Show ba big g increase 1 in n montana output the value of the output of gold silver copper lead and zinc from montana mines in 1916 was over which is greater than that of any past yearly early y output and an increase in creaso over the previous year of over or nearly 76 per cent there were notable increases as well as record outputs in the quantity of silver copper lead and zinc hut but a decrease in gold output these preliminary figures have been prepared by victor C heikes of the united states geological survey department of the interior the output of gold was valued at a decrease of nearly 14 per cent from in 1915 much gold came from the scratch gravel district and the piegan gloster mine in lewis dark clark county and from the ruby gulch and august in phillips county the production of gold from ores milled was in several places less than in 1915 and even the gold output from siliceous ores smelted smelter seems to be declining the placer gold output decreased especially that from dredge operations though sluicing was begun below troy in lincoln county increase of silver production the mine output of silver in montana increased from 14 0 ounces in 1915 to ounces in 1916 the value on account of better prices increased from 7 to or nearly 51 per cent most of t his output came from ores and concentrates cen smelted smelt ed especially copper material in which there was a great increase but a considerable quantity also came fron from alie lead and zinc concentrate mined at butte of which there was a larger production work was resumed at the ophir mine by the butte detroit copper zinc company and the mill was remodeled heavy copper increase the mine production of copper which is Alon tanas greatest asset increased from pounds in 1915 to pounds in 1916 an ail increase of nearly 90 pounds the increase in value was proportionately more owing to the unusually high price from to an increase of over per cent everything was done at both the anaconda amel and that of the east butte company to take advantage of the strong demand demana for copper and at the same time important changes were in progress to improve the output and the saving the anaconda company was producing an average of pounds of copper month monthly lyt the east butte company pounds and the north butte company over pounds the property made large shipments of siliceous copper ore wages at butte were increased on oil a sliding scale making a record pay roll the anaconda mines were reported to be producing in may tons a day other producers were the tuolumne davis daly and butte alex scott which was sold to the anaconda company the butte duluth leaching plant pant was again operated toward the end of the year in mineral county the amador mine was again productive and a concentrator added good increase in lead the mine output of 0 lead increased from pounds in 1915 to a new record of pounds in 1916 a gain of over pounds the value of the output was nearly doubled increasing from to over or 78 per cent A great part of this output came from lead concentrates made from lead zinc ore at butte and from residues resulting from the smelting smelling sm elting of zinc concentrates from the butte district part of the lead output came from the iron mountain mine in mineral county which was operated bythe federal mining smelting smelling Sm elting company until august A mill was constructed at the banner bangle property near troy to treat lead zinc chic ore twenty per cent increase in zinc the mine production of zinc increased from pounds in 1915 to pounds in 1916 an increase of nearly pounds in value the output increased from to or 34 per cent the butte superior mining company was as aa formerly the greatest producer of zinc concentrates shipping about tons monthly for the first half ol of the year according to the printed reports the elm orlu property which is next in importance also increased its zinc output and large rge shipments were als also 0 made from the iron on mountain mine and from tailings concentrated cent rated at basin A considerable quantity of electrolytic zinc was made by the anaconda company largely from ores mined milled at butte the construction of a large zinc electrolytic plant at great falls was progressing rapidly and at the close of the year three units were complete the plant is to have five units and will make an output of pounds of zinc a month A zinc concentration plant having a capacity of 2000 tons was also constructed about tons of zinc concentrate and ore were shipped to eastern plants aside from ore treated by the anaconda company the main dividend payers were the anaconda copper company and the butte superior but smaller payments were made by the north butte and intermountain or amador the barnes king and kendall gold mines also paid dividends the available avail ab e figures show a total of dividends for the year of over but these figures are not yet complete |