Douglas daily dispatch., 1926-04-28
Weekly Copper ReUiew
BY Charles f. Willis, Editor The
Mining journal.

Mining journal.
The copper production during
March took a considerable jump up
wards from the 126,1S5 tons of Feb
ruary to 135,095 tons in March. This
increase in production was general
in all the copper producing countries
and was about in proportion to their
contribution to the world supply
The United States production in
creased from 1880 tons to S0.704
tons. Chile and Peru from ,2l,9@4
to 22,320 tons, and the Belgian Con
go from 6,S2S tons to 7112 tons. The
average monthly production so far
during 1926 is 13O,266 tons as against
an average monthly production last
year of 12S,4O6 tons.
The production during March did
not reach the high mark of last Oc-
tober when 1924 tons of copper
were produced from the principal
mines of the world. However, the
high March production will not have
the serious effect which followed the
October production as the consump.
tion of copper is greater now than
it was at that time.
In the United States, also the in
crease in production came about pro-
portionately from the porphyries,
Lake Superior mines, veing mines,
and custom ores, the amounts coming
from these classifications being 27,-
697 tons, 5000 tons, 95,448 tons and
4,245 tons, respectively.
The United States production FOR
March, however, exceeded the record
breaking month of October, for dur
ing that month the United States
produced but 71,O42 tons as against
75,42O tons produced last month. In
October the excess production which
brought up the total came from
Chile, Peru and tile Belgian Congo
1t has been particularly interesting
to note that the rise and fall OF
production during the past months
has been proportionately uniform, not
alone in the amount contributed BY
the various countries, but also in tho
amount mined from the various
classes of mines in the United States
This is an indication that the 'stabil.
izing program" is we'll in order and
that producers of copper are watch
ing the consumption statistics closely
and limiting production to it's meas
ure. This condition is one of the
most favorable signs for the future
of the industry,
The price trend for the metal ha:
remained practically the same, run
ming from 1873 cents to ID cents
pound. According to R. T.. .Agassiz
president of the Calumet and Heels
| Consolidated Copper company, tn
| price of the metal will not increase
until European consumption increases
Per capital consumption abroad j:
much below that of this country
Mr.. Agassiz cited figures on ship
ments abroad since 1911 to show Iht
trend of copper exports. In 1911 ant
| 1872 he said, exports to Europe to-
| tailed about 375,O00 tons each year
| In 1918, when Germany was supposed
to be buying the metal in large
| quantities, exports jumped to 435,00I
tons. In 1919, the first year after
the war, they dropped to 215,000 tons
and thereafter increased gradually
each year until in 1923, they were
! almost abreast of pre-war exports
| 422, 900 tons. In 1924 exports amount
ed to $4,000 tons, and while com
pleted figures for 1925 are not ye
available, they are believed to have
shown an increase. President Agas
! siz believes the copper export asso
citation will materially aid foreign
sales in that it will eliminate thu
present "cut-t throat" competition
among selling agencies.
An interesting sidelight on the in
| creasing consumption of copper comes
in the report on the amount of COZ.
per used for trolley wires during
the last several years. In 1925, $685.
tons of trolley wires were delivered
as against 500 tons in 1924. Almost
every use of copper in quantity has
shown a constant and favorable in
crease in the quantity of the metal
used.
At the close of March refined
stocks of copper totalled 1926 tons
representing a decrease of 14S tons
during the month. AS the result OF
the publication of March statistics
showing a favorable decline in sur
plus of refined metal, with shipments
we'll above production sentiment ir
the industry is decidedly cheerful
and producers are understood to be
holding firm at the present levels.