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Show INTER-MOUNTA- IN MINING REVIEW. 7 REFINERIES AT ARGENTINE, KANSAS. A Great Smelting Concern. The growth of the mining industry in the Rocky mountain region is evidenced by the increase in number and capacity of the smelting plants throughout the West. It has at times taxed the resources of smelter owners to provide facilities for handling the increasing output of the mines, and, great as has been the increase in smelter capacity during recent years, the ore supply is even now, at times, all that they can handle. quired a large Interest, and afterwards all interests in the Arkansas Valley smelter, at Leadville. This plant has been added to and improved until now it has the largest capacity of any single plant in the State of Colorado. It has become an important factor in the ore markets of Utah, Idaho and Montana, in addition to the enormous tonnage of ores which it handles from the territory immediately adjacent to it in Colorado. By reason of its large operations, many collateral industries are support-- At Argentine, Kan., the works have grown to be the largest refineries in the United States. The great copper refining works have been completed during the past year and are turning out monthly 1,200,000 pounds of copper ingots. In addition to these plants, the Com-pan- ia Metalurgical de Mexicana, an auxilary organization, composed of the same stockholders, owns a large plant at San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Some idea of the magnitude of the ARKANSAS VALLEY SMELTER, LEADVILLE. Accom pahy ing this growth of smelting operations came improved methods of treatment, lower charges and keen com- petition, all of which have tended to stimulate ore production. Nothing can more aptly illustrate the development of the smelting industry than an account of the operations of the Consolidated Kansas City Smelting and ed and made prosperous, by reason of the great consumption of coke, coal, lime rock and iron. The extensive operations of this plant have given a great impetus to local mining, as it has placed itself in a position to handle the very ores of the large tonnage of low-gracamp. At El Paso, Tex., the comany some de companys operations may be gained There are by the following figures: stacks in operation at the four plants, of a total monthly capacity of 65,000 tons of ore; 2150 men are given employment at all the works; during the year 1895 the company, at its three plants in the United States, smelted 267,542 tons of ore, refined 10,000 tons of thirty-eig- ht WORKS AT EL PASO, TEXAS. Refining company. No other company has kept more nearly apace with the necessities of the times and the system of plants it now operates is the largest, in the world. Fifteen years ago the company purchased a little plant at Argentine, Kan., and operations upon a limited basis were begun. It soon ac- - years ago erected the largest smelting plant in the South. This plant draw's its ores from New Mexico, Arizona, California, Texas and Old Mexico. This was the pioneer smelter in the Southwest, and its establishment stimulated the development of the mining districts tributary to it. copper matte and 34,000 tons of base bullion; the refineries produced 11,124,000 ounces of silver, 133,162 ounces of gold, 1681 tons of copper ingots and 33,384 tons of lead. The railroad companies handled for the company 23,393 carloads, or 345,884 tons, of freight, which does not include the large tonnage of ore |