output
of refineries in the United States in 1910 of 3,848,605 fine ounces of
gold and 124,648,847 ounces of silver. Of the foreign gold about
$7,800,000 is credited to Mexico, and about $8,300,000 to Canada. Over
$700,000 came from Salvador, over $300,000 from Spain (mainly from
pyrites), over $200,000 from Peru and Honduras, and over $100,000 from
France and Bolivia. Of the foreign silver about 41,000,000 ounces came
from Mexico, about 19,000,000 ounces from Canada (largely from Cobalt),
over 3,000,000 ounces came from Bolivia, over 1,500,000 ounces from
Peru, and nearly 1,000,000 ounces from Spain, mainly from pyrites.
Gold.—The
total production of gold in the United States in 1910 was 4,657,018
fine ounces, valued at $96,269,100—a decrease, compared with the
output of 1909, of 164,683 ounces in quantity and of $3,404,300 in
value. Next to the record production of 1909, however, it was the
largest output of gold in the history of the country.
As
in 1909 the production of gold was the contribution of 22 States and
Territories and the Philippine Islands and Porto Rico. Of these 24
geographic subdivisions there was increased output from 11 and
decreased production from 13 in 1910, as in 1909. The g-^atest gains
were as follows: Nevada, $2,487,500; Arizona, $786,400; Washington,
$377,000; New Mexico, $224,400; and Utah, $99,400. The heaviest
decreases were: Alaska, $4,067,800; Colorado, $1,320,100; South Dakota,
$1,193,400; Idaho, $308,300; California, $262,200; Oregon, $147,600;
and the Philippines, $93,200. In no other State did the production
increase or decrease as much as $50,000.
The
gold-mining industry was fairly active in 1910, as in 1909,
notwithstanding the decreases noted in output. In Alaska the decline
in gold output was chiefly from the Fairbanks district, in the Yukon
basin, where exhaustion of the high-grade gravels has been expected. In
Colorado the decrease was due in part to further delay in working the
deeper levels at Cripple Creek, pending drainage by the Roosevelt
Tunnel, but it was also due to working out the ore bodies of older
properties in other districts; and in South Dakota decreased
production was due mainly to labor troubles at the beginning of the
year. In both Alaska and Colorado prospecting and development have been
active and in South Dakota normal conditions are expected to bring
about increased production for 1911. In Nevada the great Goldfield and
Tonopah camps, although producing from few mines, made remarkable
outputs, and mining development was generally active elsewhere in the
State. In Arizona the Gold Road and Tom Reed mines of Mohave County
were again notable producers, and in New Mexico and Washington gold
production increased. In California dredging and deep mining continued
important. The outlook for 1911 is for increased domestic production of
gold. In the gold production of the world in 1910 the Transvaal was
first, with an output of approximately $155,750,000, followed by the
United States as second in rank with $96,269,100, by Australasia with
$65,325,000, bv Russia with $40,000,000, and by Mexico with $24,000,000.
Silver.—The
output of silver from domestic ores in 1910 was 57,137,900 fine ounces,
valued at $30,854,500. This was an increase over the production of 1909
of 2,416,400 ounces in quantity and, partly owing to the increased
price for silver, of $2,399,300 in value.
