2G

OITR  MINERAL  RESERVES.

ing  plants  has  not  been  strained  to  meet  consumption  and  the  plants
have  not  been  operated  to  full  capacity,  so  that  as  far  as  manufacturing ­
  facilities  are  concerned  they  are  able  to  supply  a  large  part  of
any  demand  from  South  America,  Africa,  China,  Australia,  and
other  countries.  With  lack  of  competition  from  Europe  and  low
prices  for  crude  material  the  export  trade  should  be  profitable  to
the  manufacturers  and  result  in  the  consumption  of  nearly  all  the
domestic  production  of  copper.
ALUMINUM.
During  the  last  10  years  there  has  been  a  rapid  and  healthy  growth
in  the  consumption  of  metallic  aluminum  in  the  United  States.
From  less  than  9,000,000  pounds  in  1904  the  consumption  has  grown
to  more  than  72,000,000  pounds  in  1914.  This  increase  was  partly
met,  in  some  years  at  least,  by  the  increase  in  imports.  Although
most  of  the  aluminum  consumed  in  the  United  States  is  of  domestic
origin,  a  very  considerable  part  of  it  is  imported  from  France  and
other  European  countries.  With  the  possible  cutting  off  of  the
European  supply  of  the  metal—scrap,  crude,  and  manufactured—it
will  be  increasingly  difficult  to  fill  the  domestic  need.
The  use  of  metallic  aluminum  is  widespread.  Its  employment  in
the  manufacture  of  articles  of  everyday  use  has  become  so  common ­
  that  such  articles  no  longer  attract  attention.  Its  use,  however,
is  now  being  extended  to  the  construction  of  welded  tanks,  cooking
vats,  and  vessels  which  are  employed  by  brewers,  preserve  manufacturers, ­
  and  fat  recoverers,  and  in  similar  industries  where  a
metal  that  will  conduct  heat,  will  not  corrode,  and  is  nonpoisonous  is
essential.  Aluminum  vessels  of  large  size  are  used  also  in  the  manufacture ­
  of  essences,  sirups,  varnishes,  fatty  acids,  table  oils,  and
nitric  acid.  A  recently  developed  branch  of  the  aluminum  industry
is  the  manufacture  of  the  powdered  metal  known  to  the  trade  as
aluminum-bronze  powder,  which  is  used  extensively  as  a  paint  pigment, ­
  in  explosives,  in  lithographing,  and  in  printing.  The  use  of
aluminum  wire  as  a  conductor  in  long-distance  power-transmitting
schemes  is  of  interest.  Aluminum  foil,  though  not  exactly  a  new
product,  is  now  being  used  on  a  larger  scale  than  ever  before,  owing
to  improved  methods  in  its  manufacture—the  result  of  long  and
expensive  experiments  which  have  reduced  its  cost  appreciably.
Finally,  the  use  of  the  metal  in  aeroplanes  and  automobiles  may  be
mentioned.
Plants  manufacturing  aluminum  in  the  United  States  have  been
rapidly  expending  and  enlarging  their  output  in  recênt  years  to
meet  the  growing  demands  for  the  metal.  One  of  the  largest  projects ­
  is  that  of  the  Southern  Aluminum  Co.,  which  is  vigorously
pushing  operations  on  the  Yadkin  River,  N.  C.  This  company,  with