The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1923-01-11
MINING IN MONTANA, 1922
CONDITIONS IMPROVED
OUTPUT INCREASED OVER LAST
YEAR-SILVER, LEAD, ZINC
ALMOST NORMAL.

per, lead and zinc mined in Montana
In 1922, according to an estimate by
lC. n. Gerry of the United States geo.
logical survey department Of the in
terror, was s44,483,OOO. a large increase
from the value of SIC. SS4.521 in 1921
The output of silver. lead and zinc
was close to normal but that of gold
and copper was below the average of
the last 20 years. The large mines at
Butte resumed operations early in the
year. but the copper mines were not
operated at maximum capacity The
wages at Butte were increased, and
by December the market for metals
had improved considerably.
Gold.
The value of the output of gold in
creased from $1.4SO, 76S in 1921 to ST.
$4,000 in 1922. The production of
gold from copper ores increased con-
lsiderably but did not approach past
records. The output from placers and
gold ores is gradually decreasing. Pro-
duction from the Conrey placers, in
Madison county was small, and dredg-
Il ing was. discontinued. The largest
quantity of gold was produced from
variety of ores at Butte, particularly
from the Anaconda properties. The
Shannon mine, near Marysville, was
the next largest producer, though the
output was much less than in past
years. At Elkhorn the Swissmont
mine produced considerable gold by
cyanidation, and in Park county the
Jardine gold mine was again active
and produced much gold, which occurs
in arsenOpyrite. Other producers were
the Goldsmith, Butte& Superior, Elm
Orlu, DAILY, Missouri, Green
back, Heating, Short Shift and Ddum-
lummon.
Silver
The mine output of silver increased
from 6,55S,713 ounces in 1921 to H.
100000 ounces in 1922. The resump-
ton Of activity at Butte, together with
the general incentive to mining due to
the price of silver resulted in an out
put close to that of 1919 and 1920.
Most of the silver came from the cop
per mines of the Anaconda Copper
Mining company at Butte and a large
part from the zinc and silver mines at
Butte. The Butte & Superior, Davis
DAILY and Elm Orlu mines were large
producers Of silver from both zinc ores
and silver-lead ores. Other large pro-
ducers were the Neihart Consolidated,
Granite -Bimetallic, Philipsburg, North
Butte, Goldsmith East Butte and the
Snow Storm.
Copper.
The output of copper increased from
4S,09S,73O pounds in 1921 to les, 1OO. 600
pounds in 1922 as a result of a better
market for copper The copper smelt-
ing plant at Anaconda resumed oper-
atoms in February and was producing
later at the rate of 100000 pounds
a month. The Pittsmont plant of the
East Butte Copper company was not
operated at full capacity but produced |
1, 100000 pounds a month, partly from /
custom ores. The mines of the Ana |
conda company at Butte were the |
largest producers of copper, as in past |
years, and other producers worthy of |
note were the North Butte, Davis
Daily, and East Butte mines. Much
copper ore from new deposit devel-
oped in the Butte & Superior mine
was mined and treated
Lead.
The mine production of lead increas-
ID from 2OS66.s17 pounds in 1921 to
9,775,OO pounds in 1922, and the
1alue increased from ss16.51i to ST.
i97175. Most of the lead was produc-
ID from zinc ore or silver-lead ore of
he Butte & Superior Elm Orlu, Da-
'is-Daly, Moulton and Anaconda pro-
'erties at Butte Much of this lead s
vas recovered by smelling residues Il
rom the electrolytic zinc plant near /
Great Falls. In other parts of the
tate the Snow Storm, Block F., Mel
lart Consolidated. Angelica and Lux {
ms Hazel were large producers of sill 4
-er-iead ore. The lead smelling plant 4
Il East Helena was unusually active.
The price of lead gradually increased
turing the year. c
Zinc. c
The output OF recoverable zinc in
Iontana increased from 2S,275.s66 1
ounds in 1921 to 114OOO, 600 pounds in
922. The value increased from ST. Il
So, 7sS to S6,4sS,OOO. The Butte & su- {
erior mine was again active and was
he largest producer of zinc in the
tate. The Elm Orlu, Davis DAILY, EN-
IA and Moulton mines were also
lrge producers. All the zinc ore was
lilled at Butte and Anaconda and
'eated in the zinc plant near Great
alls, which operated at capacity The
emand for zinc ores increased con-
derably toward the end of 1922 c
Dividends.
No dividends were paid by mining o
'mpanies operating in Montana dur p
g the first IL months of 1922.
NEW MEXICO MINES.