| Show oregon me mines I 1 nes I 1 in n 1918 A preliminary estimate of the production of metals in oregon in 1918 compiled by charles G yale of the san francisco office of the united states geological survey department of the interior shows a decrease only in the yield of gold with an increase in that of silver copper and lead the output of gold in 1917 was according to the mines report and the estimated output in 1918 is a decrease of about for the year the silver output in 1917 was fine ounces valued at while in 1918 it was fine ounces valued at which from the dredging companies of the state show a decline in gold yield of in 1918 compared with the total figures from this source in 1917 As the total gold decrease in oregon for the year was it is seen that the deep mines of the state more than held their own notwithstanding the unfavorable conditions due to the war moreover most of this decline was due to the permanent closing down in 1918 of one of the large dredges its ground having been worked out there are now three dredges operating in oregon 4 copper producers did well the large copper companies in baker and josephine counties did much better in 1918 than in 1917 both in quantity and value of output this accounts also in part for the increase in silver yield more than one third of the oregon silver being derived from copper ores the rest of 0 f the increase of silver comes from siliceous ore very little being taken from the placer gold tonnage most of the placer mines of the state are worked by the hydraulic system but the yield of gold in all forms of placer mines combined does not nearly reach that of the dredges there are only a little over P producing cing mi mines nes in oregon including hil all classes and the hydraulic mines are the most numerous of the deep mines a bout about twenty five produce gold from siliceous ore and there are seven active copper properties the entire output of ore from all the deep mines combined is between and tons annually the largest proportion of gold and other metals in 1918 came as usual from baker county which produces annually about 90 per cent of the gold mined in the state grant county comes next in rank in gold production having exceeded josephine county by reason of its dredging industry 0 r |
