Show N I Mining Industry By Ira C. C Tichenor Tichenor- j Is Prospering I observation has a been made in so many instances in n this l olumn l mn that conditions surrounding the mining industry cony con- con y Svere improving that any additional reference to this fact N be i e regarded as reiteration Nev Nevertheless the improvement Veen een een so consistent and the outlook for a long era of prosperity ee come me so pronounced that even reiterations would seem to be beable Mable able able t v cording to available statistics about producing mines operation in Utah In view of the fact that ip m 1917 the sing cing mines that were in m operation in this state numbered t Statement that approximately now are being operated t not appear to be at all encouraging a It must be remembered however that two years ago the thet t 1011 of silver of which metal Utah in 1917 was the leading pro- pro t. t had sunk to a low point In addition the cost of labor anc and andIS IS constantly was increasing These conditions combined ally lIY made the cost of production exceed that of the market of the white metal with the result that all but the heaviest mines one after another closed down C Conditions affecting silver mining now are decidedly different filber ber of operators assured of receiving not less than a dollar nce for the metal already have reopened their mines still ire are planning to resume operations while those which cond cop cop- d to operate have increased their working forces Eventually expected every silver mine in Utah will be in operation while various prospects both large and small will be diligently Practically the same story is to be told in relation to the ther theIr r mines of the state Even at the government price of 26 a a. pound and owing to the increased cost of production many manye Ir Ie e smaller vein mines in Utah were compelled to shut down Byear year With l the conditions surrounding the copper industry constantly living vi g t the e vein mines gra gradually are being reopened I he prices of lead and zinc continue to hold to a low low tev level l Sven yen ven the market for these metals is becoming more active III in resulting from the increase in in construction operations through- through dh the country However as these metals constitute byproducts majority of instances of mines producing silver and copper op er low prices are not a serious drawback considering Improved conditions surrounding the production of the other Ise The fhe improvement in the mining industry is not restricted to any district of the state but all the districts are participating in newal of activity I In connection with a review of the market and general mining on on n it might be appropriate to call attention to what might be bei dered i the high price at which stocks of both old and new pros- pros are bein being sold or marketed C Comparatively speaking these prices are not high It must that the price of every kind of product or comis comis com- com is higher by 50 75 too or more per cent than the pre- pre f now buys only about half as much labor or material did id three or four years ago and as a result the prospect must e more from the sale le of its stock in order to buy an amount bor or or supplies equal to that obtainable at the lower stock prevailing before the war This his is not intended as argument in favor of high prices for fors s or anything else but merely a statement of fact as to why condition as to stocks price exists |