The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1922-06-22
MINERAL PRODUCTION
SH0SHONE COUNTY, 1921
BIG DIFFERENCE IN FIGURES OF
INSPECTOR AND GEoLoe-
ICAL SURVEY.

The tabular statement on page six
of this issue giving mineral produc-
ton of Idaho by counties in 1921. COM
piled by c. N. Gerry of the United
States geological survey. credits Sho-
shone county with total value of
$13, 72O, 73O In his report for the year
1921, Stewart Campbell state mine
inspector for Idaho, places the total
value of mineral output of Shoshone
county at $14,594,S99, an excess of
S873,669 over the geological survey fig
ures This is a very wide discrepan
cy and it is evident that somebody
must have slipped in compiling the
statistics. A comparison of the de-
tails of the reports shows that the
figures of the geological survey on
gold and copper are above those of
the state inspector while on silver,
lead and zinc they are far below The
geological survey credits ShOshOne
county with S3O6 ounces of gold, while
the inspector allows only 1917 ounces,
a difference of SO ounces The in
spector places the silver production at
5,132, 800 ounces, being 147,057 ounces
above the geological survey figures,
namely. 1885, 269 ounces. Copper out
put, according to the survey. was 404,-
615 pounds, while the inspector ac-
counted for only 1925 pounds, a diff
ference of 245,S2O pounds.
Lead and Zinc.
On the two great base mineral pro-
ducts of this county lead and zinc
these two authorities are wide apart
Mr.. Campbell credits Shoshone coun-
ty with having produced 2O2, ITS, 1854
pounds of lead in 1921, while Mr.. Ger
ry, for the geological survey, places
the amount at 1s9,0s6,51s. q difference
of 13,OS8.S46 pounds. The difference
in the figures on zinc production is
the most astonishing of all. Mr..
Campbell in his report says ShoshOne
produced 1,S1S313 pounds of
zinc, while Mr.. Gerry credits the
county with only 80, 463 pounds, the
being 1.7S4,S5O pounds. Bal
ancing up these various differences it
is found that Mr.. Campbell gives Sho-
shone county credit for mineral pro-
duction amounting in value to sS7S,-
$50 more than is given by Mr. Gerry.
of the geological survey. Evidently
the system adopted by one of these
gentlemen in collecting mineral pro-
duction statistics is very much at
fault, and it is very much to the in
terest of the people of this county and
of the state at large to know where
the trouble lies.
How information is Obtained.
These statistical differences regard
were briefly discussed with
Campbell upon his recent
visit to the district He said his fig
ures were based generally upon di-
rect information obtained from pro-
ducers and smelling companies. and
while he was not disposed to indulge
in criticism of the work of the Unit
ed states geological survey and the
we'll known and efficient gentleman
who prepared the figures he felt new
ertheless that his figures were sub
stantially correct It is a matter Of
great Importance to the mining in
dustry of the state to have dependable
statistics on mineral production, and
it is hoped that by calling attention
to the wide discrepancies between the
state and federal reports a recheclking
will result that will reconcile the diff
ferences. In view of Mr.. Campbell's
explanation of the manner in which he
obtained his statistical information,
the Miner is of the opinion that his
figures are more nearly correct than
those of the geological survey