year.
Increase in Capacity for Zinc Ore Re-
duction.
There was much activity in the
construction of retort zinc smelters
during 1916 and considerable addi-
lions are under construction or plan.
ned for 1917. The number of retort'
at the beginning of 1916 was 1868
on July l It was 196,64O, and at the enc
of the year it 213,S4O, besides 1S,64'
additional retorts being built or plan
ned, The Athletic Mining & Smelt
ing company is building smelter o
2400 retorts at Fort Smith, Ark t.
be completed in March, 1917. Tit
United Zinc Smelling corporation Il
MIL 10 hnx
forts at Moundsville, w. Va, which
win be completed early in the year
Additions are under way at Pueblo
Colo; Peru and East ST. Louis, III.
and Blackwell, Quinton and Sane
Springs, Okla. The Berger Manu-
featuring company of Canton, Ohio
completed plans for a smelter at For
Smith, Ark but the construction /
vet in allegiance,
The fun retort capacity was no
utilized in smelling ore at any tim
during the year A large number o
retorts were occupied in redistillin
prime western spelter. Many retort
were idle during parts of the third an
fourth quarters of the year but start
cd up again late in the year, though
considerable number were still idle i
December.
Two new shelters using large gra
phite retorts We're built during 1917
These were the plants of the Easter
Zine Refining company at Brooklyn
n " with s large retorts and 16 NOR
under construction or planned and o
the M. Mooshowitz & Son Metal com
pany at Trenton, N. j., wit
q retorts There are now five sue
plants, with 1853 retorts.
six electrolytie zinc plants were II
operation in 1916 Four units of tn
large Anaconda, plant at Great Falls
Mont, went into operation, and it /
thought that the last unit will be com
peted about the first of 1917, Tn
small Anaconda electrolytic plant a
Anaconda, Mont, has been disman
lied The plant of the River Smelt
ing 4 Refining company at KeokuI
Iowa, was active and experiment
We're continued at the Bully Hill plan
in California. The electrolytic Yin
plant OF the Judge Mining & Smelling
company at Park City, Utah, and the
of the Mammoth Copper company a
Kenneth, Cal, viii be ready for opera
ton by the middle Of 1917. The Mu~
ray experimental plant of the Ameri
can Smelling & Refining company |
closed and plans for larger plant ar
abandoned for the present at least
Record Production.
The production of spelter from dom
este ore in 1916 is estimated at $50,
600 short tons, worth, at the averag,
st. Louis price, about $150,000,000, ant
from foreign ore at 10000 tons, a to
tai of 65S,000 tons, worth 500, 900 600
compared to a total of 4S9,519 tons il
1915 Cl5S1S5 tons of domestic Origin
and 1884 tons of foreign origin
worth 1921. 100000 at the average ST
Louis price. This was gain of 169,.
900 tons in quantity and an indicated
gain of more than S5S,600,OO0 in value
The actual gain in value. however
was considerably less because much o.
the spelter was sold for future deliv.
cry at prices from l to cents below
the quotations for immediate delivery
Included in the OUTPUT is 1873 ton,