increased
output from siliceous gold ores in Mohave County and from copper ores
in Cochise County. In total production of gold in Arizona in 1911
Mohave County led, with $1,547,663, mainly from siliceous gold ores of
the Gold Road and Tom Reed mines of the San Francisco district. Cochise
County ranked second, with $783,-981, mainly from copper ores of the
Warren (Bisbee) district, but also in part from lead ores and dry or
siliceous ores. Yavapai County ranked third, with $689,684, almost
equally from copper ores of the Verde district and dry or siliceous
ores of the Martinez district and other districts. Yuma County was
fourth in gold output, with $207,058 largely from the siliceous ores of
the Kofa district. The amalgamation process yielded $234,555 in gold in
Arizona in 1911; the cyanidation process (from ore and old tailings),
$1,680,124; the placers, mainly in Yavapai, Yuma, and Pima counties,
$23,641; and the smelting ores the remainder of the gold production,
or $1,492,183.
Silver.—The
output of silver in Arizona in 1911 was 3,276,571 fine ounces, against
2,566,528 ounces in 1910 and 2,601,161 ounces in 1909. Cochise County
had the largest yield, and made the greatest increase in 1911,
producing 1,946,319 ounces, mainly from copper ores of the Warren
district, but also in considerable quantity from lead ores of the
Tombstone, Warren, and other districts. Yavapai County ranked second in
the silver output, with 754,744 ounces, mainly from copper ores of the
Verde district, and dry or siliceous ores. Gila County was third, with
247,813 ounces, chiefly from copper ores of Globe. Mohave County
produced 143,969 ounces, and Greenlee County 104,429 ounces. Of the
total silver output of Arizona in 1911 copper ores supplied 2,136,121
ounces; lead ores, 635,363 ounces; dry or siliceous ores, 414,981
ounces; and the lead-zinc and zinc ores nearly equal parts of the bulk
of the small remainder.
CALIFORNIA.
Gold.—The
mine production of gold in California in 1911 was $19,738,908, an
increase of $23,468 over the output of 1910. The total placer
production increased, but the deep-mine output fell off somewhat, owing
to decreased copper and lead mining. The production from gold-quartz
mining, however, increased even more than that from placers. In placer
output that from dredging and hydraulic mining increased, while that
from drift mining and sluicing fell off, the changes being in the same
direction as in 1910.
The
total output of gold from dredging in California continued to increase
somewhat in 1911, the production from this source being $7,666,461,
again the largest in the history of the industry. The increase in
output was mainly from Sacramento, Yuba, Calaveras, Placer, and smaller
dredging counties, as the production from the great Butte County field
and the smaller Siskiyou field has fallen off. The total gold
production from dredging in California from 1899 (when the output from
this source began and was only $206,302) to 1911, inclusive, has been
$47,985,236. The production has increased every year but two, although
the rate of increase in recent years has steadily declined. The dredges
produced 85.32 per cent of the total placer gold, and 38.84 per cent of
the total gold from all sources in California in 1911.
