Show M mining n ng conditions biondi ti ons at butte BY CHAS COPEN HAVRE butte mont august 8 the report that the anaconda copper mining company has become interested in chili receives official confirmation from president john D ryan who is in butte on his periodical trip of inspection the anaconda company is expanding pan ding he said and since the dissolution acion of the amalgamated copper company it will conduct a more varied and extensive business than ever before it is carrying on development or properties in chili that promise to become important As a matter of course it will take some years to develop and equip these mines to a point where important production may be expected we are also inspecting properties in montana outside of butte and we hope to find new opportunities for development here we are planning extensive work in the development of some of the older butte mines for their zinc as well as their other metal values and our metallurgical staff has made considerable progress in the experimental peri mental treatment of the class of ore we will have to work all our improvements planned and announced last december are well weli under way and in partial operation sufficient to satisfy us that the economies promised will be more than real iced while the present demand for the copper metal is not as active as it was I 1 in june the industry s says ays mr ryan is on a very satisfactory basis in june we had one of the largest movements of copper that ever took place probably more copper was sold in that month hiorth at the level of high prices than in any other single month when prices were good there have been months when the foreign dealers stocked up on 11 and 12 cent copper when the volumes of sales was greater perhaps than in june but in no 30 day period was more copper ever sold by american producers at average or above average prices since then there has been a lull in the buying as inevitably follows any such big movement the largest consumption of copper is for war uses the change in the british governments organization took place in june and the new minister of munitions undoubtedly has to go into things and satisfy himself that the buying is being cared for properly before placing further orders the orders for munitions will be larger in the next three months than during any previous time since the war began the inquiries for copper are very large and I 1 am satisfied that any concession in price will bring very large business I 1 expect to see very good buying of metal before long around present prices the domestic consumption of copper is nothing like normal probably not more than 65 per cent of normal but the manufacturing of copper in the united states is undoubtedly going on at a greater rate than at any time in history of course the demand for war material is going to continue as long as the war lasts and there are contracts On tracts which may continue beyond the time when the war ends because they may not be filled completely before that time the contracts will hold and will be completed after the war there are governments ern ments for example which have entered into contracts with certain manufacturers for supplies the manufacturers in some cases have to put up plants to nil fill the contracts and it may take two years for them to complete these contracts and there ought to be such a revival of business in this country before that time as to greatly increase the demand for copper from other sources with germany coming into the field again when the war is over it will want great quantities to replenish her stocks for manufacturing purposes and to start up her plants I 1 dont look for any falling off in the demand for copper the end of the war must work revival in general business there are sings of its revival in some lines of business already steel has shown a marked improvement during the past sixty days and now practically all the steel plants in the country are running at capacity in general however business is not baciany bac back kany anyway near to normal and there is still much depression as is indicated by the amount of idle money in the count rys banks never before has there been so much money that the bankers have not been able to put to profitable use when this country gets going and doing normal business again the consumption of copper in my opinion will be greater than has ever been known ll 11 gold medal awa awards ads 1 0 1 A number of awards have been made to the anaconda company by the jury of awards of the panama pacific e international exposition including a gold medal of honor for an exhibit of copper from mine to the finished product a gold medal for ore specimens from the butte district a gold medal for geological maps and mine models and a silver medal for models of timbering veins systems etc A silver medal has been awarded to R H sales E A linforth and E P mathewson collaborators in connection with the exhibit of copper from the mine to the finished product and a gold medal to mr air linforth and another to G W pierce as collaborator in connection with the exhibits number of men employed the average number of men employed daily at the washoe reduction plant during june was more mor 0 than had ever been bee 11 employed before this large force has been required because of the construction work under way the new acid plant has been in operation au making two months and is easily tons of acid per day for which the plant plan j ca be was designed and a greater quality produced if ne necessary essary the the heching plant which is treating been bee 11 oper op old sand tailing dump dumo has also treat and Is abing more than two months is it ing 2000 tons of ma material erial per day making a greater recovery of the copper content than was expected the no 2 9 brick plant which is under construction will be completed about september 1 1 it is designed to make building and acid proof brick from mixtures of floatation plant tailing and leaching plant tailing and will have an output of brick berday per day there is now barely any so called waste from the big reduction works that is not utilized and mare profitable the tuolumne mine to start it is announced that the tuolumne mine will be started during the early part of august practically all of the necessary money having been advanced by the shareholders all money pledged so far was pledged on oil condition that the whole amount of the asked for will be raised before work is started in anticipation of a resumption of mining a force of men has been at work getting the mine in shape president hickey thinks that at the pres ent price of co copper p per the mine ought to produce enough from the start to pay all expenses rf of operation including development work and sinking that was recommended by the superintendent at the last annual meeting of the company 1 I believe says president edward hickey that if we get started we will be able within six months to pay back the advanced carry on the sinking 1 and development work planned and also accumulate sufficient surplus to enable us to continue right along the present price of copper if it is maintained will certainly warrant this with the resumption of work on the tuolumne the only idle property in the district will be the butte duluth which is i in the hands of a receiver the tuolumne will employ about men there is a large quantity of lower grade ore blocked out in the upper levels of the tuolumne which was left there at the time the mine was gutted of its first class ore and it can call now be taken out at a profit |