24
OUR MINERAL RESERVES.
Destination of domestic lead exports.
Short tons.
Great Britain 7,153
Germany 5,141
Netherlands 4, 720
Belgium 2,101
Russia 448
The production of domestic lead in 1913 was the largest in the
history of the industry, and considering trade conditions during that
year it is likely that there was a considerable increase in domestic
stocks. The exports of domestic lead, however, must have gone far
toward relieving this condition. A .continuation of these exporta
tions must result in advanced prices in the United States.
TIN.
Probably one of the best illustrations of America’s opportunity
to develop new industries is afforded by tin. The outbreak of the
European war caused the New York price of tin to rise to 65 cents a
pound early in August, although late in July tin was sold as low as
34 and 35 cents a pound. This increase of price was due mostly to
the insecurity of ocean freights, and already prices are lower, and
they may go lower still, owing to the stoppage of manufacturing and
other industrial plants in Europe and the consequent restriction of
the market for bar and pig tin.
The known American deposits of tin are small, and production
from them will probably net be much affected by the present higher
prices. The benefit which the United States may obtain from the
present situation is the establishment of a tin smelter in this country
in which to smelt Bolivian tin ores and such small output of Ameri
can ore as is produced. The tin concentrates produced last year in
Alaska and shipped from Nome, as well as those produced near Gaff
ney, S. C., and T inton, S. Dak., amounting to 84 tons of GO per cent
ore, were all shipped to British smelters.
At the present time between 30,000 and 40,000 tons of tin concen
trates, carrying more than 20,000 tons of metallic tin, are shipped
each year from Bolivia to Europe for smelting. The United States
imported several times that amount of metallic tin last year and
would easily absorb all the tin smelted from the Bolivian ore. Fur
thermore, it has been demonstrated that the smelting of Bolivian
ores presents no difficulties that American metallurgists can not read
ily overcome. Owing to the European war Bolivian ores will now
be easier to buy, and if ships can be found to carry the ore an oppor
tunity seems to be presented for Americans to begin purchasing ores
that have hitherto gone to Europe.
A few years ago a smelter was established at Bayonne, N. J., in
which to smelt Malayan tin ores, but when the fact became known