The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1922-02-23
THE OUTLOOK FOR ZINC
BY AzINC SPECIALIST
MOVEMENT OF METAL
5EGlNNlNG-RETURN TO NOR
MALCY FORESHAOOWED.

The Annual Progress Number" oil
the Engineering and Mining Journal
has the following discussion of the
zinc situation by specialist on zinc:
\ sensible pessimst would be likely
to feel encouragement in the present
prospect for zinc. because he would
find it difficult TO anticipate during
1922 a duplication OF all the unhappy
factors. economic and political, which
affected affairs in general and the
zinc industry in particular during 1927.
\ sensible optimist would be likely
to feee greater encouragement. be-
cause he does not find il difficult to
note already not only the gradual dis
appearance of many of the adverse
factors but also the inevitable begin
nings of new constructive era:
cheaper money, consequent upon in
creased frugality and for the time
being, slow business and reduced calls
for credit; rising security prices, with
their faciltatiOn of increased financ-
ing of under-eq equipped railroads and
public utilities whose lack of purchas-
ing power has been no mean factor in
the past depression; cheaper prices for
such manufactured articles and food
stuffs as enter largely into the aver
age mans cost of living; produc-
tion Systematically curtailed for a long
enough time to start an upward move
al,
normally depressed commodities; small /
Inventories; and in general, growing |
in the levels of liquidation.
All these factors are symtomatic of
the beginning of a constructive up
ward movement and are pertinent TO
his industry has been additionally af-
'ected in the immediate past by con-
itons peculiarly it own.
Facts to Be Considered
For thorough understanding of the
orecarious situation of the zinc indus
ny in 1921 and its prospects for 1922,
must be given to the
changed position of the United States
n the worlds market. Although zinc
vas a metal notably stimulated by the
demands of the World war it is sig
lfcant that the worlds production of
zinc has never exceeded the total for
1913, when 1113S6O tons was pro-
iuced. OF this total, roughly 20 per
,ent was produced outside of Our
country. From that time on, European
production progressively declined. and
hough complete figures for 1921 are
rot available they will show ? marked
decrease from 1920 when production
outside of the United States totaled
,nly $4,000 tons. or less than so per
'ent of its 1913 production. In other
words, the entire increase incident to
var needs was supplied by the United
states. where production rose from
49, 900 tons in 1913 to $4,000 in 1917.
leclining only to 1885, 900 tons in 1920
md in the pit of depression in the
winter of 1920 going on at the rate of
go, 600 tons per annum, or above the {
highest prev war average, and this at .
ime when not only had we many
months previously stopped exporting t
inc but were actually importing large 3
of European metal, a state of i
Kings which continued into April and 8
lay of last year when we imported /
early 1000 tons of foreign metal. i
A Logical Condition. s
The condition of the zinc industry in il
MS country in 1921 was a logical af- il
ermath of these facts And tho facts h
ere an equally logical outcome Of the f
ocular structure of our zinc industry, h
S developed by the war, and its direc- Z
on by too many, and unfortunately
% inexperienced, hands Many fac C
ms facilitated the tremendous and fl
mporarily profitable growth of the e
nited States zinc industry during the ii
rorld war-cheap fuel particularly 6
NOTICE OF ASSESSMENT. II