Evening star., 1947-05-11
II. S. Should
Save Metals
Wasteful Methods
Threaten Our
Resources

(The Oriter Is professor OF
mining engineering at the Una-
persitu OF Wisconsin and chair
man Of the National Mineral
Resources Council embracing
mining associations from rdrtons
parts OF the countryJ
By DR.. Edvin r. Sh0rey
MADISON, Wis.--America's min
eral resources are exhaustible.
known reserves OF everyday metals
such as lead. zinc and copper could
disappear within the life span OF
the present generation.
Conservation, through unabated
exploration of hidden resources. can
postpone indefinitely the time Of
mineral exhaustion. But the pros
pect of the abandonment this sum-
mer of critical numbers Of the
country,s marginal mines Is a bleak
reminder that we need a sound
national minerals policy to avoid
waste.
These are the conclusions reached
by researchers for the National Min
eral Resources Council who have
lust concluded Nation wide survey
of American mineral supplies.
Some Had to Close.
Congress now has bill providing
for the extension of wartime
premium price plan for the devel-
opnent of marginal mines. This
program, which expires June 80,
stands between the closing OF mar
ginal deposits, which do not pay out
at market price, and continued pro-
duction and exploration OF new ore
bodies.
Last summer virtually all mines
of the famous tristate missouri
Kansas-Oklahoma) zinc-lead belt
had to close during lapse In leg
islation covering premium payments
The same will happen again this
year, not only in this district but
In other mineral-producing areas,
unless some program for their con-
tinued development is devised.
In addition to lead, zinc and
copper, representative nonferrous
metals and minerals listed by the
Army-Navy Munitions Board as
strategic and in critical supply are
antimony, manganese, tungsten,
vanadium, chromite, mercury, fluor-
spar and sulphur
Two Methods Advanced.
Two points of view appear IN a
roundup of opinion as to the best
method of conserving such ores. One
holds that we should seal domestic
mines for the time being and go
to our foreign friends for current
requirements. The other argues
that both domestic and foreign ores
are needed, and that the closing
of domestic mines for any length
of time will mean permanent loss
of vast resources.
The former opinion sounds plaus-
ible. But it falls apart at the hands
of experienced mining consultants.
Virtually all this country's zinc and
lead ores and 40 per cent of copper,
to give common examples, come
from difficult subterranean deposits
which require continuous malnte-
nance. Only fraction remains IN
surface or well-drained pits. Flood
ing, which is constant menace In
deep mines and is particularly prev
alent in the tristate district, causes
teaching of mineral deposits and
promotes cave-ins and decay OF
supporting timbers. Moreover, min
ing labor and technicians stray into
other industries and cannot be lured
back upon command.
Requirements on Increase.
Mining is not an assembly
operation to be turned on and OH
1t is sometimes possible to reopen
abandoned mines in certain areas
under favorable conditions. But it
is folly to invite even partial loss
of natural resources-particularly
when the loss is to the country and
not alone to private interests.
There is no intention to discour-
age foreign imports. Requirements
of almost all metals are on the in
crease.
How critical Is the mineral re-
serve situation remains one OF the
anomalies of mining. The United
States Bureau Of Mines has pub
lished estimates of domestic re-
serves, but all miners admit that no
one knows precisely how much ore
there is nor where it Is. Continuous
probing is the only way to find out. |
Problem FOR Experts.
But problem for the experts
then is to determine what means
can avert permanent loss of ores
through failure of normal profit
incentives to keep mines in opera
ton
But now, the mining companies,
particularly the numberless mar
ginal producers, are beginning toI
find that it costs more to reach
dwindling deposits than they can
get for these ores on the open mar
ket.
One solution might be in national
ization Of mines. Another-also un-
popular among many economists
would be to set tariffs so high that
domestic prices could rise to point
where even the highest-cost mines
could be worked profltably. Or, we
could close down our own mines and