Bisbee daily review., 1918-10-06
COPPER MINES MUST WORK 10
 FULL CAPACITY
Production Must Be Main tained at Top Speed in Or der to Fill Requirements for the Great War

In it's monthly circular the National Conduit & Cable company, says;
 Remarkable firmness and a steady maintained demand of huge magnitude characterized the copper market. Di- rect and indirect war requirements are absorbing the bulk of all the metal produeeds Compared with the pre-war period consumption has greatly eclipsed the best records of peace years.
 Judging from available data recent domestic melting may be estimated at approximately 130,00O,0OO pounds month. or at the rate of 1,560,OOO,OOO pounds annually. The apparent United States consumption in 1917 was 1,316,- 463. .754 pounds, and that for 1916 was 1.429. .755, ,266 pounds. Current needs for copper are therefore seen to be of record breaking dimensions, and to meet the great expansion in demand 1t will be necessary to maintain aggre- gate production at top speed
 American capacity to produce cop per would probably be equal to all de- mands coming to this market if 1t were possible to operate mines and re- fineries full handed A serious short age of labor, however, has been a great handicap to the output of both crude and refined copper. The facilities for the production and treatment of cop per in this country were never so great as at present, and if utilized at full ca- pacity, and at maximum efficiency there should be no scarcity to com plain of.
 "The supreme importance of having every plant fully manned is becoming more and more evident and further more it is being realized that the less stringent price restrictions are the brighter the prospects for large pro duction. Rising wages and high prices for equipment are pushing costs up to exorbitant levels. A number of copper properties are making an output much below normal, but with proper incen- tives they could no doubt become more important factors in materially ex- banding production.
 Manufacturers are concentrating their activities chiefly upon war or ders but leading mills and factories are also suffering from a shortage of man. power and skilled workers so that full capacity operations in all departments are impossible Developments reveal the necessity for a steadily expanding production of brass and various essen tial products. Demand on the brass and copper industries is phenomenal, and the urgent call for output on a vast scale is expected to gain impetus as enlarged plans are formulated. Ad- ditional copper and more labor will be necessary to fill orders and perform all essential work considered indis- pensable during the next twelve months.
 There is no parallel in the past his tory of the copper and brass industries with present conditions, and how to secure the maximum output of both raw and manufactured metal is the principal problem engaging the atten- tion of experts in each of these indus tries The copper resources of the country, and those controlled by American companies, are fortunately fully adequate for all requirements That is to say, the ore deposits, and blocked out reserves are amply sui -ficient to meet the wide scope of de mand coming to this market. The important task is to effectively carry on the recovery and treatment of these vast deposits to an extent that will provide enough metal for the increas ing and persistent demand as it looms up with new force and intensity. But notwithstanding the bountifulness o1 the copper resources, it is well to re member that they are not self propa gating, and depleted values cannot be replaced again. It may also be found expedient to allow a profit that vii compensate for producing the commod ity on the largest possible scale. Vast sums have been spent to develop rict mineral area, and an important tactol in the production of copper will always be it's market selling price"