The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1942-03-13
Tin SHORTAGE"

usual practice of the art is concerned
there is no reason why this industry
should not exist in the United States
Certain economic, financial, and polit-
ical factors have, however, in the past,
loperated to discourage tin smelling in
this country. In 1918, England's Will
liams, Harvey and Co., Ltd, Bolivia's
Patino mining interests, and Amer
ica's National Lead Co., set up a 10000
ton capacity plant at Jamaica Bay
L. l., New York According to my
reports, it operated at profit with
a high degree of technical efficiency.
But, mysteriously, with the war over
ported reason was: 1.-THE interests of
Williams, Harvey, and Co., Patino and
the National Lead Co. could better be
served by the production of metallic
tin in the plants of Williams, Harvey
and Co. in England. The life of the
other plant at Perth Amboy, N. ].
was also so short-lived. This country
was again without tin smelling facil-
tiles.
Then this war came along and the
tin supply was again endangered. So
we did something about it again First
we put men in charge of procuring tin
who had been working with the tin
monopoly all their lives. Then we
created a Metals Reserve Co. to ac-
cumulate reserve supply. This gov
eminent subsidiary contracted to buy
for its stockpile $4,000 long tons of
fine tin per year from Bolivian min
ing interests in South America-but
it put into the contract that it was
subject however to quotas established
by the International Tin committee.
A third step taken was to erect a
smelter in the United States at Texas
City, Tex. The governments Recon
Finance Corporation is fl
ministrator Jesse Jones, of Texas In
spite of the fact that this country
uses more tin than any other country,
we are not supposed to know much
about tin production and so a Dutch
firm, N. V. Billion Maatchappy is OPP
Grating the new plant for us on a cost
plus basis. We continue to buy tin
from the International Tin committee
at stabilized price of around AZ
cents a pound, which appears to be
more than twice the cost to produce.
In spite of these tin difficulties, it
appears that number of American
in deposits have been found = de-
,osits that might be developed prof
tably. One of my listeners sent me
| copy of the August Technocrat for
which someone apparently made an
extensive study of the tin situation.
According to that study the tin de-
,osit found in the Juniper Ridge coun-
ry near Burns, Oregon has 10000
ores that have been drilled and
ested. Tin ore has been found to a
lepth of 100 feet and the bottom has
lot yet been reached. Apparently
here has been real collision involv-
ng some government officials to keep
hat area from being developed. ].
,. Hall, editor and owner of the Cali
ornia Mining Journal, wrote last
une: "Some of our state and federal
mining authorities certainly owe the
developers of Juniper Ridge tin de-
osit an explanation. Being folks who
hould know about the presence of tin
nd yet stoutly insisting, without MAX
lg the proper investigation, that the
urns deposit did not contain tin, not
My calls for an explanation, but an
fficial apology. And if these officials
ould be reached they should be fired
oddly. There were other govern
rental authorities who knew that tin
/ commercial quantities did exist in
lie deposit but due to the stand being
ken by Washington authorities were
reed to keep quiet"
Several other reputable publications
ave now come out supporting that
n deposit. Knowing as l do what
ouble Utah owners of magnesium
sposits have had and how they are
nally getting somewhere because of
10 emergency, | am inclined to give
good deal of credence OF this tin
DRY. The fact that the Texas plant
being expanded to take care of
1000 tons instead of only $4,000 com
g from Bolivia could indicate local
,erations.