The border vidette., 1918-02-16
OVER TWO HUNDRED MILLION.
Output of Arizona Mines For Year
 l9I7-8ig Increase.

I copper. lead and zinc from Ariz- ona mines in 1917, according to l Victor c. Heikes, of the United Sta tes Geological Survey, De- partment of the Interior, had a total value of over $214. 100000, | an increase of more than $23,- COG, ,OOO over the value of the output in 1916. This increase was due in part, however, to the greater prices of metals, all of which, except zinc, were decid- edly higher in 1917. In quantity there was marked increase in gold. a slight increase in recov- erable zinc, but decreases in sill yer, copper and lead. During the early part of the year Ariz- ona was producing copper at a rate decidedly greater than in 1916, but labor strikes at the main producing and smelling localities considerably reduced the rate before the end of the year. Many mills were built, among them a custom mill at Chloride, and sampler at Wick enburg. Construction was begun on the new smelter for the Unit ed Verde Extension Company at Jerome. The capacity of the Arizona Binghamton mill was increased to 250 tons day.
 The production of gold from Arizona mines increased from $3, ,985, 559 in 1916 to about $4,- 831 ,OOO in 1917. As the produc- tion of copper ore and of lead ore were much less than in 1916, the increase in the output of gold can be credited to the San Francisco district of Mohave county, and very largely to the United Eastern property, which during the year became the largest producer of gold in the state. The Gold Road mill was idle and the Vulture property was operated only a little. Pro duction at the Tom Reed was upheld, and considerable gold was purchased from the Copper Chief mine, in the Verde district.
 The mine output of silver de. creased from 7,212, ,O39 ounces in 1916 to about 6, 354 GOO ounces in 1917, a decrease of about S58, ,OOO ounces. In spite of this decrease, the improved price of silver, which averaged 81.4 cents an ounce; brought the value of the output to about $5, 100000 an in. crease from $4,745, 522 in 1916. The decrease in quantity was due to decreased shipments of lead ore and copper ore.
 The mine output of copper was about 68S. 100000 pounds, a decrease of 34,OOO,OOO pounds, or nearly 5 per cent. Arizona is still the leading copper mining state and produced more than twice as much copper as Mon tana. The value of the output increased from $177, 57O, ,96O in 1916 to over $2OO, 100000 in 1917. Six of the large copper smelling plants reported decreased out puts on account of labor troubles Five others, however, greatly increased their copper produc tion-the Hayden, Sasco, United Verde, Consolidated Arizona, the Calumet 6 Arizona. At the New Cornelia property the new teaching plant was started in June and produced more than 2,OOO. Al pounds per month un- til the end of the yeer. Some copper matte was shipped from the Great Western smelter in the Big Bug district. The h. ternational Smelling Company increased it's capacity by adding a reverberatory furnace.
 The mine production of lead in Arizona decreased from 27,O62,- O87 pounds in 1916 to about 18,- 100000 pounds in 1917, but as the price was better the value was only slightly less than that of 1916, which was 1867, ,284. Most of the lead ore came from the Warren district, of Cochise county, and the Walnut district, of Mohave county. Considera- ble lead ore was shipped from the Bunker Hill mines, in the Tombstone district.
 The output of recoverable zinc was about 20, 100000 pounds in 1917, an increase of about mil lion pounds. The two largest producers were the Union Basin property and the Tennessee mine, both in the Wallapai dis trict of Mohave county. The