GOLD, SILVER, COPPER, LEAD, AND ZINC IN COLORADO IN 1913.1 (MINES REPORT.) By CHARLES W. HENDERSON. PRODUCTION. GENERAL STATEMENT. The total value of the production of gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc in Colorado in 1913, as reported from 858 mines, of which 29 were placers, amounted to $35,450,585, as compared with $37,320,966 in 1912, a decrease of $1,870,381. Of the total value, 51 per cent represented gold, which was valued at $18,146,916, a decrease of $441,646, as compared with the yield of 1912. There was an increase in silver output of 1,113,185 fine ounces. The production of copper, which is mainly incidental to the recovery of other metals, increased 120,523 pounds. The quantity of lead produced in 1913 was 87,897,773 pounds, an increase of 12,655,506 pounds. The quantity of zinc produced was 119,346,429 pounds, a decrease of 12,876,383 pounds. ORE PRODUCTION IN 1913. The output of ore sold or treated in 1913 from Colorado mines was 2,734,866 short tons, an increase of 158,240 tons, as compared with the production of 1912. The output of siliceous and dry ores was 2,161,458 tons, an increase of 195,158 tons. The output of copper ores was 16,555 tons, an increase of 2,837 tons; the production of lead ores was 205,774 tons, an increase of 23,029 tons; and the output of zinc ores decreased 36,651 tons, from 177,946 tons in 1912 to 141,295 tons in 1913. There were 6,417 tons of copper-lead ores produced in 1913, a decrease of 393 tons. The output of lead-zinc ores was 203,367 tons, a decrease of 25,740 tons. The combined output of zinc and lead-zinc ores showed a decrease of 62,391 tons. During 1913 there were treated at amalgamating and cyaniding mills, including also a very small quantity at chlorinating mills, with or without concentration equipment (including all the custom mills in the State), 1,610,335 tons of ore having an average recovery as bullion or precipitates of 0.344 ounce gold and 0.28 ounce silver per ton. 1 For discussion of the geology of the districts mentioned in the following pages the reader is directed to the bibliography appended to the report for 1912, in Mineral Resources, 1912, pt. 1, pp. 704-705, 1913, and to U. S. Geol. Survey Bull, 507: The mining districts of the western United States, by J. M. Hill, with a geological introduction by Waldemar Lindgren, 1912. From the 1,610,335 tons treated at amalgamating, cyaniding, and chlorinating mills, and from 459,533 tons sent to concentration and separation mills, a total to both classes of mills of 2,069,868 tons (76 per cent of the total tonnage treated, as compared with 76 per cent in 1912), were produced 218,291 tons of concentrates-ratio 9.5 to 1-with an average total value of $39.94 per ton, as compared with $44.24 per ton in 1912. Ore milled in 1913, in terms of metals recovered as bullion or by concentration, averaged 0.328 ounce gold and 1.34 ounces silver per ton, 0.06 per cent copper, and 1.14 per cent lead. Crude ore shipped to all kinds of smelters amounted to 664,998 tons, averaging 0.271 ounce gold and 9.86 ounces silver per ton, 0.37 per cent copper, and 3.07 per cent lead. Crude ore and concentrates shipped to all kinds of smelters therefore amounted to 883,289 tons, averaging 0.343 ounce gold and 10.05 ounces silver per ton, 0.41 per cent copper, and 4.98 per cent lead. In 1913 there were 29 productive placers in Colorado which yielded $408,540 in gold and 4,563 fine ounces, valued at $2,756, in silver, a total of $411,296 in gold and silver, as compared with $427,025 in 1912, with $321,704 in 1911, with $398,140 in 1910, with $461,508 in 1909, and with $186,058 in 1908. The statement of Colorado production from 1904 to 1913, showing increase or decrease of 1913 over 1912, and total value at each year's commercial price, is as follows: Production of gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc in Colorado, 1904-1913.a (-)..... +2+158,240 -441,646+1, 113, 185 +120, 523 +12, 655, 506-12, 876, 383-1,870, 381-1.51 a United States Geological Survey figures, as calculated from reports from the mines. GOLD. The total gold production for Colorado in 1913 was 877,857.06 fine ounces, valued at $18,146,916, as against 899,221.69 fine ounces, valued at $18,588,562, in 1912, a decrease of 21,364.63 fine ounces in quantity and of $441,646 in value. The Cripple Creek district, with a decrease of $103,359, produced $10,905,003 in gold, which was 60 per cent of the Colorado gold output from all sources. The San Juan region in Dolores, La Plata, Ouray, San Juan, and San Miguel counties, showed a decrease of $43,662. There was an increase of $177,500 in La Plata, of $134,038 in San Juan, and of $4,876 in Dolores, but a decrease of $269,863 in San Miguel and of $90,213 in Ouray County. Other counties showing an increased output of gold were Chaffee and Summit, but notable decreases were made in Boulder, Gilpin, Gunnison, Lake, Mineral, and Park. Siliceous and dry ores, which made 97 per cent of all the tonnage mined, yielded 817,065.17 fine ounces, valued at $16,890.236, or 93 per cent of all the gold production. A little more than 3 per cent came from lead ores, less than 1 per cent from copper ores, a negligible per cent from copper-lead ores, and less than 1 per cent from zinc and lead-zinc ores. A little more than 2 per cent came from placers. The output of placer gold in 1913 was 19,763.12 fine ounces, valued at $408,540, a decrease of $15,345. Summit County, with 3 dredges and 4 placers, produced nearly 95 per cent of the placer yield. The greater part of the remainder came from sluicing operations in Park, Moffat, and Chaffee counties. There were small placer yields in Costilla, Douglas, Gilpin, Gunnison, Montrose, and Rio Grande counties. Source of gold production in Colorado in 1913, by kinds of ore, by counties, in fine ounces. Increase (+) or decrease (-)..... 1,902.85 527,529.52 19,763. 12 817,065. 19 4,783.04 877,857.06 6,424.64 899, 221.69 -742.32-24,230.65-1, 143.94 +7,079. 07-458. 59-226.60-1,641. 60-21,364.63 3,398.27 13.21 1,043. 46 12.77 1,715.49 205.26 31,811.98 103,008.32 245.59 22,360.29 527,529.52 7,615.92 26,845.88 73.92 1, 709.99 532.51 1,936.59 SILVER. The silver yield in Colorado in 1913 was 9,325,255 fine ounces, valued at $5,632,454, as against 8,212,070 fine ounces, valued at $5,050,423 in 1912, an increase of 1,113,185 fine ounces in quantity and of $582,031 in value. Lake County showed for 1913 an increase of 399,921 ounces and the output was 36.5 per cent of the State yield, as compared with 37 per cent in 1912. Notable increases in output were made in Boulder, Chaffee, Clear Creek, Dolores, Eagle, Gunnison, Lake, La Plata, Mineral, Park, Pitkin, and San Juan counties, and notable decreases in Gilpin and San Miguel counties. In the production of silver, 9 counties, ranking in the order named, Lake, San Miguel, San Juan, Mineral, Pitkin, Ouray, Clear Creek, Eagle, and Gilpin, furnished 88 per cent of the total. Siliceous and dry ores yielded 6,270,758 fine ounces, or 67 per cent of the silver output; lead ores, 1,645,186 ounces, or nearly 18 per cent; lead-zinc ores, 668,632 ounces, or more than 7 per cent; coppercent. A negligible percentage lead ores, 491,058 ounces, or over 5 per came from zinc ores and from placers. Source of silver production in Colorado in 1913, by kinds of ore, by counties, in fine ounces. COPPER. The copper output of Colorado in 1913 increased in quantity from 7,107,303 pounds to 7,227,826 pounds, but decreased in value from $1,172,705 to $1,120,313. Copper production was reported from 25 counties in 1913. As usual, Lake County was the leading copper producer, yielding 27 per cent of the State output in 1913; and San Juan was second, with 17 per cent; Gilpin, Dolores, San Miguel, Ouray, Clear Creek, and Chaffee followed, in order. These 8 counties combined produced 94 per cent of the total. Siliceous and dry ores yielded 4,110,475 pounds, or nearly 57 per cent of the copper output; copper ores, 1,701,666 pounds, or over 23 per cent; lead ores, 566,401 pounds, or nearly 8 per cent; copper-lead ores, 640,795 pounds, or nearly 9 per cent; lead-zinc ores, 206,933 pounds, or nearly 3 per cent. Source of copper production in Colorado in 1913, by kinds of ore, by counties, in pounds. The lead production in Colorado in 1913 was 87,897,773 pounds, valued at $3,867,502, as against 75,242,267 pounds, valued at $3,385,902, in 1912, an increase of 12,655,506 pounds in quantity and of $481,600 in value. There were marked increases in Chaffee, Clear Creek, Dolores, Lake, Park, Pitkin, and San Juan counties. Decreases of note were made in Gilpin, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Mineral, Ouray, San Miguel, and Summit counties. |