Show idaho mine output in 1918 the value of the gold silver copper lead and zinc mined in idaho in 1918 according to the estimate of C N gerry of the united states geological survey department part ment of the interior was about a decided decrease of from the value in 1917 the decrease was marked in all the metals but gold as well as in the total value of the output even the value of the silver which increased in price durin during g the year was less by more than many of tile the mines particularly the smaller ones were handicapped on account of the scarcity of labor and even the larger mines were at a great expense on account of the increases in cost of freight treatment and supplies one of the encouraging features of the mining industry of idaho was the successful operation of the bunker hill sullivan smelter and refinery at kellogg toward the end of tile the year preparations were being made for tile the addition of two lead furnaces as well as other improvements in the roasting and refining departments gold the mine production of gold in idaho increased from in 1917 to about in 1918 the most important gold production came from the sherman and corporal property in idaho county close to this was the output of the gold hill and iowa mines in dole boise county A considerable output of gold has its source in the copper ore from mackay in ouster custer county although the boston and idaho dredge at idaho city was operated for a time during the year the total gold from dredging operations was considerably decreased the plant of the kirtley creek company in lemhi leahi county made only a small production previous to being dismantled and the dredge at pierce had only a slight output silver the mine output of silver decreased from ounces in 1917 to about ounces in 1918 an unusual decline of nearly 20 per cent and the value decreased from to about decreases amounting to ounces or more were shown by the hercules morning greenhill cleveland caledonia and bunker hill mines fortunately the hecla tamarack custer and gold hunter made better records the largest silver producer of the state was the hercules mine at burke followed by the hecla mine near by which took second place from the bunker hill R sullivan the third in rank other important silver producers were the morning tamarack custer gold hunter and caledonia the mines in the coeur dalene district produced about ounces or about 90 per cent of the total of the state copper the mine output of copper decreased from pounds in 1917 to about pounds in 1918 the value of the output decreased from to about the empire copper company at mackay was the largest producer but did not uphold its record of the last few years the national copper mine near mullan produced considerable copper copper from concentrate and the richmond mine farther east made shipments of crude ore there were also smaller shipments from mines near salmon in lemhi leahi county lead the mine output of lead which is the most abundant metal in idaho decreased from pounds in 1917 to about pounds in 1918 the average price was somewhat lower and the value of the output decreased from to the bunker hill sullivan was the largest lead producer followed by the hercules hecla and morning considerable lead was produced by the tamarack custer gold hunter enters inters interstate tate callahan caledonia sierra nevada and last chance at wardner of the total lead the coeur dalene district produced about pounds in other districts of the state large tonnages ton nages of lead ore and concentrate came from the idaho continental pittsburgh Pittsburg li idaho latest out and independence mines near ketchum in blaine county the green hill cl cleveland evelan d formerly a large producer prodoc er of both lead and zinc was closed in the early part of the year toward the end of the year shipments from the caledonia mine near wardner were decidedly decreased A notable production however came from both the hecla and the tamarack custer properties the mine output of recoverable zinc in idaho decreased from pounds in 1917 to approximately pounds in 1918 this decrease of over pounds was due largely to increased expenses and the lower price of spelter one of the main decreases was made by the largest zinc producer in the state the consolidated soli dated interstate callahan which was treating a large tonnage of accumulated tailings during the third quarter of the year while development was progressing in the mine the success mine which was wag formerly a large zinc producer shipped only about one fourth of its former output other zinc shipments were made from the morning frisco hercules and hecla becia the douglas property on pine creek was not as productive as formerly on account of difficulty in transporting the ore and the surprise consolidated in the same district was idle considerable shipments of zinc ore came from the amazon manhattan adjoining the enters inters interstate tate callahan and in blaine county shipments were made from the north star and the kusa property dividends from idaho mining companies for the first eleven months of 1918 amounted to about those for the hercules and bunker hill sullivan have been estimated by the mining press |