MINERAL  PRODUCTS.

29

In  the  United  States  deposits  of  stibnite  (antimony  sulphide)  near
Gilliam,  Ark.  ;  Battle  Mountain,  Lovelocks,  and  Austin,  Nev.  ;  Burke
and  Kingston,  Idaho;  Tonasket,  Okanogan  County,  Wash.;  Graniteville
  and  San  Emigdio  Canyon,  Cal.;  Antimony,  Utah;  Red  Bridge,
Oreg.  ;  and  other  places  are  potentially  productive  in  times  of  prices
as  high  as  those  now  prevailing.
A  greater  benefit  than  the  temporary  operation  of  the  mines
would  probably  accrue  to  this  country  from  the  establishment  of
smelters  which  would  import  and  smelt  Chinese,  South  American,
Canadian,  and  Mexican  antimony  ores.  At  present  the  only  regular
antimony  smelting  in  this  country  is  done  by  a  smelter  which  is  said
to  be  a  branch  of  an  English  smelter.
ARSENIC.
The  consumption  of  white  arsenic  in  the  United  States  in  1913
amounted  to  about  7,200  tons,  valued  at  $570,000,  of  which  2,513
tons,  valued  at  $159,230,  was  produced  in  this  country  as  a  byproduct ­
  from  copper  and  precious-metal  smelters,  and  the  remainder
was  imported  largely  from  European  countries.  For  the  present
imports  of  arsenic  will  probably  be  seriously  diminished  by  the
European  war.  The  American  smelters  can  save  much  more  arsenic
than  they  do  now,  for  the  cheapness  of  the  product  has  prevented  the
saving  of  all  that  was  practicable,  and  the  war  would  seem  to  open
the  way  for  an  increase  in  the  American  output.
Works  for  the  exclusive  production  of  arsenic  have  been  erected
at  only  two  places  in  the  United  States—Brinton,  Va.,  and  Mineral,
Wash.  It  is  difficult  for  such  plants  to  produce  arsenic  to  be  sold  in
competition  with  the  by-product  of  the  smelters  except  in  periods
of  high  prices,  such  as  may  again  prevail  if  the  war  and  its  industrial ­
  disturbances  are  long  continued.
PLATINUM.
The  production  of  platinum  from  domestic  sources  in  the  United
States  in  1913  only  amounted  to  1,034  fine  ounces.  Of  this,  only  483
ounces  was  taken  from  placer  mines  in  California  and  Oregon.  As
the  estimated  world’s  production  in  1913  amounted  to  268,339  ounces,
the  United  States  output  amounted  to  less  than  one-half  of  1  per
cent.  Of  the  world’s  output  Russia  contributed  over  90  per  cent
and  Colombia  about  6  per  cent.  In  addition  to  refined  metal  and
manufactures  of  platinum  valued  at  $3,065,489,  the  refiners  in  the
United  States  recovered  39,154  fine  ounces  of  platinum  from  imported ­
  sands  and  ore.  Much  of  this  was  probably  used  in  the  manufacture ­
  of  jewelry.  It  is  rather  difficult  to  determine  exactly  what
effect  the  war  will  have  on  the  Russian  mines.  The  output  will
undoubtedly  decrease,  but  the  European  consumption  of  platinum