Imperial Valley press., 1924-11-17
Great Developments Underway
in African Copper Mines; Soon
to Lead in Copper Production

BABSON PARK, Nov. 17.-Roger
W. Babson S statement regarding
the present trend aud future devel-
opment of tile copper industry, is
sued today, is of unusual interest
not only to investors in copper
stocks but to all investors, since the
factors hes discusses may soon eff
feet other industries.
1t seems that John Hayes Ham
mond, believed by many to be the
WORLDS greatest mining engineer,
has beautiful summer home at
| Gloucester. 1t also happens that
Roger w. Babson, a native of that
port, is in the habit of spending his
holidays there. Apparently the en-
gineer and the statistician some
times get together for a neighborly
chat.
Gle told me about Katanga, )"
said Mr.. Rabson, referring to q re-
cent talk with the man who was
partner of Cecil Rhodes in the de-
velopment of the South African
mines. "We always get into this
same sort of situation. cannot
mention anything i'll the way of
American resources but that Mr..
Hammond is ready to match them or
exceed them with statistics on Af
rica. We were talking about copper
when he told me of the development
now underway in Congo. The op-
Grafton is being carried by Bel
gians and the Union Miniere Katan-
ga. This company in 1912 was pro-
ducimg about 100000 pounds of
copper a year. This production has
steadily increased until, based on
last mouth 5 output, it is produc-
ing at the rate of 225, ,000,0 900 pounds
n year. This brings its volume to-
practically the same as that of the
Chilli Copper company, now gcnor-
ally known as tho worlds largest
producer. II is understood, how
ever, that these Katanga mines are
now building for an output of over
100000 pounds of copper u day
or over 700,000,000 pounds annually.
As this development is completed
the center of the world S copper pro-
duction Will be shifted~ from the
western to the eastern hemisphere.
Mines in Katanga
"Thesc African mines are l0eated
in the southeastern corner of the
province of Katanga, which in turn
IS located in the southeastern part
of Belgian Kongo. The headquart-
ers of the company, at little town
known as Elizabothville, are 1000
miles by rail from the nearest port,
BCria. The two are connected by q
narrow gauge railroad. The COM
panv has II concession ON over 5000
sduare miles and in addition to pro-
ducing copper is also mining lin
and radium. In the copper operation
the ore is worked with u steam
shovel, it contains from Z to per
cent of copper, and is refined near
the mines. Black copper is shipped
for treatment, either to the com
pany' S finishing rcfineries IN Bel
gium or to the Nichols Copper COM
pany, Laurel Hill, New York. The
rail haul from mine to port is some
what of n handicap, but since 1t is
mostly down grade this cost is not
prohibtiye. Labor, one the other
hand, is unbcheyably choaH and
this African copper is now beng de-
livered in Europe as cost Of )
cents or less per pound. The trc'
mondous production at so low u
cost must have its effect and it will
not be surprising il the prico OF
copper does not rso far beyond its
present figure. The point in the
copper situation in our present mar
ket. Even at l3 cents it will be
seen that the low cost producers like
Chill, Katanga apd hcnnecott are
making a gross profit Of so per cent,
NThis, Of course, is figured before
depreciation in charged, and depfe-
citation is q very important item II