OCR Text |
Show STEEL FAMINE. A steel famine, more far-reaching in its disastrous consequences than the threatened timber famine, and likely to bring paralysis to many of the Industries In-dustries of the country, has become such a probability, say mining experts, ex-perts, that means to prevent It will be one of the iirst problems to bo taken up by the National Conservation Commission Com-mission after the International conference confer-ence in Washington has been brought to a close. As yet the famine is not imminent, according to the commission, commis-sion, but Us coming sometime during the next twenty or thirty years is declared de-clared to bo a mathematical' certainty unless something is done to check the present and Increasing consumption of ore. Tho known supplies of high grade iron ores in the United Slates approximate 3,840,068,000 tons. If tho present rate of increase in use is maintained main-tained this is barely half the amount that will be demanded by the furnaces and factories of the nation during the next thirty years. At the end of that time about the year 1940 tho consumption con-sumption of Iron and steel will reacn Its maximum and begin a sudden decline, de-cline, it Is predicted, or large u6e must be made of low grade ores not now classed as available. The necessity then of using low grade coals to smell with further complicates the problem. The principal remedy suggested is a change in mining methods. The prc-prnt prc-prnt waste in mining and treating all minerals, the commission found is over $300,000,000 every year, or a sum of money equal to a third of the total capitalization of the billion dollar "Steel Trust " A large part of this waste comes from the reckless moving of coal and iron ore. The Minnesota beds, which now furnish most of the ore used in this country in the manufacture manu-facture of high grade steel, have been so exploited that a time limit ol thirty years has been set for them, arter which they will be exhausted. The mineral production of the ' United States now exceeds two billion dollars dol-lars in value every year and is second only to agriculture as a contribution to our national wealth. It furnishes our light, heat and power and supplies sup-plies 65 per cent of the freight tratnc of the country. |