Douglas daily dispatch. [volume] (Douglas, Ariz.) 1903-1961, 1927-10-19

1908 tons more copper this year than
last year, United Kingdom IL 900 tons
more, and Belgium 4,631 tons over the
figures for last year.
The activity of Germany in the pro-
duction' of metal products is leading
to a growing unfavorable trade bal
ance as Germany is but small pro-
ducer of the metals and a large user.
They are underwriting the prices on
the manufactured metal products, and,
as they have to pay the full price for
their metals, they are merely dimin-
! ishing profits.
In 1926 Germany fabricated $4,000
tons of "copper" and they produced but
$4,000 tons of that copper themselves.
They consumed $4,000 tons Of lead
and produced $4,000 tons. In zinc they
do little better as they consumed
$4,000 tons and produced $4,000 tons.
Thus Germany is interested in buy
ing their metals at the lowest possible
prices and there is a movement re-
ported urging the consumers to buy
their requirements other than from
the cooperative selling organizations
The six cent zinc market of a week
ago was the attraction that brought
the consumers in and they bought
heavily, all they could get in fact, at
that price. The reaction to the buying
movement was a strengthening of price
to 6.10 and the increase in price slow
ed down the buying, but not before
the. consumers were well fixed for their
requirements. October, November and
December zinc is getting the same
price.
The lead situation is unchanged and
it is believed that the bottom of the
market has been reached There is a
weakness, however, in London prices
which may reflect itself into the do
nestle market. There has been no
evident change in production accord
ing to the published statistics although
news reports from some of the lead
producing districts indicate that the
mines are curtailing production some
what 1t has not gone far enough yet
to show in the smelter reports.
Lead buying has been very slow Tor
several weeks, as the consumers have
been holding off for the lower prices
which have not developed and the
time has about come when they must
again enter the market and take care
of their current needs as the producers
seem to be holding firmly to the 6.25
price.
The extensive use of lead in battery
manufacture is beginning to have its
effect upon the second hand lead mar
ket as the lead used in battery manu-
facture is recovered resmelted> and put
back on to the market one to three
years later, according to the facts as
certained in a recent investigation OF
the American Bureau Of Metal Stat
isticS.
Storage batteries are consuming
about one-fifth of the lead produced
in the United States and about one
fifth of our present manufacture OF
lead products is getting its metal from
! worn out storage batteries. About
100000 tons of battery lead annually
is showing up.
This condition places a, somewhat
different aspect on the lead market as
the growth of the storage battery bust
ness for automobiles and radio has
been one of the principal encouraging
factors in the development and expect
ations for lead properties. 1t seems
now that about four to five per cent
of the lead used for batteries is act
ually consumed and the balance can
be expected back on the market in
from one TO three years.