The Fallon standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1920-1958, 1922-07-19
Metal Mining in
Nevada Increases
Midyear Report from u. s. Geologi-
cal Bureau Shows Improvement
In Gold and Silver
BIG MILL AT VIRGINIA
CITY NEARING COMPLETION
Copper Mining Industry Receivers
Slowly As Market Conditions
Improve


the silver mines, showed increased
activity during the first six months
of 1922, according to V. C. Heikes.
of the United States Geological Sur
vey, Department of the Interior. The
copper mines are just again becom-
Ing productive, the zinc mines and
most of the lead mines are at a low
ebb, but the silver mines and many
of the gold mines are rapidly re-
turing to a normal output In 1921
the value of the metal output was
S12,137, ,536, which Is less than the
value in any year since 1906
The gold mined in Nevada de-
creased from $3,566,72S in 1920 to
$3,3i2,757 in 1921. The produc-
tion of gold in Nevada has steadily
decreased since 1910, and no in
crease In the state output is expect
ed in 1922, as many of the mines
have been idle half the year. Min.
ing in the Tonopah district which
produced gold valued at $999.094 in
1921. has improved steadily since
the labor strike in 1921, and sever
al companies have increased their
ore reserves. The quantity of gold
obtained from copper ore will prob
ably be greater in 1922, as the mines
at Ely were preparing for active
operations in May. The shipments
of gold ore from Goldfield increased
considerably, especially from the
Silver Pick lease, on Red Top
ground, and larger gold output
was expected from the Round Noun
tain and Battle Mountain placers.
Mining and mill building have pro-
gressed at Virginia City. but In May
several of the producing properties
stopped development work below the
Sutro tunnel. At Gold Circle the
mill of the Elko Prince Mining Co.
was destroyed by fire. but a new mill
is planned for the Big Chief mine.
The production of silver in 1921
was 7,0S3,72S ounces, decrease
from 7,745,093 ounces In 1920. The
output of silver from Tonopah was
| increasing early in 1922 and the op-
ening of new ore bodies was most
encouraging. In 1921 the Tonopah
district produced 4,623,901 ounces
of silver. and the largest silver pro-
ducers of the state were the Tono-
pah Belmont, West End, Tonopah
Extension, Tonopah Mining, and
Rochester Silver mines. All these
mines are increasing their produc-
tion in 1922. The Tonopah Divide
mine, in Esmeralda County, was
active early in the year, and the
custom mills at Tonopah and Millers
were in operation. At Virginia City
production continued from the Con-
solidated Virginia, Ophir, and other
mines, and the construction of the
2500-ton mill of the United Com
stock was progressing rapidly. The
construction of the Candelaria mill,
in Mineral County, was also being
completed, and rich silver-lead ore
was shipped from the Hudson mine
in Nye County. In Lincoln County.
which produced 264,304 ounces of
silver in 1921. the shipments of ore
were curtailed. but they improved
somewhat when the freight rate was
reduced.
Nevada produced 10,961,491
pounds of copper in 1921, decrease
from 50,559,763 pounds in 1920.
The Nevada Consolidated Copper
Company was idle early in 1922. but
preparations for operating the mine,
mill, and smelter were being made
in May. Other copper mines in
White Pine and Lyon counties will
probably resume mining as the mar
ket conditions continue to improve
The output of lead in Nevada de-
creased from 21,263,700 pounds In
1920 to 7,1SS,76S pounds in 1921.
In the first half of 1922 the produc-
tion of the lead mines has been un.
usually small. The mines of Good
springs, Eureka. and Phoebe have
not recovered from the low metal
prices and high freight rates of the
last few years. The recent increase
in the price of lead and the reduced
freight rates may make larger out
put possible later in the year. Much
lead ore and concentrate was ship
ped from the Black Metals, Bristol
Silver, Simon Lead, Leadville and
Spruce Monarch mines early in 1922