GOLD AND SILVER.
841
Of
the total material treated, dry and siliceous ores constituted nearly
86 per cent (against 79 per cent in 1913), and yielded $18,476,892, or
nearly 93 per cent of the total output of gold. A little more than 3
per cent of the output came from placers and about the same quantity
from lead ores. The placer production was $642,360 in 1914, an increase
of $233,820. Summit County with 8 placers and 4 dredges again produced
about 95 per cent of the total placer output.
Silver.—The
mine production of silver in Colorado in 1914 was 8,796,065 fine
ounces, a decrease of 529,190 ounces from the output of 1913. Lake
County—principally Leadville—produced 3,810,830 ounces (or 43 per cent
of the total) in 1914, against 3,400,318 ounces in 1913, and increased
output also came from Boulder, Chaffee, Custer, Eagle, Ouray, Saguache,
San Miguel, and Teller counties; but there was notable decrease in
Clear Creek, Gunnison, Hinsdale, La Plata, Mineral, Park, Pitkin, San
Juan, and Summit counties. •
Of
the total State production, dry or siliceous ores furnished 6,584,493
fine ounces, mainly from Lake and San Miguel counties, and lead ores
supplied 1,532,943 ounces, chiefly from Lake, Pitkin, San Juan, and
Boulder counties. Lead-zinc ores, also mainly from Lake County,
supplied 414,298 ounces.
IDAHO.
Gold.—The
mine production of gold from Idaho in 1914 was $1,152,315, against
$1,344,559 in 1913. The placer production was $700,454, of which
$568,989 was from dredging operations. Boise County supplied $601,227
in gold from all sources, and Lemhi County 8305,991. In these counties
most of the dredging was done, and the output from this source.has been
increasing. Since dredging began in Idaho in 1S97, gold valued at
$2,907,819 has been produced by this method. The production of gold
from deep mines was only $451,861 in 1914 and has been falling off
since the closing of the larger producers in Owyhee County.
Silver.—The
mine production of silver in Idaho in 1914 was 12,479,516 fine ounces,
a new record yield, against the previous record output of 9,989,193
ounces in 1913. This increase of nearly 25 per cent was almost entirely
from the silver-bearing lead and lead-zinc ores of the Coeur d'Alene
region, of Shoshone County, which produced nearly 98 per cent of the
silver output of Idaho. The Hunter district, at Mullan, produced
1,057,347 ounces; the Lelande district, at Burke and Mace, 5,565,372
ounces; and the Yreka district, 4,887,926 ounces. Of the total State
output, concentrates furnished 8,845,309 ounces and crude ore 3,612,369
ounces, all of which was shipped to smelters. The concentrating mills
of Idaho are of first rank in importance, but smelting facilities are
lacking, and both crude ore ana concentrates are shipped outside for
further treatment.
MARYLAND AND PENNSYLVANIA.
Gold and silver.—There
was a nominal output only of gold and silver from the refining of very
small quantities of gold bullion and of copper from Maryland mines in
1914. No silver was reported recovered during the year from the copper
produced annually as a byproduct from the Cornwall iron mines at
Lebanon, Pa.
