30
OUR MINERAL RESERVES.
for jewelry and other purposes will be negligible. Prices for the
metal were high during the last two years, and any large increase
in values will probably result in a lessened consumption. The supply
of crude metal available from sources other than Russia will not
probably exceed 20,000 troy ounces. The high prices in 1913 did
not result in any increase of the output from domestic mines, and it
is not likely that the yield of platinum from such mines in 1914 will
exceed 2,000 ounces. The sources of the domestic output have been
limited to placer mines in California and Oregon and the Rambler
mine in Wyoming and to the recovery from the refining of foreign
and domestic bullion, scrap, sweepings, etc. It is reported that ore
which carries considerable platinum is now being mined in Nevada.
Although it appears that the supply of platinum will be only about
25 per cent of that formerly available, it will be sufficient for necessary
mechanical purposes if it is not diverted to mere purposes of
personal adornment.
RADIUM.
The European war has, for the present at least, totally closed the
European market to American radium ores. As is well known, the
uranium ores of Colorado and Utah are sold exclusively for their
radium content, so little use being known for the uranium that the
ores can not be sold for their content of that element. The closure
of the European market leaves the miners without a buyer; so that
while the war lasts, and probably for some time afterward, the
market will be restricted and without the benefit of competition.
As already pointed out by Secretary Lane, had the bills introduced
in Congress been passed, the United States Government would probably
have been in the market as a buyer, and the miner might now
have a chance to sell his ore.
MISCELLANEOUS MINERALS AND MINERAL PRODUCTS.
CEMENT.
The United States imports relatively little hydraulic cement, only
34,630 barrels having been imported in 1913, whereas the domestic
production in that year was nearly 93,000,000 barrels. There is little
or no need to import any cement, for all parts of the country are
now fairly well supplied with mills for the manufacture of Portland
cement, and the supply of raw materials is practically inexhaustible.
A significant feature of the cement industry, however, is the fact
that, though only about 80 per cent of the normal cement-producing
capacity of the country is employed at the maximum, there is often
an overproduction ; yet the exports of hydraulic cement have scarcely
exceeded 4,200,000 barrels in any year, this amount being only about
