Show metal output of washington 19 1918 18 the value of the gold silver copper and lead mined in washington in 1918 according to the estimate of C N gerry of the united states geological survey department part ment of the interior was about 1654 a decrease of there were slight increases in both silver and copper but decided decreases in gold lead and zinc the copper output in the chewelah Chew elah district stevens county was not greatly changed but there was a marked decrease in the shipments of ore from the republic district in ferry county washington mines suffered from the general scarcity of men for labor and the high costs of operation era tion the price of silver was considerably higher but the average prices of copper lead and zinc were less than those of 1917 the copper smelter and refinery at tacoma and the lead plant at northport North port were both active throughout the year but toward the end of the year the northport North port plant was not operated a full capacity gold the mine production of gold decreased from in 1917 to about in 1918 a decrease of nearly 31 per cent the greater part of the gold came from the republic district but there was a distinct decrease in ores amalgamated throughout the state gold from whatcom county was considerably sider ably decreased on account of the inactivity of the property of the boundary red mountain mining company from the republic district approximately tons of I 1 licious i ore was shipped during the year against tons in 1917 the principal shippers from the district were the sur prise lone pine pearl last chance knob lill hill I mining company old republic san poil foil and black tall tail the only considerable increase came from the last chance mine which became an important producer during the year silver the mine output of silver increased inre ased from ounces in 1917 to approximately ounces in 1918 the value of the output increased from to about about half the silver came from copper ores and most of the remainder republic ores copper the copper output increased from 2 pounds in 1917 to about pounds in 1918 the value of the output however was somewhat less on account of the decrease in the average price for the year the united copper mine in the che belah district was as usual the largest producer but made no increase shipments of crude ore and concentrate averted averaged about tons a month other ble shipments of copper ore came from the sunset mine near index in ah snohomish county the copper world extension mine in Oka okanogan nogan county the lone star and washington near danville in ferry county the loon lake mine north of spokane and the reardon copper company near turk A new copper producer was the tago mine west of Sp ringdale in stevens county the mine output of lead decreased from pounds in 1917 to about pounds in 1918 most of the product came from the electric point property near northport North port in stevens county in the latter part of the year the company was construct ing an aerial tramway to reduce the cost of hauling production was materially increased toward the end of the year washington mines made no shipments of zinc ore or concentrate during the year although in 1917 they produced over pounds of spelter the lead zinc property at Met metaline allne falls a considerable producer in former years was in financial difficulties and the mine was closed it was reported that the bauco creek mining company northeast of colville had opened a body of zinc ore in november the only dividend paid by washington mines during the first eleven months of 1918 was that of the electric point mine amounting to |