Table 41.—Developed Reserves of United States Copper Mines
| General group | Percentage of total output | Years of life | Extension[118] |
|---|---|---|---|
| The “porphyries” | 35 | 26 | 9.10 |
| Deep mines | 30 | 5 | 1.50 |
| Rich ore bodies (Arizona and Alaska) | 25 | 5 | 1.25 |
| Pyritic ore bodies | 5 | 10 | 0.50 |
| Others | 5 | 2 | 0.10 |
| Average | 100 | 12.4 | 12.45 |
[118] “Extension” is the Percentage of Total Output multiplied by the Years of Life, giving the relative importance of each group.
The known ore reserves serve as a basis for the assumption that the production of copper in the United States will continue at the present figures for at least ten years.
CANADA
Canadian copper-producing properties are entirely controlled by American and British capital in about equal proportion, changes involving construction of new refineries and a shift in selling control being assumed to be already effective. Up to the present time the natural development has been for Canada to depend largely on the United States for refining facilities. It is likely that in the future local or English control in this field will be closer than heretofore, although the Canadian copper industry will always be closely identified with that of the United States.
There are three chief copper properties in Canada which are controlled by United States capital, all in British Columbia, as well as several small mines in this province and in others. By far the largest is the Granby Consolidated Mining, Smelting & Power Co. This company has mines in two districts. One of these properties is nearly exhausted; the other is a new and vigorous producer. Smelters are operated at each place. The Granby company is controlled by the same interests that own the Nichols Copper Co. (electrolytic refinery). Considerable custom ore is treated by Granby, a large amount coming from Alaska. The other two mines are those of the Canada Copper Co. and the Howe Sound Co. Their production is refined and sold in the United States by American concerns. The developed reserves at these three mines are all large, being fully adequate for fifteen years at the present rate of production.
The only property in Canada which has established facilities for producing copper ready for the consumer is the Consolidated Mining & Smelting Co., of Trial, B. C. This Canadian company owns and operates its own mines, smelter and electrolytic refinery. The capacity of the refinery is now 14,000,000 pounds refined copper annually. The ores are massive pyritic bodies without great developed reserves, but the probable reserves are large.
The English and American properties at Sudbury yield nearly as much copper as the Granby company, although their main business is nickel production. A small part of the output is refined in Wales, producing copper sulphate; but the largest part has been refined in New Jersey. A refinery is being completed in Canada that will treat these copper-nickel mattes and produce refined copper. These copper-nickel deposits occur in pre-Cambrian rocks, and the known or potential reserves are very large. They are described in more detail in [Chapter VI].
In Ontario and Quebec there are a number of pyrite mines where some of the pyrite contains considerable copper. Most of the pyrite is shipped to the United States, where the copper is recovered, refined and sold.