Political and commercial geology and the world's mineral resources
Science
Political and commercial geology and the world's mineral resources
Geology, Economic; Mines and mineral resources
| 23.2
World total | ... | ... | ... |2,097.0|
Percentage of world total| | | | |
reserves | 0.4 | 2.2 | 1.95| ... | 100
-------------------------+------+------+--------+-------+-------
[108] Extension is the product of “Percentage of World Total” and
“Developed Reserves in Terms of Years Life,” and gives total ultimate
relative importance of different countries.
[109] In so far as it affects production this high figure must be
discounted because of the large reserves being compact, the distance
from market and the unfavorable mining conditions of a thinly settled
country.
[110] Katanga equals ⁶⁵⁄₆₆ of this.
NOTE.--Not much weight is to be attached to figures showing more than
10 years of life. Total full future value over long number of years
is greatly reduced when expressed in terms of present value on normal
interest discount. All countries with reserves good for ten or more
years may be considered as being on an equal footing so far as copper
resources are concerned. But, large reserves may mean expanding
production (as in Chile and Africa) and be important on that account
and only on that account.
To weigh ore reserves they have been taken in toto, but Spain would
be no worse off as compared to the United States if her reserves
were put at 10 years instead of at 50 (as calculated above). Her
reserves happen to be of a kind easily blocked out, but her output is
stationary.
[Illustration: PLATE VIII.--Geographical distribution of the principal
copper-producing districts of the world. By F. W. Paine.]
Table 35 shows the different copper-producing countries of the world
and the chief features of financial control of the producing mines.
Table 36 shows the chief features of business control (refining and
selling control) as distinct from control by mine ownership. In both
tables a forecast for future conditions is made by using estimates
of 1918 and 1919 production. These figures are followed out to the
different forms of control. The actual outputs of 1916-17 are given
as a reference and check. Table 37 shows reserves, largely those of
producing mines. Plate VIII shows the location of the principal copper
deposits of the world.
NORTH AMERICA
UNITED STATES
=Production.=--The maximum output of copper from mines within the
borders of the United States was in 1916, and amounted to 1,927,850,548
pounds. In 1917 the output was less, because of labor troubles, but
six leading states showed an increase, and if Montana had equaled the
output of 1916, the 1917 output would have been 1,962,034,512 pounds.
Without good markets and favorable labor conditions, the United States
production cannot reach anything like 2,000,000,000 pounds a year.
Commercial Control
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