Show metal mining in in state of california the conditions in the metal mining industries in california during the first half of 1920 were even more burdensome to the operators than in 1919 the high cost of supplies and labor and the scarcity of skilled labor have increased the number of mines that have suspended or curtailed operations and have materially lessened the output of metals according to C G yale of the united states geological survey department of the interior gold and silver during the first six months of 1920 the united states mint and local smelters shelters sm elters and re finers to which most of the newly mined gold from california is sent received from the mines of the state in gold or less than during the first six months of 1919 in 1918 there was a decrease in the production of gold in california compared with 1917 of more than but in 1919 with an estimated production of there was an increase of over 1918 which showed some progress toward the recovery of a normal output however if the monthly receipts at the mints smelters shelters sm elters and refineries for the last six months of 1920 continue at the same rate as in the first six months the total output of gold in california in 1920 should be or 1 less than in 1919 the silver received during the first half ot of 1920 by the mints smelters shelters sm elters and refineries amounted to ounces ounces more than in the first half of 1919 this is abnormal increase in the output of sil ver r is due entirely to operations at a new silver mine discovered in 1919 in san berardino county just over the border of kern county most of the silver heretofore mined ln in california has been obtained as a by pro duct ct in the mining of gold copper and lead ores for very few purely silver mines have been een ODe operated rated in the state during the last year lear however wever a number of old silver mines most of them in inyo and san bernardino counties qunties aunties have been reopened owing to the high h price irice fo the metal causes of loss in output of gold the loss in the output of gold IE I 1 caused by curtailment of operations in certain large mines on the mother lode and elsewhere principally by the stoppage of work on a large number of mines many properties that were worked profitably under normal conditions continue to be operated at a loss once shut down and filled with water such mines may never be reopened two of the most productive mines of the mother lode with working extending vertically delow feet had to be flooded to extin aguish disastrous fires and now hard and expensive work is being done to them on the mother lode five or six years ago a profit could be made on ore that yielded per ton but now nothing can safely be classed as ore which contains less than 6 per ton not only the quartz but the placer field is affected six years ago one large dredging company handling about 36 tons of gravel yearly worked fourteen dredges which dug up in gold at a cost of 15 a fine ounce in 1919 it worked eleven dredges and the gold output of cost 23 a fine ounce it is found less expensive however to sustain the loss than to close down the plant for the loss through taxes insurance deterioration of equipment and breaking up of organization would be greater at grass valley the most productive quartz mining district in the state the larger mines are severely affected by a shortage of skilled miners for higher wages in lumber camps and shipyards have induced many men to give up mining the empire mine the most productive deep gold mine in the state has made extensive improvements in 1920 the north star mine continues production but at a less rate than during normal times at jackson and sutter creek amador county the most productive district in the mother lode the principal producers have made little output this year owing to the necessity of watering unwavering un the mines after flooding them to extinguish fire the highly productive activities of the re bently reopened morgan mine calaveras talaveras Cala veras county are noteworthy shortage of water throughout the hydraulic mining regions in sierra plumas sis ciyou trinity and other counties where this class of work is carried on has greatly reduced the production of placer gold drift mining has also languished and no new properties af pf of note have been opened the dredge mining industry has probably suffered less than other gold producing operations erat ions yet skilled labor has been scarce and costs have been greater and reduced prices have materially lessened output and profits copper lead and zinc copper mining in california has not been in good condition this year what was formerly the largest producer the mammoth in shasta county continues closed down and other large mines are idle the mountain copper company at keswick started work again this year in its iron mountain and hornet mines and is reducing its ore at the smelters shelters sm elters on san francisco bay operations have been curtailed at the mines of both the calaveras talaveras Cala veras copper and the penn mining companies in calaveras talaveras Cala veras county plumas is now the most productive copper mining county counts in the state the principal mines the engels and the walker continue operations and have made many P permanent erni anent improvements prove ments at their plants the cerro gordo mine near keeler the largest producer of lead zinc ores has again been started up and ore is being shipped by the rip van winkle lucky jim Ut acala sterling and other mines around darwin most of the zinc mined in california in 1920 will come from these southern counties as very little has been produced in shasta county |