Montana labor news., 1937-04-22
COPPER INDUSTRY
IN 1896

Marked Improvement was appar-
ent in many phases of the copper
industry in 1886 as indicated by pre-
liminary statistics on output, foreign
trade, consumption, stocks and price.
Smelter and refinery output of cop
per from pres of domestic origin
were over two and one-half times
the lowest annual outputs recorded
since 1929, which were in 1888 and
1892, respectively. Shelter produc-
ton was 81 per cent higher than in
1885 and refinery production was 81
per cent higher. The decrease of %
per cent in refinery production from
foreign ore brought the increase in
total refined primary out put down
to 81 per cent over that for 1885.
Final figures on foreign trade in
copper will show decreases of prob
ably 30 per cent in imports of I'M
manufactured copper and of some
what more than 10 per cent in ex-
ports of metallic copper, resulting
in an increase in net exports Of cop
per. Stocks of refined copper and
of blister and unrefined copper at
refineries, in transit from shelters
to %refineries and at smelters declined
40 and II per cent respectively, for
a decrease in the total of q per cent.
Stocks in producers hands were the
smallest on record since the inven-
tories held at the end of 1928. Pre-
liminary statistics indicate that APP
parent consumption of primary
metal increased 46 per cent to a total
slightly in excess of that for 1880 and
the highest figure since 1929, and
amounted to SO per cent of the aver
age annual consumption of new cop
per for 1925-29. The price for cop
per moved forward conservatively
in response to record breaking sales
on several occasions during the year,
but speculative demand added to in
creaed consumptive requirements re-
suited in an increase of 112 cents a
pound in December. The domestic
price Jagged behind the London price
in the advance.
The smelter production of copper
from domestic ores in 1886 as deter
mined by the Bureau of Mines from
reports of the smelters showing ac-
tual production for eleven months
and estimated production for Deem
Der was 1,226,0O0,000 pounds, an in
crease Of 81 per cent over the output
put of 1852, 587, $40 pounds in 1885.
The estimated smelter production
from domestic ores for December, as
reported by the smelters, was 1885,
100000 pounds, which is nearly 81
per cent more than the average re-
ported for the II preceding months
The production of new refined
copper from domestic sources, deter
mined in the same manner as smell
ter production, was about 1,226,000,-
600 pounds, the same estimate as fol-
smelter output from domestic ores
compared with $751; 42, 1866 pounds III
1885. The output of new refined
copper from domestic and foreign
sources in 1886 amounted to about
1,615, 0O0, 900 pounds, compared with
1,177,610,7 97 pounds in 1885, an in
crease of 437, 100000 pounds or 81
per cent. The production of second.
airy copper by primary refineries in,
creased from $685., 765 pounds il
1885 to about 100000, 900 pounds il
1886. Thus the total primary anc
secondary output of copper by the
~refineries in 1886 was 30 per cen
higher than in the preceding year
a production Of about 1924, 000,00t
pounds being reported for 1886 a.
compared with 1,474, $50, 562 pound
in 1885.