The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1920-08-12
SILVER, LEAD, ZINC
INCREASE IN OUTPUT
Review of Mining
Conditions in the
State
FOR FIRST SIX MONTHS
Outlook Favorable for Fur
Their Increase by Mines in
Occur d'Alene District

TIME press bulletin issued by tn
United States geological sur
vey for July and August ha
been received. This bulletin i
devoted wholly to a review of mining
conditions in the western states GOV.
ering the first half of the year, giving
close estimates of the production dur
ing the period and comparing it will
that of former years. The review deal
ing with mining conditions in Idaho is
prepared by c. N. Gerry, of the geo.
logical survey, and makes a very
gratifying showing The production OF
silver, lead and zinc, the major min
eral products of the Occur dAlene
district, is showing a substantial in
crease over 1919, and while Mr.. Gerry
does not say So. it may be stated that
the outlook for further increase dur
ing the remainder of the year is very
encouraging, due to the steady i'm
provement in the labor situation. The
Yukon Gold company operating on
Pritchard creek, is credited with max
ing a substantial addition to the gold
production of the state and this COM
pany and the Gold Hill e Iowa com
pany at Quartzburg are credited with
80 per cent of the gold production OF
Idaho Copper does not figure in the
mineral production of Shoshone coun-
~ this year. due to the suspension of
shipments by the National and Rich
mond. In issuing these midyear re-
ports the geological survey is render
ing a valuable service to the mining
industry Reviewing the situation in
Idaho Mr.. Gerry says:
Silver, Lead and Zinc Increases.
IF the present rate of production is
maintained the output of silver, lead
and zinc from Idaho in 1920 will be
considerably larger than in 1919. The
production in 1919 was unusually low,
the output of gold silver, copper, lead
and zinc being less than the annual
average of the last ten years. The
shipments during the first five months
OF 1920 are not so large as those in
a normal year, but are considerably
greater than those of the correspond
ing period of 1919. The Bunker Hill
& Sullivan smelter and refinery at
Bradley has been active. though not
operated at full capacity.
1.-THE lead plant at Northport Wash,
which receives concentrate from the
Hercules and the Tamarack & Custer
mines. was again operating in 1920.
and the plant at East Helena, Mont,
which treats much OF the Bunker Hill
ore, was producing a larger quantity
OF lead bullion.
1.-THE gold produced in Idaho in 1919
was valued at about $7OS,OO The av-
erage saa.iai production during the
last ter years was $1.OS5 $50 but there |
has boon a steady decrease since 1915.
The Gold Hill & Iowa property, at 7
Quartzburg, continues to produce more
gold than any other mine in the state.
The dredge at Murray, in Shoshone
county has materially added to the
gold output of Idaho These two prop
critics produced 80 per cent of the gold
in 1919.
Silver.
"The production of silver in Idaho
in 1919 was about 1900. 600 ounces val
ued at SG34OOOO, the lowest output for
the last three years. The average an
nual output for the last ten years was
9, 7SO.1SO ounces. Several of the large
mines were idle for months in 1919,
but as shipments of lead ore have now
been resumed the output in 1920 may
be greater than that in 1919. The pro-
ducers of silver-lead ore in the Occur 4
dAlene district are making larger
than in 1919. especially the L
Bunker Hill, Morning, Hecla, Hercules /
and Tamarack & Custer mines.
Copper.
1.-THE output of copper in Idaho in
1919 was about 100000 pounds, val {
ued al 1891, OOO a marked decrease ]
from 1918 AS no shipments have been
made in 1920 from either the National 4:
mine. near Mullan or the Richmond ]
mine. at Adair, there will probably be {
a further decrease in 1920. The EN- J
pire Copper Co, at Mackay, is main
tanning shipments at the rate of about
], 600 tons a month and is increasing ]
the reserves of ore that were depleted !
during the war A new mill was con- ]
structed at the Pope Shenan mine, {
near Salmon. in Lemhi county which t
will treat copper ore by roasting and I
Lead.
I'm 1918 the mines of Idaho pro- {
duced 2s4,695. s9S pounds of lead. but ]
the total oufnlIf in 1919 was only 7