greatest
decrease was recorded for the Tintic district, but the yield from Park
City and Bingham mines was also greatly lessened.
Washington.—From
the mines of Washington a gold production of $242,234 was reported in
1908, a decrease of $16,840 as compared with 1907. The largest portion
of this output came from the Pierre Lake district, in Stevens County.
There was little activity in the Republic and the Mount Baker and the
Monte Cristo districts. Stevens County produced $183,894 in gold,
followed by Ferry County with an output of $17,333. Only a small amount
of gold was derived from lead and copper ores. The placers yielded only
$19,478.
The
output of silver was only 88,823 ounces, most of which was derived from
siliceous ores and copper ores of Stevens County, and from siliceous
ores of Okanogan County.
Wyoming.—The
production of gold from Wyoming amounted to $7,959, a decrease of
$1,385 as compared with 1907. Most of this gold was derived from copper
ores of the Encampment district, but the mines were not continuously
operated. The development of the new Copper Mountain district, in
Fremont County, may increase the future production of the State.
The production of silver was insignificant; it amounted to 3,998 ounces m 1908.
Philippine Islands.—The
total production of gold in the Philippine Islands in 1908 was valued
at $231,338, and the production of silver was 2,350 fine ounces.a
As
the gold production for 1907 was only $79,773, the production in 1908
was apparently trebled. The actual increase was below this, however, as
some of the gold credited to 1908 was actually produced in 1907 but not
accounted for in the Survey figures for that year.
The
production of Mountain Province in 1908 was $139,328 in gold, as
compared with $80,372 in 1907; that of Camarines Province was $71,73,1
in gold, as against $2,067 in gold in 1907; that of Sorsogon Province
(Masbate) was only $620 in gold, as compared with $11,411 in gold in
1907; and the output of Surigao Province was $5,581 in gold, against
nothing reported for 1907.
Gold
is found in many islands of the group, but production was reported but
from Luzon, Masbate, and Mindanao in 1908, and but from Luzon and
Masbate in 1907. The producing provinces in 1908 were Mountain
Province, in the northern part of Luzon, embracing the former provinces
of Benguet (which furnishes the greater part of the gold), Lepanto, and
Bontoc; Ambos Camarines, on the east coast of Luzon; Sorsogon, of which
the island of Masbate is a part; and Surigao, in the northeastern part
of Mindanao. In all of these but Sorsogon there is a considerable
annual placer production by natives. The production mainly reaches
small traders, mostly Chinese, and much of the gold goes to China. The
average fineness of placer gold in the Philippines is not more than
0.850. In underground mining in a limited way, also, the Igorots of
Mountain Province have long been adept.
The
greatly increased production of the Philippines was due, however, to
preparatory work of several years on the part of Americans, Europeans,
and New Zealanders.
a For
information relating to the production of the Philippines, the United
States Geological Survey acknowledges cooperation with the Division of
Mines. Bureau of Science, Manila, Philippine Islands, to which direct
returns arc made from the mines, and which has published the results in
reports for 1907 and 1908 entitled: "The mineral resources of the
Philippine Islands.'!
