same type. There was no production from this mine, nor from small placer mines in this county which produced a little gold in 1907. In this county also are the old Eagle, Lee, Monroe, Rattlesnake, and Rappahannock gold mines, the last of which was extensively worked many years ago. In Spottsylvania County are also a number of gold mines, and there was a small production of gold from this county during the year. The Whitehall mine yielded rich pockets of gold, in early mining, and is reported to have had a considerable production at that time.

QUICKSILVER.

By H. D. MCCASKEY.

CONDITION OF INDUSTRY.

The general condition of the quicksilver industry has not been satisfactory during the last few years. Domestic demand for the metal has not been great, owing to changing metallurgical processes, and the profit in exporting quicksilver to the Orient has been cut by competition from foreign countries. There will, however, remain indefinitely a domestic demand of considerable importance, and it will be noted in the analysis of import and export tables in this report that the quicksilver brought into the United States to meet this demand both in 1907 and in 1908 was greatly in excess of the imports of previous years; that, although there were no exports to China in 1908, the exports to Mexico were but little less than those of 1907; and that the quicksilver sent to Canada in 1908 was more than twice the quantity and value of that sent in 1907. Prices for the metal greatly improved in 1908, and on the whole the situation was somewhat better than in 1907.

PRODUCTION.

The production of quicksilver in the United States in 1908, as obtained from returns made to the Survey from every mine producing during the year, was 19,752 flasks of 75 pounds each, and was valued at $824,146. As compared with the production of 1907, this was a decrease of 1,815 flasks in quantity and of $4,785 in value. An annual decrease of the production of quicksilver is noted for the last five years, and the output of 1908 was the smallest recorded since 1860. The production of quicksilver in 1908 was, as usual, chiefly from California, although Arizona and Oregon, which furnished no output in 1907, added somewhat to the production of 1908. There was no quicksilver reported from Utah during the year. Slightly decreased quantity was reported from California, but owing to improved prices the value of the production increased over that of 1908. In Texas both quantity and value of production decreased. The following table shows the production, in flasks of 75 pounds. each, and the values for the United States in the years 1907 and 1908: Production of quicksilver in the United States in 1907 and 1908, in flasks of 75 pounds.

RESOURCES AND DEVELOPMENT.

CALIFORNIA.

During 1908 California produced 16,984 flasks of quicksilver, valued at $684,716. This was a decrease of 447 flasks in quantity, but owing to the higher prices for the metal in 1908, there was an increase in value of the output. Although there have been decreases in the production of California for the last three years, they have been smaller each year. In 1908 California furnished 86 per cent of the total production of the United States, an increase of 5.2 per cent over the proportion of the production of 1907 and of 8.6 per cent over that of 1906.

Below is a table showing the production of California, by years, since 1850:

Total production of quicksilver in California, 1850–1908, in flasks.a

The condition of the industry in California in 1908 was such as to cause the producers considerable concern. There was marked improvement in price, but the minimum demand of the last few years continued to prevail, and the market in the Orient was not attractive. Added to this was the fact that the chief producers in the State were working in low-grade ore, and the greatest metallurgical skill and business economy were required that the mines might pay at all. In view of the fact that the market conditions are responsible for the small production of recent years and that the mines can probably considerably increase their output if encouraged to do so, the problem seems largely one of increasing the market, possibly by researches of industrial chemists into the field of new uses for quicksilver.

a 76 pounds net; 75 pounds net since June 1, 1904.

The production of quicksilver in California for 1907 and 1908 is shown by counties in the following table:

Production of quicksilver in California, by counties, during 1907 and 1908, in flasks of 75 pounds.

From this table it will be noted that Colusa, Lake, and San Benito counties increased their output in 1908 over that of 1907, but that all the other producing counties of the State showed decreased yield. For several years the most important producing county in the State has been San Benito. Santa Clara and Napa counties followed considerably behind with almost equal production in 1908, and next in rank was Lake County. The three most important producing mines in 1908 were the New Idria of San Benito County, the Napa Consolidated of Napa County, and the New Almaden of Santa Clara County. Following these were the Helen and Great Western mines of Lake County, the St. John of Solano County, the Oceanic of San Luis Obispo County, the Socrates of Sonoma County, and the Guadalupe of Santa Clara County. Nine other mines also produced during the year.

Colusa County.-In Colusa County the Elgin and Baumeister mines of the New Elgin Quicksilver Mining Company, at Sulphur Creek, yielded a small production in 1908. The ore was concentrated on Gilpin County bumping tables, after which it was pan roasted in firebrick retorts with the use of superheated steam, instead of lime, to take up the excess of sulphur. A large flow of hot alkaline water in the mine has stopped development work, and as a long drainage tunnel would seem to afford the only relief from this invasion, operations have been suspended for the time. The Manzanita mine, of the same district, yielded a small output in 1908 from concentrates retorted in a 30-ton furnace. The Wide Awake mine, also at Sulphur Creek, equipped with a 35-ton Scott fine-ore furnace with 18 iron condensers, has not been operated during the last five years.

Fresno County.-In Fresno County the Mercy mines, near Llamada, produced a small quantity of quicksilver treated in an experimental rotary furnace. The ore is cinnabar associated with quartz, and is reported by J. Nonish to lie between altered sandstones, the croppings being traceable for a mile. The Providence mine was idle in

1908.

a Nonish, J., letter to the writer, December 25, 1908.