The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1922-08-04
PRODUCTION IRu MINES OF
STATE NEARING MORMAlgTY

the gold, though they were idl'
most of the year. In 1922 the Shan
mon mine continues production; tht
| Swissmont mine, at Elkhorn, i.
producing much gold, and tht
Heating mine, at Toston, is agar
producing a gold-bearing iron ore
Silver
The output of silver from Mon
tana in 1921 was 6,558,713 ounces
valued at ST. an ounce, a decrease
from 12,57o,178 ounces in 1920
The output of silver depends large
| ly upon the mines of Butte, which
were being brought to a productive
stage early in 1922. The output of
silver from copper ore will be
about half that Of the normal year,
but the output of silver from zinc
ore will probably be great, as the
electrolytic plant at Great Falls is
treating an unusually large guam
tity of concentrate from Butte. In
1921 Granite and Cascade counties
were large producers of silver from
the mines at Philipsburg and Mel
hart, and in 1922 they have contin-
ued production from these sources,
and the output from the Neihart
Consolidated mine has been greatly
increased.
Copper
The output of copper in Montana
in 1921 was 48,0o8,730 pounds, val
ued at $6,204, 736, against a normal
annual output of about 100000
pounds Production was resumed
in February, 1922, and in April the
Anaconda Copper Mining Co. pro-
duced 14,50O,0OO pounds of copper
or about half its normal output.
The Pittsmont smelter was active,
but its output was below the aver
age, as the Colorado mine of the
Davis DAILY Copper company was
idle. The copper output of 1922
will certainly exceed that of 1921
and may be greater than that of
1920, which was 177,O5o,26O. In
June nearly 1900 men were work
ing at the mines at Butte.
Lead
Montana produced 20,336,917
pounds of lead in 1921, a decrease
from 31,253,o16 pounds in 1920.
The lead output of Montana has
been considerable in recent years,
owing to the saving of lead in lead
zinc ores treated at Anaconda and
Great Falls. In May, 1922, the zinc
plant was running at full capacity,
principally on ores from the Butte
& Superior and Elm Orlu mines,
which no longer ship their concen-
trates to eastern zinc plants. The
lead smelling plant at East Helena
continued to increase its shipments
Of lead bullion produced from ore
mined in Montana and Idaho. The
mines in Cascade and Judith Basin
counties were active producers of
both silver and lead. The Boston
Montana Corporation, in Beaver
lead county, shipped much lead
to East Helena, and
he Lukens Halle and Snow Storm
mines, in Lincoln county, were
gain in operation.
Zinc
The output of zinc in Montana
n 1921 was 23,275,o66 pounds, a
decrease from 184,337,78o pounds
n 1920. A large output of electro
ytic zinc is assured for 1922. The
BUTTE & Superior Mining company |
vas operating at full capacity in
April, and the Elm Orlu mine and
he zinc mines of the Anaconda
copper Mining company were ship
ing zinc ore and concentrates to
anaconda and Great Falls. The
'hilipsburg Mining company in
lranite county was marketing a
arge quantity of silver-zinc ore,
nd the Silver Dyke mine, in Cas-
ade county, may become a produc-
r of 1ead-zinc ore. No zinc ship
tents are being made to eastern
inc smelters.
No dividends we're paid by Mon
ina mines In the first half of 1Q22. Ii