British traders are constantly striving to increase their control of Bolivian tungsten ores. At present the English seemingly have complete control of the financial system of Bolivia, so far as foreign exchange is concerned. An American interested in a tungsten mine in Bolivia has informed the writer that it is almost impossible to do business with English banks, because they insist that if they extend commercial courtesies, even for pay, the recipient must buy only English mining machinery. The buddle, which for dressing tungsten ore is obsolete in other countries, is said to be still used in Bolivian mills under English control. If miners do not wish to deal through English banks, they are compelled to cable money to and from New York at considerable expense. The American banking interests represented in Bolivia seem conservative in advancing money on ore shipments, whereas German and English representatives are said to advance up to 80 per cent. of the market value of ores shipped. Mining corporations controlled by English firms ship to England, and Americans can not compete for the production. Such a firm is Aramayo Francke Mines, Ltd., which produced 2,050 long tons of tin concentrates, 226 tons of wolframite concentrates, and a considerable output of bismuth in the year ending May 31, 1916. Control of the Bolivian mines by the English is not yet dangerous to American interests, except through the banking system, but entire control may be passed to them, to the Germans or the French, through American tariff legislation.
In Portugal, English companies control a number of the mines, and it has been alleged by at least two Americans[89] that the English government, through its representations at Lisbon, for a period of more than two years, prevented title passing to American companies. The Thermo Electric Ore Reduction Corporation, Ltd., seems to be the chief English owner of Portuguese tungsten mines.
[89] Personal communications.
In the Dutch East Indies, the British are understood to control the present wolframite production of about 5 tons a month.
French Control.
—French control of tungsten deposits is not large. It includes the production of France and of Tonkin, a part of that from Portugal, and a comparatively small interest in Bolivia. During the war, control in Portugal was attempted by England and France. The prices offered by the English and French were much below the market prices at New York, and the Portuguese government stepped in and raised prices to a point somewhat lower than those of the United States, but 20 per cent. higher than the prices offered by England and France.
Japanese Control.
—Japan has within her own borders a considerable number of tungsten deposits in the southern part of the islands, but all are small. In Korea important deposits have been discovered and actively worked, especially within the last two years. Deposits in Manchuria are said to be controlled by the Japanese; little is known of them, and if they exist they are probably small. Japanese ores have largely come to the United States for several years. As has been said, Japanese firms have erected electric furnaces in which a part of the tungsten ores are reduced, probably the equivalent of 25 to 35 tons per month of concentrates carrying 60 per cent. WO3.
American Control.
—The United States controls entirely the tungsten deposits within its own borders and Alaska. Americans operating in Mexico have produced 200 to 300 short tons of scheelite concentrates per year, from deposits in the Sahuaripa district, Sonora. Wolframite is said to have been shipped from Sinaloa to the United States, but its real origin is unknown. Contact metamorphic deposits about 60 miles southwest of Nacozari carry 0.7 per cent. WO3 and 1 to 2 per cent. copper. They are owned by Americans but are not now productive.