Bisbee daily review., 1922-06-18

ing it difficult to increase output.
Single miners prefer to work in the
open during the summer. Miners with
families have found employment else
where are not anxious to return TO
the mines. II will therefore be i'm
possible for mines in North and
South America to get copper on the
market at the rate of 130,000,000
pounds a month before October or
November.
In 1917 when North and South
American copper mines attained a
peak output for the year of approXi-
mately 200, 200, 900 pounds a month,
between 30,000,000 and 10000, 900
pounds a month came from mines with
exceedingly high operating costs. IT
is doubtful whether the output of
North and South American mines that
today can produce copper at IA cents
with a profit, excluding depletion
charge, could be gotten above 100000
600 pounds a month. Consequently,
consumption of $50 100000 pounds
month by consumers taking their
supplies from the New York market
would permit available North and
South American mines to operate at
about " per cent of capacity.
At 20 per cent of capacity and pres
ent costs of operation, most of the
mines in North and South America
can show a fair profit with copper
selling around IA cents pound de-
livered. Some Of the low-cost mines
can produce even now at less than II
cents including taxes and deprecia-
ton
This is a conservative view of the
situation, assuming no untoward de-
velopment will result in Europe. That
European consumption of copper will
be as large this year as last, would
appear likely as result of diminished
supplies of scrap.
1921 Copper Consumption
In 1921, United States, Germany,
Great Britain France and Japan, which
before the war consumed IS per cent
of the worlds production, totaled l.
310,000,000 pounds of new copper.
compared with 100000 900 pounds in
1913, or at 70 per cent their pre7war
rate. This estimate is based upon
consumption figures congifled by the
American Bureau of Metal Statistics
with German consumption estimated
at 80 per cent of pre-war
Figuring world. consumption of new
copper at 10 per cent larger than for
these five countries, for it is believed
that today they bear about the same
ratio to total consumption as pre-war,
world consumption OF new eopTyer in
| 1921 was approximately 100000 900
! pounds, or 125,000,000 a month.
World consumption of scrap brass
above the usual amount represented
an additional consumption of at least
250,004000 pounds Of copper, or 20,-
100000 a month, it is estimated. This
makes total consumption equivalent to
; 1850 100000 pounds for 1921. as csti-
mated earlier, or So per cent of pre-
war.
In calculating 1922 consumption it
! is assumed that Europe will use as
much copper as last year, or approXi-
/ mately 100000 pounds including
metal represented in the excessive
MEETINGS of scrap brass. German con-
4 SUMPTION OF copper-and she is the
| largest consumer in Europe-is at
present % per cent greater than in
! 1921
\ In arriving at 1922 world consump-
I ton il is further assumed that United
4 States consumption will be % per
l cent greater this year than last. This
| estimate is considered conservative by
men well informed in the trade.
\ United States consumption of new
/ copper was 635.0O0,000 pounds in 1921.
I In addition. approximately 125,000, 000
\ bounds of copper is represented by
\ amount of scrap brass used in excess