| Show montana M antana fi figures agures gures for 1917 the value of the gold silver copper lead and zinc mined in montana in 1917 according to the estimate of victor C heikes of the united states geological survey department part ment of the interior was nearly a decrease of more than from the value in 1916 there was an increase in the production of lead in the state but a marked decrease in that of gold silver copper and zinc the mines at butte and the smelters shelters sm elters at anaconda and great falls were idle two months during the year on account of labor strikes the prices of metals except zinc were unusually high the cost of labor and material were also high the gold mined was valued at a decrease from the value in 1916 which was the decrease in the output of copper ore reduced the output of both the gold and silver A marked decrease was also recorded in the gold won by dredges at alder gulch there was an increase in gold bullion from the barnes king properties especially the shannon mine at marysville marksville Marys ville some bullion came from the new mill of the bannack gold mining company at bannack in beaverhead county there was considerable activity in the warm springs district of fergus county the output of silver decreased from 16 ounces in 1916 to about ounces in 1917 in spite of the increased price the value was nearly less than in 1916 nearly all the silver is derived from copper ore the production of which decreased for the year decrease in copper the output of copper in 1917 was about pounds a decrease of nearly 75 I 1 pounds from that of 1916 the value of the output was about against nearly in 1916 practically all the larger copper producers made a smaller output than during former years especially the anaconda and north butte on the other hand there was a slight increase from east butte in march the anaconda plants produced over pounds of copper had this rate continued for the year montana would have had a largely increased copper output but the industry was seriously affected by the closing of the mines and plants in july august and part of september shipments were made from the buol amne davis daly and C ker mines and a good output came from the butte duluth leaching plant the mine output of lead increased froni pounds in 1916 to about i pounds in 1917 the price of lead evidently stimulated work on many of the lower grade lead mines the lead concentrate from lead zinc ore was less however on account of the decrease at the large zinc mines at troy in lincoln county the new mill of the snowstorm mines company was producing both lead and zinc concentrates in july and marketed considerable quantities of both products the valley forge mine in lewis dark clark county shipped much lead ore to helena for concentration due to labor trouble the output of recoverable zinc from montana amounted to about pounds against pounds in 1916 prices were lower in 1917 but the decrease was also due in part to labor troubles and to a law suit between the two main zinc producers of the butte region during the first quarter of 1917 the butte superior mining company produced over pounds of gross zinc but it did not maintain this rate of production throughout the year the elm orlu produced some ore but considerably less than 1916 the rest of the output of the state came from the mines of the anaconda company the product of which is leached beached at great falls after being concentrated other shipments of zinc were made from the snowstorm at troy and the north butte at butte the dividends for eleven months amounted to over the principal dividend payers were the anaconda butte superior north butte east butte barnes king and butte |
