The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-01-11
The Zinc Mining Industry in 1916 In
creases in Many States--Missouri Leads

limited States in 1910.
arrest increases in Exports OF Spell
ter and Brass.
Exports of spelter and sheets made
from domestic ore are estimated at
1877 600 short tons, worth $52,2OO,0OO,
compared with 1868 tons, worth
1923, 537 $50, in 1915. Exports of spelter
made from foreign ore are estimated
at 1880 tons, valued at $75OO,OOO,
compared with 1920 tons in 1915. the
exports of zinc manufactures fell OF
TO s573.000 in 1916 from $2,173,0S9 in
1915. The exports Of brass are estim"
ated at 10000 tons, valued at $65,OS5,-
900. compared with 1916 tons, worth
$12. 435. 9O6, in 1915. Manufactures OF
brass were exported to the value OF
about $23S,300 900, compared with $4l,-
117771 in 1915 The value of car
tridges exported in 1915 was about
$50 100000 against $24,814,679 In 1915.
The exports of domestic zinc ore were
about rs short tons, valued at 1892,
compared with 1872 tons in 1915.
The imports of spelter (mostly
scrap probably are estimated at 500
short tons, valued at about 100000,
compared with 9O4 tons in 1915. Zinc
dust was imported to the amount OF
900 tons worth $4,000. The imports
of zinc ore In 1916 were approximately
81 900 short tons, containing about
100000 tons of zinc and worth about
s11 SOC, 900, compared with 1882 tons
of ore, containing 57669 tons of zinc,
in 1915.
Domestic Consumption Increased; the
Stocks Reduced.
The apparent domestic consumption
of spelter in 1916 may be computed
as follows: The sum of the stock on
hand at smelters at the beginning of
the year, 1928 tons, plus the imports,
600 tons, and the production, 658,O0O
tons, gives the total available supply
672.S53 tons. From this are to be sub
tracted the exports of domestic spell
ter and sheets, $4,000 tons, the ex-
ports of spelter made from foreign
ore, 40, 500 tons, and the stock on hand
at smelters at the end of the year Ito
be exact, on December 15), 1900 tons,
or total of 227,SOO tons, leaving a
balance of $4,000 tons as the apparent
domestic consumption. This ealcula-
ton takes no account of the stocks of
spelter held by dealers or consumers
tOn comparing the consumption in 1916
with the 364,3S2 tons consumed in
1915 and the 299, 100 tons consumed in
1914, it appears that the indicated
consumption is large, because the ex-
ports of brass and manufactures OF
brass were large.
The stock of spelter at smelters or
; December Is shows reduction of 650C
tons when compared with the 23,S7E
ons shown by midyear figures,
Continued High Price of Spelter.
The price of spelter at ST. Louis a
the beginning of 1916 was 17.2 cents
a pound. BY the middle of February
: 1t had risen to 20.9 cents a pound, the
high point of the year. after which Il
] dropped sharply to 1876 cents by the
middle of March, but rose quickly
! again to 10 LIS cents at the middle o.
4 April Then began long sharp de-
cline which brought the price to 81
: cents a pound at the middle of July
. A recovery to 1O.7 cents was followed
4 by drop to S.4 cents on August 10
, the lowest price of the year. BY fit
e and starts the price rose to 1872 cent
{ a pound at the end of November, af
: ter which 1t gradually declined, clos
l ing the year at about 10 cents
l pound. The average price for thu
year for immediate delivery at ST
I Louis was 1877 cents a pound, com
. pared with 1872 cents a pound in 1911
nd 81 cents in 1914.