The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1919-04-24

24,s3s, 600 pounds Of ieaa
The British government has pub
lished its stocks of pig lead as fol-
lows:
Lead Short Tons
December / ................... $1,000
January l NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 70,394
February NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. S5,672
March l .....,.... ............l lE,1os
The rapid increase Is noteworthy
and indicates that the British govern
ment is still receiving metal under
war production contracts. The great
drop in the London price is due large
ly to this accumulation.
imports.
No lead ores or bullion were i'm
ported for smelling or refining in
bonded works for reexport, nor were
any lead pigments imported during
February or the first Is days OF
March. Imports Of lead ores for home
consumption are reported by the bu-
reau of foreign and domestic COM
merce amounting to 1858 tons in Feb
ruary, including 352 tons having a
lead content approximating 165 tons
from Canada, and 22O3 tons having a
lead content of about IS tons from
Mexico. During the first Is days of
March these imports amounted to 1910
tons, comprising 374 tons from Can
ada having lead content of about
222 tons, and 1896 tons from Mexico
with a lead content approximating "a
tons. Base bullion was imported
from Mexico for refining to the
amount of 6S41 tons in February and
1915 tons during the first half of
March.
Exports Of Lead in Pigs and Bars,
February, 1919.
Exports of lead were very disap-
short tons yearly. Lead from domes
tic ores was exported to the amount
of 2727 tons, chiefly to England and
France, lesser amounts going to Dem
|
Argentina and Canada, with insignif-
cant amounts to many other countries.
Lead from foreign ores was exported
to the amount Of 4130 tons, largely to
England and Scotland, with minor
amounts to Denmark and Canada
| Zinc.
The zinc industry is confronted
with the conditions of a normal DOM
este consumption Of about 100000
short tons Of primary spelter, and a
production capacity of over 100000
tons, which still survives from the
period of over-expansion during the
war. Various eXpedients are being
discussed for the alienation Of the
situation. The American Zinc insti-
ltute has proposed to increase the
consumption of zinc by developing
new uses and advertising the advan-
tages of uses already well known. A
prominent metallurgist makes the
point that much more is to be gained
; by lowering the cost of production
from which inevitably will follow in
creased consumption. He advocates
experimentation on comprehensive
[ scale with various processes which
/ tend to decrease labor and plant cost
per ton of product or which permi
the use of ores of lower cost per uni
of zinc. Such research work SHOULD
: undoubtedly be done and materia
= advances in metallurgy may conf
IDENTIFY be expected from it, but sucl
3 work is slow. uncertain and costly an
z will have to be conclusive before cap
9 lital will be willing to scrap existin
plants and build new ones in perio
of industrial depression.
The amount of export Of zinc dur
4 ing the present year Is the most i'm
= portant and most uncertain factor l.
: the situation and is dependent on tn
: progress of reconstruction in Europ
J, and particularly on the financial ar
r rangements which may be effected t
facilitate the purchase of metals b
r the Europeans. Among these the sta
: bilization Of exchange with the allie
n countries and the assistance of tn
war finance corporation are all-im
portant. During February the expoi
d of zinc dross, spelter and rolled pro
e ducts was at the rate of $4,000 shol
n tons annually. Were the domest
d consumption normal this would neal
IS ly justify the recent rate Of produt
: ton. 1t should be clearly recognize
s that exports of spelter to Europe WI
cease unless great reductions in co..
e are attained prior to the rehabilitatio
% of European industries which hay
lie sufficient capacity to meet require
If ments. Spanish -America and the or
Is ent offer greater prospects of pc
IS manent markets.
N Producers Of spelter have been n
luctant to reduce this rate, but 1t WI
Re inevitable, and Is apparently peiI
achieved with minimum of hardsh
y, to the mining industry dependent
e. It. Some of the smaller and high
at cost mine operations have been for
,, ed to suspend operations, and all a
ut storing excess ore production. Atte
Ill ton is being conferred on the develo