The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1923-01-18
COLORADO COMING BACK
INCREASE MINE OUTPUT
FIRST HALF 1922 BAD; BUT LAST
HALF SHOWED NOTABLE
IMPROVEMENT.

Colorado mines in 1922, according
to c. w. Henderson. of the U. S. geo
logical survey, produced S6.5OO.OO0 in
gold, 100000 ounces of silver, D.
100000 pounds of lead. $500, 900
pounds of copper and $4,000. 900
pounds of zinc, as compared with So
SS5.S2S in gold, 5.S61.6 57 ounces of
silver, 1860 466 pounds of lead, A.
15S,442 pounds of copper and $780,
900 pounds of zinc in 1921 Average
prices in 1922 were 81 for silver. SO.134
for copper, sOO57 for lead. sOO57 for
zinc as compared with 81 for silver
$O.129 for copper, sOO45 for lead and
SO.05 for zinc in 1921.
The situation in the Colorado metal
mining industry during the first half
of 1922 was disappointing, but there
was a marked improvement as the
year drew to a close. particularly
when the November prices for lead
and zinc warranted hope for stability
Of the market. There was also in
creased interest by capitalists in in
vestigatOn of the industry
OonoitionS IN Detail.
The price of nearly 81 an ounce for
silver from domestic ores under the
Pittman act was all that kept many
Colorado mines in operation in 1922,
and the fact that the governments
purchases of silver under this act will
probably be completed within the
next II months give cause for serious
thought. The price of lead was low
until November. and lead-silver ores
depended on the silver content to car
ry the costs. Until November also
there was hardly any available mar
ket for Colorado zinc ores, even at
the low prices at which they were Of
fered. Joplin concentrate was ship
ped into the state Until some signs
Of announcement we're seen in the
zinc market many operators did not
feel like spending money in unwater-
ng and cleaning up mines after long
dleness. Fortunately, the workings
md mills of some of the zinc proper
les were kept in repair. Much of the
zinc output for 1922. however. came
rom stocks accumulated from opera
AOhn III ASSVf VI AAOlAA LAhC OANS
moved in 1921 and 1922 of necessity in
he mining of contiguous silver ores.
rhe Western Zinc Oxide company's
furnaces at Leadville were operated
teadily and the Empire Zinc COM
,any's zinc oxide plant at Cannon
,ity was reopened in August The
,old mines can hardly be said to have
aoovarad frnpa tho danraaaion dt1a ga
var costs. Many of them remained
die and others worked on a small
margin of profit.
Big Enterprise Launched.
The intensive study made by New
FORK men of tire Bonanza district DIR
re- the last three ..ears has resulted
n the financing by Bulkeley Wells
he American Smelling & Refining
and members OF the Raw
ey Mining company of a new COM
amy which began n October to build
concentration flotafion mill at
shirley on the Denver & Rio Grande
Western railroads Salida- Montrose
ranch. This mill will he connected
y an aerial tram miles long with
he mines at Bonanza. Preparations
Or the treatment of the concentrates
rom these mines have been started
{ the Arkansas Valley smelter at
,eadville, pursuant to the smelling
decision to concentrate all
melting at Leadville and Durango.
he Pueblo lead smelter has been
DID and will be torn down.