Show 0 THE OUTLOOK FOR COPPER american mining news according to the report of charles kirchoff on the copper production of the united states geological survey the industry suffered from the reaction which followed the unsuccessful attempt during 1901 to maintain the value of the metal at an artificial level the collapse which I 1 came toward the close of 1901 left many producers committed to sales covering a long period at low prices with the menace of heavy accumulations of metal constantly over the market yet production was heavier during 1902 than it had been in 1901 because some of the important mines were worked to full capacity and because some of the enlargements and improvements previously begun became effective during the year furthermore a number of new enterprises first produced important quantities of metal on the other hand accidents and labor troubles cut down the outputs of some of the larger undertakings unless unforeseen events cause widespread or prolonged stoppage of operations at the mines mr kirchoff thinks that the production of copper in the united states will be considerably larger in 1903 than it has ever been the lake superior district will yield considerably more copper arizona is expected to return a considerably larger product utah may reach a total of pounds and wyoming nevada colorado new mexico and the southeastern states will report an increase the consumption of copper in the united states was enormous in 1902 it was larger also in other leading industrial countries As compared with long tons in 1901 the total production of copper in the united states in 1902 was long tons of which the lake superior district produced or per cent montana long tons or per cent and arizona long tons or per cent this is ds an increase in the total production of long tons or nearly 10 per cent as compared with 1901 utah is forging to the front as one of the most important copper states and it Is notably in the bingham camp that develop ment has been most rapid only small quantities of copper ore have been shipped from alaska to puget sound smelters shelters sm elters but it is known that large deposits of copper ore exist whose development is being taken seriously in hand the imports of copper ore in 1902 were valued at as compared with 14 in 1901 and the imports of copper in bars ingots ingols pigs and in manufactured forms were valued at as corn com pared with in 1901 the exports of domestic copper in different forms were valued at in 1902 as compared with in 1901 in the aggregate the reporting mines had a stock of pounds of copper on january 1 1903 as compared with pounds on january 1 1902 a decline of more than pounds during 1902 the estimated consumption in 1902 was pounds as compared with pounds in 1901 and with pounds in 1900 the average selling price of lake copper during 1902 was 1186 cents per pound i |