RECENT CONDITIONS IN THE INDUSTRY
Owing to the very high prices prevailing for antimony during 1915 and 1916, caused by a greatly increased demand for antimony for the manufacture of munitions, several countries became large producers. The most important among these were Bolivia, Mexico, and Algeria, but Victoria and the United States, Peru, Burma, and Spain all contributed substantial amounts. With the possible exception of Algeria—whose principal mines yield considerable lead and zinc and are situated near to French reduction plants—and of Mexico, none of these countries will be important factors in the production of antimony at the usual low prices prevailing for that metal.
The sudden ending of the war found the belligerents with large stocks of antimony on hand, the English holding, according to figures published by the British Ministry of Munitions on March 1, 1919, 4,325 long tons of regulus. There is reason to believe that the other Allies had stocks of the same order of magnitude, and if so there must have been about a year’s supply available on April 1, 1919, as the 1913 consumption of antimony amounted to only about 20,000 tons. In addition there were large supplies of alloys and antimonial lead available and more will undoubtedly be obtained by salvage operations. It may be expected, therefore, that until these are absorbed the production of antimony will be even less than that of pre-war years. At present there is little inducement for mining. Costs of mining have increased everywhere. China, the largest producer, faces a particularly difficult situation, for the higher price of silver has resulted in doubling costs of labor and local supplies. If silver prices remain high after the demand for primary antimony has recovered, the other antimony-producing countries, not on a silver basis, will have a corresponding advantage over China in the matter of production.