Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-08-21

| MSAiSO, NICCllOSlONdkld, Nuud ana FeTu,
and there has been infinitesimal production
in China, Japan, Turkey, Australia, Boz
liva, Tunisia and other places All these
| mines probably would be pushed to the
limit in an emergency. The United States,
however. would be the mainstay of those
countries not under the Fascist flags.
I At present the United States does not
produce its own peace time domestic re-
quirements, although it probably could do
So If imports from Spain and Italy no
longer came. American quicksilver mines
always have been marginal producers,
eclipsed in the shadow of cheap metal from
Almaden and Idria. Deposits of cnnabar
IN this country have averaged, in the long
run, about 4-l0 of per cent mercury
to the ton. or about to pounds OF
liquid metal There is ore that averages
around per cent, or 40 pounds, after
hand picking, but that is exceptionally
good.
Am2den's Ore Much Richer.
Now Almaden ore, according to c. N.
Schuette, whose Bureau of Mines bulletin
is the United States standard work on
the industry, runs about 6 per cent, or
12O pounds of mercury to the ton. In
addition to this natural economic advan-
tage, the Spaniards long employed convict
labor. They thus could lay quicksilver
down in New York, pay a 25-cent-per-
pound duty and still sell the metal at
prices under the cost price to all American
mines but the very best. Idria ore used
to run about "a per cent, more in keeping
with American figures, but energetic Ital-
ian engineers have carried on active de-
velopment in recent years and have located
large bodies of hitherto unknown reserves
Their quality is not publicly known, but
a glance at the statistics on increased
Italian production since 1885 would suggest
1t is better than formerly.
Thus low-cost European mercury has
held down the discovery and development
OF American ores. Yet there are some
good mines here. The best known are
in California and are named, appropriately
enough, New Almaden and New Idria.
They came into being shortly after the
gold rush of 49 and many a poke Of
California placer gold originally was re-
trieved from sluice box rifles with Cali
fornia mercury. Other quicksilver mines
and prospects are In Oregon, Washington,
Nevada, Utah. Texas and Arkansas. Their
operation nearly always has been a cor
rollary Of the price of quicksilver: when
1t Is high, they are active and work
progressively lower-grade ores; when it is
low, they work only their best deposits or
are compelled to shut down entirely,
Probably Adequate in Peace.
If the Fascists. once in control of Al
MAIDEN and Idria, should decide to keep
those mines production for themselves the
world price naturally would boom and
American operators would produce all they
could. Development work likely would
extend known deposits and 1t is probable
that the United States peace time require
ments could be met.
Domestic filling Of wartime demand
with European supplies shut of is another
matter, however. Quicksilver is on the
United States Army's list of deficiency
minerals" those of which we do not possess
sumclent supply to meet emergency needs.
Legislation to encourage development of
our resources Of the metal was proposed
at the last session of Congress, and likely
will appear at the next Certain it is
that the United States. with Almaden and
1dria cut off, would have to scramble to
get enough mercuric illuminate to fire its
own shells, and there would be precious
little extra for any allies.
So the Moroccan cavalry, Spanish Fas-
cists and italian units under Gen. Queipo
de Llano are playing a major part in a
world drama as they meet the stand of the
Loyallsts In the steep, sun-baked, stony
hills that surround Almaden. It is new
scene, yet an old drama.
Memories for Each Nation.
The Italians may recall proudly that
Pliny (23-7s ADJ records the shipment
to Rome each year of 10000 pounds of
cinnabar from Almaden. The Spaniards
may recall with longing that quicksilver
from Almaden, shipped to the New World
to pluck from their ores the gold and silver
treasures of Mexico, IN truth became the
foundation stone which supported the
might of a Spain far different from the
nation of today. They may remember
that Spain, torn and bleeding after
another conflict, the Napoleonic Wars,
was helped to rise again through an enor-
nous loan from the House of Rothschild-.
loan made in consideration Of the
brokerage rights to the sale Of all the
quicksilver from Almaden.
But probably what they both remember,
Italians and Spaniards alike, is the phrase
that quicksilver put into the Spanish Ian
guage. The Fugger family operated Al
MAIDEN from 1925 to 1645~, 1t prospered.
Rico como I'm Fucar," your Spaniard
nowadays shrugs his shoulders and says
when he wants to express wealth beyond
the dreams of avarice. Rich as a Fue-
ger"
He who finally wins the mines of Alma
den will be rich Is . Fusger, indeed