(GENERAL REPORT.) By H. D. MCCASKEY.1 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. To the thousands of men engaged in the mining and metallurgical industries, to merchants, bankers, and transportation officials of the United States and Alaska, to the Bureau of the Mint, the Post Office Department, the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce of the Department of Commerce, and to other officials, public and private, who have cooperated with the United States Geological Survey in furnishing information on the production of gold and silver, acknowledgment is most gratefully made. This cooperation is each year more freely given, and the results are correspondingly of increased value, not only to those directly concerned, but also to the public at large. To the authors of the various Survey mines reports on the production of gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc, in the Central and Western States, and in Alaska, Messrs. B. S. Butler, A. H. Brooks, J. P. Dunlop, C. N. Gerry, V. C. Heikes, Charles W. Henderson, and Charles G. Yale, the writer is especially indebted. PRODUCTION OF GOLD AND SILVER IN 1913. The recovered output of gold and silver in the United States from domestic o es and gravels in 1913 is shown in the following table in distribution by States. Approximate distribution, by producing States and Territories, of the production of gold and silver in the United States for the calendar year 1913, in fine ounces.2 2 1 Valuable aid ha en rendered by J. P. D nlop in the preparation of the tables of this report and in the verification of all fig res. 2 Gold val ie, $20.67+ per fine ounce. Average commercial price of silver in 1913, 60.4 cents per fine o ince. The figures in this table are also those of the Director of the Mint. They result from cooperation of the Bureau of the Mint and the United States Geological Survey, and are agreed upon after conference and adjustment between the two bureaus. They are, therefore, final for both. The totals of this table are based on bullion deposits in the United States mints and assay offices and on returns to the Bureau of the Mint from the smelting and refining companies. The distribution is adjusted by information collected by the United States Geological Survey directly from the producing mines and tabulated for the mines reports later discussed. The data giving the total p oduction, and in part the distribution, are obtained from records of (1) the unrefined domestic gold and silver deposited in United States mints and assay offices, (2) the domestic gold and silver in fine bars reported by prívate refineries, and (3) the unrefined domestic gold and silver contained in ores, matte, etc., exported for reduction. The last item is of small relative importance. Gains and losses in the production of gold and silver in the several States and Territories, as compared with the output of 1912, are shown in the following table: Increase (+) or decrease (−) in production of gold and silver in the United States in 1913, by States and Territories, in fine ounces. In addition to the production of gold and silver from domestic sources in 1913, the domestic smelters and refineries produced as refined bullion from foreign ore, matte, and unrefined bullion 900,720 fine ounces of gold and 50,708,690 fine ounces of silver. Of the foreign gold 279,061 ounces is credited to Mexico, 399,726 ounces to Canada (including British Columbia, the Yukon, and the Klondike), 56,009 ounces to Central America and 45,316 ounces to South America, 88 ounces to Cuba, and 120,520 ounces to all other foreign sources. Of the foreign silver 28,828,540 fine ounces is credited to Mexico, 9,206,153 ounces to all Canada, 2,232,798 ounces to Central America, and 7,670,307 ounces to South America, 18,832 ounces to Cuba, and 2,743,060 ounces to all other foreign sources. PRICES OF SILVER. The average monthly prices of fine silver in New York in 1913 were as follows: Price of silver per fine ounce in 1913, by months. The average annual price of silver per fine ounce from 1865 to 1913, inclusive, has been: Annual price of silver per fine ounce in New York, 1865–1913. The production of gold in the world from 1860 to 1912, inclusive, is shown in the table following. Production of gold in the world, 1860–1912. [The annual production from 1860 to 1872 is obtained from 5-year periods compiled by Dr. Adolph Soetbeer. From 1872 to 1912, inclusive, the estimates are those of the Bureau of the Mint.] In the following table is shown the output of gold, by countries, for the 11 years ending 1912: World's production of gold, 1902-1912, by countries. World's production of gold, 1902-1912, by countries-Continued. PRODUCTION OF GOLD AND SILVER SINCE 1792. According to tables published by the Director of the Mint, the total production of gold and silver in the United States from 1792 to 1913, inclusive, is as follows: Production of gold and silver in the United States, 1792–1913, by periods, in fine ounces. [The estimate for 1792-1872 is by R. W. Raymond, commissioner, and since by the Director of the Mint.] The table following shows the quantity and value of these metals produced in the United States since 1880: 63057°- -M R 1913-VOL 1-54 |