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Show vjv SPELTER EXPECTED TO SELL HIGHER With an increasing' demand for spelter and with a falling off of tho production as the winter weather sets In, the spelter situation Is improving daily, and those conversant with the market conditions are predicting high- er prices. One prominent operator, who recently returned from the zinc fields of Missouri and from a consultation consul-tation with spelter smelting interests In Kansas and Oklahoma, Is of the opinion that the present prices and possibly higher will prevail for a considerable con-siderable period of time. In the past few days spelter has risen "almost three-quarters of a cent, the quotation quota-tion received yesterday from the Engineering En-gineering and Mining Journal for the week ended yesterday being $14,583 per 100 pounds, as compared with ?13.70, the quotation of the prior week. Despite the greater production of spelter throughout the summer months., the supply of zinc ores has not materially increased in the lats 30 days. Due to the fact that as the vinter months set in and greater difficulties dif-ficulties aro encountered in hauling ores from many of the smaller properties prop-erties located at considerable distances from railroad transportation, a number num-ber of the smaller properties will be forced to suspend shipping. Though many are financed to continue mining and storing the zinc for future shipment ship-ment when the roadways permit, many of the smaller properties will stop all operations. The winter weather alo cuts down tho output of the larger producers. Coupled with this decrease in production, pro-duction, which is already being felt by the smelters, and which is said to be partially responsible for the advance in the price of the metal, there has been a greater demand, due to the galvanlzers entering the market. Up to date tho galvanlzers have not been buying, claiming that they could not afford to use the metal at the prevailing pre-vailing prices. They have recently entered the market, regardless of the price. The heavier demand, however, has been caused by the makers of war munitions, a tremendous amount of the metal being used for that purpose. pur-pose. Students of market conditions state that there are no stocks of spelter to speak of at present In this country. Taking all of the facts into consideration, consid-eration, zinc ore producors are optimistic op-timistic regarding the price of spelter for some time to come. |