Division of Mines and Mining
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STATE OF WASHINGTON ARTHUR B. LANGLIE, GOVERNOR Department of Conservation and Development JOHN BROOKE FINK, Director THIRD BIENNIAL REPORT of the DIVISION OF MINES AND MINING For the Period Commencing January 1, 1939 and Ending January 1, 1941 By THOMAS B. HILL, SUPERVISOR J . w. MELROSE, GEOLOGIST OLYMPIA STATE PRI NTINC PLANT DIVISION OF MINES AND MINING Hon. John Brooke Fink, Director, Department of Conservation and Development, Olympia, Washington. Sir: I have the honor to submit herewith the third biennial report of the Division of Mines and Mining, covering the period from January l, 1939, to January 1, 1941. Respectfully, THOMAS B. HILL, Supervisor. DIVISION OF MINES AND MINING THOMAS B. HILL Supervisor SUMMARY OF MINERAL INFORMATION The present widespread interest in the mineral resources of Washington had its beginning in 1933 when the Director of the Department of Conserva tion and Devlopment devoted a substantial part of an allocation of $80,000 from Washington Emergency Relief Administration to mineral investigations. Two years later, the Division of Mines and Mining was created, and has continued the investigations, the work of compiling information and promoting the development of the mineral resources. Extensive information had been developed on the mineral resources of the State in the previous twenty-five years, largely through the Washington Geological Survey and the Division of Geology. This information had been published in some 50 or more bulletins and 1·eports, about half of which are now out of print. The information, while extensive, was scattered and in many instances fragmentary. The result of the work begun by the Department in 1933, and continued by this Division since 1935, is that now information is available on all the known mineral occurrences of the State. These include some 28 metallics and 44 nonmetallics. Much information on the location, extent and quality of these deposits has been developed. The pressing need now is for extensive field investigations to determine extent and character of the mineral materials, their commercial importance, their accessibility, and the particular problems of minj.ng and metallurgy that may be involved. While there may be some discoveries of new deposits it is believed that the largest development in the future will result from detailed explorations of already known deposits. In the past eight years work has been carried on constantly in compiling information on known metallic and nonmetallic mining properties, the Divi sion of Geology having compiled the latter. The Division of Mines and Mining now has lists, practically complete, of metallic properties, showing locations, predominant values, status as to development, ownership where known, whether there has been production, and such other information as could be obtained. Investigations and checking in the field will provide Washington with as complete information on our minerals and mining prop erties as is available in any Western mining state. As an important part of the information relating to mineral resources, the Division, through a WPA project, transcribed the mineral claim records, showing all the mineral claims that had been located on Federal lands and recorded in the auditors' offices in the respective counties. This showed that up to about January 1, 1937, more than 125,000 claims had been located in Washington. So far as known, Washington is the only state in which such record has been compiled. In addition plats showing all claims that have been patented, or surveyed 4 Division of Mines and Mining for patent, have been transcribed from records in the office of the public surveyor. In connection with the national defense program, and for use in 1·elation to industrial development, a compilation of all known information on de posits of strategic minerals of the State was made, and there was also com piled a summary of information on iron ores of the State. The general information on the mineral resources of the State has been compiled and is available, but it should be checked for accuracy, and addi tional information developed as rapidily as possible. Then the material should be put in form for the widest practical use and published for general distribu tion. GREAT INCREASE IN MINERAL PRODUCTION The rapid increase in mineral production in the State of Washingto~ since 1935 has been almost spectacular, and yet there has been nothing in the nature of a boom in connection with it. The production of gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc in 1940, was more than eighteen times the amount produced in 1935, while the total mineral production of the State in 1940 was about two and a half times the production five years earlier. While comparison of production of metallics with 1935 may not be fair because that was a low year, the average production prior to 1935 was well under one million dollars, annually, less than one-seventh of the 1940 output. The new high in the production of mineral wealth in the State of Wc\Sh ington established in 1940, shows an estimated output of $34,462.017, as compared with $34,162,000 in 1939, an increase of $300,017. An all-time high was established in 1940 in the production of gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc, which reached the impressive total of $7,193,391, as compared with $6,739,467 for 1939, or an increase over the previous year of $453,924. There has been a consistent substantial increase in production in these five metals in the last six years, as follows, the production in 1940 having been $6,799,350 greater than in 1935: 1935 $394,041 1936 1,015.771 1937 2.253.054 1938 5,510.440 1939 6,739,467 1940 7,193.391 It is interesting to know that since the first recovery of a mineral in Washington in 1853, until 1936, a period of 83 years, the production of these five metals exceeded one million dollars in only 9 years, as follows: 1911 . , ... , ............................ , ..... ........ ... $1,056,017 1912 .. , . • . • . 1,120,214 1913 ..... ....... ...•...•.... .......... , , . 1,053,135 1916 . • . • . • . 2.048,350 1917 ..... , . • . 2,289,285 1918 ......•. ................... • ........ ..... .... , . 1,467,421 1920 . • • . • . • . 1,200,982 1923 . .. • . .. • .. .. 1,065,666 1925 . • . • . 1,092.464 In the table of production figures for 1939 and 1940, those for 1940, except gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc, are estimated on the basis of 1939 produc- Division of Mines and Mining 5 tion. The production of coal was slightly less than the previous year. It is confidently believed that the figures for cement, sand, gravel, and stone will be greater for 1940 than for 1939, because of the immense amount of concrete poured in the construction of Coulee Dam, and the exceptional construction activities in the latter part of 1940 incident to the national defense program. Imports of magnesite were cut off from Europe in 1939 and its use as a refractory has increased. This will enlarge the figures for magnesite in 1940 which in turn should increase the iron production where this product is used as a flux. The rise in price of tungsten concentrates from $17.11 per unit in 1939 to a little above $23 per unit in 1940, should raise the yearly total of this sub stance. Although not large, the mercury production will be somewhat above 1939. Advance information indicates that the mining of diatomite was greater in 1940. Of course some of the products will show a decrease but it will not be great. Probably the only decrease of consequence will be in coal production. An advance estimate from the State Coal Inspector shows a decrease of some 50,000 tons. 1940 MINERAL PRODUCTION IN WASHINGTON PROncc·r Qu antity Value Gold, ounces .. .. ....... ............................... ......... ........ 84,665 $2,~.275 0 365,670 200.03'2 ~~;e;er, 1:o~~ds' ·. ·::::::::.::: ::: :: :::::: ::::: ::: :: ::: :::::: ::: :: ::::::::: 18,8$,000 Z,100,95-1 Lead, pounds ... .. ... •. , ......... .... ....•........................... 5,658,000 282,900 Zinc, pounds ..........•......... ... •....... •.......... •.............. 23,9-111,000 1,566,230 Coal, tons . ............. ... ......... ................... ........ ..... ] ,6i5,592 5,220,05.S lron, tons .................................................... ......... 10,757 44,188 Manganese, tons ...... ... ......................................... ... 100 2,500 Molybdenum (concentrates) tons ....................... ....... ........ 10 9,000 Tungsten (concentrates) tons ....... ...... ......................... .... ~ l 125,412 Mercury . ...... ...... ..... ...... ............... .................... Antimony ................. .. ............................ ............... $ $ Coke, tons .............. ................ ................ .. .... ......... U,993 74,006@ 19 086 lU,516@ i!~\u~t.s.'.. t.~~~. :: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : Petroleum ....................................................... , . •..... '$ $ ~o.tural Gas, cubic feet . ........ .. ... ................. .. ............ 67,000,000 53,563 Carbon Dioxide, Gas ............... ................................ ... © Cement. barrels ................ ........................ , ............... o,974 ,455 8,782,453 Stone, tons ...................... ................ ...................... 3,Siii,656 3,122,370 Sand and gravel, tons .................. ............................ ... 11.916,217 6,0IS,619 Lime, tons ..................................................... ........ 47,45S 48-1,667