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 neces 
sary 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 prob 
ably 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