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Show j West Has Large Ore Reserves to Meet Cricis Non-ferrous metal mining is probably prob-ably unique in what It can offer in the current emergency. The mining industry has been crippled somewhat during the past few years, but it can rebound almost instantaneous to any stimulus. Mining booms take place over-night and there is sufficient smelting capacity existing in Utah to take care of almost any emergency. The lead-zinc smelters only used about one-third of their capacities in 1941, due to the lack of ore production from smaller mines. In order to more clearly visualize the situation tor the reader let us take the ease of the metal lead. The reserves of lead ores are measured by the metal content ot the ore. Of course it must be remembered that the ores of this region virtually all contain certain amounts ot gold, silver, copper. lead and zinc. But, . using the production of lead, it is found that at 5 cent lead only a few of the high grade mines can operate. At 6 cent lead more mines can operate and the high grade mines can turn to larger production. At 7 cent lead additional addi-tional marginal producers can be brought into production and the mines already in production can increase the volume of their output. out-put. At eight cent lead vast new reserve of low grade ores can be opened up to production. This nation is not lacking in ore reserve. Mineable ore reserves or what can be called ore reserves, however, are based upon what is paid for the metal. Mines of Utah and western United States can and will meet any emergency placed upon it by the demands of mechanized me-chanized warfare. |
