Show Mineral Production in Utah Shows Big Increase Past Year Y e r Utah's mineral industries did didan didan didan an outstanding production job in 1969 producing some million million mil mil- lion more than they did in 1968 according to Paul S. S Rattle manager of the Utah Mining Association Rattle also predicted that 1970 production metals chemicals as well weD as oil oU and would gas-would be 10 per cent ahead of that for 1969 About five per cent will beIn be bein in production another five per percent percent cent will be accounted for by inflation he said The 1969 production was a re record record re- re cord ord according to preliminary estimates of Bureau of Mines about 26 per percent percent percent cent ahead of for 1968 Of course a year in which Copper Cower Corp was only able to produce for eight months because of the over carry-over from the nation nation- wide cop copper per strike that got underway in 1967 So too c certain e r rt t a i In n lead lead- zinc lead zinc operations were closed down as asboth asboth asboth both direct and indirect casual- casual lUes of the strike The year 1969 was one of the best in history for copper popper in Utah There were no serious labor troubles The effect of million ex expansion expansion expansion ex- ex program was clearly evident Estimated 1969 copper production production production pro pro- was nearly tons the highest since 1943 when was mining a much higher grade ore Outlook for 1970 is promising promising promising promis promis- ing with likelihood that demand will wUl be strong and that prices will still go higher during the early part of the year Several small copper ope operations opera opera- tines in San Juan County testing testIng testing test test- test test- ing new milling techniques are moving forward Another small project was started in western Tooele County Exploration activities are underway on several properties n near Milford Beaver County where two Canadian firms firms- Rosario Exploration Co and Shield Devel Development men Co ar are involved in exploration and development programs As far as lead and zinc are concerned new exploration programs have been announced by Shell SheD C Canadian Exploration Co in the Dupay Dugway area of ef Tooele County by Rosario Exploration Co of Canada on the Cactus Mine Properties in Beaver Beaver- County and by Exploration Exploration Exploration Ex Ex- Co Dallas into which Horn Hom Silver Saver Mines Co of Salt Lake C City was merged on on the theold theold theold old Horn Hom Silver properties near Milford A shortage of rock hard miners min mia ers as well wen as other factors caused a drop in production of Utah's complex zinc lead-zinc ores in 1969 Rattle noted Prospects Prospects Prospects Pros Pros- for increased production in 1970 depend primarily on availability o 0 of f underground miners as well weD as ability of some firms to cope with technological technological technological tech tech- difficulties en encountered encountered encountered en- en countered in mining at depth and in the milling of the ores With higher prices prevailing however the year should be a good one for this important segment of the mining industry he said Beryllium is the great newhope newhope new hope for Utah Brush Beryllium Co last year began mining and processing of or ores s in a vast deposit in Juab County reckoned reckon reckon- ed to be the largest in the nonCommunist nonCommunist nonCommunist non- non Communist world Waiting in the wings is the Anaconda C Co which has large holdings in the same district and has developed another process process process pro pro- cess for extracting beryllium from Utah ores The firm has acquired land for a proposed concentrating plant south of the company's claims in the Topaz Mountain district but has not yet announced any decision to move forward Demand for the space age met metal the metal a the I-the the lightest and strongest is yet yet yet-is is increasing and further developments are sure to come Rattle predicted Foreign competition particularly particularly particularly parti parti- Japanese se is still reckoned a m most o 0 s t disturbing factor in US U.S. Steels Steel's traditional traditional traditional West Coast markets Uranium production has been disappointingly gly down for several years However Rio Corp is now sinking production ti on and ventilation shafts for a major mine that will be operating in 1972 south of Moab The firm is also studying feasibility of construction of a amill amill amill mill near the mine United E Equities qu i t i e s Inc announced an announced announced an- an plans for construction of a uranium mill near Hanksville with an additional circuit for copper The firm has some acres of uranIum uranium uranium uran uran- ium claims in the area Silver SUver Eagle Mining Co of Salt Lake City revealed plans for adding an uranium extrac tion circuit to its mill 27 miles mUes east of Hite Rite which now processes processes processes pro pro- copper ore with some uranium content Union Carbide also ilio announced a commercial uranium deposit east of the Lisbon fault near LaSal in southeastern Utah Utah's potash industry was hit ba badly last year when import im import import im- im port from Canada West Germany Germany Germany Ger Ger- many and F France ran c e broke the market and dropped the price to less th than n half haU of the quotations quotations quotations quota quota- prevailing two years ago Outlook for 1970 is more encouraging encouraging encouraging en en- however with announcement announcement an announcement an- an that the Province of Saskatchewan C Canada which has been exporting huge quantities of pot potash a s-h s to the United States has decided to set export limitations and set a minimum price of about abolt 18 a aton aton aton ton id which ch is considerably more than the 10 to 12 figure quoted last year The MINING NEWS TEEMS ITEMS ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS Senator Musket Me D-Me chairman of the Senate Public Works Sub committee on Airam Air and am Water Pollution set March 3 as the beginning date for hear hearings ings lags on 00 solid waste problems associated with mining nd mineral min eral oral industries and potential reuse of m mining In 1 n I and mineral waste Utah Mining Association Association tion gathered and submitted material on Utah's mineral Industries in industries In- In to assist the American Mining Congress with its Us planned pre presentation at atthe the hearings Senator Moss Utah D-Utah chairman of the Senate Subcommittee Subcommittee on Minerals Materials and Fuels announced that dates early in April will be set for hearings by his group in Washington Washington Wash Wash- in ington on and elsewhere on the status of environmental con con- trois in the extractive indus indus- indus tries Included will win be coal oil oU and gas and non- non The hearings will not center on health problems butwill but butwill butwill will concern themselves chiefly with the technical and practical practical practical aspects aspects' The group will seek Information information information tion on how far the mineral industries have advanced with respect to pollution and land land- use problems solid waste management management management man man- and related m matters They will win also develop cost data and ask the views of industry in industry industry in- in 1 leaders e ad e r s concerning future Mure efforts and aDd the time Ume factor factor factor fac fac- fac- fac tor involved in developing control control control con con- programs Management Digest UMA SILVER Nicholas H. H Davis of the New NewYork NewYork NewYork York Exchange firm of Anderson Anderson Ander Ander- son SOD Li Co expressed the opinion that the price of silver could reach per ounce late this year and could go to above next year possibly as high as to by 1972 He Be said the Treasury would be removed from the silver sUver market this year Management Digest UMA YET METAL AL PRICES Copper Cower held at 56 4 per pound lead at 16 2 2 1 per pound and Zinc at 2 Free market gold was steady at per ounce silver saver declined de declined declined de- de to 1880 at the closing of Fridays Friday's market 70 27 i ORE SHIPMENTS United Park City Mine Compan Company Com Corn pany pan snipped shipped 40 carloads of ore via Park City Union Pacific Railroad station |