| Show montana montan a metal output in in 0 1914 it the metal output of montana for 1914 was seriously affected by the conditions of the copper market due to the european war as montana is primarily a copper producer the value of gold silver copper lead and zinc from montana mines decreased according to estimates by V C heikes of the U S geological survey from nearly in to about in 1914 the decrease in copper was large and that in silver was notable but there were considerable increases in gold lead and zinc the value of the silver and copper yield was greatly reduced on account of the great decline in prices of these metals in 1914 the gold output increased mcrea sed to slightly over or mire more than for seven years previous this is an increase of over 14 per cent above the gold output of 1913 mainly due to dredge operations and production of sili clous ores and lead and zinc ores the placers in alder gulch madison county had an unusually good year the southern cross mine in deer lodge county and the north moccasin mine in fergus county were important contributors at the north moccasin ore was being milled at the rate of about tons a month during the entire year the lead zinc ores of butte conta contain iii appreciable amounts of gold in lewis and clark county a 60 ton cyanide mill was completed for the york mining company and a 20 stamp plant for the porphyry dyke mine at rimini the production of silver decreased from ounces in 1913 to about ounces in 1914 or about 13 per cent owing principally to curtailment of copper production the decrease from copper ores was partly offset offs et by a considerable increase ere ase in silver from lead and zinc concentrates from the butte superior and elm orlu mines at butte the copper output decreased from pounds to about pounds or over 17 per cent and in value from 44 to about this copper decrease was general from august to december the industry was not only hampered by curtailment due to reduced market and lower metal prices but also by labor difficulties which resulted in martial law being declared at butte in september the anaconda copper company was producing at the rate of pounds a month the first half of the year but greatly reduced its output later the north butte during S seven even months produced considerably over a million pounds of copper a month and paid dividends the east butte company produced less than 1000 oooo pounds and closed down august 15 most of the other copper mines were affected in like manner at the butte dudul duluth lh cop made and per leaching plant progress was moro more copper produced than in 1913 during most of the year over tons a day was treated and additions were made to increase the capacity of the plant to tons the lead output in spite of a lower metal price increased from pounds in 1913 to about pounds in 1914 this was due almost entirely to increased yield at the butte superior perlor Su and elm orlu mines galena was developed in the franklin mine in lewis and clark county montana produced over tons of zinc sulphide concentrate in 1914 practically all at butte in 1913 the recoverable spelter production was pounds and this was increased to about pounds in 1914 a gain of nearly 23 per cent the butte superior was producing at the rate of over tons of ore a month making about tons of concentrate cen that assayed approximately 53 per cent zinc with considerable values in gold silver and lead the elm orlu mine produced both copper and lead zinc ore the plant for this mine on timber butte was completed and operated milling was begun in june and increased to or tons a day and a very good extraction was made by concentration and flotation the iron mountain tunnel company in missoula county made a few shipments of zinc ore the largest dividend payers were the anaconda butte superior and north butte |
