As heretofore, the publication of this report has been anticipated to a great extent by the issue in advance, in pamphlet form, of the several chapters which compose it. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. Except as noted above, and in a few isolated instances where some other well-established agency already exists by which the statistics are collected accurately, the figures are obtained directly from the producers, and it is impossible to acknowledge here, otherwise than by brief mention, the invaluable assistance which has been freely rendered by them and by the voluntary contributions of many local experts. The technical press, besides affording much information concerning new mining enterprises, has been largely drawn upon for prices, market reports, and new technical processes. The collection of the statistics of mineral production in 1908 has been conducted under cooperative agreements with a number of state geological surveys. The object to be attained in carrying out these cooperative agreements is threefold: 1. The avoidance of annoyance to the producers in the form of duplicate requests for statistical information. 2. The securing of prompter and more complete returns, and 3. The enabling of the state geologists to keep in touch with the producers and with new developments in their respective jurisdictions. Special acknowledgment is made of the assistance received by the United States Geological Survey from the directors of the state surveys, while the cooperative arrangement has been carried out in a harmonious manner and with exceedingly gratifying results. The state surveys which cooperated with the United States Geological Survey in 1908 are as follows: Alabama.. Illinois_. Iowa. Kentucky Maryland. Missouri New Jersey. New York__ North Carolina_ Dr. Eugene A. Smith, state geologist, University. SUMMARY OF THE MINERAL PRODUCTION OF THE UNITED STATES IN 1908. Compiled by W. T. THOM. GENERAL REMARKS.a The varied character of the units of measurement employed in the mineral industry makes it impossible to compare the outputs of the several minerals, except in the value of the products. In 1905, for the first time, and in 1906, for the second time, the total value of the domestic mineral production exceeded the enormous sum of $1,500,000,000; and in 1907, for the first time, the still greater sum of $2,000,000,000 was exceeded. In 1908 the disastrous results of the financial depression of the latter part of 1907 became only too apparent in the decrease in value of the mineral output, which declined for the year to about $1,596,000,000 from over $2,000,000,000 in 1907. The exact figures for 1908 are $1,595,670,186, as compared with $2,071,607,964 in 1907, with $1,904,007,034 in 1906, with $1,625,135,835 in 1905, and with $1,363,072,345 in 1904; a loss in 1908 from 1907 of $475,937,778, or 22.97 per cent; from 1906 of $308,336,848, or 16.19 per cent; from 1905 of $29,465,649, or 1.81 per cent, and an increase over 1904 of $232,597,841, or 17.06 per cent. As heretofore, iron and coal are the most important of our mineral products. The value of iron in 1908 was $254,321,000; the value of coal was $532,314,117. The fuels-coal, natural gas, and petroleumdecreased from $789,128,046 in 1907 to $716,660,749 in 1908, a loss of $72,467,297, or 9.18 per cent. Anthracite coal showed a decrease in value of $5,405,207, from $163,584,056 in 1907 to $158,178,849 in 1908. The decrease in value of the bituminous coal output from 1907 was $77,079,574, from $451,214,842 in 1907 to $374,135,268 in 1908, a loss or combined decrease in the value of coal of $82,484,781, or 13.42 per cent. The loss of $475,937,778 in the total value of our mineral production is due to losses in both metallic and nonmetallic products, the metallic products showing a decrease from $903,802,244 in 1907 to $549,923,116 in 1908, a loss of $353,879,128, and the nonmetallic products showing a decrease from $1,167,705,720 in 1907 to $1,045,497,070 in a The imports cited in this summary and in the volume are "imports for consumption," which may or may not be identical with the "total imports" for the calendar year. Merchandise brought into the country late in December, for example, may be entered for consumption or it may be put into a warehouse and not be withdrawn for consumption until some months later. It will then be credited for consumption to the year of its withdrawal from the warehouse. 1908, a loss of $122,208,650. To these products should be added estimated unspecified products, including cadmium, nickel, cobalt, bismuth, and other mineral products, valued at $250,000, making a total mineral production for 1908 of $1,595,670,186. METALS. Iron and steel.-Twenty-three States produced pig iron in 1908, as against 21 in 1907, 20 in 1906, 20 in 1905, 20 in 1904, 22 in 1903, and 22 in 1902. The total production of pig iron in 1908 was 15,936,018 long tons against 25,781,361 long tons in 1907, 25,307,191 long tons in 1906, 22,992,380 long tons in 1905, 16,497,033 long tons in 1904, and 18,009,252 tons in 1903. The production of 1908 shows a decrease in quantity of 9,845,343 long tons, or 38.19 per cent from the production of 1907, and a decrease in value from $529,958,000 to $254,321,000, amounting to $275,637,000, or 52.01 per cent. The average price per long ton of pig iron decreased from $20.56 in 1907 to $15.96 in 1908. The average prices per long ton in recent years have been as follows: 1906, $19.98; 1905, $16.63; 1904, $14.13. The imports of pig iron (including scrap, valued at $151,012 in 1907 and at $42,715 in 1908) were about 340,000 long tons, valued at $5,480,000 in 1907, and about 36,000 long tons, valued at $540,000 in 1908. The exports (including scrap) were 99,000 long tons, valued at $1,908,000 in 1907 and 68,000 tons, valued at $1,118,000 in 1908. Iron ores. The production of iron ores in 1908 amounted to 35,983,336 long tons, as compared with 51,720,619 long tons in 1907, with 47,749,728 long tons in 1906, with 42,526,133 long tons in 1905, with 27,644,330 long tons in 1904, and with 35,019,308 long tons in 1903. The value of the ore mined in 1908 at the mines was $81,845,904, as compared with $131,996,147 in 1907, with $100,597,106 in 1906, and with $75,165,604 in 1905. As in the nine preceding years, the production of iron ores in the United States in 1908 was never equaled by that of any other country. The imports of iron ores in 1908 were valued at $2,220,132 against $3,937,483 in 1907; the exports in 1908 were valued at $1,012,924 against $763,422 in 1907. Manganese ores.-The production of manganese ores was 3,146 long tons, valued at $29,466 in 1904; 4,118 long tons, valued at $36,214 in 1905; 6,921 long tons, valued at $88,132 in 1906; 5,604 long tons, valued at $63,369 in 1907, and 6,144 tons, valued at $62,779 in 1908. The average price per ton was $9.37 in 1904, $8.80 in 1905, $12.73 in 1906, $11.31 in 1907, and $10.22 in 1908. Manganiferous ores, carrying from 20 to 40 per cent of manganese, were produced to the extent of 55,620 long tons, valued at $132,556 in 1908, as against 103,844 long tons, valued at $259,473 in 1907, and 41,300 long tons, valued at $122,400 in 1906. The imports in 1908 were 178,203 long tons, valued at $1,350,223, as against 209,421 long tons, valued at $1,793,143, in 1907. Gold. The production of gold increased from 3,892,480 ounces, valued at $80,464,700 in 1904, to 4,265,742 ounces, valued at $88,180,700 in 1905, and to 4,565,333 ounces, valued at $94,373,800 in 1906; it decreased in 1907 to 4,374,827 ounces, valued at $90,435,700, a loss in 1907 of 190,506 ounces in quantity and of $3,938,100 in value. In 1908 the output increased to 4,574,340 ounces, valued at $94,560,000, a gain of 199,513 ounces in quantity and of $4,124,300 in value. Silver. The production of silver increased in quantity from 57,682,800 ounces in 1904 to 56,101,600 ounces in 1905, and to 56,517,900 ounces in 1906; it decreased to 56,514,700 ounces in 1907 and to 52,440,800 ounces in 1908, a loss of 4,073,900 ounces. It increased in commercial value from $33,456,000 in 1904 to $34,221,976 in 1905, and to $38,256,400 in 1906, and decreased to $37,299,700 in 1907, a loss of $956,700, and to $28,050,600 in 1908, a further loss of $9,249,100 in 1908. Copper. The production of copper increased from 812,537,267 pounds, valued at $105,629,845, in 1904, to 901,907,843 pounds, valued at $139,795,716, in 1905, and to 917,805,682 pounds, valued at $177,595,888, in 1906; decreased in 1907 to 868,996,491 pounds, valued at $173,799,300; increased in 1908 in quantity to 942,570,721 pounds, and decreased in value to $124,419,335. The imports in 1908 were valued at $29,664,129, against $46,912,347 in 1907. The exports were valued at $91,809,675 in 1908 and at $103,252,917 in 1907. Lead. The production of lead in 1908 was 310,762 short tons, as against 365,166 short tons in 1907, 350,153 short tons in 1906, 302,000 short tons in 1905, and 307,000 short tons in 1904. The value of the production in 1908 was $26,104,008, as compared with $38,707,596 in 1907, with $39,917,442 in 1906, with $28,690,000 in 1905, and with $26,402,000 in 1904. The imports of lead were valued at $526,244 in 1908, against $1,082,944 in 1907, and the exports were valued at $599,640 in 1908, against $686,096 in 1907. Zinc. The production of zinc in 1908 was 190,749 short tons, as against 223,745 short tons in 1907, 199,694 short tons in 1906, 203,849 short tons in 1905, and 186,702 short tons in 1904. The value of the zinc production in 1908 was $17,930,406, as compared with $26,401,910 in 1907, with $24,362,668 in 1906, with $24,054,182 in 1905, and with $18,670,200 in 1904. The imports of zinc were valued at $617,325 in 1908, against $1,740,059 in 1907; the exports were valued at $1,683,887, against $1,401,831 in 1907. Bauxite. In 1908 the production of bauxite was 52,167 long tons, valued at $263,968, as compared with 97,776 long tons, valued at $480,330, in 1907; with 75,332 long tons, valued at $368,311, in 1906; with 48,129 long tons, valued at $240,292, in 1905; with 47,661 long tons, valued at $235,704, in 1904. The imports for consumption in 1908 were 21,679 long tons, valued at $87,823, as against 25,066 long tons, valued at $93,208, in 1907. Aluminum.-The consumption of aluminum during 1908 was 11,152,000 pounds, valued at $2,434,600, as against 17,211,000 pounds, valued at $4,926,948, in 1907; 14,910,000 pounds, valued at $4,262,286, in 1906; 11,347,000 pounds, valued at $3,246,300, in 1905; and 8,600,000 pounds, valued at $2,477,000, in 1904. Quicksilver. The production of quicksilver during 1908 amounted to 19,752 flasks (of 76 avoirdupois pounds net; 75 avoirdupois pounds net after June, 1904), as against 21,567 flasks in 1907, 26,238 flasks in 1906, 30,451 flasks in 1905, and 34,570 flasks in 1904. The value of the quicksilver produced in 1908 was $824,146 as compared with $828,931 in 1907, with $958,634 in 1906, with $1,103,120 in 1905, and with $1,503,795 in 1904. California reported 16,984 flasks, as against 17,431 flasks in 1907, 20,310 flasks in 1906, 24,635 flasks in 1905, and 29,217 flasks in 1904; and Texas reported 2,382 flasks as against 3,686 flasks in 1907, 4,761 flasks in 1906, 4,723 flasks in 1905, and 5,336 flasks in 1904. Utah did not report any production, as against 450 flasks in 1907, and 1,164 flasks in 1906. Oregon and Arizona combined reported 386 flasks, as against no production in 1907, and 3 flasks from Oregon in 1906. Chromic iron ore.-California was the only State producing chromite commercially during 1908, the quantity being 359 long tons, valued at $7,230, as compared with 290 long tons, valued at $5,640, in 1907, with 107 long tons, valued at $1,800, in 1906; with 22 long tons, valued at $375, in 1905; and with 123 long tons, valued at $1,845, in 1904. The imports were 27,876 long tons, valued at $345,960, as against 41,989 long tons, valued at $491,925, in 1907. Molybdenum. No production of molybdenum was reported in 1908. There was a small commercial production in 1907, as in 1906 and 1905. Nickel. The production of nickel in 1908 is included under unspecified products. There was no production of metallic nickel reported in 1907, as in 1906 and 1905, only a small quantity of nickel and cobalt ore being reported as sold. In 1904 the output was 24,000 pounds, as against a production of 114,200 pounds in 1903, and of 5,748 pounds in 1902. The value in 1904 was $11,400, as against $45,900 in 1903, and $2,701 in 1902. The imports of nickel in 1908 were valued at $2,497,585, as against $2,243,026, in 1907, and $1,902,367 in 1906. Rutile. No production of rutile was reported in 1908; there was a small output from Virginia in 1907. Tungsten. The commercial production of concentrated tungsten ores during 1908 amounted to 671 short tons, valued at $229,955, as against 1,640 short tons, valued at $890,048, in 1907; 928 short tons, valued at $348,867, in 1906; 803 short tons, valued at $268,676, in 1905; and 740 short tons, valued at $184,000, in 1904. Uranium and vanadium.-There was no production of uranium and vanadium minerals in 1908. The production in 1907, as in 1906, was included under unspecified products. The production in 1905 was valued at $375, as against $10,600 in 1904 and $5,625 in 1903. Tantalum.-No output of tantalum was reported in 1908; a very small production was reported from South Dakota in 1907. Platinum. The production of platinum from domestic ores in 1908 was 750 ounces, valued at $14,250, as compared with 357 ounces, valued at $10,589, in 1907; with 1,439 ounces, valued at $45,189, in 1906; with 318 ounces, valued at $5,320, in 1905; with 200 ounces, valued at $4,160, in 1904; and with 110 ounces, valued at $2,080, in 1903. The average price per ounce for 1907 was $29.66; in 1908 it was $16.80. The imports of platinum in 1908 were valued at $1,229,873, as against $2,684,642 in 1907. Antimony. There was no production of antimony reported in 1908. The production in 1907 was 351 short tons, valued at $77,300, as compared with 1,766 short tons, valued at $602,949, in 1906; with 3,240 short tons, valued at $705,787, in 1905; and 3,057 short tons, valued at $505,524, in 1904. The imports of antimony (metal, regulus, and ore) in 1908 were valued at $878,136, as against $1,588,764 in 1907; imports of antimony salts in 1908 were valued at $65,898, as against $98,038 in 1907. Antimonial lead.-The output and value of antimonial lead are reported separately for the first time in this report. The production |