El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-12-28

the exports were practically shut out
, Of Germany and the other countries
OF the central powers our allies
I bought copper in enormous quantities..
The Russians took tens Of millions
/ Of pounds. The British gave one or
der 10 New York for 2OQ.OO00O0
pounds and another Of almost dou-
bic that size The latter sale was
made bv the Anaconda Copper Min
! ing company and American Smelling
a. Refining Co. and the price was y
cents When we entered the war the
price was upwards OF 30 cents, but
Uncle Sam. by appealing to the pa
triotism OF the mine owners, made
contracts which were far under the
market. and the government has
saved vast sums by the mobilization
OF our copper industry in that way.
Mexico Nearest Rival.
The United States is the chief cop
per country OF the world. We pro-
duce six times as much as Mexico,
which IS our nearest rival, and more
than eight times as much IS Spain,
CHIEF copper producer The product
Of Michigan is more than half as large
as that Of all Mexico. and Arizona
and Montana have a copper output
greater than that Of any two foreign
nations combined Utah has some Of
the largest. copper mines of the world
and the territory OF Alaska produced
almost 130.O00,OOO pounds OF copper
IN 1916 During my recent trip TO
that country I talked with the man
ager Of the Kennecott mine and was
told that they could land copper in
Liverpool at something like five cents
a pound II was then selling for 25
cents a pound According to the es-
1913 the United States was producing
50 per cent Of the worlds copper. Eu-
rope Is per cent Canada and Mexico
per cent South America and Cuba
Z per cent and al other countries Il
per cent The proportion in our IA
vor IS even greater today.
Germans Seek supply.
But first let me give you some
idea OF our copper competitors They
viii all be in the market to supply
the raw material. now that the war
Is over. and every industrial nation
viii be among the purchasers The
Germans can control the mines within
their own boundaries. and upon the
peace terms only will depend as to
whether they are to get copper from
Russia and Asia Minor. I doubt not
they have already made contracts for
copper with Spain and they viii be
cOmbilg other parts OF the world for
ore for their industries as sool as the
terms OF peace are in force
Spain has one OF the Oldest and
most famous OF all copper mines It
is situated in the southern part Of
the peninsula not far from Palos,
" mere COLUMBUS LlLLEQ OUT MS LAESL
expedition Tor the discovery OF Amer
lea The mine is known as the Rio
Tinto- Il covers eight square miles.
and gives a living 70 more than &c.
Coo people. It Is worked by tunnels
and ouarriss, and its terraces are ira
on which $50 cars are kept running TO
get out the ore This mine has been
worked for thousands OF years. and
there is a tradition that the copper
used in Soiomon's Temple came from
this mine.
Much Copper in Africa
There are immense copper deposits
In Africa and South America Some
q the largest n Africa lie IN Bel
gizn territory. They are in the Kongo
Free States upon the great ridge
that runs between the Kongo and
1ambesi rivers. and they viii be
reached by railroads from Portuguese
East Africa or by branch extension
from the road from Capetown 10
Cairo went to the end OF the south
ern extension Of the Cape TO Cairo
line, which ROW terminates not a Z
great distance from Lake Tangan-
Wiki and spent some time at the zinc
and lead mines Of Broken Hill IN
northern Rhodesia- While there
saw nuggets OF copper that had been [
taken from the great kongc Free /
state and hoes. spears and axes Of I
solid copper made BY the natives. !
more than 100 copper mines have been /
discovered. and that more than 2,c00,- /
700 tons Of copper is already in sight /
The deposits consist Of two great |
belts about 200 miles long, and they !
,oTer a territory bigger than the /
state OF Ohio. The copper is said 20 /
be OF a high grade, some OF II from !
70 70 Is per cent pure, and al Ka- 1
-anga having copper contents Of IS !
per cent. On the Kongo watershed ]
he copper IS right on the top OF the /
ground, and the mines can be worked I
with steam shovels IN the same way /
- Is now being done with our vast |
deposits IN Utah understand that I
he deposits are controlled by British /
,apital, although the late king Leo /
lold. Of Belgium had a large share /
u stock IN them. The copper output 1
II Africa IN 1916 was about IS, 900 i
.ons. which was 5000 tons more than I
vas then mined IN Germany.
Deposits In South America.
Some Of the largest copper mines OF 1
south America are owned by Ameri- !
an capital The Guggenheim syndi- /,
ate has enormous mines in Chile. }