In Bolivia, Americans own some of the more important tungsten mines. The American firms known to own tungsten properties there are W. R. Grace & Co., local address, La Paz; Stewart, Wilson & Hepburn, Oruro; Easley Inslee, La Paz; and C. Dillon, Oruro. Their total output is estimated to amount to about 1,600 tons, out of a total output of more than 4,000 tons for the country.
In southern China, American firms have largely developed the tungsten trade, so that through this source the United States (or rather American capital) controls, unless hindered, a yearly output of perhaps 9,000 short tons of tungsten concentrates.
In Siam one or two United States companies have attempted to produce tungsten, but English influence during the war made difficult the shipment of even small lots of ores to this country.
Because it offered higher prices than other countries, and because the more direct and shorter trade route made trade with this country advantageous to the Japanese, the United States largely controlled the Japanese output of tungsten ore in 1918. This trade probably has been somewhat curtailed and will be further diminished through the erection of electric furnaces in Japan. The table following shows the tungsten ores imported for consumption into the United States in 1918, but gives a poor idea of the ores shipped from the countries of origin; Chinese ores lag three months and South American ores about two months. The table gives only the ores actually received during the year. [Table 29] shows more nearly the ores shipped to the United States during the year.
Chinese ores are treated as averaging 67.5 per cent. WO3 and other ores 65 per cent. WO3.
Table 30.—Tungsten-bearing Ores Imported into the United States in 1918, by Countries as Listed at Ports of Entry, and by Probable Countries of Origin
| As listed at ports | Probable origin and equivalent in 60 per cent. WO3 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country | Quantity, short tons | Value | Country | Quantity, short tons | Value | ||
| Argentina | 536 | $ | 730,722 | South America, including: Argentina Bolivia Chile Colombia CostaRica Ecuador Panama Peru Salvador | 4,181 | $ | 3,746,299 |
| Bolivia | 88 | 122,357 | |||||
| Canada | 56 | 115,863 | |||||
| Chile | 1,251 | 1,209,864 | |||||
| China | 2,384 | 2,068,636 | |||||
| Colombia | 56 | 65,124 | |||||
| Costa Rica | 18 | 19,081 | |||||
| Ecuador | 6 | 9,979 | China, including: Hongkong, “Other British East Indies;” also Canada | 6,811 | 5,708,616 | ||
| France | 29 | 3,400 | |||||
| Hongkong | 3,595 | 3,511,046 | |||||
| Japan | 1,361 | 1,700,332 | Japan | 1,474 | 1,700,332 | ||
| Mexico | 264 | 224,247 | Mexico | 286 | 224,247 | ||
| “Other British East Indies” | 19 | 13,071 | Portugal, including: France | 61 | 21,160 | ||
| Panama | 37 | 40,614 | |||||
| Peru | 1,827 | 1,488,516 | Siam | 12 | 8,583 | ||
| Portugal | 27 | 17,760 | |||||
| Salvador | 40 | 60,042 | Unaccounted for | 157 | 142,981 | ||
| Siam | 11 | 8,583 | |||||
| Unaccounted for | 145 | 142,981 | |||||
| 11,750 | $ | 11,552,218 | 12,882 | $ | 11,552,218 | ||
Unhindered by other governments, this country would have imported even larger quantities of ore, because of its paying higher prices and being more liberal regarding impurities.
The table shows that the United States imported 36 per cent. of the tungsten output of the world; this amount added to the domestic output makes a total of 17,921 tons, or 50 per cent. of the world’s production. Owing to the lag in shipments from South America and China the South American ores received in January and February were from the output of 1917, as were the Chinese ores arriving up to the end of March. Subtracting the ores arriving from the two regions during the first two and three months, respectively, of 1918, and adding the ores arriving during a like period in 1919, make the quantity of ore controlled by the United States in 1918 (as shown on [page 153]) equivalent to 21,131 tons of concentrates carrying 60 percent. WO3, or 59 per cent. of the world’s production. These ores were all controlled through the private initiative of American firms who offered better prices and better terms than could be obtained abroad. Probably a larger proportion could be handled in the future, should interference not come from within our own borders. It is now proposed to put a tariff of $10 a unit on tungsten ores without regard to purity or quality, with a correspondingly high tariff of $1 a pound, plus the 15 per cent. ad valorem duties now in force, on metal in any form—element, alloy or salt; and such a bill has passed the House of Representatives. Its advocates believe that the price, now about $7 a unit in New York, will be raised to $17 a unit.
Hereafter the quantities of tungsten ore handled will be much smaller than during 1916, 1917 and 1918; and will be confined to peace-time needs unless some unforeseen war arises. England, according to government estimates about January, 1920, had two years’ supply, and France is probably as well supplied. The United States probably had on hand an equivalent of quite 8,000 tons of ore carrying 60 per cent. WO3. Makers of tool steel figured on a consumption of 7,500 tons during 1919, but because of the lack of market for ore this was much too high; and probably 4,000 tons is large enough, so that there will likely be little market for new supplies for nearly two years, except as ore may be bought speculatively. During this time, mines everywhere must remain idle until a demand again arises, except for those mines required to furnish tungsten for Germany, Austria and Russia and the small quantity required by Sweden, Norway and Italy. If industries in Germany, Austria and Russia recover so that they can buy and use tungsten, Germany will have regained in the ores that will be eagerly offered by producing nations needing a market, a part of the trade she has lost. Traders of England, France and the United States will be glad to sell tungsten and ferrotungsten, but Germany will undoubtedly reach out for raw material in order that she may make as much use as possible of her abundant unemployed labor. Should a tariff law like that now proposed be passed, the United States will have cut off its foreign supplies and will have ended its control of any considerable part of them. However, should a high price be maintained, artificially or otherwise, the development of other alloy steels for use in multiple-edged tools may have reached a point where not so much tungsten will be needed.