| Show YEARS YEARNS MONTANA production LESS VALUE OF METAL production gold jer silver corar copp er lef lead ad zinc total value the value of gold silver copper lead and zinc produced from montana mines in 1927 according to estimates made by C N gerry of the bureau of mines department of commerce Comme ice was a decrease from in 1926 the curtailment of operations at butte together with the decrease in in metal prices resulted in a general decrease in the quantity and value of the five metals A decrease of about 12 per cent was shown in the output of copper and there was a corresponding decrease in the associated gold and silver the anaconda copper mining co and the butte superior mining co according to published statements paid dividends amounting to in 1927 but part of the anaconda dividends are paid from profits of subsidiaries in other states several causes reduce gold output the value of the gold output decreased from in 1926 to in 1927 the largest gold producers in the state were the anaconda st louis liberty montana new gould sterling keating butte superior and angelica properties there was naturally a decrease in gold from copper ores but there was also a large decrease in gold from gold ores as the jardine mine the second largest producer of gold in montana in 1925 and 1926 was practically idle in 1927 the Drum lummon mine at marysville marksville Marys ville operated by the st louis mining milling co of montana was the only large go gold id producer that increased its output the liberty montana property near jefferson island a large producer of gold in 1925 but idle in 1926 was active the last seven months of 1927 and produced considerable gold from copper concentrate the jib mine at basin was idle large portion of silver prom from two mines the mine output of silver decreased from ounces in 1926 to ounces in 1927 and the value from to about the output of silver was decidedly less on account of the curtailment in the output of copper ore from butte the mines of the anaconda copper mining go and the butte superior mining co produced nearly three fourths of the states silver next in order older were the elm orlu mine at butte the silver dyke property at neihart Neilia rt and the east butte butte copper zinc and poser mines at butte the elm orlu mining co increased its output of silver but the other large producers of silver reported decreases considerable silver was recovered from the anglica mine in jefferson county and from the granite bimetallic tailings at philipsburg anaconda chief copper producer the copper output decreased from pounds in 1926 to about pounds in 1927 and the bajue from 35 to about 29 the anaconda co copper FP er mining alining co as in the past produced most of the th e copper coppe from its mines at butte As the average price of copper decreased about one cent a pound in 1927 the output in montana as in other states was restricted the milling and smelting smelling sm elting of copper ore was done almost exclusively at anaconda although two mills making copper concentrate were operated in cascade and madison counties other large copper producers were the east butte and butte superior mines at butte the silver dyke at neihart and the north butte and elm orlu mines also at butte states production of lead and zinc the production of lead decreased from pounds valued at in 1926 to about pounds valued I 1 at in 1927 the chief producers of lead were the butte copper zinc butte superior elm orlu poser silver dyke and anaconda properties each of which produced more than pounds other producers were the angelica moulton hecla slag dump east pacific and block P mines considerable lead zinc ore from the angelica mine in jefferson county was treated in the timber butte mill at butte and similar ore from the queen and galt gait mines at neihart produced much lead A decided increase was shown in the output of lead bullion from the smelter at east helena the output of zinc recovered from ore mined in montana decreased from pound sin 1926 to about pounds in 1927 the value decreased from to about the electrolytic zinc plant near great falls was operated continuously treating concentrate from anaconda and butte and custom material chiefly from idaho and utah the large producers of zinc at butte were the butte superior elm orlu butte copper zinc poser anaconda north butte moulton and otisco mines good increases were made at the butte superior and elm orlu mines but decreases at the butte copper zinc poser and moulton properties considerable zinc ore was milled from mines in other districts especially from the angelica angelic a queen big eight and galt gait mines the improved custom flotation plant for lead zinc ore was active at anaconda and the timber butte custom mill at butte continued to treat custom ore and ore from the elm orlu and other dark clark properties |
