The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1921-05-12

- the Bunker Hill smelter, was in
the city between trains yester-
day. Naturally, it is part of his
business to keep in close touch with
the lead situation and the influ
ences that affect the price and de-
mand for the metal. For that reason
what he has to say regarding the
outlook is OF special interest at this
time when there has been such
great curtailment of production in
this district. Mr. Smith expressed
much satisfaction with the advance in
the price of lead during the past few
weeks and which yesterday reached
cents per pound. He regards this
increase as a movement toward a
permanent market for lead at a price
that will soon result in a resumption
OF production by many properties now
idle. From a statistical standpoint
Mr. Smith said that the position of
lead could hardly be better for the
curtailment of production has had the
effect of cleaning up all surplus
stocks in this country, and he eX-
pressed the opinion that congress
would soon pass the anti-dumping
bill under the provisions of which
foreign lead would be shut out of the
United States market until the new
tariff law is enacted that viii give
American lead producers ample pro-
lection.
Tariff on Lead.
Mr. Smith said that he understood
that the committee having charge of
the metal schedule OF the new tariff
bill had agreed on a duty of IL
cents per pound of lead contained in
ore. which is double the present duty
under the Underwood law. This he
believes, would be sufficient to main
tain the price at a fair figure al
though lead producers generally urg
ed a duty of cents. Under the pres
ent tariff pig lead is subject to a
duty of 25 per cent ad valorem. This /
may be changed to a specific duty, .
but if not, Mr.. Smith expressed the .
opinion that the system which pre-
vailed under the former administra
ton of taking the value of the metal
in the foreign country as a basis
would be changed, and that ad valOr
EN- duty levied would be based on the
value of the metal in this country. 1t
is evident that this change would be
greatly to the advantage of the Am
erican producer, for the value of lead
in Europe. especially under the pres
ent rates of exchange is so far below
the American value that levying an
ad valorem duty in the country of
origin is scant protection to the Am
erican miner.
Choosing a Process.
Regarding the electolytic zinc
plant which he announced several
months ago would be built at Kellogg
by the Bunker Hill & Sullivan COM
pany, Mr. Smith said there was moth
ing new to state at this time. The
company is proceeding with its plans
but he said it would probably be a
year before actual construction would
begin. At this time, Mr. Smith said,
much attention is being given to the
process to be used, that is, it is
question of deciding which of the two
electrolytic processes will be used, the
one in use by the Anaconda company
and at Trail, or the Tainton process.
He said the last named process was
in use at Martinez, Cal, and that the
Investigations on the part of the {
Bunker Hill company had lead to the
conclusion that it was preferable to I
the Anaconda process. He said that ;
the Taunton process is now being
thoroughly tested at Kellogg and {
that he expected it to be adopted by s
the Bunker Hill.
Treat Star Ore.
Mr. Smith said the Bunker Hill ,
zinc plant would have an initial ca
pacity of % tons daily and that the
primary purpose of it's construction is
to treat the zinc-lead ores from the
star mine. However he said that the
plans of the company con-
templated a custom plant that would
handle the Pine creek ores and any
other ores offered and that this final
purpose would be carried out when
ever the market for zinc seemed to q
Justify it,