Political and commercial geology and the world's mineral resources

by Unknown

The condition of the zinc industry in the principal countries, in 1913, is shown in [Table 59].

United States.

—The zinc deposits of the United States may be assigned to three metallographic provinces, which in the order of their present importance are: the Mississippi Valley province; the Western province; and the Northeastern province.

Judged by present knowledge, the Mississippi Valley province is one of the three major zinc-bearing metallographic provinces of the world. It occupies an area underlain with slightly disturbed Paleozoic limestone, ranging from Ordovician to Lower Carboniferous in age, that comprises most of the great mid-continental valley of the Mississippi in the states of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Iowa, also Tennessee and the western part of Virginia. Igneous rocks are generally absent. There are three principal subprovinces: the Ozark province, comprising Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas; the upper Mississippi valley, comprising Wisconsin, Northern Illinois, and Iowa; and the regions of Tennessee and Virginia.

Table 58.—Chief Zinc-ore Deposits of the World

Approximate order	Country	Percentage of world’s production in 1913
1	United States	35.0
2	Germany	25.0
3	Australia	15.0
4	Italy	5.0
5	Algeria	3.0
6	Japan	2.0
7	Spain	2.0
8	Russia (including Russian Poland)	2.0
9	France	1.5
10	Greece	1.0
11	Sweden	1.0
12	Mexico	1.0
13	Austria	1.0
14	Tunis	1.0
15	Indo-China (Tonkin)
16	Great Britain
17	China
18	Bolivia
19	Canada
20	India (Burma)
21	Egypt
22	South Africa
23	Peru

In the Ozark subprovinces the Joplin district is most important. The ores lie at three horizons in flat-lying lower Carboniferous limestones. In the upper horizon, below the surface, the ore lies in clayey chert breccias, and galena predominates. The middle horizon, or “sheet ground,” carries mixed galena and blende, which cements brecciated chert. The ore is low grade, the average recovery of zinc being 1.9 per cent. This horizon has been the most important source of ore. The third and lowest horizon, as yet little exploited, contains disseminated ores. Thirty mills were busy in the Joplin district in 1918. The Athletic Mining & Smelting Co. was the largest producer, operating the Athletic mine, at Duenweg, the Bertha A., at Webb City, and Mutual mine, at Oronogo. Miami Zinc Syndicate, affiliated with the Butte & Superior and American Zinc, Lead & Smelting Co.; the Commerce Mining & Royalty Co.; the Century Zinc Co.; and the Tri-State Mining Co., are large operators. Much of the production is by lessees and small operators.

Table 59.—Zinc Industry in 1913

Country	Available zinc in ore (short tons)				Spelter (short tons)
					Produced		For export	To be imported	Annual con- sumption
	Produced	Smelted	Exported	Imported	Primary	Secondary
United States	305,500	310,500	8,500	13,500	310,500	50,000	21,000		339,500
Australasia	206,000	4,000	202,000	...	4,000	...	...	...	4,000
British Isles	50,000	65,000	...	15,000	65,000	6,000	...	143,500	214,500
Canada	24,000	...	24,000	...	...	...	...	20,000	20,000
Burma, Indo China, etc.	18,000	...	18,000	...
France and French Africa	69,000	63,000	6,000	...	63,000	20,500	...	5,500	89,000
Italy	40,000	...	40,000	...	...	...	...	12,000	12,000
Belgium	11,000	218,000	...	207,000	218,000	3,500	7,500	...	84,000
China	5,000	2,500	2,500	...	2,500	...	...	7,500	10,000
Greece	12,000	...	12,000
Japan	10,000	8,000	2,000	...	8,000	...	...	4,000	12,000
Russia	35,000	13,000	22,000	...	13,000	...	...	23,500	36,500
Holland	...	27,000	...	27,000	27,000	3,000	25,500	...	4,500
Mexico	30,000	...	30,000
Norway	15,000	10,000	5,000	...	10,000	...	10,000
Spain	50,000	15,000	35,000	...	15,000	...	8,500	...	6,500
Sweden	10,000	6,000	4,000	...	6,000	...	6,000	...
Austria-Hungary	24,000	24,000	...	...	24,000	3,000	...	17,500	44,500
Germany	163,500	312,000	...	148,500	312,000	18,500	75,000	...	255,500
Other	...	...	...	...	...	1,500	...	45,000	46,500
Total	1,078,000	1,078,000	411,000	411,000	1,078,000	106,000	283,500	278,500	1,179,000

In Arkansas the ores are of similar character and mode of occurrence and are found in the same formation and also in the Ordovician limestone. The Lavender Mining & Milling Co. is the largest operator and the production has been largely carbonate ores.