Bisbee daily review., 1918-06-09
ARIZONA RETAINS WHERE DOES HUN EXCLUSIVE PLACECFT WAR COPPER IN COPPER WORLD IS BIC QUESTION

The importance of the smaller cop per producers was exemplified to some extent by the preliminary report O. the copper production of the United States for tine year 1917 by the De pertinent of Geology and Mines. In cluding Alaska there were 25 states which contributed to the cOuntry's copper production and the total smell ter production was 1.SS6,120,721 lbs. a decrease from the previous year of 2.S16t, or 4l,729,S27 lbs. Of this pro duction 1,529,4 9,4S2, 800 lbs. came from six states, all of which, with the ex, ception of Alaska, produced more than 1O0.OO0,000 lbs.
 The falling off of the production of these six amounted to 94,343, ,452 lbs, or 5.4Pt; this compares with total decrease of only 41,729,S27 lbs. of the entire shelter output thus illustrating that the smaller producers were i'm portant factors in making up part of the falling off in the production of the entire country:
 Arizona in Leao
 It is of interest to note that states which are not in the 100000, ,000-lbs. class or better, fall far short of this total California is an exception which showed an output of nearly 5O.000,000 lbs, an increase of about $500 900 lbs. and Alaska produced nearly S5,000, ,O00 lbs. in 1917, or about 2S,000, 900 less than in 1916. Arizona in 1917, not only retained it's exclu- sive position of being by far the larg- est copper producer but also returned an increase of BAG over 1916. The record of the six largest producers by smelter returns in the past two years shows Gin pounds):
 1917 1916 Changes Alaska S4,759,OS6 113,S23.O64 D. 25-6 Ariz. 719,035, ,514 694,S47,307 I. 3.4 Mont. 276,225, ,977 52,139,76S D. 2i.5 Nevada 115,O2S,161 1O0,S16,724 I. 14.2 N M. O7,593,615 79.S6S.49 I. 34.O Utah ...-227 7,S40,447 232.335, ,95O D. 12.9 Totals 1929, ,4S2, 500 l 1,623, ,S26,252 D. 5.7
 Including foreign copper, amounting to 634,116,S9s lbs, the total production of refined copper in 1917 was 2,507 ,665- 667 lbs, an increase of about 144,000- GOO lbs over the previous year. De spite the enormous demand for copper last year it is surprising that the con- sumption, including exports. was 113- 900 ,000 lbs. less than in 1916, the total consumption being 1.316.000,000 lbs, of which 1,1,26,000,O00 was exported. The latter figure was 43ft in excess of the total of 1916.
 Other States Output
 Of the total production of the coun- try, Maine contributed nearly 35,000
 
 Like Maine. South Carolina was a new conner in copper with an output of 210,0O0 lbs. Pennsylvania reported 1I5,000 lbs. as against 904 lbs. in 1916. and New Jersey, which contributed 4,115 lbs. in 1916, produced nothing in 1917.
 The action of the War Industries Board in continuing the present price of 231A cents for copper into August has been a great disappointment to producers, wno felt that they had a sufficiently good case to bring about an advance in the price of the metal. Certainly, with the increases that are being made in freight rates, wages. etc, by the government, the copper trade had reason to believe that 1t
  the hands of the government.
 Amster's Opinion Nathan L. Amster, well known as an authority in the copper industry, states that the present situation IS critical, and that there is a shortage of about 20O,0O0,000 lbs. of copper, which is increasing daily. He states that the War Industries Board recog- nized this fact by it's repeated inquir- ies whether the producers could not increase their production, yet they failed to encourage production through an advance in price that would lead to greater efforts and to production by mines now idle. Mir Amster fears that a situation will develop in the copper industry analogous to that in the coal industry. Copper is a vital necessity in the prosecution of the war, and any action that would tend | to decrease the production would be l serious mistake. The increased cost ! of copper is nothing as compared to l the lack of munitions with which to | win the war.
 Statistics issued by the U. s. Geolo- | gicaI Survey give the total production l of copper in 1917 as ,42S,546.171 lbs, 1 as compared with 2,259, 9,3S7, ,315 lbs. in | 1916. Of this 1,S73,546.171 lbs. was domestic, and 555,OOOO0O lbs. foreign copper. With the supplies on hand at the beginning of the year the availa- ble supply of copper last year was 2.556,546.171 lbs, as compared with 1 2.341. 1.S16,9S1 lbs. in 1916. Exports | were 1,126QS2,417 lbs, as compared 1 with 7s4,OO6,4S6 lbs. in 1916, and stocks on hand at the close of 1917 amounted l to 114,000.000 lbs, as compared with | 12S,055, ,229 lbs. at the close of 1916. | It is evident from these government l figures, therefore, that there was a reduction of about 14,0O0O00 lbs. in 1 the stocks of copper during the year. J