A
decrease in production of gold of $4,174,324 and an increase in silver
output of 4,932,715 fine ounces are shown by the mines reports for the
United States for 1912 as compared with the corresponding figures for
1911.
The
principal producing States ranked as follows in 1912 in output of gold:
California, Colorado, Alaska, Nevada, South Dakota, Utah, Arizona,
Montana, and Idaho, or the same as in 1911, except that a small
increase in Alaska and a large decrease in Nevada caused them to change
places in order of rank, and that a corresponding increase in Arizona
and a decrease in Montana caused them to change in 1912 also. No other
State besides the nine mentioned has produced over $1,000,000 in gold
in the last three years. The most notable increases in gold in 1912
were $451,496 in South Dakota (following an increase of $2,037,617 in
1911), $377,923 in the Philippines, $331,707 in Arizona, and $292,695
in Alaska (following an increase of $726,507 in 1911). The heaviest
decreases were $4,737,217 in Nevada (following a decrease of $685,467
in 1911), $431,147 in Utah, and $413,413 in Colorado (following a
decrease of $1,505,083 in 1911). Of the 23 geographic divisions given
in the table as producing gold in 1912, the output increased in 10 and
decreased in 13. In 1911 the production gained in 14 and fell off in
but 9.
In
silver output the principal producing States ranked as follows in 1912:
Nevada, Utah, Montana, Idaho, Colorado. Arizona, New Mexico, and California, or in the same order as in 1911. No other States produced 1,000,000 fine ounces in silver in either year. The
