Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1921-01-13
Big Increase in Value of
Lead and Zinc Taken from
Ground During Last Year
Less Gold and Copper Mined,
but Silver Increases by APP
proximately Two Millions
TWO YEARS CONTINUED

Value of gold, silver, copper, lead
and zinc mined in Idaho in 1920, ac-
cOrding to the estimate of G. n Ger
ry, of the U. S. geological survey, de-
partment of the interior was about
$50, 1000, an increase of $13,770,000
over that in 1919. Shipments of
ore and concentrate showed marked
increase over those in 1919, when the
Occur d 'Alene district suffered on ac-
count of a labor strike Through the
output of gold and copper decreased
the output of silver, lead and zinc in
creased greatly. Production was not
normal but the large mines were ac-
tive and the prices for lead and zinc
were somewhat higher.
GOLD OUTPUT s469,OOo
The mine output of gold in Idaho in
1920 was valued at about 1869, 900,
large decrease from that of 1919,
which was valued at $713.23S. The
largest output of gold was made by
the Gold Hill & Iowa property, at
Quartzburg. The dredge of the Yukon
Gold company, at Murray, in Sho
shone county, produced considerable
gold, but was idle for time on ac
count of the sinking of the dredge
The Holt mine in Idaho county, was
not productive, and the Mullan dredge
in Lemhi county, could not be oper
ated on account of high COSTS
The mine output of silver increased
from 5,579,056 ounces in 1919 to about
7,545,0O0 ounces in 1920. or more than
80 percent, and the value increased
from $6,24s,543 to about 1922, 900.
The largest silver producers in the
state were the Hercules. at Burke;
the Bunker Hill & Sullivan. at Kel-
logg; the Hecla mine, at Burke; and
the Morning mine, near Mullan. 9th
er large producers of silver were the
Gold Hunter, Tamarack & Custer,
Consolidated Interstate, and Caledonia
mines. The mines in the Occur
d 'Alene district produced about g.,
100000 ounces of silver. or about Sc
percent of the total for the state.
COPPER OUTPUT LESS
The mine output of copper decreas
about 100000 pounds in 1920. The
value of the output decreased from
$5s0,S34 to about $4,000. The EN-
pire Copper company, at Mackay, was
the largest producer of copper, but its
output was low as compared with
past years. The National Copper mine
near Mullan and the Richmond mine
near Adair, were idle. Several hun
bred tons of copper ore and concen
trate was shipped from the Harmony
and other mines in Lemhi county.
MORE LEAD PRODUCED
The mine output of lead, which is
the most abundant metal in Idaho,
increased from 1884, 1913 pounds in
1919 to about 254, 900 pounds in
1920 The average price of lead was
higher, and the value of the output
increased from 1864, 121 to about |
$20,777, 900. Though the total produc-
ton shows a great Improvement over
that of 1919, the mines have not gen
orally returned to a normal output. In
1920, as in past years, the Bunker |
Hill mine produced much more lead /
than any other property. Five other
mines each produced more than 10 |
100000 pounds of lead-the Hercules,
Hecla, Morning, Consolidated Inter
state, Tamarek & Custer. and Gold /
Hunter mines. The Occur d 'Alene
district alone produced about 242,0O0,
900 pounds of lead. Large quantities
IF lead ore and concentrate were also
from the Idaho-Continental,
Latest Out and In
mines, near Ketchum, in
Blaine county.
PRODUCTION OF ZINC
The mine output of recoverable |
zinc in Idaho increased from 1894 |
229 pounds in 1919 to about 2S,309,0O0 !
pounds in 1920. The price of zinc was
higher and the Consolidated Inter
state Callahan mine, at Sunset, was
active during most of the year. In I
November, however, shipments from
this mine ceased, as the market for
western zinc ore was poor. Large
shipments of zinc concentrate were
also made by the Morning mine of the
Federal Mining & Smelling company