Ch. 1: Gold and Silver in 1908

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	162	MINERAL RESOURCES.

	The imports from Chile in 1908 were: Gold, $91,865 in ore or base bullion and $54,533 as refined metal; silver, $1,395,226 in ore or base bullion and $203,790 in the refined state. Complete tables recording the exports and imports in detail are found in the reports of the Director of the Mint on the production of precious metals. The figures given by the Bureau of Statistics for imports and exports of refined bullion and coin are of course exact; but it will be noted that the data of gold or silver in ore and base bullion do not agree, particularly in the case of Mexico, as detailed above, with the figures of the mints and refineries. The reason is undoubtedly that no account is kept of the minute quantities of gold and silver in blister copper which is imported duty free from foreign countries. The following table gives a summary of imports and exports of gold and silver during 1908: Imports and exports of gold and silver during the calendar year 1908. [Figures furnished by the Bureau of Statistics.]



	MINES REPORT. METHOD OF COLLECTING STATISTICS. It should be distinctly understood that the table on a preceding page contains the figures of the production of gold and silver, which are accepted as final by the Geological Survey, inasmuch as they record in the main the quantities of these metals which were actually produced during the calendar year. It is difficult to trace the refined metals back to the States where the ore was produced, and it is still more difficult to trace them back to the producing counties and districts. In order, therefore, to ascertain the state of the mining industry in each mining camp, the Geological Survey asks the owners of each mining property to report the amount of gold and silver, as well as that of other metals produced. Tabulated in proper form, these replies form the basis of this mines report.

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