Show production montana ranks tenth among the states in the total value of its mineral products product ts and its chief mineral industry is the mining and smelting smelling sm elting of copper ores As a producer of copper montana ranks second among the states arizona being first total production of copper from the time mining first began exceeds that of any other state the output to the close of 1913 amounting to nearly pounds somewhat more than one third of the total production of the united states there was a decrease in production from pounds in 1912 to pounds in 1913 and the value declined from 51 to montana is essentially a metal producing state the values of its copper gold silver zinc and lead representing in 1913 over 89 8 9 per cent of its total production it is also als one of the important rocky mountain states in the production of coal in the extent ot of its coal area montana exceeds any other state of the union with the possible exception of texas about whose lignite deposits relatively little is known the production of coal in montana increased from short tons valued at in 1912 to tons valued at in 1913 the mining and smelting smelling sm elting of zinc ores in montana showed a marked increase in in 1913 compared with previous years and zinc became third in importance among the metallic products of the state the recoverable contents of zinc in the ores mined in 1913 amounted to tons valued at 4 against tons valued at 1 in 1912 the I 1 total value of the mineral products of the state showed a decrease from 71 in 1912 to in 1913 the increase in other products not being sufficient to overcome the decrease in the output of copper |