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202 MINERAL RESOURCES, 1918—PART I.
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DOMESTIC PRODUCTION.
CRUDE PLATINUM.
Crude placer platinum was produced from mines in Alaska, California, Oregon, and Washington in 1918.
Buyers
and refiners reported purchases of 433 ounces of domestic crude
platinum, which, at the average price of $91 an ounce, was valued at
$39,403.
Incomplete
returns from placer miners producing platinum indicate that the
production in 1918 was at least 647 ounces of crude platinum, of which
about 82 per cent was from California, 9 per cent from Alaska, 8 per
cent from Oregon, and 1 per cent from Washington. The output in 1918 of
647 ounces compares with the production of 605 ounces in 1917. In view
of the continued high prices paid for crude platinum, it may reasonably
be stated that the domestic production of crude placer platinum will
not exceed 700 ounces a year, and may be less if the price is much
reduced.
REFINED PLATINUM METALS.
Reports
received from refiners of platinum, gold bullion, nickel, and copper
indicate that 59,753 troy ounces of refined new metals of the platinum
group was recovered in 1918, of which about 10,693 troy ounces is
believed to be of domestic origin.
New platinum and allied metals recovered by refiners, 1915-1918, in troy ounces.
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Dealers
and refiners reported sales in 1918 of 45,583 ounces of secondary
platinum metals derived from refining scrap and sweeps. The figures
that make up this total probably represent some duplication, as the
same metal may be handled as scrap several times in a year.
Secondari/ platinum and allied metals sold, 1915-1918, in troy minces.
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The
decrease in sales of secondary platinum metals was in large part due to
the prohibition on the use of these metals in those industries which
were not considered essential to the conduct of the war.
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