The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1918-01-17
THE M|NES0F CALIFORNIA
INCREASE PRODUCTION
MOST OF THE GOLD NOW COMES
FROM DEEP MiNEs-DREDG-
ING OPERATIONS.

The mines. of California made an
output in gold, silver. copper, lead and
zinc. valued in all at SAL, 457, 692 in
1917. compared with $39,749,263 in
1919. according to preliminary figures
compiled by Charles G. Yale of the
San Francisco Office Of the United
states geological survey, department
Of the interior. This is an Increase of
S,429 or 4 per cent
Gold.
The mine output of gold in 1916 was
s2141O,741. The estimated output Of
gold in 1917 is s21,O9S,915, decrease
OF s311,S26. If this estimate is ap-
nroximately correct. the slight decline
in the gold output of the state in 1917
as compared with 1915 is much less
than has been expected in view of con-
ditions that have existed since the
United States entered the war. These
conditions have affected the deep
mines more unfavorably than the
placer mines. There has been and still
is scarcity of skilled labor, for
machinemen, timbermen, and skilled
miners have been attracted elsewhere
by the higher wages paid in munition
factories, copper and coal mines, and
other industries that supply demands
made urgent by the war.
The deep mines Of California are
now producing about 60 per cent of
the gold output of the state, the
other 40 per cent coming from the
through dredging The percentage of
the gold output of the state derived
from it's placers is thus increasing. The
gold dredging industry continues pros
porous, and few changes have occur
red in the general conditions. In all
the larger enterprises a greater eff
fort is being made to save more gold.
A few dredges are reworking old tail
ings with profit. Some of the largest
and most expensive dredges ever built
have been put to work in 1917
number of old dredges have been dis
mantled and their machinery has been
put into boats for use at new places.
A few have gone out of commission
altogether, their available ground hay
ing been worked out Some new
machines have been installed on new
ground in the outside" districts Of the
state. Neither hydraulic nor drift
mining shows any marked revival,
though several old hydraulic mines
that have been idle for more than
quarter of century have been reopen
ed, and search is being made for av-
ailable ground where conditions are
favorable for constructing the dams
the debris.
Silver.
The output of silver from California
mines in 1917 is estimated at 2,144, l96
ounces, valued at $1,745,375 as com
pared with 2,564,354 ounces, valued at
$1,6S7,345 in 1916, decrease of 42O,-
1853 ounces in quantity and an increase
of $4,000 in value. This silver was
derived mainly from copper and lead
ores. although some Is mined with
the gold. Owing to the rise in value
of silver, a number of old silver mines
in San Bernardino and Inyo counties
that were once worked profitably, but
that for years have been idle, are now
being reopened. Notable among these
are the old silver mines at Calico,
which were at one time very large
producers. None of these properties,
however, yielded much silver in 1917.
Copper.
The estimated mine output OF cop
per in 1917 is 57,591,195 pounds, val
ued at $15,664,S05 as compared with
55,S97,11S pounds, valued at $l3,75o'-
69l in 1915, an increase in quantity OF
169O.O77 pounds, and in value OF 81
914.114. Labor troubles during the
year restricted somewhat the output
of the most productive copper mines
in the state, and thus affected the
total. Shasta county was by far the
largest producer in 1917, but CalaVer-
as. Placer and Plumas counties now
have very productive mines with
their own reduction plants. and there
are many smaller productive copper
mines in other counties.
Lead.
The mine output of lead in 1916 was
12,4O7,493 pounds, valued at $Seo'll''
the estimated output in 1917 Is z3'lo''-
974 pounds, valued at $2,133,46o, an III
crease in 1917 of 10,7S2,4S1 pounds IN
quantity and of $1,277,34S in value
Nearly all the lead comes from lnyo'
San Bernardino, and other counties III
the southern part of the state
Zinc.
The estimated output of zinc IN ISL
is 9,15s,S51 pounds, valued at $Slo'lo'
as compared with 15,256,4S5 POUNDS
valued at $2,O44,S69 in 1916, reduc-
ton Of 6,Os7634 pounds in quantity
and decrease of s1,22s,232 In value
The zinc comes entirely from SHASTA
and Inyo counties Every one OF the