Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-07-18
MINES NEAR NORMAL
IN MONTANA. SAYS
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Rising Values and Better Labor
Conditions Stimulate
Industry.

Helena, July 1.-THE metal mines
of Montana were rapidly regaining
normal production during the first six
months of 1922, according Il {. y.
Geery of the United States geological
survey, department of the interior. In
June most Of the copper and zinc
mines at Butte, the mill and smelling
plant at Anaconda, and the electro
lytic plant at Great Falls were active
after a year of small production. The
prices of copper. lead and zinc had
increased somewhat and the labor con-
ditions were nearly normal.
Montana produced gold valued at
S1.4SO, 1853 in 1921. a decrease from
S1.S31. 165 in 1920. In 1922 the out
put of gold will become normal as soon
Grafton. In 1921. when the output
was far below normal, Madison county
produced nearly 30 per cent of the
gold of the state. largely from placer
mines in Alder Gulch. Lewis and
Clark county was second on account
of the large output of the Shannon
mine. near Maryville. The mines al
Butte produced nor than 10 per cent
of the gold. though they were idle
most of the year. In 1922 the Shan
non mine continues production; the
Swissmont mine at Elkhorn is pro-
ducing much gold, and the Heating
mine at Toston is again producing a
gold bearing iron ore.
The output of silver from Montana
in 1921 was 6,55S,71 ounces. valued
at 81 an ounce. a decrease from 49,
579.17S ounces in 1920. The output
of silver depends largely upon the
mines at Butte. which were being
brought to a productive stage early in
1922. The output of silver from cop
per ore will be about half that of the
normal year, but the output of silver
from zinc ore and silver ore will prob
ably be great, as the electrolytic plant
at Great Falls Is treating an unusually
large quantity of concentrate from
counties were large producers of sill
yer from the mines at Philipsburg and
Neihart. and in 1922 they have con-
tinued production from these sources.
and the output from the Neihart IN
solidated mine has been greatly in
creased.
The output of copper in Montana in
1921 was 4S,O9S,7 100 pounds. valued
at S6.204. 1876. against a normal annual
output of about 100000, 900 pounds.
Production was resumed in February,
1922. and in April the Anaconda Cop
per Mining company produced l4,5OO.-
600 pounds of copper, or about half of
its normal output. The Pittsmont
smelter WAS active. but its output was
below the average, as the Colorado
mine of the Davis-Daly Copper com
pany was idle. The copper output Of
1922 will certainly exceed that of 1921
and may be greater than that of 1920.
which was 177.059.26O pounds. In
June nearly 1900 men were working
at the mines at Butte.
Montana produced 20.336.917 pounds
Of lead in 1921. a decrease from 81
253.916 pounds in 1920. The lead
output of Montana has been consid-
cradle in recent years, owing to the
saving Of lead in lead-zinc ores treated
Mt Anaconda and Great Falls. In MAY.
1922. the zinc plant was running ut
full capacity. principally OF ores from
the Butte & Superior and Elm Orlu
mines, which no longer ship their con-
centrate 10 eastern zine 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 Beaverhead county.
shipped much lead concentrate 10 East
Helena. and the Lukens Halle and
Snow Storm mines. in Lincoln county,
were again in operation.
The output of zinc in Montana in
1927 was o~3,275,966 pounds. a de
crease from 1S4,337,7S6 pounds in
1920. A large output of electrolytic
zinc is assured for 1922. The Butte
& Superior Mining company was op-
Grating at full capacity in April. and
the Elm Orlu mine and the zinc mines
of the Anaconda Copper Mining com
pany were shipping zinc ore and con-
centrate TO Anaconda and Great Falls.
The Phllipsburg Mining company in
county was marketing n large
quantity of silver-zinc ore. and the
Silver Dyke mine, in Cascade county.
become a producer of lcad-zinc
No zinc products are being ship
ped to eastern zinc shelters.
No dividends were paid by Montana
mines in the first half of 1922.