Milford chronicle., 1943-02-05
DOWN THE ROAD
BY Charles NJ. Upham
international Highway Authority
ROADS
BACK WAR EFFORT

United States steel production II
1943 will approach twice the com
bined output of the Axis nations
This is encouraging news, since
steel is the backbone of our wal
effort. Back of this stepped-uI
steel production will be greatly
stimulated mining operations, as
1881 900 tons OF iron ore, a.
$4,000 tons of limestone and 49,
10000 tons of coal will be re-
quired to produce the estimated
/ 97,000.000 tons of steel.
These facts give added signifi-
canoe to the report which has just
reached my desk from the U. s.
Bureau of Mines covering the first
year of its intensified war pro-
gram. 1t reports continued gains
during the past 12 months in its
twofold assignment of conserving
manpower, equipment and the ma
tion'S mineral wealth while speed
ing up the production of materials
essential to victOry-coaI, metals,
minerals, helium and petroleum.
1t has perfected metallurgical pro-
cesses which are now being used to
tap reserves of low-grade ores,
more than doubled the output of
helium, charted millions of tons of
critical, essential and strategic
ores and launched programs to
rake secure the uninterrupted out
put of mines, smelters, quarries,
coke ovens and other facilities of
the mineral industries.
Outstanding among its achieve
ments was the exploration work
which increased by more than 32,-
100000 tons the estimated reserves
of chromite, manganese, mercury.
iron ore. tungsten, nickel, bauxite
and high-ahmina clay-the raw
materials for tanks, planes, ships,
guns and other weapons of modern
warfare. AS these mining opera
tions increased in volume and
scope. the mine-to-market roads on
which this multi -billion-dollar in
dustry depends for the swift flow
of its products also gained new
Importance.
Five months ago the bureau reOr-
ganized and streamlined it's Operat-
ing structure. placing still greater
emphasis on exploratory work, me-
tallurgical research and other spe-
cial laboratory projects inaugur-
ated for the war. AS a result, 95
separate war minerals projects in
vOlving exploration and metallurgi-
cal testing have been launched in
25 states and Alaska for 81 differ
ent minerals. These projects are
cO-ordinated with the bureaus vast
system of experiment stations, pilot
plants and laboratories. In the past
year estimated reserves or iron ore
have been increased by appro&i-
mately 100000 tons; those of
chromite by 100000 tons: those of
lOw-grade nickel. 100000, and
those of bauxite and high-alumina
clay for aluminium. nearly S,000,000
tons. Since 1899, when the bureau
embarked on its search for war
minerals, the estimated reserves
of commercial or near-cOmmercial
grade ores have been increased by
more than 56,000,000 tons.
Mineral products vital to the war
effort include magnesium, alumni
mum, manganese, chromium. cobalt,
lithium chloride. lead,
zinc, antimony, cadmium. titanium.
nickel, beryllium, tantalum, bis
muth, platinum, tungsten. molybde
mum, tin, strontium. copper. mer
curry, fuorspar. graphite. iron and
tale. Metallurgists and chemists
have worked throughout the year
On the job of finding new methods
Of recovering these war materials
from complex minerals and i'm
proving existing processes so that
every ounce of metal can be recov-
cred.
Augmenting the many mechani-
cal improvements and chemical
is the system of roads
hat nearly every mining area now
las. The improvement of these
'Oads has made it possible for
mines that otherwise would be un-
lble to stand the prohibitive cost
If old-fashiOned transportation TO
laul their ores to mills and reduc-
Jon plants at costs that are COM
economical.
The advent of good roads and the
leavy-duty truck has reduced the
.ost of transportation of ores to
Milling plants to such a degree
hat many properties which were
unable to have their ore
reated are now within reach of
production. Ores that
nee cost, by the old team and
reight wagon. $5 to $40 ton and