Douglas daily dispatch., 1926-10-05
MINING EXPERT
URGES WESTERN
COPPER PLANT

The possibilities for cooperation
between Arizona copper producers and
California refiners and shippers has
begun to attract considerable atten-
ton from Arizona mining men. The
following article from the Arizona
Mining Journal, written by Robert
E. Tally, general manager of the
United Verde Copper company, shows
the possibility of great refining
plant at Los Angeles
Arizona produces half of the cop
per in the United States and 23 per
cent of the world production, yet
it is a significant fact that NOT a
pound of this copper is refined or
manufactured in the state or the
southwest. We are now studying the
economic possibilities for refining and
manufacturing copper in the west as
against shipping 1t east. The policy
of refining and manufacturing copper
in the east and then sending con-
siderable portion Of it west rs all
wrong.
"The Long Beach-Los Angeles harbor
by its natural position in closest
proximity as Pacific port TO the
| "a A"Ollte SOpPCAp - SIN0AAetplS ctS @
| logical location for the refining OF
kets provided transportation by rail
and ocean were put and kept on a
proper basis of rates and service.
while it is not easy to change
the flow of basic commodity IN
| its route to market still we find
that the copper industry of the world
| depends quite largely upon water
| transportation and for that reason,
Arizona copper should be attracted
| through its nearest established port.
"Recent revision in the trans9orta-
| tion rates on blister copper from
| Arizona shelters to Long Beach-Los
! Angeles harbor gives ground for be-
lief that a substantial movement OF
copper Will be routed by way OF
/ that port.
''The freight economy of local re-
fining is apparent from the fact that
the European market, which normally
should take so per cent of American
copper, would receive refined copper
/ from the Long Beach-Tos Angeles
area at a saving of nearly SIS a
net ton.
"a refinery should be so located
as to economically perform custom
service for the copper industry and
this requirement is capable of being
met by the relation of Long Beach
Los Angeles sharbor to the present
/ smelling district of Arizona. Other
1 Factors, however, are supply and cost
i of power, labor and locaI markets.
s'In the combination CT these rae
tors, the Long Beach-Los Angeles area
stands second to me In the west.
Suthern California is the only i'm
dustrial community in the west en-
joying natural gas fuel and also
possessing cheap fuel oil. The pres
ent and potential water supplies In
both volume and cost rompare very
! favorably with any western area.
s'No better labor condition exists
in the west nor elsewhere, in re-
lation to the copper industry. This
applies alike to common, skilled and
semi-skilled labor Southern California,
tv its present Importance and trend
in population and industrial develop
ment. constitutes the largest local
market for refined copper and brass
| in the western United States. Its
continued building developments ana
the demands for copper by its public
utilities and electric transportation
companies are important factors.
"The west leads in power develops
ment in the United States; California
leads in the west and Los Angeles
county leads in the use OF power
within the state. Thus does power,
as we'll as water and fuel, indicate
industrial supremacy for the south
west and Southern California bust
ness