The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1923-02-08
TEST ORES FOR ARSENIC
HIGH PRICE OF MINERAL
MANY USES HAVE CREATED BIG
DEMAND-HAs BEEN FOUND
ON THE NORTH SIDE.


A demand was created during 1922
for a minor mineral which deserves
attention by the press. for although
it is found extensively in practically
all mineral districts associated with
valuable ores and has been a by-pro-
duct of the smelling industry. the
quantity produced was very limited.
This necessitated an importation in
1921 Of 6,6S6,57O pounds and for the
nine months ending September 1, 1922,
Of 6.5SS,674 pounds. This alludes to
arsenic the demand for which has
been and is far beyond the present
supplies available, both from local and
imported sources. In a debate in the
lower house Of congress January TO-
present year, Representative Wright
of Georgia made the following extend
ed reference to the mineral to enlight-
en- his colleagues and the country as
the only medicine" that will exter-
inmate the boil weevil and protect the
cotton planter of the south
Production and Prices.
Mr. Wright | wish TO add that
white arsenic is produced in the Unit
ed States as a by-product in the smell
ting of copper and other ores. Oper-
atoms which have arsenic as their
principal product were carried on dur
ing the high prices of the war years
in Washington and in Virginia, but
these operations We're abandoned with
the reduction in prices at the close of
the war. In 1901 the production OF
white arsenic according TO the geolog-
ical survey the domestic production
reached its maximum of 1852 tons.
according to the United States geo
logical survey. Added TO which were
imported S740 tons making total
supply of 1922 tons. In 1921. accord
ing to the geological survey the dom
este production fell off to 1856 tons.
while the imports were 1893 tons. ma
king a total supply OF 6l55 tons.
THE total production and importa-
tions for 1921, if wholly available for
the production of calcium arsenate. /
would have produced about 1910 tons
OF this material
THE price between 1901 and 1915
averaged about 2S cents per pound |
In 1920 it reached about SIS cents per
pound and in 1921 it averaged 7.5c a
pound, or about $3.50 per ton Since
about 500 pounds of white arsenic are /
required per ton of calcium arsenate .
manufactured. the cost of the white |
arsenic alone at this rate would be
about $50 per ton of calcium aresnate
With large scale production. having
white arsenic as the principal product.
he cost might he reduced.
Although there are about 1870 min
'rals containing arsenic, there are
hree minerals which form the princi-
lal commercial supply of white ar
enic obtained from operations in
which arsenic is the principal product
"Arsenopyrite. or mispicl<le, is a
mineral containing 46 per cent arsenic
nd consisting of arsenic, iron. and
ulphur. 1t is the most widely dis
ributed of any of the arsenic miner
Is. The second mineral is realgar. :
ulphide Of arsenic, containing APP 7
rOximately 20 per cent arsenic: and $
he third mineral is orpiment, also a O
uiphide of arsenic, containing about ic
per cent pure arsenic. Realgar and c
rpiment are replacement minerals s
in veins and assures. and W
OF massive deposits. a
Where Arsenic Is Found. C,
There are no large deposits of ar n
mic ores in the United States that d.
Re being worked primarily for their "
'senic content. Arsenopyrite occurs W
limited quantities in % states from OF
aine to California A small deposit tn
rs been worked in New York state. I'M
here it is found in narrow vein: hi
nses of limited size and undeter- su
ined as to number. and varying tn
ON a few inches to II feet in thick or
SIS, have been worked in small re
ay in Floyd county Virginia. during st
g period Of war prices CONNER tn
ally important deposits have also be
en- found in the Black Hills of South a
lkota. The principal occurrences of su
piment in this country are thin fec
worked bed in the Mercur district COZ
Utah and the Monte Cristo district fro
the state of Washington. which was is
'rked in a temporary way during the Nh
r. Realgar is not mined in the the
iited states me
The principal foreign deposits of III,
'enic ore soccur at widely separat- ter
points some of which are remote
m civilization. While information
meager. large amounts of arsenic
= reported by the British vice con- 10,
in Corsica to exist on that island
the form Of realgar and orpiment. n
ON similar source reports are had Pic
realgar deposits in the Human cit.
vince in China. near the Yangtze Coz
er. deposit of orpiment. which nan
5 been mined TO more or less extent TO
in eastern Kurdistan. between the are
spian sea and the Mediterranean ero
b. Small amounts of arsenic ore eve
produced in France and southern cor
odesia, and manufactured white ar pul
.ic is nroducad IN Craot r,,it,t,, lrer