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U. S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCEBUREAU OF MINES
SUMMARIZED DATA OF SILVER
PRODUCTION
ECONOMIC PAPER 8
Economic Paper 8
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCER. P. LAMONT, Secretary
BUREAU OF MINESSCOTF TURNER, Director
SUMMARIZED DATA OF SILVERPRODUCTION
BY
CHARLES WHITE MERRILL
and the Staff of the Common Metals Division
UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
WASHINGTON: 1930
For eai. by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C. - - - - Price 20 cents
CONTENTS
ILLUSTRATIONS'ig.
Annual average world mine production of silver by various periods,1493-1927 y
Annual average world mine production of silver by decades, 1801-1920.. 4Average annual world mine production of silver by 5-year periods,
1851-1925, and for 1926 and 1927 5Mine production of silver in the world, the United States, and Mexico
by years, 1876-1927 7Distribution of average annual mine production of silver by continents
for various periods, 1493-1927 12Distribution of average annual mine production of silver by countries
for various periods, 1493-1927 13Geographical distribution of world mine production of silver in 1927_. 16Average annual mine production of silver in the United States by
5-year periods, 1851-1925, and fr 1926 and 1927 17Average annual mine production of silver in Mexico and Chile, from
first production to 1600, by 20-year periods, 1601-1800; by 10-yearperiods, 1801-1850; by 5-year periods, 1851-1925; and for 1926 and1927 31
Average annual mine production of silver in Canada and CentralAmerica by 5-year periods from first production to 1925 and for1926 and 1927 32
Average annual mine production of silver in Bolivia and Peru fromfirst production to 1600, by 20-year periods, 1601-1800; by 10-yearperiods, 1801-1850; by 5-year periods, 1851-1925; and for 1926 and1927 35
Average annual mine production of silver in Colombia by 10-yearperiods, 1801-1850; by 5-year periods, 1851-1925; and for 1926 andand 1927 38
rL
Page Page
IntroductionSources and significance of pro-
V Principal silver-producing coun-triesContinued.
duction data i EuropeContinued.Acknowledgments 2 France 42World production amounts,
increases, and rates of in-GermanyGreece
4344
crease 2 Italy 44World production by continents Norway 48
and countries 6 Russia 46Principal silver-producing coun- Spain (including Portugal) - 47
tries 15 Sweden 48North America 15 United Kingdom 49
United States 15 Other European countries. - 49Mexico 29 Asia 50Canada 30 India 50Central America 33 Japan 51
South America 33 Netherland East Indies. - - 52Argentina 34 Turkey 52Bolivia 34 Other countries of Asia - 53Brazil 38 Africa 53Chile 37 Algeria 53Colombia 38 Rhodesia 53Ecuador 38 Union of South Africa 54Peru 39 Other African countries 54Other South American Australasia 54
countries 40 Australia 54Europe 40 New Zealand 55
Austria-Hungary 40 General summary 56
IV CONTENTS
Pig. PageAverage annual mine production of silver in Germany and Austria
from 1493-1600, by 20-year periods, 1601-1800; by 10-year periods,1801-1850; by 5-year periods, 1851-1925; and for 1926 and 1927_ - 41
Average annual mine production of silver for Greece and Italy by5-year periods, 1851-1925, and for 1926 and 1927 45
Average annual mine production of silver for Spain and France by10-year periods, 1801-1850; 5-year periods, 1851-1925; and for 1926and 1927 48
Average annual mine production of silver for India and Australia by5-year periods, 1861-1925, and for 1926 and 1927 50
Average annual mine production of silver for Japan by 10-year periods,1801-1850; by 5-year periods, 1851-1925; and for 1926 and 1927 - 52
INTRODUCTION
Silver was widely known and highly prized before the dawn ofhistory, and its production is one of the oldest of the metal industries.Among the six earliest metals, gold, silver, copper, tin, lead, and iron,silver appears to have been valued next to gold as a medium ofexchange. To this its relative scarcity contributed, although it wasfar more abundant than gold and must have been the more familiar,possibly the more useful, of the two in primitive trade. In the arts
FIGURE 1.Annual average world mine production of silver by various penods, 1493 to 1927
the beauty and workability of silver rendered it important. Desirefor its possession has inspired conquest and exploration; the hopo ofcreating it from base metals was an incentive to the alchennsts fromwhose experiments the science of chemistry has been developed.
Ancient slag dumps near many of the silver-load deposits of theMediterranean Basin indicate that much of the silver produced in
V
250
200
150znoz
ozo
100R
50
World
I1493-1600
J
1601-1700 1701-1800J
1801-1850 1851-1908
Vt IN'rRotnlcPIöN
ancient times was smelted by workmen skilled in the metallurgicalseparation of silver from lead. The dumps at Laurium, Greece,which accumulated between 600 and 300 B. C., are so large thatproduction of silver from the famous mines near by must have beenmore than 250,000,000 ounces. Students of ancient Greece believethat this wealth, flowing from Laurium, was an important foundationof Athenian power and culture, so that the slag dumps of Lauriunimight be regarded as monuments to "the glory that was Greece,"hardly less significant, though less famous and less sightly, than theParthenon and the Theseum.
During the Middle Ages the production of metals other than ironnearly ceased until the revival of trade and consumption that markedthe beginning of the Renaissance. Then followed the voyage ofColumbus that opened the treasure chests of two great silver-produc-ing continents. Silver production statistics of this paper commencewith the year following that discovery.
During the 108 years from 1493 to 1600 world production of silverwas 750,000,000 ounces (see fig. I), 73 per cent from the WesternHemisphere, 24 per cent from Europe, and the remaining 3 per centfrom Asia. Since then the center of silver production has shiftedfrom the bonanzas of Bolivia and Peru to thegreat deposits of Mexico,the United States, and Canada; but the net result has been an everincreasing proportion of silver produced by the New World until,during the 27 years of this century, 84 per cent of the world outputwas mined therein.
World production of silver for the entire period from 1493 to 1927,mclusive, has been over 14,000,000,000 ounces, ór about fourteen timesthe weight of gold produced in the same period. It would make a cubemeasuring i 14 feet on an edge; or it would pave Broadway, NewYork, 6 inches deep, from the Battery to Central Park at ColumbusCircle, a distance of over 4 miles.
The silver production of the world for various periods of the 435years since the discovery of America may be summarized briefly asfollows:
TABLE 1.World production of silver for various periods since the discovery ofAmerica (round numbers)
PeriodLength
of period,years
Total produc-tion, fineounces
Per centof totalproduc-
tion,1493-1927
Average an-nual produc-
tion, fineounces
1408-1600 (sixteenth century) 108 747,000,000 5.2 7,000,0001601-1700 (seventeenth century) 100 1,272,000,000 8.9 13,000,0001701-1800 (eighteenth century) 100 1,833,000,000 12.8 18,000,0001801-1900 (nineteenth century) 100 5,099,000,000 35.5 51,000,0001901-1927 (twentieth century) 27 5,406,000,000 37.6 200,000,0001493-1888 396 7,067,000,000 49.2 18,000,0001889-1927 89 7,289,000,000 50.8 187,000,0001493-1800 308 3,852,000,000 26.9 13,000,0001801-1850 50 1,064,000,000 7.4 21,000,0001851-1875 25 1,036,000,000 72 41,000,0001876-1980 26 2,999,000,000 20.9 120,000,0001851-1900 50 4,035,000,000 28. 1 81,000,0001901-1910 10 1,830,000,000 12,7 183,000,00019H-1920 10 1,958,000,000 13.6 198.000,0001921-1925 5 1,113,000,000 7.8 223,000,0(8)1901-1925 25 4,901,000,000 34.1 196,000,0001926-1927 2 505,000,000 &5 253,000,0001493-1927 435 14,357,000,000 100.0 33,000,000
INThODtTTION VII
One-half of all the output of silver since 1493 was produced in the39 years between 1889 and 1927; but in spite of this great increase, itsrate has been much less than that of gold, copper, lead, and zinc.The lower rate of increase in silver production results from the factthat the silver-mining industry was developed on a basis of large-scaleproduction earlier than the mining of other metals and from thelower price commanded by silver since it was demonetized in mostcountries. The rejection of silver as a basis of monetary systemsin conjunction with gold terminated an association that had lastedfor centuries.
Demonetization became possible through the enormous mcrease ingold production that followed invention of the cyanide process in1887 and development of the gold fields of South Africa, yet a numberof countries still retain the silver-gold standard. Most orientais usesilver as a medium of exchange almost to the exclusion of gold. Silvermay thus be regarded as a second line of defense for the maintenanceof the metaffic foundation of monetary systems, but the future of itsproduction will be influenced largely by the course of gold production.
In conclusion it is of interest to note that, although the value ofgold to silver now stands at a ratio of about 40 to 1 and was formerlyfixed i» the bimetaffic monetary standard at 16 to 1, the ratio ofproduction of silver to gold in the whole period since the discovery ofAmerica has been about 14 to 1.
SUMMARIZED DATA OF SILVER PRODUCTION1
By CHARLES WHITE MERRILL2 and the STAFF OF THE COMMONMETALS DIvIsION
SOURCES AND SIGNIFICANCE OF PRODUCTION DATA
The production data on metals bave great importance because,together with statistics on consumption and price, they are thefoundation of most studies in mineral economics. Moreover, produc-.tion over extensive periods nearly represents the consumption.
This paper is the fifth of a series that has summarized in turn theproduction data for copper,3 zinc,4 lead,5 and gold.6 The mines thatproduce the mai or portion of these four metals depend very largelyon one metal for their revenue, but silver differs from them in respectto source of production. The major portion of the silver producedis a by-product of mining carried on chiefly for some other metal ormetals. Mines where silver shares equal importance with one ormore metals constitute another important source of production.The more important combinations are silver-lead, silver-gold, silver-copper, silver-zinc, and silver-lead-zinc. Others are more complex.Mines that derive over three-quarters of their revenue from the saleof silver alone stand relatively low in production. The productionof silver is therefore a rough index of conditions in the general non-ferrous metal-mining industry. When the base metals mined withsilver are selling at high prices the production of silver rises, and oftenits price is depressed to an extent that stops production from minesthat depend solely or largely on silver for 4heir revenie.
The period covered in this study begins with the year after thediscovery of America by Columbus, which is particuiárly significantin the history of silver production. Smce 1493 the Americas haveproduced 84 per cent of the world's silver. Although the productionof silver dates back to prehistoric times, before the mining industrywas developed in the Western Hemisphere it was so small as to seemunimportant in comparison with the current figure. Sume authori-ties believe that the production of gold during these early years wasvery high and for certain periods even comparable with modernfigures. Even granting the accuracy of these estimates, no suchclaims can be made for silver. Silver was not found in placers andseldom native, so any production of silver required mining, smelting,and ordinarily refining, but placer gold required only washing andpossibly refining
The greatest silver-mining enterprise of early times was probablythat of the Greeks at Laurium. From the size of the slag dumps andthe average tenor of the ore of the district it has been estimated thatduring the producing period of 300 years-600 to 300 B. C.theyield was 273,000,000 ounces, a production rate of 900,000 ounces a
i Work on manuscript completed November, 1929.2 Associate mineral economist, Bureau of Mines.i Julihn, c. E., Summarized Data of copper Production: Boon. Paper I, Bureau of Mines, 1928, 32 pp.4 Pehrson, Elmer W., Summarized Data of Zinc Production: Boon. Paper 2, Bureau of Mines, 1929, 47 pp.i Smith, Lewis A., Summarized Data of Lead Production: Econ. Paper 5, Bureau of Mines, 1929, 44 pp.4 Ridgway, Robert H., Summarized Data of Gold Production: Econ. Paper 6, Bureau of Mines, 1929,
63 pp. i
2 ST3MMABIZED DATA OF SILVER PRODuCTION
year. This estimated production for the 300 years is little more thanthe world production for the single year 1927. In 23 years theCobalt district of Canada surpassed this production by over 100,-000,000 ounces. The relative difficulty of obtaining these twoprecious metals in former times is indicated by a silver-gold ratio .ofvalue of about 12 to 1 in the Roman Empire, a ratio of about 10 to iin Rome during the three centuries just preceding the Christian era,and ratios placing stifi higher values on silver in Rome before thattime and in other parts of the world both before and after that. date.
Table 46, which follows page 58, and is the source of all othertables in this paper, was compiled from the easily available publishedfigures on silver production. In cases of disagreement between thevarious sources of data the following precedence has in general beenobserved: Reports of the Director of the Mint, official publicationsof foreign countries, and compilations and estimates by privateauthors. The reports of the Director of the Mint give figures formost countries by years since 1877. Where figures are missing inthe mint's oompilations these have usually been supplied from officialforeign publications. Of these publications the official British yearlyreports, "Mines and Quarries" and "Imperial Mineral Resources,"have proved the most useful. The production figures for the periodsprior to 1877 have been largely taken from the vanous works ofDr. Adolf Soetbeer. Soetbeer's figures have been supplementedwith figures taken from official publications and from the writingsof other students of silver production. When short periods werefound for which no figures were available these gaps were filled byestimates to afford continuity and permit the strikmg of period andcontinental totals.
The only unit pf weight ied in this paper is the try ounce, 1,000fine, which is hereafter referred to as the fine ounce. Periods of timeare measured in calendar years and multiples thereof.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The senior author acknowledges his appreciation for invaluableadvice and criticism by C. E. Julihn, chief engineer of the commonmetals division; for extensive assistance in compiling and presentingdata by Elmer W. Pehrson and Robert H. Ridgway; and for thecooperation of the other members of the common metals division.
Only through the cooperation of all those interested in this subjectcan such data as these be perfected. Suggestions and criticisms aretherefore cordially welcomed.
WORLD PRODUCTION-AMOUNTS, INCREASES, AND RATES OF INCREASR
Production of silver is an ancient world industry. It can betraced back into the prehistoric era, and in historic times silver hasbeen an important factor in conquest, trade, monetary systems, andthe arts. The Roman Empire found silver indispensable in carryingon its vast commerce and its tax and tribute levying system. Mostof the silver deposits now known to lie within the farthest limits ofwhat was once the Roman Empire were known to the Romans.The Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, however, protected the world'sgreatest silver treasure house from European civilization untilColumbus landed in America. With the close of 1492the beginningof the period of discoverythis paper's statistics begin.
WORLD PRODtTCTIONAMOTYNTS, INCREASES, RATES OF INCREASE 3
TsLz 2.Mine production of silver for various periods, 1493-1937
Figure 1 (p. V) illustrates graphically the ever-increasing silverproduction. The first period of 108 years, 1493 to 1600, had a totalworld production of 747,000,000 fine ounces or 7,000,000 ounces ayear. During the next century, 1601 to 1700, the production rose to1,272,000,000 ounces, or 13,000,000 ounces a yearan increase of84 per cent in average annual output. The production during theeighteenth century totaled 1,833,000,000 ounces, an annual average of18,000,000 ounces and an increase of 44 per cent over the precedingcentury. During the nineteenth century 5,100,000,000 ounces wasproduced, an annual average of 51,000,000 ounces and an increase of178 per cent over the preceding century. The first half of thenineteenth century followed the general trend of the preceding periodswith a production of 1,064,000,000 ounces, an annual average of21,000,000 ounces and an increase of 16 per cent over the annualaverage of the preceding century. The modern trend starts with thesecond half of the nineteenth century, with a total of 4,034,000,000ounces, an annual average of 81,000,000 ounces and an increase of279 per cent over the preceding half century. The production of thefirst quarter of the twentieth century nearly equaled that for all ofthe nineteenth. So great has been the increase m output in recentyears that the production from 1889 to 1927 (39 years) exceeds thatfrom 1493 to 1888 (396 years); that is, the annual average productionof the later period is over 10 times that of the earlier.
Table 3 gives .the world production of silver by decades from 1801to 1920, and Figure 2 is a graphic representation of the average annualproductions during these periods. During the first decade of thenineteenth century Spanish colonial possessions produced over 91 percent of the total world output. In 1810 a priest, Miguel Hidalgo ofGuanajuato, Mexico, led a re'rolution against the Spanish Govern-ment, marking the beginning of a period of civil strife that eventuallyfreed not only Mexico but also all the continental possessions ofSpain and Portugal in the Western Hemisphere. The overthrowingof the colonial governments and the developing of native governmentsgreatly demoralized the whole mining industry of the Americas forseveral decades. The second decade of the century shows a declineof almost 40 per cent, followed in the third decade with a further
PeriodNum-
berof
years
World North America South America Europe
Quantity,fine ounces
Quantity,fine ounces,
Percent
Quantity,fine ounces
Percent
Quantity,fine ounces
Percent
1493-1600 108 746,932,166 90,410,000 12. 10 453, 820,000 60. 76 177,702,166 23.791601-1700 100 1, 27i, 922,450 306,650,000 24. ii 800, 570,000 62.94 89,702,450 7.051701-1800 100 1,832,768, 759 1,044,610,000 57.00 698,040,000 32.63 189, 218,759 10.321801-1850 50 1,064,261,495 605,475,600 66.89 304,680,000 28.63 153,605,895 l4 431865-1900 50 4,034,289,688 2,646,679,759 65.60 692,474,639 17. 16 496,072,827 12.301901-1928 28 4,901,347,412 3,665,881,929 74. 79 455, 522,057 8.48 3U, 476,259 0.381926-1927 2 505,202,941 377, 570, 434 74. 73 57, 327, 033 11. 35 22,933, 223 4.54
Num-ber
Asia Africa Australasia Varions
Quantity, Per Quantity, Per Quantity, Per Quantity, Perofyears fine ounces cent fine ounces cent fine ounces cent fine ounces cent
1493-1600 108 25, 000, 000 3.351601-1700 100 75, 000, 000 5.901701-1800 100 1, 000, 000 .051801-1850 50 500, 000 .051851-1900 50 38,955, 723 . 97 2,495, 131 0.06 157, 611, 709 3.911901-1925 25 171,316, 187 3.49 30, 184,751 . 62 306,950,891 6. 26 15, 338 0.001926-1927 2 26,277, 597 5. 20 2,566, 656 . 51 18, 539, 998 3. 67
4 SUMMARIZED DATA OF SILVER PRODUCTION
decline of over 11 per cent. The production from 1821 to 1830was little over half that from 1801 to 1810. The fourth decademarks the turning point in the world production of silver. Freedomhad been gained by the great Spanish-speaking silver producers ofthe Americas, and an influx of European capital and operators com-menced to rebuild the silver-mining industry. Every decade sincehas shown further increase over its predecessor. The increase wasregular but rather slow for the next four decades (fourth decade, 29per cent increase; fifth, 28 per cent; sixth, 19 per cent; and seventh,33 percent).
TABLE 3.World mine production of silver by 10-year periods, 1801-1920
PeriodQuantity, fine
ounces
Production
Annual aver-age, fineounces
Increase in annual average
Quantity, fineounces Per cent
28.45
Beginning with the seventh decade, 1861 to 1870, the entrance ofthe United States as a producer began to show in the rate of increase.The increase for the eighth decade was 77 per cent, followed by an
-- increase for the
ninth decade of 41per cent and afurther increase of62 per cent for thedecade that closedthe nineteenth cen-tury. The UnitedStates, Canada, andAustralia were theoutstanding newproducers whoseproduction - helpedbring about thisrapid increase. Theninth 10-year period,1881 to 1890, wasthe first billion-ounce decade.
Since the close ofthe nineteenth con-
IrIOUBE 2.Annual average world mine production of silver by decades, tury the increase hascontinued at a much
slower rate. The first decade of the twentieth century shows anincrease of 13 per cent over the preceding decade, and the seconddecade exceeds the first by only 7 per cent.
200
15O
Q
oZ
World
o
o
Z 50
iiuuI0
18011810
18111820
18211880
1831 1841 1851 18611840 1850 1860 1870
18711':0
1881 1891 19011890 1900 1910
19111920
1801-1810 286, 614,899 28,661,4901811-1820 173, 378, 899 17, 337, 890 11,823, 600 39.511821-1830 153,663,620 15,355,352 1,982,638 11.481831-1840 197, 348, 711 19, 734, 871 4,379,519 28.521841-1850 253,365, 466 25,336, 547 5,601, 676 28.3818M-1860 300,170, 784 30, 057,078 4, 720, 531 18.631861-1870 400,649, 066 40, 064, 907 10, 607,828 33.301871-1880 710,441,372 71, 044, 137 30,979, 230 77.321881-1890 1,000,681,145 100, 068, 115 29,023,978 48.851891-1900 1,621,947,321 162, 104, 732 62, 126,617 62.081901-1910 1,830,225, 117 183,022, 512 20, 827, 780 12.841911-1920 1,958,476, 661 195,847, 668 12,825,154 7.01
WORLD PRODUCTIONAMOUNTS, INCREASES, RATES OF INCREASE 5
TABLE 4.World mine production of silver by 5-year periods, 1851-19f5
Table 4 gives the world production in 5-year steps from 1851 to1925, with the average annual production and increase from period
P101mB 3.-Average annual world naine production ofsilver by 5-yearperiods, 1851 to 1925, and for 1926 and 1926
to period. Figure 3 illustrates the average annual production. Theseshorter periods bring to light minor fluctuations not seen in thedecade table and graph, including the recession from 1856 to 1860,which occurred just before the first great mining operations of westernUnited States began to produce important quantities of silver. Itmay also be noted that the period 1891 to 1895 was the last of thosein which great percentage increases are shown. During this periodthe price of silver reacted most sharply to the advancing adoption ofthe gold standard in Europe and America. Not until the 5-yearperiod 1906 to 1910 did the increasing silver requirements of theFar East and of industry permit an increase in world production.The influence of the Mexican revolution and the World War isevidenced by the small increase from 1911 to 1915 and the decreaseof 13 per cent for 1916 to 1920. The period from 1911 to 1915 is thefirst of the billion-ounce 5-year periods and was not repeated orexceeded until 1921 to 1925.
2(10
260
l50
r-°100-z
L
- \ \
World -
iii HululiOSI
185510601560
001 1856 1(711605 1070 1877
07(1 1561 (100
lOSO 1871, 100010711805
1056 lOI10(01 11(05
It'; it'll lIlO171(1 1(115 1025
1821
1(025.
-.2L, J..
PeriodQuantity,fine ounces
Annual av-erage, fine
ouncesQuantity,
fine ounces Per cent
1851-18551856-18601861-18651886-18701871-18751876-18801881-18831886-18901891-18951896-19001901-19051908-19101911-19151916-19201921-1925
154,988,259145, 582,525178,863, 296221,785, 770334,264, 202376, 177, 170437, 023, 764563, 657, 381791,828,618830, 118, 703848,518,663989, 706,454
1,047,258,755911, 227, 906
1,112,645,634
29,116,60535, 772, 65944, 357, 15466, 852, 84073,235,43487, 404. 753
112, 731,478158, 365, 724166,023, 741168, 103. 733197,941, 291209,449,751182, 245, 581222,529,127
30, 997; 652-1,881, 147
6,565,1548,584,495
22,495,6868,382, 594
12, 169,31925,328, 72345,634, 2487,658,0172,079,992
29,837,55811, 508,460
-27,204, 17040,283,548
-6.0722.8624.0050. 7112. 5418. 1728.9840.484.841.25
17.755.81
-12.9922. 10
16.32
Production Increase in annual average
Table 5 and Figure 4 give the world production of silver from 1876to 1927 by years. This yearly record began only a few years afterthe rapid increase that marks the closing third of the nineteenth cen-tury. The increase was rapid from 1876 to 1887 and even more rapidfrom 1887 to 1893. Fi-orn 1893 until 1906 the annual productionfluctuated between 157,000,000 and 174,000,000 ounces, the produc-tion in both 1893 and 1906 being approximately the same-166,000,000ounces. An era of rapid increase followed, culminating in the 3-yearperiod 1911 to 1913, inwhich the yearly production stood just overthe level of 225,000,000 ounces. The year 1914 was very disastrousto the silver output of many countries. In Mexico there was a de-.crease of, 43,000,000 ounces, due to the demoralizing effects of therevolution. This decrease in Mexico accounted for all but 7,000,000ounces of the world decrease of 50,000,000 ounces. World War con-ditions in Europe and the European colonies accounted largely forthe 7,000,000-ounce loss. Until 1923 the world production continuedat a level well below the 225,000,000-ounce level of the period 1911 to1913. In 1923, however, world production passed all previous recordsand fell just short of a quarter of a billion ounces. In 1924 and 1925the amount was almost the same, and in 1926 and 1927 topped thequarter-biffion-ounce mark for the first time in history. Credit forthis recent increase must go largely to Mexico, where the productionof 105,000,000 ounces in 1927 was over four and one-half times thatof 1916, the low point since 1884. If the present political tranquillityof Mexico continues the annual world production of silver may bemaintained above one-fourth of a billion ounces, with strong possi-bility of a rather slow but steady yearly increase in future if the worldconsumption of silver should require such an increase.
WORLD PRODUCTION BY CONTINENTS AND COUNTRIES
Table 6 and Figures 5 and 6 give the production of silver by conti-nents and by countries for various periods from 1493 to 1927. Durmgthe first period, 1493 to 1600 (108 years), South America produced61 per cent of the world total, followed in order by Europe with 24per cent, North America with 12 per cent, and Asia with 3 per cent.Africa and Australasia had no production 'during this period. InSouth America all but a fraction of i per cent of the world produc-tion was supplied by the mines and treasure hoards of Bolivia andPeru. The principal producers of Europe were Austria and Germany.All of North America's production came from the mines of Mexico,and Asia's only silver producer was Japan.
Year Quantity Year Quantity Year Quantity Year Quantity
1876 66,932,201 1889 126, 564, 054 1902 162, 936, 273 1915 189,454.2641877 74, 174,900 1890 134,429, 165 1903 167, 8i4, 265 1916 174, 632,2401878 78,291,041 1891 138, 283, 427 1904 164, 274, 497 1917 179,890,2331879 78, 876. 244 1892 154, 377. 339 1905 172, 393.042 1918 203,428,2691880 77,902,694 1893 166,594. 198 1906 165, 998,018 1919 179,931,8841881 - 84,487,883 1894 164,829.094 1907 184, 784, 361 1920 173, 345,2801882 88, 274, 154 1895 167,744, 560 1908 204, 103, 994 1921 171, 580,7121883 89,956,458 1896 157, 321, 170 1909 213,391,993 1922 209,828,6621884 85, 307, 566 1897 160,765,331 1910 221,428,092 1923 246 275,8581885 91,997, 703 1898 169,537. 121 1911 227, 128, 987 1924 239,680,2091886 95, 484,904 1899 168,806,306 1912 225,899, 157 1925 245.280, 1931887 97, 148,513 1900 173. 688, 775 1913 227, 519,787 1926 253,806,3861888 110,030, 745 1901 173, 100, 586 1914 177, 246, 560 1927 251,396,555
6 SUMMARIZED DATA OF SILVER PRODUCTION
TABLE 5.-World mine production of 8ilver by years, 1876-197 (fine ounces)
'IOtT
RE
4.M
ine
prod
uctio
n of
silv
er in
the
wor
ld, t
he U
nite
d St
ates
, and
Mex
ico
by y
ears
, 187
8 to
1q2
7
o o z Cb o z z
15O
1oo 50
Wor
ldU
nite
d St
ates
i--
-'18
0018
1018
2018
3018
4018
5018
6018
7018
8018
9019
0019
1019
2011
TA
BL
E 6
.Min
e pr
oduc
tion
of s
ilver
by
coun
trie
s an
d co
ntin
ents
for
var
ious
per
iods
, 14.
93-1
9'47
N L"i
1493
-192
7Si
xtee
nth
cent
ury-
1493
-160
0Se
vent
eent
h ce
ntur
y-16
01-1
700
Eig
htee
nth
cent
ury-
1701
--18
00
Cou
ntry
Per
APe
rA
Per
Per
Qua
ntity
, fin
ece
ntQ
uant
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nt
i
Qua
ntity
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cent
Qua
ntity
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Ann
al
aver
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oun
sce
nt
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Nor
th A
mer
ica:
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ted
Stat
es2,
995,
643,
236
20.8
7M
exic
o.5
, 123
, 242
, 279
35.6
890
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837,
130
12. 1
030
6,65
0,00
03,
066,
500
24. 1
11,
044,
510
,000
10,4
45, 1
0067
.00
Can
ada
539,
449
, 516
3. 7
6C
entr
ai A
mer
ica
78, 8
42, 6
91. 5
5
Tot
al, N
orth
Am
eric
a8,
737,
177
, 722
60.8
690
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837,
130
12. 1
030
6, 6
50,0
003,
066,
500
24. 1
11,
044,
5i0
000
10,4
45, 1
0057
.00
Sout
h A
mer
ica:
Arg
entin
ati,
179
, 079
.08
Bol
ivia
1,56
7,62
4, 1
6610
.92
355,
360
,000
3,29
0,37
147
.58
456,
860
,000
4,56
8,60
035
.92
213,
550
,000
2, 1
35, 5
0011
.66
Bra
zil
4,07
7,78
8.0
350
,000
500
2, 7
00,0
0027
, 000
. 15
Chi
le29
4,94
4,64
52.
0520
,000
200
6,47
0,00
064
,700
.35
Col
ombi
a92
, 506
,002
.64
4, 1
00,0
0037
, 963
.55
11,2
00,0
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2,00
0.8
815
, 100
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151,
000
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Ecu
ador
1,04
8,67
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1Pe
ru1,
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029
9.40
94,3
60,0
0087
3, 7
0412
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332,
440
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3, 3
24, 4
0026
. 14
360,
220,
000
3,60
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0019
.66
Gui
anas
, Uru
guay
, and
oth
ers
888,
285
.01
Ven
ezue
la1,
113
,065
.01
Tot
al, S
outh
Am
eric
a3,
322,
433,
729
23. 1
545
3, 8
20,0
004,
207
, 038
60. 7
680
0, 5
70, 0
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005,
700
62.9
459
8, 0
40,0
005,
980,
400
32.6
3
Eur
ope:
Aus
tria
132
5,00
8,35
52.
26
87, 7
70,0
0081
2,68
511
.75
30,2
20,0
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2, 2
002.
3862
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620,
600
3.39
Cze
chos
lova
kia
7,05
1,62
4.0
5Pr
ance
71,2
42,8
90.5
0G
erm
any
496,
917,
138
3.46
50,3
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5, 7
416.
73
26,5
60,0
0026
5, 6
002.
0066
, 620
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666,
200
3.63
Gre
ece
45,4
28, 1
12. 3
2It
aly
40,4
77,6
51. 2
8N
orw
ay45
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10,9
70, 0
0010
0,70
0.8
614
, 250
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142,
500
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Pola
nd1,
266,
320
.01
Rum
ania
606,
734
Rus
sia
93, 4
04,9
49.6
531
, 125
, 000
311,
250
L 7
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ain
200,
990
, 531
L 4
0Sw
eden
11,3
78,3
40.0
83,
632,
166
33,6
31.4
91,
952,
450
19,5
25.1
51,
173,
759
11,7
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6U
nite
d K
ingd
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221.
000.
000
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8
Yug
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SU
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uted
Eur
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Tot
al, E
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Con
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outh
wes
t Afr
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Hho
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Sout
h A
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Tot
al, A
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asia
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New
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Tot
al, A
ustr
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ia
Var
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orld
tota
l
1 A
ustr
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to 1
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2 In
clud
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rom
187
6 to
191
8 an
d in
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key
prio
r to
187
6.4
Incl
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und
er U
nion
of
Sout
h A
fric
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nce
1915
.In
clud
es S
waz
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, Tan
gany
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and
Bec
huan
alan
d an
d So
uthw
est A
fric
a si
nce
1915
.
2
523,
631
69,0
00,0
00.4
836
, 000
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333,
333
4.82
20,0
00,0
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0,00
01.
57
13,0
00,0
0013
0, 0
00.7
1
1,44
11,7
11, 5
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E 0
317
7, 7
02, 1
601,
645,
390
23. 7
989
, 702
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897,
021
7.05
189,
218,
7.59
1,89
2, 1
8810
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1,09
8,78
5.0
140
2,02
946
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28,3
4524
3, 1
76,0
241.
6925
, 000
,000
231,
481
3. 3
575
, 000
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000
5.90
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0,00
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22,0
94,0
35. 1
535
1,31
673
7,02
8.0
124
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338,
049,
407
2.35
25,0
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1,48
1&
3575
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750,
000
5.90
1,00
0,00
010
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2,63
0,69
5.0
212
5, 1
983,
022,
486
.02
4,30
1,56
7.0
324
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463,
496
35,2
34, 5
38.2
.5
458,
099,
584
3. 1
925
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4. 1
7
483,
102
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3. 3
6
15, 3
38
14, 3
56, 7
24,9
1110
0.00
746,
932,
166
6,91
6,03
910
0.00
1,27
1,92
2,45
012
, 719
, 225
100.
001,
832,
768,
759
18,3
27, 6
8810
0.00
TA
BL
E 6
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er b
y co
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and
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arzo
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Con
tinue
d
Cou
ntry
F1rt
hal
f, n
inet
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h ce
ntur
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Seco
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nth
cent
ury-
1851
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0Fi
rst q
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tieth
cen
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-19
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925
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Qua
ntity
, fin
eou
nces
fine
csce
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tal
Qua
ntity
, fin
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fine
oos
Ce to
tal
Qua
ntity
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em
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mcs
tota
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uant
ity,
fine
oun
ces
Per
cent
Qua
ntity
,fi
ne o
unce
sPe
rce
nt
Nor
th A
mer
ica:
Uni
ted
Stat
es42
5,60
08,
492
0.04
1,33
7,72
7,54
,426
,754
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33. 1
51,
534,
422,
940
61,3
76,9
183(
3162
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24.6
960
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, 199
24.0
3M
exic
o60
5,05
0,00
012
, 101
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66.8
51,
259,
034,
854
25,1
80,6
9731
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1,61
4,72
2,34
064
, 588
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32.9
498
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, 166
38.7
3 10
4,57
3,91
941
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Can
ada
30, 1
84,4
7660
3,69
0.7
546
4,27
9,98
218
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, 199
9.47
22,3
71,9
248.
81
22,6
13, 1
348.
99C
entr
al A
mer
ica
19,7
32,8
8639
4,65
8.4
952
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2,09
8,26
71.
073,
499,
118
1.34
3, 1
54,0
211.
25
Tot
al, N
orth
Am
erlc
a60
5,47
5,60
012
, 109
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56,8
92,
646,
679,
759
52,9
33,5
9665
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3,66
5,88
1,92
9 14
6,63
5,27
774
.79
185,
535,
161
73.6
1 19
0,73
5,27
375
.87
Sout
h A
mer
ica:
Arg
entin
a9,
428,
534
188,
771
.23
1,71
0, 5
4568
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15,0
00.0
115
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ivia
101,
310,
000
2,02
6,20
09.
5232
0,29
7,51
56,
405,
950
7.93
109,
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808
4,36
0, 3
922.
225,
834,
003
2.30
5,40
2,84
02.
15B
razi
l42
0,00
08,
400
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301,
333
6,02
7.0
166
5,78
322
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26,6
72.0
120
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Chi
le38
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760,
200
3. 5
719
7, 1
19,7
473,
942,
395
4.89
47, 5
47,9
871,
901,
919
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2,87
6,91
11.
13
2,90
0,00
01.
15
Col
ombi
a5,
700,
000
114,
000
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39,9
41,3
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8,82
8.9
916
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648,
290
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125,
953
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131,
417
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Ecu
ador
77,3
221,
546
803,
747
32, 1
50.0
280
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87,6
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3Pe
ru..
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240,
000
3,18
4,80
014
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297,
367
2,50
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73.
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7,69
9,46
69,
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979
4.86
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Gul
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, Uru
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rs1,
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0,84
234
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8,00
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000
Ven
ezue
la1,
100
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44,2
65.0
23,
215
3,21
5
Tot
al, S
outh
Am
eric
a30
4,68
0,00
06,
093,
600
28.6
369
2,47
4,63
913
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17.1
641
5,52
2,05
716
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8.48
30,4
63,8
5212
.00
26,8
63,4
8110
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Eur
ope:
Aus
tria
'40
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,000
811,
000
3.81
73,5
79,8
611,
471,
597
1.82
30,9
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671,
236,
191
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14,0
50.0
19,
677
Cze
chos
lova
kia
5,53
6, 1
3322
1,44
5. 1
176
5,49
1.3
075
0,00
0.3
0Fr
ance
2,34
2,37
446
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.22
58,2
01,6
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034
1.44
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28,3
5840
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120
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Ger
man
y44
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200
4.18
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719,
723
3,49
4,39
54.
3412
3,29
8,53
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943
2.52
5,35
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1155
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reec
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1, 1
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aly
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5250
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214
, 193
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567,
734
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351
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7,09
8.2
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orw
ay5,
485,
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100,
720
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7,49
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114
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6. 1
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030,
595
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236
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308,
640
. 12
321,
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Pola
nd69
4,62
027
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271,
700
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300,
000
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Rum
ania
372,
361
14,8
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Rus
sia
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77,0
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164
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Uni
ted
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gdom
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098
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Yug
osla
via8
Und
istr
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ed, E
urop
e
Tot
al, E
urop
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Asi
a: Chi
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hose
nIn
dia
Indo
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pan
Net
herl
and
Eas
t Ind
ie&
Phili
ppin
e Is
land
sT
aiw
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urke
y
Tot
al, A
sia
Afr
ica: Alg
eria
Bel
gian
Con
goG
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anSo
uthw
est
Afr
ica
Rho
desi
aU
nion
of
Sout
h A
fric
aO
ther
Afr
ica
Tot
al, A
fric
a
Aus
tral
asia
:A
ustr
alia
New
Zea
land
Tot
al, A
ustr
alas
ia
Var
ious W
orld
tota
l
i Aus
tria
-Hun
gary
pri
or to
191
8.5
Incl
udes
Por
tuga
l.-
5 Se
rbia
fro
m 1
876
to 1
918
and
incl
uded
und
er T
urke
y pr
ior
to 1
876.
4 In
clud
ed u
nder
Uni
on o
f So
uth
Afr
ica
sinc
e 19
15.
Incl
udes
Sw
azila
nd, T
anga
nylk
a, a
nd B
echu
anal
and
and
Sout
hwes
t Afr
ica
sinc
e 19
15.
73, 2
881,
466
351,
578
14,0
63.0
145
,010
.02
53, 7
55.0
2
153,
605
,895
3,07
2, 1
1814
.43
496,
072,
827
9,92
1,45
612
. 30
311,
476,
259
12,4
59,0
506.
36li,
265
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4.44
11,6
6795
84.
64
863,
785
34,5
51.0
213
5,00
2.0
510
0,00
0.0
435
8, 1
0214
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.01
51,9
27.0
252
, 000
.02
223,
000
4,46
0.0
134
,698
,614
1,38
7,94
5. 7
15,
124
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2.02
6,02
4, 8
062.
4016
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679
1,22
010
, 159
500,
000
10,0
00.0
530
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,038
604,
060
.76
101,
697,
876
4,06
7,91
42.
074,
776,
110
1.58
4,80
0,00
01.
9180
,659
1,61
311
,363
,746
894,
550
.15
2,36
3,82
9.9
32,
265,
501
.91
278,
947
11, 1
58.0
144
,013
.02
28,3
56.0
170
7,71
428
,309
.01
14,3
14.0
115
,000
.01
8,24
9,92
618
4,99
9. 2
015
,330
,437
613,
217
.11
225,
050
.09
225,
050
.09
500,
000
10,0
00.0
538
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779,
112
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171,
316,
187
6,85
2,64
73.
4912
, 736
, 425
5.02
13,5
41, 1
725.
39
42,0
8484
2L
2,30
1,38
392
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169,
141
.07
118,
087
.05
104,
589
4, 1
8410
,000
10,6
09
5,02
2,48
612
0,89
9.0
695
119
4,05
1,26
816
2,05
1.0
811
7,76
3.0
513
1,58
5.0
52,
258,
000
45, 1
60.0
620
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,432
817,
497
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982,
594
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1,01
3,07
0.4
019
4,09
63,
882
267,
593
10,7
04.0
11,
125
682
2,49
5, 1
3149
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. 06
30, 1
84, 7
511,
207
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. 62
1,28
0,62
3. 5
11,
274,
033
.50
156,
005,
312
3, 1
20, 1
063.
8728
4,40
6,91
911
,376
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5.80
10,8
00,0
734.
256,
887,
280
2.74
1,60
6,39
712
, 128
.04
22, 5
43,9
7296
1,75
9.4
642
5, 2
87. 1
742
7,15
8.1
7
157,
811,
709
3,15
2,23
43.
9150
6,95
0,89
112
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,036
6.26
11,2
25,3
604.
427,
314,
638
2.91
15,3
3861
4
1,06
4,26
1,49
321
,285
,210
100.
004,
034,
289,
688
80,6
85,7
9410
0.00
4,90
1,34
7,41
2 19
6,05
3,89
610
0.00
283
,806
,386
100.
00 2
51,3
96,5
5510
0.00
Fjuu
as 5
.Dis
trib
utio
n of
ave
rage
ann
ual m
ine
prod
uctio
n of
silv
er b
y co
ntin
ents
for
var
ious
per
iods
, 141
)3 to
197
SSO
200
Q z15
O
z
ceo 5o
-O
1493
-100
0J
1601
-170
0J
1701
-180
010
00-1
850
J18
51-1
900
J19
01-1
925
J19
26-1
927
Así
a3.3
5A
sia5
.90
Aua
trsl
asia
l.91 ¿
Aus
tral
asia
6.26
Mia
S.49
Aus
traI
aa36
6A
fric
aO.5
1E
urop
e 4
E)
60.7
6s
24.1
1
ï:'
4'A
rca
7&74
WORLD PROI)LJCTION BY CONTINENTS AND COUNTRIES 13
The next period, the century 1601 to 1700, had much the samedistribution as the first 108 years, except that Europe exchangedplaces with North America. South America increased its proportionof the total from 61 to 63 per cent; the production continued to comealmost entirely from Bolivia and Peru. Mexico continued as theoniy producer of North America, with just double its proportion of
Japan 3.35 Othees
Germany 6.73
Aontrie 11.7
Manteo12.10
SpaIn 1.93Rumie 2.21
Chile 337Auntrio 3.81Germany 4.10
Solivie 9.52
oro 12.63
SuesteS.?Auutria 3.39 Others
Gormeny363
1791
Mrnivo57.00
Othere
Bolivia 47.59
Bolivia35.92
France 1.4Auvtnia 3.82
SpeIe 1.97Others
Chile 4.89
ManIen 31.21
UnitedStatm 92.15
Ce,strsl Ammira 1.32
1929
1927
United State 54.59
rIouRE 6.Distribution of average annual mine production of silver by countries for variousperiods, 1493 to 1927
world production of the preceding period or 24 per cent of the worldtotal. Europe, still producing most of its silver from the mines ofAustria and Germany, produced only 7 per cent, and Japan contrib-uted all of Asia's 6 per cent.
The eighteenth céntury was the first period in which North Americaproduced over one-half of the world's silver, a position that has sincebeen maintained by an even larger margin. Again Mexico was theonly producer and contributed 57 per cent of the world total. South
Germany 2.09
Aaotrie 2.38 Othore
Japan 9.90
1601Mexieo 24.11
1700
14 StThMARIZE) DATA OF SILVER PRObUCTION
America, still represented by Peru and Bolivia, produced 33 percent and Europe 10 per cent of the total from the mines of Germany,Austria, and Russia.
North America held its position by continuing to produce 57 percent of the world total for the 50-year period 1801 to 1850. TheUnited States made its first appearance as a silver producer duringthis period, but Mexico produced all but four-hundredths of i percent of the world production from North America. South Americacontinued in second place with 29 per cent of the world total. Peruand Bolivia continued as the principal producers, but there was asmall production from Chile. Europe produced virtually all of theremaining silver, most of it coming from Germany, Austria, Russia,and Spain.
During the next 50-year period, 1851 to 1900, North America alittle more than quadrupled its production and accounted for 66 per
.cent of the total world production for that period. Mexico more thandoubled its production of the preceding 50 years, and the UnitedStates increased its production to an amount exceeding that ofMexico. Canada and Central America made their first contributionsto the North American total. South America more than doubledits output but produced only 17 per cent of the world total. Thissilver again came largely from the mines of Bolivia, Chile, and Peru.Europe also increased its output, but its proportion decreased slightlyto 12 per cent of the world production. Germany, Spain, Austria,and France were the chief contributors. Australasia was a producerfor the first time, contributing 4 per cent, which was almost entirelymined in Australia; Asia increased its production to i per cent; andAfrica made its first appearance in world statistics with a productionof six-hundredths of 1 per cent of the total.
North America produced three-fourths of the world 's silver duringthe first quarter of the twentieth century. The United States andMexico exchanged places, but their combined output was about thesame proportion of the world total as in the preceding half century.The increase in North America was due almost entirely to theextremely rapid development of Canada's silver resources. SouthAmerica and Europe continued to hold second and third places,respectively, although in each instance their proportions of theworld total dropped to half that of the preceding 50 years. Austra-lasia, Asia, and Africa also continued to hold fourth, fifth, and sixthplaces, respectively, but in each instance there was a substantialincrease in the proportion of world production contributed by each.Peru with 5 per cent and Bolivia with 2 per cent were the only im-portant producers in South America. In Europe, Germany andSpain were the only countries to produce over i per cent of theworld output. Australia with 6 per cent and Japan with 2 per centwere the chief producers in their respective continents.
During the final period of two years, 1926 and 1927, North Americacontinued to produce three-fourths of the world's silver. Mexico,with a large increase in production, supplied more than half of theNorth American total and produces over 40 per cent of the world'ssilvermore than the total of all production outside of Mexico andthe United States. The United States maintained its output atabout the same rate as in the previous period but declined about one-fourth in relative importance. Canada increased in rate of produc-
WORLD PRODUCTION BY CONTINENTS AND COUNTRIES 15
tion but decreased slightly in relation to the world total. SouthAmerica continued in second place, with 11 per cent. Asia advancedto third place, thus forcing Europe and Australasia into fourth andfifth places, respectively. Africa contmued in sixth place, neverhaving produced as much as 1 per cent of the world total. In SouthAmerica Peru increased its production to 8 per cent of the worldtotal, and Bolivia and Chile made important contributions. Indiaand Japan with 2 per cent each were the principal Asiatic producers.Germany and Spain, with 2 and i per cent, respectively, accountedfor the major portion of the European production. Australia wasagain the only important producer jn Australasia, but its output haddecreased materially.
PRINCIPAL SILVER-PRODUCING COUNTRIES
The following pages are devoted to tables, figures, and summariesfor the pnncipal silver-producing countries of the world.
NORTH AMERICA
Since the first recorded production of silver in Mexico in 1521North America has grown increasingly important as a silver producer.Since the beginning of the eighteenth century North America hasnever failed to produce one-half or more of the world's silver.
UNITED STATES
Production of silver in the United States before the Comstocklode was discovered in Nevada in 1859 was very small. In colonialtimes there were several attempts to mine silver-bearing ores, but noneof these operations proved successful for any length of time. Before1834 there is no record of production. From 1834 to 1858 approxi-mately 750,000 ounces was produced. Most of this came from thebullion produced in the Southern Appalachian gold districts and,after 1848, from the gold bullion of California. Early in 1859,O'Reffly and McLaughlm, two prospectors, discovered the Comstocklode. Work was begun immediately, and for the 5-year period1861 to 1865 the Comstock lode was almost entirely responsible forraising the output of the United States from an insignificant amountto second place in world production. The invention on the Corn-stock of the Washoe process of pan amalgamation in 1860 and thesquare-set method of mining in 1861 not only helped make possiblerapid exploitation of the Comstock lode but also increased productionelsewhere, as they were introduced throughout the world.
TABLE 7.Mine produeion of silver in the United States by decades, 18S4-19dO
Period Quantity,fine ounces
Per centof world
total
Average an-nual produc-
tion, fine
Increase in annual aver-age
ounces Quantity,fine ounces Per cent
1834-1840 119, 132 17, 0191841-1850 306,468 0. 12 30,647 13,628 80.081851-1860 505,900 . 17 50, 290 19,643 64. 091831-1870 77,923,800 19.45 7,792,380 7,742,090 15,394. 891871-1880 278,763,800 39. 24 27,876,380 20,084,000 257.741881-1890 413,923, 764 41. 36 41,392,376 13,515,996 48.491891-1900 566, 613, 280 34.93 56, 661,328 15, 268,952 36.891901-1910 856, 125, 000 30. 39 55,612, 500 1,048,828 L 851911-1920 664, 290, 064 33.92 66,429,006 9,816, 506 17.65
Bri1
0.0
1%
R 8.11
v.. 2
.10%
N. Z
..I.0
d07
0
N..t
h 15.0
7%
Wor
ld to
t.,! 1
(6%
Me.
Ioo
41.6
0%
P...
1.1
9%
-
Vto
t.d K
togd
otP
02%
E.r
op. 4
.64%
S,r
.dv.
,0,0
3
Nor
w.y
0.1
3
O.o
vom
'y2.
18%
Sp.
!. 1.
25%
Itoly
0.1
1%
AS
tir. 0
.50%
1.60
0,00
0 ot
mor
.LO
r. tI
t.60
0,16
0 00
0r.
Sr.
... 0
,13%
PoI
r.d
4.12
%
Ttv
.k.y
4.0
0%
lhtio
u of
Soo
th A
tol..
0.40
%
o Yug
oIvi
. 4.0
2%
1..!!
., 24
0%
Cho
..., 0
.02%
J.0.
. 1.9
1%T
ofw
,O0i
%
A.!.
599
%
I t4
phili
ppto
.1oI
o."V
0.01
%
DA
r.tr
.boo
l. 2.
91%
Fiou
iss
7.G
eogr
aphi
cal d
istr
ibut
ion
of w
orld
min
e pr
oduc
tion
of s
ilver
in 1
927
RINCIPAt ÏLVRPRÓDtÍÒINQ CÒUÑI'RIÈS 17
Tables 7, 8, and 9 give the production of silver in the United Statesby decades, 5-year periods, and years, respectively. During thedecade 1861 to 1870 the United States produced 78,000,000 ounces, or19 per cent of the world total. The production for the succeedingdecade, 1871 to 1880, showed an increase of 258 per cent to 279,000,000ounces, or 39 per cent of the world production. Between 1881 and1890 the United States raised its production to 414,000,000 ounces,
Fsu 8Average annual mine production of silver in the United States by &year periods,18,51 to 192,5, and for 1926 and 1927
an increase of 48 per cent and equivalent to 41 per cent of the worldproduction. Since 1890 production has increased in the UnitedStates, but its proportion of the world total has declined. Duringthe closing decade of the nineteenth century (1891 to 1900) productionincreased to 567,000,000 ounces, or 37 per cent over the precedingdecade, but the proportion of the world output produced by thiscountry dropped to 35 per cent. In the first decade of the twentiethcentury production declined a half million ounces, but the proportionof the world output fell to 30 per cent. An increase of 17 per centraised the production of the United States to 664,000,000 ounces, or34 per cent of the world total for the second decade of the twentiethcentury.
60
United States
¡'jRIO
II
lr
R18311831
18361840
18411845
18461850
1851 1856 1801 1866 18711855 1880 1865 1070 1875
18761880
18811885
1886 1891 18961890 1895 1900
19011905
1906 19111910 ssss 1920
1916 19211925 1926 1927
18 SUMMARIZED bATA or SILVER rRODTJCTION
TABLE 8.-Mine production of silver in the United States by 6-year periods, 188/s-196
Table 8 and Figure 8, which show the production of the UnitedStates by 5-year periods, indicate much the same trend as the tablefor decades. From the beginning of production in 1834 to the endof the five years from 1891 to 1895 each succeeding period showeda substantial increase over its predecessor. Following the five yearsfrom 1896 to 1900, in which production decreased to 280,000,000ounces, or over 7,000,000 ounces, there were decreases of a millionounces each five years until the period 1911 to 1915. During thislatter interval there was a sharp rise from 277,000,000 to 338,000,000ounces, followed by a steady decline to 314,000,000 ounces, or 28per cent of the world total, in the period 1921 to 1925.
TABLE 9.-Mine production of silver in the United States by years, 1834-19?d7 (fineounces)
Period Quantity,fine ounces
Averageannual pro-
duction,fine ounces
Per centof worldtol Period 1tj,
fine ounces
Averageannual pro-
duction,fine ounces
Per centof world
total
1834-183&.... 26,297 13, 149 1881-1885_.... 182,878,629 36, 575,726 4L 851836-1840. 92,885 18, 567 1886-l890. -- 231,045,135 46,209,027 40.991841-1845.. 112,968 22, 594 1891-189&. - - 287,068,980 57,413, 796 36. 251846-1850 . 193, 500 38,700 1S96-1990 -- 279,544, 300 55,908,860 33.681851-185& 193,500 38,700 0.22 1901-1905 278,795, 44)0 55,759,680 33.171856-186&... 309,400 61,880 .21 150 -1910_ 277, 328,600 55,465,320 29.031861-186& . 28,810, 600 5, 762, 120 18. 11 191 1-1915.. 338, 337, 073 67, 667, 415 12.311866-1870... 49, 113,200 9,822,640 22. 14 1916-1920... 325,952,901 65, 190,598 35.771871-1875....... 121,083,800 24,218, 660 36. 22 1921-1925.... 314, 007,876 62, 801,575 28.221876-188&_. - 157, 680, 500 31, 536, 100 41.91
Year Quantity Year Quantity Year Quantity Year Quantity
1834 7,730 1858 38,700 1882 38, 204,404 1906 56,517,9001835 18,567 1859 77,309 1883 35.740,244 1907 56,514.6001836 18,567 1860 116,009 1884 37, 751, 594 1908 52, 489,8001837 18,587 1881 1,546,900 1885 39,917.854 1909 54, 718.5001838 18,547 1862 3,480, 500 1886 39,453,494 1910 57, 138, 1001839 18,567 1863 6, 574,200 1887 41.276,891 1911 60.396.0171840 18,567 1864 8, 507,800 1888 45,793, 138 1912 63,759,6791841 18,567 1865 5,701,260 1889 50,016, 029 1913 66,790,6501842 18,567 1866 7,734,400 1890 54,511.583 1914 72.444.8091843 18, 567 1867 10,491,400 1891 58,342,087 1915 74.945.9271844 18,567 1868 9, 281, 200 1892 63,499, 992 1916 74,397, 1571845 38,700 1869 9, 281, 200 1893 59.999. 958 1917 71, 736,3811846 38, 700 1870 12.375,000 1894 49,500, 1918 67.806,9621847 38,700 1871 17,739, 100 1895 55, 726,945 1919 56.874,1)061848 38,700 1872 22,235,300 1896 58, 834,800 1920 55,339,4551849 38,700 1873 27,650,000 1897 53, 860,000 1921 53,025, 2501850 35,700 1874 28,868,200 1898 54.438,000 1922 56.212, 0541851 38,700 1875 24, 539.3(8) 1899 54, 764,500 1923 73,295,8101852 38,700 1876 29,998, 3900 57.647,000 1924 65, 366,8401853 38,700 1877 30,777,800 1901 55.214, 000 1925 66, 106,9221854 38,700 1878 35,022,300 1902 55, 500,000 1926 62.672.9531855 38,700 1879 31,565, 500 1903 54,300,000 1927 60,394, 1991856 38,703 1880 30,318,700 1904 57,685,8(8)1857 38,700 1881 33,264,738 1905 58,101,600
50
PRINCIPAL SILVER-PRODUCING COUNTRIES 19
Table 9 and Figure 4 show the production by years from 1834 to1927. The rapid increase that began in 1860 was the resùlt ofexploitation of the Comstock lode. A long series, of discoveries inthe Western States followed discovery of the Comstock. The ReeseRiver (Austin) district of Nevada was found in 1862, then the LittleCottonwood and Bingham Canyon districts, Utah, and the Eurekadistrict, Nevada, in 1863; the Pioche district, Nevada, in 1864; thePhilhpsburg district, Montana, in 1865; and the White Pine district,Nevada, and Eureka district, Utah, in 1867; the Butte district, Mon-tana, (copper-silver ore), and the Cerro Gordo district, California, in1869; the Georgetown district, New Mexico, and the Park City district,Utah, in 1872; the PmaI Range (Globe-Miami) district, Arizona,and the Leadville district, Colorado, in 1874; the Frisco district,Utah, in 1876; the Silver Cliff district, Colorado, in 1877; the Tomb-stone district, Arizona, in 1878; the Aspen district, Colorado, in1879; the Lake Valley district, New Mexico, and the Calico district,California, in 1881; the Coeur d'Alene district, Idaho, in 1884; theCreede district Colorado, in 1891; the Randsburg district, California,m 1895; the '1onopah district, Nevada, in 1900; and the Goldfielddistrict, Nevada, in 1902. Since 1902 most of the discoveries havebeen made within established districts. The output has beenaugmented by employing new mining and milling methods in theolder camps, which already had exhausted their high-grade ores.
The production of silver increased without important recessionsfrom 1860 until 1893. In 1890 began a sharp decline in price whichcarried the London price from $1.05 an ounce in 1890 to $0.63 in1894. From t1is date until 1917 the price ranged between a maximumof $0.68 and a minimum of $0.507 an ounce. Use of the cyanideprocess, invented in 1887, greatly increased the silver productionfrom many silver deposits and consequently largely offset the de-creases caused by the decline in the price of silver. From 1893 to 1908the production of silver remained at about the same level. In1908 a steady increase began, which culminated in 1915 with anoutput of 75,000,000 ounces, the high point of United States produc-tion to date. This period of increase was largely the result of therapidly expanding yield of copper, lead, and zinc. These metalsand, more particularly, gold felt the effects of World War inflation,so that in spite of high prices for silver production of that metal fellrapidly from 1915 until 1921. The years 1922 and 1923 witnessedrapid recovery from postwar depressions but since the discontinuanceduring 1923 of purchases of silver at $1 an ounce by the Umted StatesTreasury Department, under the Pittman Act, production har fallenregularly until it reached its 1927 level of 60,000,000 ounces.
Records have been kept of the silver production of the variousStates and Territories since 1877. Table 10 gives the output of allStates and Territories that have contributed 1 per cent or more ofthe United States total for any. one year since 1877. Alaska,Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Michigan, Montana, Nevada,New Mexico, Texas, Utah, and Washington are the 12 States fallingwithin this classification. Table 11 shows the classes of ores fromwhich silver was obtained in these States from 1906 to 1927.
TL
10.
-Min
e pr
oduc
iion
of s
ilver
in th
e U
nite
d St
ates
, by
Stat
es, 1
877-
197
Peri
od
Tot
alA
lask
aA
rizo
naC
alif
orni
aC
olor
ado
Idah
oM
ichi
gan
Qua
ntity
,fi
ne o
unce
sPo
rce
ntQ
uant
ity,
fine
oun
ces
Per
cent
Qua
ntity
,fi
ne o
unce
sPe
rce
ntQ
uant
ity,
fine
oun
ces
Per
cent
Qua
ntity
,fi
ne o
unce
sPe
rce
ntQ
uant
ity,
fine
oun
ces
Per
cent
Qua
ntity
,fi
ne o
unce
sPe
rce
nt
1877
30, 5
26.0
73(2
)38
6, 7
2877
3,41
53,
480,
548
193,
364
154,
691
1878
36, 1
40,7
02(2
)2,
320,
365
1,83
5,71
04,
172
, 743
154,
691
77,3
4818
7931
,566
, 246
(2)
2, 7
45, 7
851,
856,
292
9,04
9,42
450
2, 7
4660
3, 2
9518
8030
,319
,437
(2)
1, 5
46,9
1088
0,80
113
, 148
, 734
348,
055
(2)
1877
-188
012
8, 1
52,4
1810
0.00
6,99
9, 7
685.
461,
316,
258
4. 1
529
,851
,449
23.2
91,
198
, 856
0. 9
483
5,33
20.
65
1881
33, 2
58, 5
66(2
)5,
646
, 222
580,
091
13, 2
72,4
881,
005,
492
(2)
1882
36, 1
97, 8
95(2
)5,
800
, 913
653,
569
12, 7
62,0
091,
546
,910
(25
1883
35, 7
33, 6
22(2
)4,
021,
966
1, 1
29, 2
4413
, 434
,913
1, 8
24, 2
56(2
1884
37, 7
44, 6
05(2
)3,
480
, 548
2,32
0,36
512
,375
, 281
2, 1
03, 7
98(2
1885
39,9
10,2
791,
547
2, 9
39, 1
291,
933,
638
12,2
20,5
882,
707
, 093
(2)
1881
-188
518
2,84
4, 7
6710
0.00
1, 5
4721
, 888
,778
11.9
76,
616,
907
3.62
64,0
65, 2
7935
. 03
8,98
7, 5
494.
92
1886
39.6
94,8
721,
547
2,62
9, 7
471,
082,
837
12, 3
75, 2
812,
784
.438
(2)
1887
41,7
21. 5
9223
22,
939,
129
1, 1
60, 1
83Ii
, 601
,825
2,32
0,36
527
,080
1888
45, 7
92.6
822,
320
2,32
0,31
31,
042,
812
14,6
95, 3
132,
320,
313
64, 9
8918
8950
,094
,571
8,00
01,
500
,000
800,
000
16,0
00, 0
003,
400,
000
60,0
0018
9054
, 516
,300
7,50
01,
000,
000
900.
000
18,8
90,0
003,
700,
000
55, 0
00
1886
-189
028
1,82
0,01
710
0.00
19, 5
990.
01
10,3
89, 1
894.
48
5,02
5,83
22.
17
73,4
72, 4
1931
.68
14. 5
25, 1
166.
2720
7,04
9.0
9
1891
58,3
30, 0
008,
000
1,48
0,00
075
0, 0
0021
, 160
, 000
4,03
5, 0
0073
, 000
1892
'63,
500
, 000
8,40
01,
161
, 900
392,
200
26, 6
32, 3
(3)
3,46
1, 2
0065
, 600
1893
60,0
00, 0
009,
600
3,93
5, 7
0047
0, 1
0025
, 838
, 800
3.91
0, 7
0043
, 500
1894
49, 5
00, 0
0022
,281
1, 1
47, 2
0471
7,36
823
,281
, 399
3, 2
88, 5
4835
, 122
1895
55,7
26,9
4567
, 200
980,
900
653,
700
23,3
98,5
003,
110,
600
37,3
00
1891
-189
528
7,05
6, 9
4510
0.00
115,
461
.04
7, 7
11, 7
042.
69
2,98
3,36
81.
04 1
26,3
10, 7
9941
. 92
17, 8
06,0
486.
20
254,
522
.09
1890
58,8
34, 8
0014
5,30
01.
913,
000
600,
690
22,5
73,0
005,
149,
900
59,0
0018
9753
, 860
,000
116,
400
2,23
9,90
047
4,40
021
,636
,400
4,90
1,20
060
.300
1898
54,4
38, 0
0092
,409
2, 2
46,8
0064
2,30
922
,815
,600
5,07
3,80
032
,490
1899
54, 7
64, 5
0014
0, 1
001,
578
.309
824,
309
22,6
62, 9
003,
851,
800
112.
800
1900
57, 6
47, 0
0073
,300
2,99
5,50
094
1.40
020
,483
,900
6,42
9, 1
0010
2,00
0
1896
-190
027
9,54
4,30
010
0.00
567,
500
. 20
10,9
73, 5
003.
933,
483,
000
1.25
110
, 171
,800
39.4
025
,405
,809
9. 0
936
6, 5
00. 1
3
1901
55,2
14, 0
0047
,900
2,81
2,40
092
5,60
018
,437
,800
5,54
2, 9
0081
,000
1902
55, 5
00,0
0092
,000
3.04
3, 1
0090
0,80
015
, 678
.000
5,85
4,80
011
0.80
019
0354
,300
, 000
143,
600
3,38
7,10
093
1.50
013
,990
,200
6,50
7,40
050
.000
1904
1905
1901
-190
5
1906
1907
1908
1909
1910
1906
-191
0
1911
1912
1913
1914
1915
1911
-191
5
1916
1917
1918
1919
1990
1916
-192
0
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
1921
-192
5
1926
1927
i The
se to
tals
are
com
pute
d in
a d
iffe
rent
man
ner
from
thos
e sh
own
else
whe
re S
or th
e U
nite
d St
ates
and
ther
efor
e do
not
agr
ee e
xact
ly.
Incl
uded
in "
Oth
ers"
col
umn.
Ö
57, 6
82,8
0019
8,70
02,
744
, 100
1,44
1,30
014
, 333
,606
7,81
0, 2
0012
7,89
056
, 101
.600
169,
200
2,00
5,70
01,
082,
000
12,9
42,8
008,
125,
600
253,
000
278,
798,
400
100.
0065
1, 4
00. 2
314
, 592
,400
5.23
5,28
1, 2
001.
8974
,378
.400
26.6
833
, 840
,900
12. 1
462
2,60
022
66, 5
17, 9
0020
3, 5
002.
969.
200
1, 5
17, 5
0012
,447
,400
8, 8
36, 2
0018
6, 1
0056
, 514
, 600
179,
390
2,90
3, 1
001,
590,
000
11,4
95,4
007,
888,
400
331,
300
52,4
39,5
0020
4, 6
002.
900
,000
1, 7
03, 7
0010
, 160
,200
7, 5
68. 3
0029
4. 1
0054
,718
, 500
198,
600
2,52
3,60
02,
304,
900
8,84
6,30
06,
755,
900
217,
600
57,1
38,1
0015
3,90
02,
655,
700
1,79
1,80
08,
523,
000
7,02
7,00
026
2,20
0
277,
326
,600
100.
0093
9,90
0. 3
413
, 961
, 600
6.03
8,90
7,70
03.
2151
,462
,300
18. 6
538
, 005
.800
13.7
31,
291
.300
.47
60,3
94,2
0046
8,30
03,
228
,900
1,27
0.90
07,
331
, 200
8. 1
84, 9
0050
7, 7
0063
,761
,000
539,
700
3,44
5,50
01,
384,
800
7,93
3,10
07,
862,
900
543,
600
66, 7
95. 2
0036
6, 7
003,
912,
000
1,42
1, 6
008,
909,
700
9,47
7, 1
0033
3. 7
0072
,444
,800
865,
900
4,43
9, 6
002.
020,
800
8,80
4,40
012
, 673
, 800
415,
500
74,9
45,9
271,
054,
634
5,66
5, 6
721,
689,
924
7, 1
90,7
4513
,042
,405
561,
874
338,
343,
127
100.
003,
295,
234
. 97
90,6
91,5
726.
12
7,78
7,92
42.
30
40, 2
58, 1
4511
.90
51, 1
41, 1
6615
. 12
2, 3
82, 2
74.7
0
74,3
97,1
691,
206,
317
6,68
0,25
21,
936,
910
----
----
7,55
1,76
111
,570
,390
759,
068
71,7
27,8
471,
207
, 164
6,96
5,25
72,
107
, 107
7,29
1,49
511
,402
,542
684,
225
67, 7
97, 1
3980
2, 7
436,
831
, 465
1,43
2,81
26,
900,
266
9,39
6, 0
0951
6, 2
9456
. 666
, 730
690.
161
5,70
2,91
11,
153
, 614
5,96
8,60
65,
933
, 078
425,
610
55,3
39.4
5582
2, 4
105,
431.
637
1,65
4, 8
535,
160,
833
7,36
4,78
651
1,66
4
325,
928,
130
100.
004,
788,
785
1.47
31,6
08,5
229.
708,
285,
096
2,54
32,6
77,0
0110
.09
46,6
66,8
1114
.01
2,89
8,86
1.8
9
52,0
20,0
4975
3,99
92,
519
. 200
3, 6
06, 7
086,
310,
694
7, 2
00,3
1911
6, 5
5156
. 212
,054
770,
232
4. 6
27, 7
383.
095,
480
6,01
8, 7
815,
791,
413
360,
811
73, 2
05,6
2081
6, 1
777,
378,
832
3,68
9,85
65,
529
, 121
8,01
9,97
725
3, 7
0565
,366
,829
690,
781
6.39
0,68
43.
598
, 733
3,64
9,90
38,
038,
358
15,5
, 372
68, 1
00,7
2776
6,09
67.
371,
350
3,24
0,40
04,
434,
800
7,66
3,43
713
5,92
1
314,
007,
285
100.
003,
797.
285
1.21
28,2
85,8
129.
0117
.231
, 177
5.47
25,8
43.3
898.
2336
,711
.504
15.6
91,
222,
300
.39
62,6
72,9
5310
0.00
707,
454
1. 1
37.
516
,700
11.9
91,
977,
966
3. 1
65,
037,
574
8.04
7,56
3,64
412
.07
107,
094
. 17
60,3
94, 1
9910
0.00
606,
129
1.00
6,00
1,46
710
.93
1,55
7,81
22.
58
3,94
1,35
16.
538,
925,
619
14.7
851
,743
.09
TA
BI.
.n 1
0.-M
ine
prod
uctio
n of
silv
er in
the
Uni
ted
,Sta
tes,
by
Stat
es 1
877-
197-
Con
tinue
d
Peri
od
Mon
tana
Nev
ada
New
Mex
ico
Tex
asU
tah
Was
hing
ton
Oth
ers
Qua
ntity
,fi
ne o
unce
sPe
rce
ntQ
uant
ity,
fine
oun
ces
Per
cent
Qua
ntity
,fi
ne o
unce
sPe
rce
ntQ
uant
ity,
fine
oun
ces
Per
cent
Qua
ntity
,fi
ne o
unce
sPe
rce
ntQ
uant
ity,
fine
oun
ces
Per
cent
Qua
ntity
,fi
ne o
unce
sPe
rce
nt
1877
580,
091
20, 1
09 8
2938
6,72
3(2
)3,
925,
284
38,6
7396
,682
1878
1,29
1,38
821
,757
,559
386,
728
(2)
4,05
8, 1
5419
,336
96,5
5218
791,
720,
937
9,71
4,59
546
4,07
3(2
)4,
834,
094
15,4
8959
,556
1880
1,93
3,63
88,
430,
660
328,
718
(2)
3,66
6, 1
77(2
)65
,744
1877
-188
05,
526,
054
4.31
60,0
12,6
4346
.88
1,56
8,24
71.
2216
,453
,709
12.8
473
,478
0.06
318,
664
0.25
1881
2,03
4, 1
875,
480,
592
212,
709
2)4,
950,
112
(2)
96,6
82 -
1882
3,37
9,99
85,
22)
, 821
1,39
2,21
92)
5,25
9,49
4(2
)18
1,76
218
834,
640,
730
4,19
9,86
12,
200,
480
2)4,
346,
817
387
134,
968
1884
5,41
4,15
54,
331,
348
2,32
0,36
52)
5,25
9,49
477
313
8,44
818
857,
780,
958
4,64
0,73
02,
320,
366
2)5,
220,
821
54,1
4291
,268
1881
-188
523
,250
,058
12.7
223
,853
,352
13.0
58,
448,
129
4.62
25,0
36,7
3813
. 69
55,3
02.0
364
3,12
8.3
518
869,
590,
842
3,86
7,27
51,
778,
947
154,
691
5,02
7,45
861
,876
339,
933
-18
8711
,988
,553
3,78
9,93
01,
775,
947
193,
364
5,41
4,18
577
,346
430,
453
1888
13,1
48,4
375,
414,
062
028,
125
252,
031
5,41
4,06
277
,344
92,5
8118
8915
,000
,000
4,80
0,00
01,
130,
000
232,
031
7,00
0,00
080
,000
84,5
4018
9015
,710
,000
4,45
0,00
01,
300,
000
300,
000
8,00
0,00
070
,000
183,
800
1886
-189
065
,477
,832
28.2
522
,321
,267
9.63
6,91
6,01
92.
981,
112,
117
0.48
30,8
55,7
0513
.31
366,
566
.16
1,13
1,30
7.4
918
9116
,350
,000
3, 5
20,0
001,
325,
000
375,
000
8,75
0,00
016
5,00
033
9,00
018
9219
,038
,800
2,45
4, 5
001,
176,
700
328,
100
8,49
0,80
016
5,70
018
5,80
018
9316
,906
,400
1, 5
61,3
0045
8,40
034
9,40
07,
196
,300
152,
700
167,
300
1894
12,8
20,0
611,
085,
151
632,
183
429,
314
5,89
1,90
111
3, 1
6088
,308
1895
17,5
69,1
0095
6,20
069
4,80
045
0,00
07,
488,
100
122,
700
211,
845
1891
-189
582
,684
,381
28.8
09,
527,
151
3. 3
24,
287,
083
1.49
1,93
1,81
4.6
737
, 797
,101
13. 1
771
9,26
0. 2
592
8,25
3.3
218
9615
,737
,500
1,04
8,70
068
7,80
052
5,40
08,
827,
600
274,
900
292,
100
L89
715
,867
,900
1,22
8,90
053
9,50
040
4,70
06,
265,
600
108,
900
217,
900
1898
14,8
07,2
0080
5,00
042
5,30
047
2,90
08,
485,
900
254,
400
284,
000
[899
16,0
96,0
0084
3,40
050
3,30
052
0,00
07,
093,
300
256,
000
282,
300
[900
14,1
95,4
001,
358,
700
434,
300
477,
400
9,26
7,60
022
4,50
066
3,90
018
98-1
900
77,5
04,0
0027
.73
5,28
4.70
01.
892,
590,
200
.93
2,40
0,40
0.8
637
,940
,000
13.5
71,
116,
790
.40
1,74
0,20
0.6
219
0113
, 131
,700
1,81
2, 5
0056
3,40
047
2,40
010
,760
,800
344,
4.00
281,
200
-19
0219
0313
,243
,800
12,6
42,3
003,
746,
200
5.05
0.50
045
7,20
018
0.70
044
5,26
04M
. 400
10,8
31,7
00li
1O&
500
619,
000
ces
478,
400
sci
tW
1904
1905
1901
-190
5
1906
1907
1908
1909
1910
1906
-191
0
1911
1912
1913
1914
1915
1911
-191
5
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
1916
-192
0
1921
1922
1923
1924
1925
1921
-192
5
1926
1927
Incl
uded
in "
Oth
ers"
col
umn.
z Ö I-.
14,6
08,1
003,
695
,100
214,
600
469,
600
12,4
84,3
0014
9,90
040
7,50
013
,454
,790
5,86
3,50
035
4,90
041
7,20
010
,319
,800
119,
400
393,
800
67,0
80,6
0024
.06
19,1
67,8
0088
1,77
0,80
0.6
42,
259,
800
.81
55,5
93,4
0019
.94
1,52
7,90
0.5
52,
031,
900
.73
12,5
40,3
005,
207,
600
453,
400
277,
400
11,5
08,0
0044
100
329,
200
11, 1
29,6
008,
230,
300
599,
500
305,
300
11,4
06,9
0084
,000
321,
300
-10
,336
, 200
9,50
8, 5
0040
0,90
044
7,00
08,
451,
300
86,8
0037
7,90
012
,034
,500
10,1
19,2
0032
4, 2
0040
8,10
010
,551
,190
7,5,
200
359,
300
12,2
4490
012
, 366
, 000
779,
000
364,
400
10,4
45,9
0020
4,90
027
9,60
0
58,3
43, 5
0021
.04
45,4
81,8
0016
30
2,55
7,00
0.9
21,
802.
200
.65
52, 3
63,2
0018
.88
493,
000
. 18
1,66
7,30
0.6
0
12, 1
63,9
0013
, 185
,900
1,34
1,40
044
4,20
011
,630
,600
230,
300
408,
000
12, 5
24,0
0013
,851
, 400
1,49
0,80
337
9, 8
0013
,076
,700
350,
800
408,
000
12, 5
40,3
0015
,657
,400
1,66
6,90
042
9,80
011
,282
,300
218,
700
499,
100
12, 5
36, 7
0015
,877
, 200
1, 7
71, 3
0057
4,70
011
,722
,000
341,
300
501,
790
14,4
23, 1
7314
,453
,085
2,33
7,06
472
4, 5
8013
,073
,471
213,
877
486,
362
64, 1
88,0
7318
.97
73,0
24,9
3321
. 58
8, 5
77, 4
642.
54
2,55
3,08
0. 7
560
, 785
, 071
17. 9
71,
354,
977
.40
2,30
3,16
2.6
8
14,0
46,0
5413
, 662
,067
1,72
9,91
766
4,31
913
, 545
,802
294,
516
669,
777
14,5
55,0
3411
,217
, 654
1,53
5,80
758
7,94
513
,360
,905
266,
112
549,
400
16,3
78, 2
632,
931,
969
773,
662
579,
158
13,4
93,5
5530
0,00
046
1,94
315
,014
258
7,04
5,39
533
1,82
153
9,48
312
, 542
, 623
258,
270
544,
912
13,2
83, 3
567,
481,
866
699,
745
522,
818
11,7
55,4
1117
7, 7
5848
6,47
9
73,2
54,9
8522
. 47
49,3
.58,
951
15. 1
46,
590,
952
L 7
22,
893,
723
.89
64,6
97,2
9619
.8.5
1,29
6,65
6. 4
02,
7145
11.8
3
9,67
7,02
06,
998,
774
579,
374
548,
827
14,0
28,6
6114
7, 5
8433
8, 3
389,
684
304
3,23
7,70
476
4,03
165
3,65
715
, 465
,202
219,
398
475,
303
14,2
26,2
7216
,640
,656
737,
863
825,
267
20,4
79,5
5024
0,71
245
9,63
813
,688
,723
9,33
3, 1
9783
4,93
371
8,42
517
,821
.716
219,
372
323,
627
14 5
96,6
096,
846,
806
799,
673
555,
173
21,2
40,5
1516
5,58
529
0,28
4
59,8
70,9
3319
.59
44 1
07, 1
3713
.45
3,71
5,87
41.
18
3,80
1,34
91.
0589
,035
,644
28.3
599
2, 6
31.3
21,
894
190
.60
11,9
74,2
5719
. 11
6,45
0,22
410
.29
496,
634
.79
463,
611
. 74
19,9
36,0
3231
.80
155,
982
. 25
285,
813
.46
11,8
09, 7
6519
. 55
5,37
4 90
08.
9075
4,87
8L
25
942,
971
1. 5
619
,353
,758
32.0
416
1,64
3. 2
731
1,16
4. 5
2
TA
BL
SI 1
1.-A
vera
ge a
nnua
l min
e pr
oduc
tion
of s
ilver
in th
e 12
lead
ing
Slat
es, b
y cl
asse
s of
ore
s, b
y 5-
year
per
iods
, 190
6-19
25; a
nd f
or 1
926
and
1927
Stat
e an
d pe
riod
Tot
al p
rodu
ctio
nPl
acer
Dry
ans
fflc
eous
eC
oppe
r or
eL
ead
ore
Zin
c or
eL
ead-
zinc
ore
Qua
ntity
,fi
ne o
unce
sPe
rce
ntQ
uant
ity,
Per
cent
Qua
ntity
,fi
ne o
unce
sPe
rce
ntQ
uant
ity,
fine
oun
ces
Per
cent
Qua
ntity
,fi
ne o
unce
sPe
rce
ntQ
uant
ity,
fine
oun
ces
Per
cent
Qua
ntity
,fi
ne o
unce
sPe
rce
ntQ
uant
ity,
fine
oun
ces
Per
cent
Ala
ska:
1906
-191
015
1,46
-510
0.00
91,1
3160
.17
27,8
4218
.18
32,4
9221
.41
1911
-191
156
0,91
310
0.00
87,4
9415
. 60
43,2
037.
70
430,
216
76.7
019
16-1
920
1,00
0,87
310
0.00
44,5
904.
4213
7,27
213
.59
827,
152
81.9
274
0.01
585
0.06
1921
-192
573
4,71
610
0.00
23,5
463.
Z)
73,9
6010
.07
610,
494
83.1
025
,237
3.43
1,47
9.2
019
2669
0,00
010
0.00
24,8
703.
6059
,940
8.69
597,
818
86.6
47,
372
1.07
1927
627,
800
100.
0025
,300
3.71
79,4
0012
.65
525,
100
83.6
4A
rizo
na:
-
1906
-191
02,
702,
895
100.
0024
9.0
165
9,03
624
.38
1,73
6,81
064
.25
262,
906
9.73
16,0
570.
6027
,828
1.03
1911
-191
54,
148,
413
100.
0027
2.0
166
1,76
215
.95
2,80
2,94
267
.57
520,
920
12.6
350
,384
1.21
20,9
33.5
088
,200
2.13
1916
-192
06,
300,
802
100.
00
96.0
096
9,40
215
.39
4,66
7,44
374
. 08
483,
603
7. 6
742
,601
.68
60, 5
59.9
677
, 008
1.22
1921
-192
55,
650,
429
100.
0065
.00
935,
504
16.5
63,
834,
801
67.8
783
9,31
014
.85
278
.00
38,9
08.6
91,
567
.03
1926
7,38
1,02
710
0.00
5600
460,
826
6.24
5,98
4,41
581
.08
716,
945
9.71
33,9
32.4
614
5,98
91.
9838
,864
.53
1927
6,84
7,68
010
0.00
43.0
046
1,32
16.
745,
702,
270
83.2
760
9,71
88.
914,
434
.06
57,0
36.8
312
,858
.19
Cal
ifor
nia:
1906
.-19
101,
580
,023
100.
0046
,639
2. 9
339
6,98
224
. 98
1,05
9,74
466
.69
76,0
804.
796.
000
.38
446
.03
3, 1
32.2
019
11-1
915
1,41
9,91
910
0.00
36,6
632.
5831
6,79
922
.31
850,
090
59.8
718
8,09
613
.25
28,2
711.
99--
1916
-192
01,
716,
202
100.
0028
,920
1.69
-46
7, 7
0727
. 25
810,
241
47.2
138
5,02
1)22
.42
21,7
501.
272,
564
.15
1921
-192
53,
379,
6-5
610
0.00
22, 7
65-
672,
639,
351
78. 1
044
7,59
814
.43
207,
756
6. 1
514
,862
442,
141
.06
5, 1
85.1
519
262,
022,
460
100.
0019
,362
.96
1,24
2,51
461
. 92
397,
174
50.6
412
5,02
76.
3315
0,05
37.
425,
022
.25
70,3
083.
4819
271,
620
,242
100.
0020
,903
1.29
1,03
2, 5
8963
.73
393,
533
24.2
972
, 6-4
44.
4871
,074
4. 3
93,
383
.21
26, 1
161.
61C
olor
ado:
1906
-191
1)9,
952,
854
100.
003,
275
.03
6,22
9,00
862
.59
429,
779
4.32
1,89
4,83
819
.04
30,2
78.3
131
3,51
43.
151,
051,
282
10.5
619
11-1
915
8,13
8,30
6IO
OE
OO
5,86
6.0
75,
708,
862
70.1
523
3,62
92.
871,
375,
775
16.9
048
,832
.58
200,
220
2.83
537,
113
6.60
1916
-192
06,
688,
359
100.
007,
600
- 11
4,61
0,36
569
.45
150,
787
2.27
1, 1
38,5
9017
. 15
54,2
47.8
264
,247
.97
612,
521
)9.
2319
21-1
025
4,93
6,67
310
0.00
3,92
9.0
83,
734
, 627
75. 9
612
0,62
12.
4551
0, 1
6110
.38
11,3
30.2
320
,392
.60
506,
613
10.3
019
264,
704
, 122
1011
0056
9.0
12,
798
,187
59.4
943
, 312
.92
626,
986
13.3
323
0.0
12,
625
.05
1,23
2,01
026
. 19
1927
3,78
4,60
510
1100
1, 1
36.0
32,
409,
501
63.8
714
,888
.39
244,
788
6.47
8,28
4.2
21,
106
,008
29.2
2Id
aho: 19
06-1
910
7,86
3, 1
2010
0.00
3,03
7.0
472
7,27
59.
2566
1,21
77.
14
6,50
4,80
582
. 72
4,45
2.0
691
9.0
161
,415
. 78
1911
-191
510
,145
,744
100.
006,
489
.06
160,
954
1.59
306,
334
3.02
8,08
8,31
179
.72
36,0
77.3
670
3-
.01
1,64
6,87
615
.24
1916
-192
09,
281,
600
190.
002,
442
.03
86,8
10.9
420
2,65
82.
187,
035,
446
75.8
010
,952
- 12
45,7
07.4
91,
897,
595
20.4
419
21-1
925
7,07
4,55
010
0.00
3,46
4.0
575
,941
1.07
271,
880
3.84
5,44
7,07
2 77
®88
6.0
141
3,39
55.
8486
1,89
912
. 19
1926
7,55
6,44
410
0.50
2,02
9.0
324
,335
3242
9,34
35.
684,
575,
490
80. 5
544
5,52
05.
902,
079,
727
27.5
219
278,
901,
409
100.
002,
306
.03
23,4
20.2
649
,623
.56
5,60
9,60
563
.02
1,07
9,74
712
. 13
2, 1
36, 7
0524
.00
z Ö o Ö z Ö o z
Mic
higa
n:10
06-1
910
275,
004
100.
0027
5, 9
94 1
00.0
019
11-1
915
464,
068
100.
0046
4, 0
68 1
00.0
010
16-1
920
565,
255
100.
0056
5, 2
55 1
00.0
019
21-1
925
216,
319
100.
0023
6,31
9 10
0.00
-
1926
105,
242
100.
0010
5,24
2 10
0.00
1927
07, 1
9310
0.00
97, 1
93 1
00.0
0M
onta
na:
1906
.-10
1011
,239
,216
100.
003,
581
.03
1,60
5,96
115
.09
8,07
0,75
279
.82
280,
776
2.50
190,
167
1.69
97,7
94.8
718
5.0
019
11-1
915
52,9
86,1
8610
0.00
6,28
1.0
51,
430,
427
11.0
29,
480,
016
73.0
034
8,46
42.
6833
9,01
12.
6139
,108
.30
1,34
2,87
710
.34
1916
-192
014
,308
,069
100.
003,
316
.02
1,37
3, 1
859.
608,
606,
194
60. 1
516
5, 1
223.
9551
1, 1
143.
5771
, 477
.50
3, 1
77, 6
6122
.21
1921
-192
511
,771
,044
100.
0063
9.0
11,
312,
680
11.1
56,
246,
320
53.0
765
1,36
85.
5378
2,88
36.
6540
8,53
83.
472,
368,
616
20.1
219
2612
,769
,092
100.
0016
2. 0
034
5,41
62.
71
7, 7
62, 1
9060
. 78
514,
624
4.03
123,
437
.97
668,
986
5.24
3,31
4,21
326
.27
1927
11,2
00,0
7710
0.00
197
.00
427,
105
3.81
8,20
1,82
751
.37
314,
100
2.81
1,60
7,18
814
.35
559,
918
5.00
2,08
9,74
218
.08
Nev
ada:
1006
-101
00,
364,
722
100.
002,
069
.02
8,62
0,64
192
.06
66, 8
40.7
160
7,67
86.
402,
590
.03
54, 5
57. 5
810
,347
. 11
1911
-191
514
,711
,816
100.
005,
554
.04
13,9
48,8
8594
.81
190,
630
1.30
373,
470
2.64
22,2
61.1
547
,321
.32
123,
691
.84
1916
-102
00,
943,
353
100.
004,
320
.04
9,06
5,43
391
.17
229,
421
2.31
465,
139
4.68
7,01
8.0
740
,538
.41
131,
486
1.31
1921
-192
58,
565,
188
100.
003,
258
.04
7,33
9,53
785
.69
70,6
22.8
297
7,88
811
.42
1,68
5.0
28,
090
.09
164,
108
1.91
1926
6, 5
18,9
8810
0.00
1,49
4.0
24,
509,
178
69. 1
714
2, 3
162.
18
1,39
5,28
521
.41
827
.01
147,
470
2.26
322,
613
4.91
1927
5, 3
97, 1
7919
0.00
740
.01
3,41
9, 0
4063
.37
188,
525
3. 4
01,
405,
418
26.6
028
0,71
35.
20
106,
843
1. 9
5N
ew M
exic
o:19
06-1
910
568,
897
150.
0021
1.0
444
8,84
878
.93
68,4
3712
.03
35, 7
306.
28
3.0
094
3.1
714
, 527
2. &
1911
-191
51,
661,
098
100.
0015
5.0
11,
312,
946
79.0
428
0,51
818
.89
45,1
282.
7223
3.0
18,
309
.38
15,8
09.0
119
16-1
920
1,10
9,70
450
0.00
48.0
178
5,88
570
.82
228,
276
20.5
672
,320
6.52
3,18
5.2
917
,761
1.60
2,22
9.2
C19
21-1
925
720,
292
100.
0034
.01
549,
959
78.3
511
9,22
356
.51
45,0
346.
2526
.00
4,15
0. 6
31,
466
.21
1926
450,
934
100.
0045
.01
542,
735
31.6
516
4,46
036
.47
80, 1
2717
. 77
4, 1
0891
84.0
259
, 375
13. 1
719
2789
0,08
310
0.00
32.0
081
,810
6.94
122,
093
13.7
254
, 504
6.08
934
.11
13,6
001.
5363
7,51
071
.61
Tex
as:
1906
-191
036
0,91
210
0.00
358,
787
90.4
117
.01
2,04
4. 5
760
.01
1911
-191
549
2,86
110
0.00
484,
147
98.2
34,
048
.82
1,02
6.3
02,
741
lt19
16-1
920
575,
170
100.
0056
6,75
298
. 54
6,13
61.
07
2,26
6.3
016
-. 0
019
21-1
921
616,
930
100.
00
612,
577
99.2
042
8.0
73,
925
.64
1926
447,
237
100.
0044
6,'9
0399
.93
82. 0
127
2.0
619
271,
034,
866
100.
001,
034,
705
99. 9
818
1. 0
2U
tah: 19
06-1
910
10,6
35, 2
3810
0.00
13. 0
027
1,46
12.
152,
527,
737
23. 7
78,
059,
494
56.9
810
, 206
. 10
5,40
2,07
813
. 18
384,
200
3.41
1911
-191
512
, 172
,529
100.
0021
.00
2,66
7,26
718
.60
2,20
5,31
317
. 14
6,98
8,70
355
.59
9,10
4.0
800
,412
.'2
1, 1
91,3
059.
4719
16-1
920
12,9
88,9
4110
0.00
5.0
03,
016,
656
23.2
21,
468,
682
11.3
17,
368,
173
56.7
382
6.0
011
1,29
0.8
61,
023,
109
7.81
1921
-192
517
,438
,190
100.
002
.00
6,02
4,08
734
.51
883,
558
3.92
8,99
6,29
251
.10
11.0
019
,321
.11
1,71
4,93
59.
8519
2619
,358
,581
100.
001
.00
3,36
5,64
417
.39
1,28
1,76
76.
627,
307,
599
37.7
573
2.0
07,
402,
838
38.2
419
2718
,606
,958
100.
502,
177,
357
13.8
51,
138,
014
8.12
7,21
4,27
138
.77
160,
111
.01
7,56
8,19
740
.31
Was
hing
ton:
1906
-191
094
,978
100.
0018
1. 1
980
, 180
84.4
29,
783
10.3
04,
834
5.00
1911
-191
530
1,85
110
0.00
71.0
217
7,70
958
.90
117,
531
38.8
78,
330
2.10
320
.11
1916
-192
027
7,31
910
0.00
54.0
211
6,55
742
.03
154,
144
51.5
8-
5,28
51.
9199
7.3
628
2.1
(19
21-1
925
100,
070
100.
0029
.02
83, 1
0443
.52
51, 2
1128
. 91
50,3
7926
.38
167
.09
102
.26
1,57
6.8
119
2617
1,64
910
0.50
456
.27
56,5
5632
.95
18,4
56-1
0.75
82,7
3348
.20
13,4
487.
8119
2755
5, 8
5010
0.00
.5.0
011
5,68
474
.23
35, (
426
23.0
51,
939
1.24
-2,
134
1.37
162
.11
26 SUMMARIZED DATA OF SILVER PRODUCTION
Arizona.Arizona produced 5 per cent of the United States totalduring the 4-year period 1877 to 1880 and 12 per cent during the5-year period 1881 to 1885. The mines of the Tombstone districtwere the leading silver producers. Arizona 's importance as a silverproducer declined until from 1891 to 1895 less than 3 per cent ofthe United States silver came from this State. There has since beena steady growth of Arizona 's proportion of the United States silverproduction to 9 per cent of the total in 1921 to 1925 and 11 per centin 1927. In recent years the silver obtained as a by-product ofcopper mining has been the chief source of Arizona 's output.
California.California produced 4 per cent of the total silver forthis country during the 4-year period 1877 to 1880. After that datethere was a decline until the low point of the 1891 to 1895 penod,when California 's proportion was only 1 per cent. From 1895 until1920 there was little change in California 's position. The dry andsiliceous and copper ores furnished the major portion of this pro-duction. The revival of the Randsburg district from 1921 to 1925doubled production and gave California over 5 per cent of the UnitedStates total, but by 1927 the annual output had decreased to abouthalf of the average for 1921 to 1925.
Colorado.Colorado produced 23 per cent of this country's silverduring the 4-year period 1877 to 1880, with an average annual pro-duction of 7,500,000 ounces. This increased rapidly to a maximumof 26,500,000 ounces in 1892, but there has been a steady declinesince that date. Colorado produced 42 per cent of the United Statestotal for the period 1891 to 1895. In 1927 less than 4,000,000 ounces-only 2 per cent of the total for the countrywas produced. TheSan Juan, Aspen, Leadville, and Clear Creek districts have been theleading producers in Colorado. Dry and siliceous ores have alwaysbeen the principal source of silver. Formerly lead ore rankedsecond, but in recent years it has decimed in importance. Lead-zincore has been an important source of silver and has shown a markedincrease during the past few years.
Idaho.The production of silver in Idaho increased steadily fromless than i per cent of the country 's total in the 4-year period 1877to 1880 to a maximum of 15 per cent in the period 1911 to 1915.Since 1915 there has been a substantial decrease in output but onlya slight decline in the importance of Idaho's contribution to theUnited States total. The Coeur d'Alene district has suppliedvirtually all of the silver production of Idaho. The major portionof the yield is from lead ores, but lead-zinc, copper-lead-zinc, copperand dry and siliceous ores have made important contributions toIdaho's total.
Montana.Silver production increased rapidly in Montana from1877 until during the period 1891 to 1895, 29 per cent of the totaloutput of the United States came from this State. Since 1895 pro-duction has fluctuated between 10,000,000 and 17,000,000 ounces a
PRINCIPAL SILVER-PRODUCING COUNTRIES 27
year, and there has been a slow decline in Montana 's proportionof the country's total. The 1921 to 1925 period shows a produc-tion of 19 per cent of the United States total. The óopper ores ofButte have supplied the major part of Montana's silver. Buttehas also been responsible for the major portion of the silver producedfrom lead-zinc, lead, zinc, and complex ores. Dry and siliceous ores,which formerly stood second to copper ores in silver-yielding impor-tance, have been produced in large quantities m the Philipsburg andJefferson County districts.
Nevada.During the 4-year period 1877 to 1O, the last years ofthe "Big Bonanza" of the Comstock lode, Nevada produced 47 percent of the total for the United States. Production then droppedrapidly until 1896 to 1900, when less than 2 per cent of the silveroutput of the United States came from this State. From that periodon there was a rapid increase to 22 per cent for the period 1911 to1915, followed by a decrease to 13 per cent for 1921 to 1925. Exhaus-tion of the bonanzas of Virginia City, Reese River district, Eurekadistrict, Pioche district, and White Pine distnct caused the silveroutput of Nevada to drop from 20,000,000 ounces in 1877 to lessthan 1,000,000 ounces in 1898. A general recovery then followed,and the production of Tonopah and Goldfield was added to that ofthe older districts. By 1915 the yearly output had increased tonearly 16,000,000 ounces; but since then production has again fallenoff, owing largely to the decline of Goldfleld and Tonopah. Virtuallyall of Nevada 's production has come from dry and siliceous ores. Inrecent years lead ores have become more important.
Utah.The silver production of Utah has increased with remark-able regularity since 1877. For the 4-year period 1877 to 1880 Utahproduced 13 per cent of the country's silver, and this same proportionwas maintained until 1900. The production for the 5-year period1901 to 1905 rose to 20 per cent, a position held until a further riseto 28 per cent in the 1921 to 1925 period. The Bingham Canyon,Park City, and Tintic districts have been the principal silver-producing areas in Utah. The several sources of silver in order oftheir importance have been lead ore, dry and siliceous ore, copperore, and lead-zinc ore.
Other States.Alaska, Michigan, New Mexico, Texas, and Wash-ington are the only other States that have contributed over 1 percent to production of silver in the United States for any one yearsince 1877. Copper ores, largely from the Copper River district,have been the most important source of silver in Alaska. The copperores of the Keweenaw Peninsula have been the only source of silverin Michigan. Dry and siliceous ores and copper ores have producedmost of New Mexico's silver. Dry and siliceous ores of the Shafterdistrict have been responsible for most of the Texas silver production.The dry and siliceous ores of Ferry County and the copper ores ofStevens County have accounted for the major part of the productionin Washington.
TA
BL
E 1
2.-M
ine
prod
uctio
n of
silv
er in
the
Uni
ted
Stat
es, b
y so
urce
s, 1
906-
1927
Yea
r
Tot
al p
rodu
ctio
nPl
acer
)ry
and
silic
eous
Cop
per
ore
Lea
d or
eZ
inc
ore
j-I-
Ìor
esL
ead-
zinc
ore
Qua
ntity
,fi
ne o
unce
sPe
rce
ntQ
uant
ity,
Per
cent
Qua
ntity
,fi
ne o
unce
sPe
rce
ntQ
uant
ity,
fine
oun
ces
Per
cent
Qua
ntity
,fi
ne o
unce
sPe
rce
ntQ
uant
ity,
fine
oun
ces
Per
cent
Qua
ntity
,fi
ne o
unce
sPe
rce
ntQ
uant
ity,
fine
oun
ces
Per
cent
1906
57,3
62,4
5317
1,05
816
,702
,799
15, 8
80,8
7015
,328
,653
98,4
236,
815,
678
2,27
4,97
219
0752
,497
,066
128,
808
19,0
38,0
4211
,955
, 436
17,3
18,8
1193
,419
489,
251,
474,
725
1908
50,8
75,7
8715
9,28
519
,862
,038
14,9
45, 1
8914
,049
,481
37, 6
051,
099,
283
722,
908
[909
57,3
12,6
7713
2, 0
4010
,862
,890
18, 3
00, 7
0517
,027
,737
313,
948
549,
923
1,14
1, 4
3419
10...
..57
,596
,709
159,
381
23,1
25,0
4216
,024
,143
15,0
28,0
7673
5,36
953
5,98
71,
968,
311
1906
-191
027
5,64
4,69
210
0.00
768,
572
0.28
98,6
44,8
1135
.79
79,1
06,7
4328
.70
78,7
52,7
5828
.571
,298
,764
0.47
9,49
0,60
63.
447,
582,
348
2.75
1911
61,1
07,8
4017
0,08
425
,205
,749
16,7
19,6
3815
,596
,638
630,
573
285,
006
2,46
0,15
219
1266
,034
,385
163,
955
26,3
63,4
3618
, 744
,661
16,6
32,3
7766
4,42
165
4, 5
962,
810,
939
1913
71,1
87,2
2812
3,73
928
,010
,875
18,2
50,2
5318
,629
,246
86,4
3275
2, 5
635,
334
. 120
1914
69,6
23,2
4915
2, 1
2827
,812
, 335
14,8
29,8
2819
,302
,081
145,
264
248,
866
7, 1
32,7
47[0
1572
,353
,730
154,
968
25,7
09,5
0518
,781
,385
19,8
28,5
331,
136,
220
234,
047
6,50
9,09
2
1911
-191
534
0,30
6,43
210
0.00
764,
874
.22
133,
101,
900
39.1
287
,365
,741
25.6
789
,988
,875
26.4
42,
662,
910
.78
2,17
5,07
8.6
424
,247
,050
7.13
1916
78,8
57,1
3312
6,35
124
,593
,616
24,5
41,2
3419
,216
,586
1,27
4,29
253
3,27
3 -
8,57
2,14
119
17-
70,6
61,5
1211
8,60
421
,489
,465
20,3
14,2
3319
,096
,474
549,
616
448,
042
8,64
5,03
819
1868
,058
,952
89,4
9421
,564
,982
20,4
62,5
9718
,291
,243
135,
676
224,
580
7,29
0,38
019
1951
,899
,460
78,4
0119
,043
,515
12,8
80,6
2414
,351
,293
39,4
8023
2,15
75,
273,
990
1920
56,5
36, 9
0473
,383
20, 4
77, 6
1212
, 151
, 424
17,0
69, 5
061,
258,
341
669,
503
4,83
7,13
5
1916
-192
032
6,01
4,36
110
0.00
486,
233
.15
107,
169,
230
32.8
790
,350
,112
27.7
188
,025
,102
27.0
03,
217,
445
1.00
2,10
7,55
565
34,6
18,6
8410
.62
1921
46,3
32,9
5681
,375
24,1
17,2
514,
782,
538
14,9
12,9
906,
163
449,
417
-1,
08.3
,222
-19
2261
,207
,989
60,7
6928
,631
,579
10,3
70,1
2316
,756
,835
1,67
6,96
766
9,80
91,
035,
907
1923
70,3
55,6
7457
, 752
27,6
36,9
47.
14,6
84,3
3320
, 139
,928
2, 1
71,1
561,
348,
025
4,31
7, 5
0319
2464
,070
,744
51, 2
5120
,388
,065
16, 3
35, 4
3318
,858
,782
24,4
311,
194,
323
7,21
8,45
919
2566
,710
,080
50,3
0317
, 099
,876
18,0
51,9
3718
,777
,813
181,
886
970,
370
11,5
77,8
13
1921
-192
530
8,67
7,44
3 . 1
00.0
030
1,45
0. 1
011
7, 8
73, 7
1838
. 18
64,2
30,3
6420
. 81
89,4
46,3
8828
.98
4,08
0,63
31.
32
4,63
1,94
41.
50
28, 1
12,9
469.
11
1926
62,4
87,2
1910
0.00
49,8
90 -
.08
13,5
67,0
9521
.71
17,0
39,5
4827
.27
15,5
28,4
5424
.85
313,
119
.50
1,41
5,69
92.
2714
,573
,416
23.3
293
7 -
59,6
25,6
8210
0.00
49,8
29.0
811
,775
,384
19.7
514
,516
,572
24.4
115
, 762
, 197
26.4
41,
685,
764
2.83
2,17
1,79
23.
6413
,824
,144
22.8
5
PRINCIPAL BILVR-PRODtCING COtJNThIES 20
MBXICO
Since 1521 Mexico has produced over 5,000,000,000 ounces of sil-ver, or almost 36 per cent of the total production of the world since1493. Mexico's nearest rivals, the United States, Bolivia, Peru, andCanada, have produced 21, 11, 9, and 4 per cent, respectively. Her-nando Cortes conquered Mexico in 1521 and probably discovered themines of Tasco and Pachuca that year. These districts had beenworked by the Aztecs for many years before the arrival of the Span-iards. The first recorded shipment of silver from Mexico to Spain,in 1522, was taken from the mines of Tasco. In 1540 the Spaniardsbegan mining at Zacatecas. Guanajuato was discovered in 1548,and work was begun at Sombrerete, Zacatecas, in 1555. During the.80-year period 1521 to 1600 the Spaniards produced over 90,000,000ounces of silver in Mexico. The invention of the patio process ofsilver amalgamation by Bartolome de Medina, of Pachuca, Mexico,in 1557 was an important factor in the rise in Mexican production.With the opening of the seventeenth century the silver production ofMexico began a period of regular increase. For 200 years each sue-ceeding.20-year period showed increased production over the precedingperiod. From a production of 52,000,000 ounces in the 20-yearperiod 1601 to 1620 the production rose to 362,000,000 ounces forthe 20-year period that closed the eighteenth centuryan increaseof 593 per cent in 200 years Among the discoveries of this 200-yearperiod were the following: Batopilas, Chihuahua, in 1632; Cusi-hiuriachic, Chihuahua, in 1666; Santa Eulalia, Chihuahua, in 1704;the great bonanza of Real dei Monte, Hidalgo, in 1762; Catorce,San Luis Potosi, in 177.8; Guarisamey, Durango, in 1783; thebonanza of Sombrerete, Zacatecas, in 1792; and the great bonanzaof Ramos, San Luis Potosi, in 1798.TABLE 13.Mine production of silver in Mexico by various periods, 1621-1927
During the 10-year period 1801 to 1810 the production. rate ofthe preceding 20-year period was almost maintained in spite of therebellion brewing against the Spanish colonial government. InSeptember, 1810, a revolt broke out in the State of Guanajuato andrapidly spread to all. Mexico. This revolt lasted for 14 years untilin 1824 Mexico gained recognition as an independent nation. Theproduction .for the decade 1811 to 1820 fell to 100,000,000 ounces,which was followed by a further drop to 85,000,000 ounces for 1821 to
100560°-30----4
Period 5neounsAverage
pron,fine ounces
Per centof world
O
PeriodAverage
production,fine ounces
Per centof world
0
1521-i60CL 90,410,000 1,130,125 1856-1860__ 71, 990,000 14,398,000 49.451601-1620..... 52,210,000 2,610,500 1861-186&. 76,040,000 15,208,000 42.511621-1640. -- 56, 710, 000 2,835,500 1866-1870__ - 83,740,000 16,748,000 37.76164l-1660.. 61,220,000 3,081,000 24.11 1871-187&__ 96,740,000 19,848,000 28941661-168CL.. 65,650,000 3,282, 500 1876-188CL_ 98, 296,007 19,659,201 26. 131681-170(L_... 70,860,000 3, 545,000 1881-1885__ 112,831,293 22,566,259 25.821701-172CL. .. 105,320,000 5,266,000 1886-1890rn... 162,534,570 32,466,874 28.801721-1740..._ 148,380, 000 7,419, 000 1891-1895.... 212,723,124 42,544,625 26.861741-176CL. 193,550,000 9,677, 500 57.00 1896-1900_ 269, 410 060 53,882,012 32.451761-178CL - 235,600,000 11,780,000 1901-190&_ 314, 182, 938 62,836,588 37.381781-180CL -- - 361, 660,000 18,083,000 1006-1910..... 335,351, 124 67,070,225 33.891801-1810... 178,050,000 .17,805,000 62.12 1911-191&.._ 291,493,471 58,298,694 27.831611-1820... 100,310,000 10,031,000 57.86 1916-192CL_ 252, 921,877 50,584,375 27.761821-1850 85, 140.000 8,514, 000 51.44 1921-192&_ 420, 772,930 84, 154, 586 8.7.821831-184CL.... 106,420,000 10,642,000 53.92 1926 98,291,166 98,291,366 38.731841-185CL - 135, 130,000 13, 513,000 53.54 1927 104,573,919 194,573,919 41.601851-1855.. 74,930,000 14,986,000 48.35
30 SUMMARIZED DATA OF SILVER PRODUCTION
1830. In 20 years the production of Mexico had been cut to lessthan one-half. The restoration of order under a native governmentcaused an increase in production to 106,000,000 ounces during thefourth decade. This increase was followed, in 1841 to 1850, by afurther increase to 135,000,000 ounces, in spite of the war with theUnited States during this period. As a result of this war Mexico cededto the United States territory then nonproductive of silver, whichhas since produced the major part of the United States silver output.
The outstanding silver discoveries of the 50-year period 1801to 1850 include El Refugio, Chihuahua, in 1816, and Falmarejo,Chihuahua, in 1824. In 1824 the great silver deposit of Fresnillo,Zacatecas, was first opened. Not for a single decade during thisperiod did Mexico fail to produce at least one-half the world's totalsilver. There was, however, a steady decline in the proportion of theworld's silver supplied by Mexico from 62 per cent in the first decadeto 53 per cent in the fifth. Since 1850 Mexico never again succeededin producing one-hàlf or more of the world total silver output.
During the 5-year period 1851 to 1855, 75,000,000 ounces wasproduced, followed by a production of 72,000,000 ounces for 1856 to1860. A period of steady increase in Mexican production then began,which culminated with the 5-year period 1906 to 1910. This time ofstrong governments ended with the overthrow of Porfirlo Diaz in1910. During the five years from 1906 to 1910 the production was335,000,000 ounces, an increase of 366 per cent over that of theperiod 1856 to 1860, 55 years before. This increase, however, didnot keep pace with the rapid expansion of world output, as is indicatedby the fact that Mexico's contribution to the world total decreasedfrom 49 per cent in 1856 to 1860 to 34 per cent in 1906 to 1910.
In 1911 production reached 79,000,000 ounces, the highest yearlyoutput ever attained by any country up to that time and a figurethat has only been exceeded by Mexico itself since 1911. Therewas a rapid decline from this high production as the civil war grewmore violent, until in 1914 only 28,000,000 ounces was produced.The year 1915 was marked by partial recovery only to be followedby a drop to 23,000,000 ounces in 1916, the lowest production since1884. Since that date there has been slow but steady stabilizationof government in Mexico, which has been reflected in a steady andvery rapid rise in the silver production.. In 1922 the output rose to81,000,000 ounces, breaking all previous records, and in 1927 Mexicopassed the 100,000,000 a year mark with a production of 104,573,919ounces, 42 per cent of the world total. This figure exceeded thetotal Mexican output for any 5-year period before 1881 to 1885,any 20-year period before 1701 ¿o 1720, and the 80-year period 1521to 1600. With the exception of the years from 1872 to 1900 andfrom 1914 to 1918, when the United States was the leader, Mexico hasbeen the world's leading producer of silver since 1681.
CANADA
Except for 1923 Canada has been the third largest silver producerin the world since 1908. Canada stands fifth among the silver-producing countries of the world in total quantity produced since1493, in spite of the fact that no silver was mined before 1869. In1868 the deposit on Silver Islet, an island some 80 feet in diameter inThunder Bay, Lake Superior, was discovered. During the next 10years the major portion of the ore from which was extracted the
wux
a 9
Mer
aga
annu
al m
ine
prod
uctio
n of
silv
er in
Mex
ico
and
Chi
le, f
rom
that
pro
duct
ion
to 1
600;
by
20-y
ear
peri
ods
1801
to 1
850;
by
5-ye
arpe
rIod
s, 1
851
to 1
925
and
for
1026
and
102
7
lo 0-
160
Chi
le
IUIiI
UIU
I.._i
RR
Lk
5O
Mex
ico
b1 hifl
hlil
IIInI
flni
iii
32 SUMMARIZED DATA OF SILVER PRODUCTION
2,600,000 ounces of silver produced by this remarkable island hadbeen mined During the exploitation of this bonanza other silverdeposits were being discovered and opened. It was not until 1894,however, that the discoveries and developments in British Columbiacaused Canada's production to mount to over 1 per cent of the worldtotal. In the summer of 1903 the Cobalt district in Ontario wasdiscovered. In five years the production of this district raisedCanada to third place among the silver-producing countries of theworld. During the 5-year period 1906 to 1910, 104,000,000 ounces or10 per cent of the world total was produced, followed by an output of
FIGuRE 10.Average annual mine production of silver in Canada andCentral America, by 5-year periods from first production to 1925 andfor 1926 and 1927
151,000,000 ounces or 14 per cent of the world total in the nextperiod-1911 to 1915. In the following decade production declinedto a little less than 100,000,000 ounces per 5-year period, a rate onlyslightly exceeded in 1926 and 1927.
The Cobalt district ranks fourth among the silver districts of theworld in total yield of silver. It seems certain that no district hasproduced as much silver in any 23-year period as did Cobalt, with anoutput of 374,000,000 ounces between 1904 and 1926. In all, over70 per cent of Canada's silver has come from this one district. TheEast and West Kootenay and the Portland Canal districts in BritishColumbia and the Keno Hill district in the Yukon Territory have been
4
2
o
so
20
10
Central America....uilih
Canada III
0_Íl.___.III Iii18661187111876 188111886 1891 1896 190118701187511880 188511890 1895 1900 1905
19061910
19111915
19161920
19211925
1926 1927
PRINCIPAL SILVER-PRODTJCING couNmiEs 33
the chief Canadian silver producers of the Rocky Mountain region.The Sullivan mine at Kimberley in the East Kootenay district,British Columbia, became the largest silver producer in the BritishEmpire in 1925, a distinction it has since been able to maintain. Inspite of the great importance of the Sullivan mine as a silver producerits greatest distinction comes from being the greatest single producerin the world of both lead and zinc. In the greatest silver mine in theBritish Empire silver is distinctly a by-product.
TABLE 14.Mine prodyction of silver in Canada by various periods, 1869-1927
CENTRAL AMERICA
Production of silver in Central America was first recorded in 1886,when 1,500,000 ounces was reported for the year. Before that timethere had undoubtedly been some output for centuries, but this ap-pears to be the beginning of large production. The principal pro-ducer, the Rosario district, of Honduras, was first worked in 1882.
During the 5-year period 1886 to 1890 almost 8,000,000 ounces wasproduced in Central America. The output declined to 4,000,000ounces for the period 1896 to 1900, then increased regularly until over13,000,000 ounces was produced between 1916 and 1920. Since thenthere has been a slight decline for the period 1921 to 1925 to 12,000,000ounces. For many years the Rosario district has produced an amountthat accounted for 50 to 90 per cent of the Central America total.At no time has the silver production of Central America exceeded 2per cent of the world total.TABLE 15.Mine production of silver in Central America by various periods,
1886-1927
SOUTH AMERICA
In the 435 years from 1493 to 1927 South America produced3,322,433,729 ounces of silver or 23 per cent of the world total andstood second only to North America in total production. For theperiods 1493 to 1600 and 1601 to 1700 this continent led the world insilver production with 61 and 63 per cent, respectively, of the worldproduction. During the eighteenth century the output of South
Period Quantity,line ounces
Averageannual
production,ene ounces
Per centof world
totalPeriod Quantity,
fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Per centof world
total
1869-1870 - - - 170,000 85, 000 1901-1905... - 22, 187, 410 4,437,482 2.641871487& - -- 1,990,000 398,000 0.00 1906-1910.... - 103,853,435 20,770,687 10.491876-1880...... 1,232, 518 246, 504 .33 iOli-1915__ 150,923,578 30,184,716 14.411881-1885....... 590, 672 118,134 14 1916-1920___ 91,879,177 19,575,835 10.741886-1590. - - 1,593, 101 318, 620 .28 1921-1925..... 89,436,382 17,887,276 8.041891-1895.... 3,531,664 706,333 .41 1926 22,371,924 22,371,924 8.811896-5900. - - - 21,076, 521 4,215,304 2.34 1927 22,613, 134 22,613, 134 8.99
Average Average
p er Quantity,fine ounces
annualproduction,fine ounces
cey
O aP rode i Quantity,
fine ouncesannual
production,fine ounces
I'1ercejitO
totr1
a
188&-i890_. 7, 735, 760 1,547, 152 1.37 1911-1915.... 11,868,706 2,373,741 1.131891-1895..__ 7,734, 690 1,346,938 .98 1918-i92OE.__ 13, 372,000 2,674,400 1.47l896-l900...__ 4,262,435 852, 487 .51 1921-1925___ 11,887,084 2,377,417 1.071901-1905.___ 5,983,855 1,106,771 .71 1926 3,499,118 3,499, lIS 1.381906-1910._. 9,345,021 1,869,004 .94 1927 3,154,021 3,154,021 1.26
34 SUMMARIZED DATA OF SILVER PRODUCTION
America declined 25 per cent and represented only one-third of theworld total; and in the nineteenth century, although the output hadnearly doubled, it amounted to only 20 per cent of world production.Toward the close of the century yearly production reached its peak,but was followed by a sharp recession early in the twentieth century.From 1901 to 1905 only 9 per cent of the world output was producedin South America. However, production has since recovered to alevel just below the previous peak, and at the same time there hasbeen a slight rise in South America's importance in the world picture.Bolivia, Peru, and Chile have been the chief producers of SouthAmerica.
ARGENTINA
Table 16 shows the production of silver in Argentina since the firstrecorded output in 1876. Since the 5-year period 1876 to 1880, whena little less than one-half of i per cent of the world's silver came fromArgentina, there has been a steady decline in the proportion of theworld silver coming from this country. Since 1916 only one-hun-dreth of i per cent of the world production has come from Argentina.
TABLE 16.--Mine production of silver in Argentina by various periods, 1876-19t7
BOLIVIA
In 1545 the Potosi district, the first Bolivian producer, was dis-covered. This district was destined to become the world's greatestsilver producer, with an output of approximately a billion ounces ofsilvertwice as much as its nearest competitor, Guanajuato, Mexico.In 1575 the silver mines of Oruro were discovered and opened. Thediscovery of the Huancevalica mercury mines of Peru in 1571 andthe invention of the copper-pan or "cazo" system of amalgamationby Alonzo Barba at Potosi in 1590 proved to be great aids to the silver-mining industry throughout western South America. Since 1545the total production of Bolivia has been 1,568,000,000 ounces ofsilver, or 11 per cent of the world total, a figure exceeded only byMexico and the United States and almost one-half of the totalproduction of South America since 1493.
During the 56-year period 1545 to 1600, 355,000,000 ounces ofsilver were produced in Bolivia. The rate of production was increasedslightly fr the following 20-year period, 1601 to 1620, when theyield was 132,000,000 ounces. Production then decreased steadilyuntil the 20-year period 1721 to 1740, when only 28,000,000 ounceswere produced. By the close of the eighteenth century, howeverthe production had recovered to 63,000,000 ounces for the period1781 to 1800, but the total yield of the eighteenth century was lessthan half that of the seventeenth century,
Quantity,Averageannual Per cent Average
annual Pi centPeriod fine ounces production,
fine ouncesof world Period Quantity,
fine ounces prôduction,fine ounces
of worldto
1876-1880__ 1,625,048 325,010 0.43 1906-79i(L._ 695,087 139,017 0.071:: 1-185..,. 1,759,226 351,845 .40 1911-191&__ 375, 378 75,076 .041886-1890___. 1,342,358 268,472 .24 1916-1920_ 130,300 28,060 .011891-189&._ 3, 195,397 639,079 .40 1921-192&__ 118,000 23,600 0118g6-1900_ 1,516,505 303,301 . 18 1926 15,000 15,000 .011901-1905..... 391,780 78,356 .05 1927 15,000 15,000 .01
FIG
UR
E 1
1.A
vera
ge a
nnua
l min
e pr
oduc
tion
of s
ilver
in B
oliv
ia a
nd P
eru
from
fir
st p
rodu
ctio
n to
160
0; b
y 20
-yea
r pe
riod
s, 1
601
to 1
800;
by
10-y
ear
peri
ods,
180
1 to
185
0;by
5-y
ear
perI
ods,
185
1 to
192
5; a
nd f
or 1
926
and
1027
15 20
I]I
I ilii1
iflfl
a, a, o z10
Peru
on:
nufh
.i..u
..iiIi
IIIiii:
IoI
II
'l19
26 1
927
36 SUMMARIZED DATA OF SÏLVE Ï'RODUCTIÓÑ
During the 10-year period 1801 to 1810 the rate of productionof the previous 20 years was maintained, and 31,000,000 ounceswere produced. The revolution against Spanish authority whichbegan in Mexico in 1810, soon spread to South America, andduring the second decade of the nineteenth century Bolivia's produc-tion dropped to 16,000,000 ounces and further to 14,000,000 ouncesin the third decade. It is interesting to note that one result of thisrevolution was the change of the name of this country from Potosi,South America's greatest silver mine, to Bolivia for Simon Bolivar,South America's greatest revolutionary leader. The recovery fromthe period of civil strife became apparent in the period 1831 to 1840,when Bolivia produced 20,000,000 ounces. Except for a few tem-porary recessions production increased regularly until the period1891 to 1895, when the output exceeded 80,000,000 ounces or 10 percent of the world total. In the next 25 years there was a rapid dropin production and in 1916 to 1920 only 12,000,000 ounces were takenfrom Bolivian mines Since 1921 there has been a partial recoveryto about 5,000,000 ounces per year, or 2 per cent of the world total.
TABLB 17.Mine production of silver in Bolivia by various periods, 1545-197
BRAZIL
Table 18 shows the production of silver in Brazil since the firstdiscovery in 1691. Virtually all of this silver has been extracted fromgold bullion produced in the Minas Geraes region. The Brazilianproduction has not exceeded two-tenths of 1 per cent of the worldtotal at any time. The production from 1601 to 1882, as given inTable 46 at th end of this paper, was estimated at 10 per cent byweight of the recorded gold production.
Period Quantity,fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Per centof world
totalPeriod Quantity,
fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Per centof world
total
1545-160CL.. - 355, 360, 000 6, 345, 714 1856-1860. 11, 770, 000 2,354, 000 8.081601-1620..... 132,400,000 6,620,000 1861-186&.._ 11,560,000 2,312, 000 6.461621-164CL... - 110,600, 000 5, 530, 000 1866-187CL 14,470, 000 2,894,000 6. 521641-166CL.._ 89,500,000 4,475, (8)0 35.92 1871-1875_ 35, 770,000 7,154,000 10.601661-168CL 64, 620, 000 3, 231, 000 1876-188(L_ 24, 651, 517 4, 930, 303 6.151681-170CL___ 59,740, 000 2, 987, 000 1881-1885.... 44,868, 643 8,073, 729 10. 271701-172CL - 31,580, 000 1,570, 000 1 1886-189(L... 37, 718, 028 7, 543, 606 6. 691721-1740..__ 28,160,000 1,408,000 I 1891-1895_... 80,328,227 16,065,645 10.161741-1760___ 37, 420, 000 1,871, 000 11.66 1896-1900.__ 47, 391, 100 9,478,220 5.711761-178(L___ 53,370, 000 2, 668, 500 1901-1905_ - 34, 895, 575 6, 979, 115 4. 155781-180CL 63, 020, 000 3, 151, 000 j 1906-1O1OE._ 23, 062, 533 4,612,507 2.331801-1810._ 31, 030, 000 3, 103, 004) 10.83 1911-1915_ - 16, 803,013 3, 372, 183 1.611811-1820... 15, 850, 000 1,585, 000 9. 14 1916-192(1.:. 12, 000, 300 2,400, 060 1.321821-1830__.. 13, 600,000 1,360, 000 8.80 1921-1025. - 22, 190, 487 4,438, 987 2.00l831-1840. 19, 610,000 1,961, 000 9. 94 1928 5, 834, 003 5,834, 003 2.301841-1850... 21, 220, 000 2, 122, 000 8. 38 1927 5,402,840 5,402,640 2. 151851-1855_._ 11, 770, 0(10 2,354, 000 7.59
CHILE
Table 19 and Figure 9 give the production of silver in Chile sincethe first mineral discovery by the Spaniards in 1693. From thisdate until the end of the period 1851 to 1855 there was a steadyincrease in production. During that 5-year period 24,000,000ounces or 15 per cent of the world total was taken from the mines ofChile. In the 10-year period 1841 to 1850 Peru stood first, Boliviasecond, and Chile third among the silver producers of South America.Beginning with 1851 Chile was the leading silver producer of SouthAmerica for the four 5-year periods until 1870, when Bolivia took thelead and Chile dropped to second place. So great was Chile's yieldfrom 1851 to 1860 that it was exceeded only by that of Mexico andwould have continued in second place for another 10-year period hadthe production of the United States not risen so rapidly. Theproduction for 1861 to 1865 was 15,000,000 ounces, which rose to25,000,000 ounces in 1886 to 1890. From that time on, productiondeclined regularly until 1911 to 1915 when only 4,000,000 ounces, orless than one-half of i per cent of the world silver, was derived fromChilean mines Since 1915 the increasing output of the great coppermines of Chile has increased the production of silver in Chile, untilin 1927 the output was 3,000,000 ounces or a little over 1 per centof the world total. The opening of the silver mines of Chanarcilloin 1832, the discovery of the great silver deposits of Caracoles in1870, and the opening of the low-grade copper deposits in very recentyears have been among the most important events in Chile's silver-mining history.
TABLE 19.-Mine production of silver in Chile by various periods, 1693-1927
Period Quantity,fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Per centof world
totalPeriod Quantity,
fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Per centof world
total
1691-1700._ 50,000 5,000 1876-1880.... 24,000 4,800 0.0117OF-l800... 2,700,000 27, 000 0.15 1881-188&.... 16,900 3,3801801-l810. 120,000 12,000 .04 1886-189(L_ 20,533 4,1071811-182&_.... 56,000 5,600 .03 1891-189&... 35, 800 7,1601821-1830 - -- 71, 000 7, 100 .05 1896-1900.... 42, 100 8,420 .011831-184(L_ 96, 000 9,600 .05 1901-1905. 54, 300 10,860 .011841-1850.... 77,000 7,700 .03 1906-1910.... 52,300 10,460 .011851-1855.... 35,000 7,000 .02 1911-1015..... 214,404 42,881 .021855-1860....... 34,000 6,800 .02 1916-1020...... 127,000 25,400 .011861-1865 38, 000 7, 600 .02 1921-1925..... 117, 779 23,556 .011866-1870rn 28,000 5,600 .01 1926 20,672 20, 672 .011871-1875....... 27,000 5,400 .01 1927 20,000 20,000 .01
Period Quantity,fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Per centof world
totalPeriod Quantity,
fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Per centof world
total
1693-1700....... 20,000 2,500 1866-l870...._ 17, 830,000 3,586,000 8.051701-1720....... 40,000 2,000 187l-1875. 20,610,000 4,122,000 6.17172l-174(L._ 643,000 32,150 1876-1880. 18,738,337 3,747,667 4.981741-1760..... 964,000 46,200 0.35
J
1881-1885.. 25,089,829 5,017,966 5.741761-1780....... 1,608,000 80,400 1886-189(L... 25,487,919 5,097,584 4.521781-1800___ 3,215,000 160,750 1891-3895_.. - 15,335,056 3,007,011 1.941801-1810....... 2,250,000 225,000 .79 3896-1900..... 18,908,606 3,781,721 2.283811-1820....... 3,220,000 322,000 1.86 1901-1905..... 13,126,417 2,625,283 1.56l821-183(L...... 8,430,000 643,000 4. 19 1906-1910.... 4,674, 290 934,858 .471831-1840.. - 10,610,000 1,031,000 5.38 1911-1915.... 4,494,464 898, 893 .431841-1850....... 15,500,000 1,550,000 6.12 1916-1920..... 10,027,856 2,005,571 1.101851-185&_.... 23, 910,000 4,782,000 15.43 1921-1925.... - 15,224,960 3,044,992 1.371856-1860....... 15,810,000 3,170,000 10.91 1926 2,876,911 2,876,911 1.331861-186&..... 15,360,000 3,072,000 8.60 1927 2,900,000 2,900,000 1.15
PRINCIPAL SILVER-PROtflJCING COUNThIES 37
TABLE 18.-Mine production of silver in Brazil by various periods, 1691-1927
38 SUMMARIZED DATA OF SILVER PRODUCTION
COLOMBIA
The production of silver in Colombia has been largely a by-productof gold mining. This production, since the first output in 1537, isgiven in Table 20. During the seventeenth century, when Colombiawas the leading gold producer of the world, the silver production wasonly i per cent of the world total. After that time there was a de-cline in the proportion of the world silver produced in Colombia,followed by a revival during the closing quarter of the nineteenthcentury. Colombia produced 19,000,000 ounces during the 5-yearperiod 1896 to 1900 or a little over 2 per cent of the world total.Since that time there has been a steady decline in production. Theoutput before 1875 was estimated as equal by weight to that recordedby Soetbeer for gold.
Fiouas 12.Average annual mine production of silver in Colombia, by 10-yearperiods, 1801 to 1880; by 5-year periods, 1801 to 1925; and for 1926 and 1927
TABLE 20 Mine product ion of silver in Colombia by various periods, 1537-197J7
ECUADOR
Table 21 records the production of silver in Ecuador. Since thefirst record of production in 1891 the silver output of Ecuador hasincreased steadily. In 1927 it totaled 87,601 ounces. The Zaruinadistrict, chiefly known for its gold production, is the principal silverproducer.
:
P&Iod Quantity,fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Per centof world
tomiPeriod Quantity,
fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
tof world
1537-1600____ 4,100,000 64063 1876-1880__ 3,867,250 773,450 1.031601-1700__... 11,200,000 112,000 0.88 1881-1885._ 2,846,595 569,319 .6517OI-1800__ 15,100,000 151,000 .82 l886-1890_ 2,972,111 594,422 .13180I-181&_ 1,600,000 160,000 .56 1891-1895_ 7,691,644 1,538,329 .9718l1-182(L_ 1,000,000 100,000 .58 1896-1900_ 19,323,778 3,864,756 2.331821-1830.._ 1,000,000 100,000 .65 1901-190&_ 6,412,363 1,282,473 .761831-184&_ 1,000,000 100,000 .51 i906-1910__ 4,484,390 896,878 .451841-18i0___ 1,100,000 110,000 .43 19ll-l915..._ 2,695,339 539,068 .261851-1855.__ 560,000 112,000 .36 19l6-1920 2,106,062 420,612 .231856-186&__ 560,000 112,000 .38 1921-1925...... 512,100 102,420 .051861-1865____ 560,000 112,000 .31 1926 125,953 125,953 .05l866-I87O...... 560,000 112,000 .25 1927 131,417 131,417 .051871-187&___ 1,000,000 200,000 .30
PERU
When Pizarro conquered Peru in 1532 this country became thefirst silver producer of South America, and its output up to the presenttime has been one and one-third billion ounces, or 9 per cent of theworld total since 1493. This yield has been exceeded only by thoseof Mexico, United States, and Bolivia.
The Spanish conquistadores found the Incas a people well startedin the metaffic phase of civilization. It seems however, that theirprecious metal wealth was mainly in gold. The Spaniards in-ime-diately opened on a large scale the silver mines known to the nativesand prospected for others. From 1533 until the close of the century(68 years) 94,000,000 ounces of silver were produced. From 1601until 1760, according to Soetbeer, the production was maintained atan average rate of three and one-third million ounces a,year. Duringthis period the great silver-copper deposit of Cerro de Paseo was dis-covered in 1630. In 1771 the Hualgayo district was discovered, andproduction increased until the beginnmg of the revolutionary periodm 1810. Between 1801 and 1810, 49,000,000 ounces of silver weremined in- Peru. Production fell to 19,000,000 ounces in 1821 to 1830and recovered to 35,000,000 ounces by 1841 to 1850. Beginning withthe 5-year period 1851 to 1855, which had a production of 12,000,000ounces, the Peruvian silver output was about 2,000,000 ounces ayear until 1894. Except for a recession during the 5-year period 1901to 1905 there has been a steady increase until the present time.In 1926 and 1927 the output was 21,000,000 and 18,000,000 ounces,respectively. About 1661 Peru took from Bolivia the distinctionof being the leading silver producer of the world and held the honoruntil 1680, when Mexican production forced this country to secondplace, a position held until 1850, when Chile became the leadingsilver producer of South America.
The mines of Cerro de Paseo and near-by Morococha have provedto be second only to the Potosi mines as silver producers in SouthAmerica. These mines mainly produced silver in the early days, butas work was carried deeper copper became the predominant metal.The Cerro de Pasco district, however, continues to produce more thanhalf of Peru's silver and to be by a large margin the principal silverproducer of South America. Huarachiri, Hualgayoc, and SantaLucia are among the other most important Peruvian silver districtsat present,
AverageillUSI Per cent Average Per cent
Period Quantity,fine ounces production,
fine ouncesof world
total,Period Quantity,
fine ouncesannual
production,fine ounces
of worldto
l89l-1895_..__ 38,652 7,730 1916-192&.... 190,000 38,000 0.021896-1900____ 38,670 7,734 1921-1925...... 365,000 73,000 .031901-1905___. 55,466 11,093 0.01 1926 80,000 80,000 .03l906-l9l0__ 83,974 16,795 .01 1927 87,601 87,601 .031911-1915...__ 109,307 21,861 .01
PRINCIPAL SILVER-PRODUCING COtTNThIES 39
TABLE 21.Mine production of silver in Ecuador by various periods, 1891-197
OTHER SOUTH AMERICAN COUNTRIES
The other silver producers of South America are Venezuela, Uru-guay, and the Guianas. In Venezuela and the Guianas the principalsource of silver has been gold bullion. In Uruguay there has beensome intermittent mining for silver and silver-lead ores in recentyears. The total production of all these countries has never exceededfive one-hundredths of 1 per cent of the world production for any oneyear.
EUROPE
Europe has consistently held third place as a silver producer amongthe continents since the sixteenth century. During that centurythe European producers held the continent in second place, secondonly to South America. Before America was discovered, Europe andJapan were producing virtually all of the world's silver. Austria-Hungary and Germany have been the principal European producers.
AtTSTIUA-HUNGAHY
During the 108-year period 1493 to 1600 Austria-Hungary rankedfourth among the silver producers of the world; but the output ofPeru and of Mexico, which ranked second and third, respectively,exceeded the Austrian production of 88,000,000 ounces by only a fewmillion ounces each. Only Bolivia, with a production of 355,000,000ounces, had greatly exceeded this European rival. The Austrianproduction was 12 per cent of the world total. With the opening ofthe seventeenth century there was a sharp drop in the Austrian pro-duction, which reached a low point between 1621 and 1660, a periodduring which the yearly average was a quarter million ounces. Fol-lowing this there was a period of steady increase, which culminatedwith an average annual production of nearly a million ounces in thedecade 1801 to 1810. For the next 30 years there was a recessionto a total output of 6,000,000 ounces in the 10-year period 1831 to1840. Then followed a period of slow increase to a maximum of
Piod Quantity,fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Per centof world
total, fineounces
-eri Quantity,fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Per centof worldtotal, fine
ounces
1533-160(L - 94, 360, 000 1,387, 647 1856-1860_... iO, 610, 000 2, 122, 000 & 291601-162iL 66,488,000 3,324,40(1 1861-3865_ 12,060,000 2,412,000 6.741621-1640.. - - 66,488, 000 3,324, 400 18136-1870. 11, 250, 000 2, 25(1,000 5.071641-1660 -- - 66, 488, 000 3, 324, 401) 26. 14 1871-1875__ 11, 250, 000 2, 250, 000 3. 371661-1680 66, 488,000 3,324,400 1876-1880_.. 9,316, 320 1,863,264 2.481681-1700_ - - 66,488,000 3, 324,400 1881-1885_ 7,466, 115 1,493, 223 1.701701-1720.. 66,488,000 3,324,400 1886-1890 12,253,8138 2,410,774 2.171721-1741L - - 66,488, 000 3, 324,400 1891-1895_ - 12,460, 544 2, 492, 109 1. 571741-1760 - -- 66,488,000 3, 324, 401) 19. 65 1896-i900. 26, 250, 520 5, 250, 104 3. 161761-178&... - 78, 192,000 3,909, 600 1901-1905_ - 18,742,819 3, 748, 564 2.231781-1800.... 82,564,000 4,128,200 19013-1910_. 42,729,522 8,845,904 4.321801-1810...... 48,640,600 4,894,000 16.97 191i-1cl1&..... 45,308,333 9,001,667 4.331811-1820.. - - 28,290,000 2, 829, 000 16.33 1916-1920_ 10,451, 145 10,090, 229 5. 531521-1830.. - - - 18, 650,000 1,865, 000 12. 14 1921-1925_. 80,467,1337 16,093,527 7.231831-1840... - - 26,9130,000 2,894,000 14. 66 1926 21,499,798 21,499, 798 8.471841-185&..... 34,720,000 3,472,060 13.70 1927 18,295,408 58,295,408 7.291851-1855_ - - 12, 350, 000 2,476,000 7. 99
40 SÏJMMAIiIZED tATA OF SILVER PROCTION
TABLE 22.Mine production of silver in Peru b1 various periods, 1533-1927
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42 SVMMABIZED DATA OF SILVER PRODTJCTION
11,000,000 ounces for the 5-year period 1891 to 1895. From 1896on there was a gradual decline, until the treaty of Versaffles terminatedthe status of Austria-Hungary as an empire and also ended its longrecord as an important European silver producer. The new Austrialost most of its silver mines to Czechoslovakia, Poland, and Yugo-slavia, and Hungary lost all its silver mines to these same countriesand Rumania.
Before the partition of the dual monarchy following the WorldWar the principal silver areas of this country were the Bohemia orPribram and the northern Hungary or Schemnitz and Kremnitz,now all in Czechoslovakia, and the eastern Hungary or Transylvaniadistricts, now in Rumania. The Bohemian mines have been workedfor several hundred years-the Kaurzim district has recorded pro-ducjion since 1283 A. D. The mines of Schenmitz and Kremnitz, innorthern Hungary, have been producing silver since the thirteenthcentury. Nagy Banya, Abrudbanya, and Banat of Transylvaniahave histories antedating the discovery of America. At present therelatively unimportant Kitzbuhel and Rohrerbuchel districts ofwestern Austria are the principal sources of Austrian silver.
TABLz 23.-Mine production of 8-liver in Auslria-Hungary by variot,e periods,1493-1927
rEANCE
The recorded production of silver in France dates from the begin-ning of the nineteenth century, when 200,000 ounces of silver wasproduced during the decade, 1801 to 1810. Production rose steadily,until during the 5-year period 1856 to 1860 the French output was7,000,000 ounces, or almost 5 per cent of the world total. Until 1885the production continued at about 1,000,000 ounces a year, thenfollowed a sudden doubling of output which continued for a decade.In the period 1896 to 1900 there was a sharp drop to about a halfmifiion a year rate, which fell stifi further during the World War.Since the war France has maintained a production of about a quartermillion ounces of silver per year.
There are no large silver producers in France; the production comesfrom several small western, central-southern, and central-easterndistricts.
PeriodAverage
fine ounces
Pe ntof1d PeriodAverage
fine ounces
,oYd
1493-1600 87,770,000 812,685 11.75 1856-1860. - - 5, 100,000 1,020,000 3.501601-1620_. 7,060,000 354,000 1861-1865.. 5,870,000 1, 174,000 3.281621-1640.___ 5, 140,000 257,000 186e-1870.. - 6,425,000 1,285,000 2.901641-1660._ 5, 140,000 257,000 2.38 1871-187& -- 6, 197,000 1,239,400 1.851661-1680_ 6,430,000 321, 500 1876-1880 - - 7,838, 107 1,567,621 2.081681-1700... - 6,430,000 321, 54)0 1881-1885.. - - 7,369,754 1,473, 951 1.691701-1720. - 6,430,000 321,500 1886-1894). - - 8,408,416 1,681,683 1.491721-1740..... 8,040,000 402,000 1891-589&... 51,209,010 2,241,802 1.421741-1760_.. 15,430,000 771,500 3.39 1896-1900.. 9,532,574 1,906,515 1.151761-1780_._ 55,430,000 771, 500 1901-1905. - - 9,349,852 1,889,970 L 111781-1860..... 16,720,000 836,000 1906-1910_ -- 7,861,004 1,572,901 .791801-181&._ 9,480,000 948,000 3.31 1911-1915 8,828,621 1,785,724 .841811-1820 8,040,000 804,000 4.64 191-1920 4,779,417 955,883 . 521821-1830rn 6,750,000 675,000 4.38 1921-1925. 85,873 17, 175 .011831-1840 6,440,000 644,000 3.26 1926 14,050 14,050 .011841-1850....__ 9,840,000 984,060 3.87 1927 9,677 9,8771851-1855.... 5,630,000 1, 126,000 3.63
GERMANY
Since 1493 Germany has produced one-half billion ounces or 3 percent of the world's silver, more than any other European country.Table 25 and Figure 13 give the German production since 1493.During the 108-year period, 1493 to 1600, Germany produced 50,000,-000 ounces of silver, or almost 7 per cent of the world total. Produc-tion declined until in the 20-year period, 1621 to 1640, only 4,000,000ounces was produced. From that time on the production increaseduntil the maximum of 31,000,000 ounces for any 5-year period wasreached in 1891 to 1895. This increase was not at all regular, as canbe clearly seen in Figure 13. Since 1895 German production hasdeclined to a low pomt of 19,000,000 ounces (1921 to 1925) andrecovered to the 5,000,000-a-year mark for 1926 and 1927.
TABLE 25-Mine production of silver in Germany by various periods, 149-197
The Saxon Erzgebirge, the most important silver region in theOld World, has been worked since the tenth century. The miningmethods and metallurgical practice developed by the ingenious menof this region have spread throughout the world. in 1702 theSchool of Mines at Freiburg, Saxony, was established. This schoolsoon became the leading institution of its kind in the world and con-tinues a leader in mining and geological learning. In 1710 themetallurgical works of Freiburg were consolidated. In 1790 barrelamalgamation was introduced at these works, followed by the Augus-
Period Q'atit',fine ounces
Averageannual
proiuction,fine Incas
l'ar centof world
I
totalPeriod Quantily,
fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Par centof world
total
1801-1810_.... 200,000 20,000 0.08 1881-1885__ 4,252,354 850,471 0.971811-1820__. 225,000 22,500 .14 1886-1890__ 9,727,496 1,948,499 1.731821-1830____ 397, 801 39, 780 .26 1891-1895___ 9,603,023 1,920,605 L 213831-1840___ 885,176 58,518 .30 1896-1900___ 2,447,727 489,545 .29184i-1850.__. 934,397 93,440 I .37 1901-1905..__ 3,067,639 613,528 .36l851-1855_. 1,531,147 306,229 I .90 1906-1910__ 3,449,344 689,869 .351856-186&___ 6,965,040 1,393,008 4.79 1911-191&.._ 1,730,871 346,174 .171861-186&__. 5,557,995 1, lii, 599 I 3.11 1916-1920__ 637,136 127,427 .071866-1870____ 6,455,740 1,291,148 j 2.90 1921-1925__ 1,243,368 248,674 .115571-187&.... 6,239,655 1,247, 931 1.87 1926 261 830 261,830 . 10l876-1880... 5,421,511 1,084,302 L 44 1927 308; 640 308,640 .12
Period Quantity,fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Per centof world
totalPeriod Quantity,
fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Per centof world
total
1493-160(L 10,300,000 465,741 a 73 1856-186&. 9,888,000 1,977,600 6.801601-182&.... 6,680,000 334,000 1861-1865__ 10,983,000 2, 196,600 6. 14162l-164&_ 3,860,000 193,000 1866-1870___ 14,327,174 2,865,435 6.461641-1660.. 4, 180,000 209,000 2.99 1871-1875___ 16,961,703 3,392,241 5.071661-168& 4,100,000 225,000 1876-1880_.. 21,369,359 4,273,872 5. 70l681-1700__. 7,340,000 367,000 1881-1885_ 19,188,752 3,8$7,750 4.40l70l-1720__ 9,840,000 492,000 1886-1890_ 14,922,606 2,984,521 2.65l721-1740__.... 16,200,000 810,000 1891-1895_.... 30,594,484 6, 118,837 3.861741-1760.._ 13,560,000 678,060 3.63 1896-1900_. 28,613,645 5,722,729 3.451761-1780... 11,640,000 582,000 1901-1905_... 28,686,821 5,737,364 3.431781-1800..,1801-1810_....
15,380,0006,720,000
769,000672,000 2.34
1906-1910.1911-1915... -
26,685,99025,705,239
5,337, 1985, 141,048
2.702.46
1811-1820 -- - 7,620,000 762,000 4.39 1916-1920_ 22,965, 198 4, 593,040 2.531821-1830___ 9,070,000 907,000 5.91 192P-1925_ 19,255,309 3,851,062 1.731831-l840_. 9,580,000 958,000 4.85 1926 5,358,858 5,358,858 2.11184i-1850_...._ 11,570,000 1, 157,000 4. 57 1927 5,500,000 5,500,000 2.181851-1855____ 7,871,000 1,574,200 5.08
PRINCIPAL SILVER-PRODUCING COUNTRIES 43
TABLE 24.-Mine prodnction of silver in France by various periods, 18O1-19,7
44 SUMMARIZED DATA OF SILVER PRODUCTION
tin process of handling silver ores in 1843, which was in turn super-seded by the Ziervogel process in 1848. The Freiburg district iscredited with 169,000,000 ounces of silver produced between 1163and 1896.
The Harz Mountains district was discovered or rediscovered in1520, and its silver production since that time has been second onlyto that of the Saxon Erzgebirge. In the Harz area silver is derivedfrom the lead-silver mines of Clausthal and St. Andreasberg and thecopper mines of Mansfeld and Rammelsberg.
Cologne and Coblenz in Rhenish Prussia produce silver-lead andsilver-lead-zinc ores. The zinc-lead-silver area of Upper Silesia wasan important contributor to German silver prodúction until at theclose of the World War it was included in the territory ceded toPoland and has since become the principal source of silverproductionin Poland.
GItEECE
In 1860 a French company began reopening the famed Greeksilver-lead deposits of Laurium, which had lain idle for 21 centuries.By 1866 the operations were under way, and during the 5-year period,1866 to 1870, over 3,000,000 ounces of silver or 1 per cent of theworld total was produced. The output at first was derived solelyfrom the smelting of slag left by the ancients; but the old mines werereopened as the work progressed and some silver was mined fromveins discovered and worked for the first time by the French company.
Production was increased slowly to a maximum of almost 6,000,000ounces for the 5-year period 1896 to 1900. Since this time the yieldhas sunk to a point below the million-ounce mark for the period 1921to 1925. A slight recovery is indicated by the production in 1926and 1927, 250,000 ounces a year. The Greek production of silverfrom 1866 to 1895 was calculated at 72 ounces per short ton of leadproduced during that period. Table 26 and Figure 14 show pro-duction in Greece since 1866.TABLE 26.Mine production of silver in Greece y various periods, 1866-1927
ITALY
Table 27 gives the production of silver in Italy since 1841, andFigure 14 illustrates the same thing since 1851. Before 1841 therehad been silver mining in Italy since early Roman times, but there isgood evidence that this early work yielded little silver as judgedby modern standards. In 1841 a milling revival was started in Italy,which spread to Sardinia a few years later. In the decade 1841 to1850, 50,000 ounces was produced. A rapid increase followed,which raised the Italian production to a recordnot equaled beforenor sinceof 5,000,000 ounces for the 5-year period 1881 to 1885.
Period Quantity,fine unces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Per centof world
totalPeriod Quantity,
fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Per centof world
total
18-1870_. 3, 250,000 650,000 1. 47 1901-190&_ 4,490,465 898, 093 0. 531871-1875. 3,600,000 720,000 1.08 1906-1910.._ 4,197, 639 839, 528 .241876 1880... 3,460,000 692,000 . .92 1911-1915..__ 3,594,178 718, 836 .341881-1885.. 3,680,000 736,000 .84 1916-1920_ 1,255,950 251, 190 .13188d-1890._ 5, 150,000 1,030,000 .91 1921-1925__ 976, 170 195, 234 .091891-1895... - - 5, 508,082 1, 101, 616 .70 1926 254, 274 254, 274 . 101896-1900. - 5,770,229 1, 154,046 . 70 1927 241, 125 241, 125 . 10
I
PRINCIPAL SILVERPRODUCING COUNTRIES 45
During this period Italy produced a little over 1 per cent of theworld's total silver output. Since 1885 there has been a ratherregular decline, until for the 5-year period 1921 to 1925 only 1,500,000
FIGURE 14.Average annual mine production of silver for Greece and Italy by5-year periods, 1851 to 1925, and for 1926 and 1927
ounces of silver was produced in Italy. During 1926 and 1927 ahalf-million-ounce-a-year rate has been maintained.
In continental Italy the Florentine area, where silver-leád ore ismined, is the most important silver producer. With the beginning
100560°-30 5
1200
1000
Greeee
fifihUhIUl
10
Italy
II
ue_II1851 1856 18611955 1860 1865
18661870
18711875
18761880
18811885
18861890
16911895
18961900
19011905
19061910
19111915
19161920
192115925
926 1927
46 STJMMARIZD DATA OP SILVER PRODUCTION
of the second half of the nineteenth century the mines of Sardiniabegan to produce, as the districts of Montevecchio and Monteponiwere opened in 1849 and 1851. In 1866 the Malfidano district wasopened, and five years later the silver mines of Iglesias began toproduce. The first three of these Sardinian areas are silver-lead-zincdeposits.
TABLE 27.-Mine production of silver in Italy by various periods, 1841-1927
NORWAY
In 1623 the great silver deposit of Kongsberg was discovered andproduction started the following year. During the 177-year period1624 to 1800, 25,000,000 ounces of silver were produced. Table 28shows the production of Norway from the discovery of Kongsberguntil the present. There was a rapid drop during the first threedecades of.the nineteenth century to less than 300,000 ounces for thedecade 1821 to 1830. From 1831 on there was an irregular rise, cul-minating in an average annual production of over 325,000 ouncesfor each of the 5-year periods between 1911 and 1925. During 1926and 1927 this rate of production nearly has been maintained.
TABLE 28.-Mine production of silver in Norway by various periods, 164-1927
RUSSIA
In this paper the silver production of Russia has not been segre-gated between European and Asiatic Russia. The major part of theRussian silver has been mined in European Russia, and therefore allRussia has been placed among the European countries. This hasbeen partly compensated by including in the Asiatic total the totaloutput of Turkey, part of which came from the Balkan area.
-
Period Quantity,fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fino ounces
por centof world
toodPeriod Quantity,
fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Por centof world
total
1841-l850.. 50,000 5,000 0.02 1891-189&_ 4,515,256 903,051 0.57185l-1855__ 120,000 24,000 . 08 1896-1900rn 3, 988, 254 797, 651 .481856-1860_ 530, 000 103,000 .36 1901-i90& 4, 250, 561 850, 112 . 511861-i86& 702,000 140,400 .39 1906-1910 3,340,326 668,065 .341866-1870 1,888, 000 371,600 .84 1911-1915... 2,874, 446 574,889 .271871-187&_.... 2, 165,000 433,000 .65 1916-1920 -- 2, 120,452 424, 090 .231876 1880_.... 3,598,000 719,600 .96 1921-1925..... 1,607,565 321,513 .141881-188&.... 4,938,597 987, 719 1. 13 1926 519,351 519,351 .201886-1890_ 2, 762,745 552,549 .49 1927 537,098 537,1)98 .21
Period Quantity,fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Per centof world
totalPeriod Quantity,
fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Per centof world
total
1624-1700---- 10,970,000 142,468 1876-1880._ 687,898 137, 580 0 181701-1800..... 14,250,000 142,500 0. 78 1881-1885__ 962,496 192,499 .221801-1810._.. 820,000 82,000 .29 1886-189(L_ 906,008 181,202 .161811-1820. 320,000 32,000 . 18 1891-189&_ 817,822 163, 564 . 101821-1830---- 286,000 28,600 . 19 1896-1900.._ 863, 288 172,658 . 101831-1840._.. 2, 112, 143 211,214 L 07 1901-190&.... 1,073, 258 214, 652 . 131841-1850._.. 1,947,853 194, 785 . 77 1906-1910..... 1,046, 277 209,255 . 111851-1855.... 831,130 106,226 .34 1911-1915..... 1,642,835 328,567 .161856-1860,. 1,029,949 205,990- . 71 1916-192(L. 1, 640, 192 328,038 . 181861-1865___ 531,130 106,226 .30 l921-192& 1,628,333 325,667 .151866-1870...... 579,999 116,000 .26 1926 308, 640 308,640 .12I871-1875_._. 582,571 115,514 . 17 1927 321,821 321,821 . 13
PRINCIPAL SILVER-PRODUCING cowmms 47
Table 29 shows the Russian silver production since 1741. Duringthe 60-year period 1741 to 1800 Russia produced 31,000,000 ounces ofsilver. The rate of production increased until during the decade1821 to 1830 the country attained its peak output of 7,500,000 ounces,or almost 5 per cent of the world total. After that time there was aslow and rather regular decline, until during the 5-year period 1906to 1910 less than 750,000 ounces were produced. There was a suddenrecovery, which nearly tripled production, during the next two 5-yearperiods, due to the development of the silver-bearing deposits, ofwhich the copper deposits of the Urals and the Kirghis Steppes werethe most important. There was a marked recession during the earlyyears of the Boishevist régime, followed by a rise during 1926 and1927. The silver recovered from the gold buffion of Siberia, thatobtained from the copper ores of the Caucasus Momtains area, andthe silver from the silver-lead mines of southern Finland are theprincipal sources other than the Ural and Kirghis Steppes regions.
TABLE 29.Mine production of silver in Russia by various periods 1741-1927
SA1N (INCLuDING PORTuGAL)
So great was the metallic wealth of the Spanish possessions in theWestern Hemisphere that the domestic mines were allowed to lievirtually idle until the opening of the nineteenth century. In thedecade 1801 to 1810 there was a revival of mining in Spain, whichwas retarded during the second decade of the century by the Napole-onic wars and the general revolt of the Spanish colonies in the NewWorld. In the decade 1821 to 1830, 3,500,000 ounces of silver weremined in Spain. The output was rapidly increased, until during the5-year period 1851 to 1855, Spain produced 8,000,000 ounces, or5 per cent öf the world total. Exhaustion of the first rich discoveriesreduced pròduction to 3,000,000 ounces in the 5-year period 1861to 1865. Following that time there was a fairly regular mcrease,until a maximum of 23,000,000 ounces were produced during the5-year period 1911 to 1915. Lack of transportation for the argentif-erous lead ores, which supplied the major portion of the silver,reduced production during the World War period. Spanish oresalways have been smelted largely abroad. Since the war the produc-tion has remained at about the war-time level.
The principal silver producers of Spain are the. silver-lead minesof southeastern Spain; the Linares, La Carolina, Murcia, Guadalcanal,
erio Quantity,fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Per centof world
total
Quantity,fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
r centof world
total
l74l-1800__.. 31,125,000 518,750 1881-1885...... 1,629,175 325,835 0.371801-l810_.._ 6,478, 000 647,800 2.26 1880-189& -- 1,896,410 379,282 .341811-182&_... 7,321,000 732, 100 4.22 1891-1895 - 1,913,799 382,760 .241821-1831) - - - 7,478, 000 747, 800 4.87 1896-1901)...... 1, 208, 263 241,653 . 151831-l840_ 6, 626, 000 662,600 3.36 1901-190&_ 871, 519 174, 304 . 10181-1850. 6,274, 000 627,400 2.48 1906-19i0 703,181 140,636 .071851-185&... 2,758,000 551,600 1.78 1911-191&__ 1,915,637 383,127 .38185 -18(10.... 2, 794, 000 558, 800 1.92 1916-1920_ 1,900,000 380,000 . 211861-1865.. - -- 2, 770, 000 554, 000 1. 55 1921-192&_ 882,900 176,880 .081866-1870. 2,619,000 523,800 L 18 1926 250,000 250,000 .101871-1875__.... 1,848,090 369,600 .55 1927 321,500 321,500 .131876-1880___ 1,821,565 304,313 .48
48 SUMMARIZED DATA OF SILVER PRODUCTION
and Gador districts; and the cuprous pyrite deposits of the Rio Tintodistrict. Spain has been among the leading lead producers of theworld and has led the world in the production of pyrite for many years.Spain affords a good example of by-product silver production.
TABLE 30.Mine production of silver in Spain by various periods, 18O1-1927
FIGURE 15.Average annual mine production of silver for Spain and France by 10-year periods1801 to 1850; 5-year periods, 1851 to 1925; and for 1926 and 1927
SWEDEN
Table 31 gives the silver production of Sweden since 1493. Theprincipal producer since the fourteenth century has been the Salasilver-lead district. Recently copper ores have accounted for someby-product silver. The production rate has been more nearly con-stant in Sweden than in any other country.
Period Quantity,fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Per centof world
totalPeriod Quantity,
fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Per centof world
total
1801-1810...._ 500,000 50,000 0. 17 1881-188&_ 10,031, 193 2,006,239 2.301811-1820..... 200,000 20,000 . 12 188&-1890...._ 8,601,997 1, 720, 399 1.531821-1830_.... 3,500,000 350,000 2.28 1891-189&__ 10,562,879 2,112,576 1.33183l-1840...._ 3, 750, 000 375, 000 1.90 1896-1900..._ 16, 172, 376 3,234,475 1.951841-1850...__ 12, 540, 000 1,254,000 4.95 1901-1905.._ 20, 649, 220 4, 129,844 2.461851-185&...... 8,040,000 1,608,000 5.19 1906-1910_ 21,680,762 4,330,152 2.191856-1860.. ..__ 3, 250,000 650,000 2.23 191 1-1915.. -- 23,068, 280 4, 613, 656 2.201861-1865_ 2,922,535 584,507 163 1916-192&... 15,055,038 3,011,008 1.651866-1870 4,288,078 849, 616 1.92 1921-1925.. 14,419, 598 2,853,920 1.301871-1875____ 3,833, 783 766, 757 1. 15 1926 3,000, 656 3,000, 656 1. 181876-1880....... 11,937,571 2,387,514 3.17 1927 3,056,565 3,050,505 1.23
2
Fnce
uhu111:11
I W
5r',r',o
Spain
o
:
HhiiiiIIII.1811
181011820
18211930
18311040
841 1851 18581850 1055 1060
1861 18861865 1070
18711875
18761080
1801 1886 1891 1896 19611885 1850 1895 1900 1905
1906 19111910 1915 1920
1910 1921 920 19571925
UNITED KINGDOM
Table 32 gives the production of the United Kingdom since 1701.There was a rapid and steady rise in production until the 5-year period1866 to 1870 when almost 4,000,000 ounces, or almost 2 per cent ofthe world silver, was produced in this country. The exhaustion ofthe silver deposits caused a decline even more rapid than the rise ofproduction. During the 5-year period 1921 to 1925 the averageannual production was 27,000 ounces a year, lower than at any timesince the eighteenth century. The silver deposits are scattered inthe northern England, northern Wales, and Cornwall-Devonshireareas.
TABLE 32.-Mine production of silver in United Kingdom by various periods,1701-1927
OTEER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES
The other silver producers of Europe are Czechoslovakia, Poland,Portugal, Rumania, and Yugoslavia. Portugal, which has never hadmore than a nominal production, has been included with Spain.Rumanian production comes almost entirely from the area acquiredfrom Hungary after the World War. This area, Transylvania, con-tains the Nagy Banya, Abrudbanya, and Banat districts, all importantproducers while in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Yugoslavia pro-duces a little silver from the Serbian area. The other two countries,Czechoslovakia and Poland, came into existence only at the close ofthe war. Czechoslovakia derives its silver principally from the
Period Quantity,fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Per centof world
totalPeriod Quantity,
fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Per centof world
total
1493-1600.._ 3,632, 166 33,631 0.40 1876-1880... 203,035 40,607 0.05l601-170&_ 1,952,450 19,525 .15 1881-1885 270,099 54,020 .061701-l80&_ 1,173,759 11,738 .06 1886-l890_ 707,443 141,489 .131801-1810 - -- 126,899 12,690 .04 1891-1895. - 393, 338 78,668 .051811-1820.. 126,899 12,690 .07 1896-1900.. 239,497 47,899 .031821-183(L -- 180,719 18,072 . 12 1901-190& -- 182,796 36, 559 .051831-1840rn 260,260 26,026 .13 1906-191(L.. 147,060 29,412 .011841-1850.... 355,748 35,575 .14 1911-191& 168,735 33,747 .021851-1855.. 203,482 40, 696 . 13 1916-1920.. 147,481 29,466 .02l856-1860.. 178, 372 35,674 . 12 1921-1925. 69,662 13,990 .031861-186& 181,491 38,298 . 10 1926 80,375 80,375 .03
1866-1870 190,557 38, 111 .09 1927 80,375 80,375 .031871-1875_. 125,356 25,071 .04
Period Quantity,fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Per centof world
totalPeriod Quantity,
fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Per centof world
total
1701-l800. 1,000,000 10,000 0.05 1881-1885._. 1,417,929 291, 586 0. 33
1801-l810... 600,000 50,000 . 17 1886-1891L.. 1,534,619 306,924 .271811-1820 700,000 70,000 .40 1891-1895- - 1, 155, 938 231, 188 . 15
1S21-1830 - -- 900,000 90,000 . 59 1890-1900. - 1, 114,277 222, 855 . 13
1831-l840... 1,100,000 110,0(10 .56 1901-190&... 796,899 159,380 .091841-1850. - - 1,700,000 170,000 .67 1906-1910. - 688,000 137, 600 .071851-1855.. 2,670,000 534,000 1.72 1911-1915... 610,590 122,118 .06185 -186OE. 2,843,764 568,753 1.95 1916-1920. 386,407 77,281 .041861-1865.. - 3,256,545 651,309 1.82 1921-1925.. - 137, 183 27.437 .011866-1870 3,899,863 779, 973 1.76 1926 41,345 41,345 .021871-1875_ 2,918,122 583,624 .87 1927 46,714 48,714 .021876-188(L.. 2,007,460 401,492 .53
PRINCIPAL SILVER-PROmICING COUNTRIES 49
TtsLE 31.-Mine production of silver in Sweden by various periods, 1493-1927
50 SUMMARIZED DATA OF SILVER PRODUCTION
Pribram district in Bohemia and the Schemnitz-Kremnitz districtnorth of Budapest. Polish silver is almost entirely the by-product ofthe zinc-lead-silver mines of what was formerly German Upper Silesia.
ASIA
Asia is one of the minor producers of silver. The long record ofJapan and the recent production from India. are the most importantfactors in Asiatic silver production.
INDIA
In former times, when gold buffion was the only source of silver,the silver production has been estimated at 7.5 per cent by weight of
FIGUEE 16.Avetage annual lome production of silver for India and Aus-troUa by 5-year periods, 1881 to 1925. and for 1920 and 1927
the gold production. It was not until the development of the Bawdwinsilver-lead-zinc district in the Northern Shan States of Upper Burmathat India became an important producer of silver. For centuries theChinese had extracted silver from the deposits of this region, but itwas only with the advent of occidental methods that this districtbecame important. In 1910 the Indian silver production started toincrease rapidly and passed the mark of 6,000,000 ounces a year in1927. Table 33 and Figure 16 give the production of silver in Indiasince 1886.
India
12
Australia
r
10611865
18661870
1871 187611861 1886 1881 1896 1901 1906 1911 19161875 188011865 1890 1805 1900 1905 1010 1915 1920
19211925 1926 1927
JAPAN
The production of Japan is given since 1493 in Table 34 and ifius-trated graphically since 1801 in Figure 17. The production for thefirst three centunes is based on the Japanese silver exports carried byPortuguese, Dutch, and English traders. These figures may there-fore include production of earlier time, which had been held untilthe Portuguese opened the far-eastern trade routes during the fifteenthcentury. iDuring the 108-year period 1493 to 1600 the production isestimated at 25,000,000 ounces and for the following century 75,000,-000 ounces. At the close of the seventeenth century Japan closed herports to all foreigners, and until 1854 when Commodore Perrynegotiated a trade treaty between the United States and Japan therewas very little recorded silver production. From the date of thistreaty there was a rapid revival of silver mining, which culminatedin a production of 29,000,000 ounces, or over 3 per cent of the worldsilver, in the 5-year period 1916 to 1920. Since 1920 there has been aslight decline to a production between four and five million ounces ayear.
The oldest Japanese silver operation of which there is any recordis the Sasu mine in Tsushima, which was discovered in 674 A. D.During the ninth century the famous silver mines known as theRanda, Ikuno, and Hosokura were discovered. Of late years theTsubaki and Kosaka mines have been the principal sources of silver.The first is a silver-lead-zinc mine and the second a silver-copperproperty. Argentiferous lead ores have been the principal source ofsilver in Japan during the twentieth century, followed in turn bycopper and dry and siliceous o.res, but in very recent years the rapidrise of copper production has brought cooper ores to the fore.
TABLE 34.-Mine production of silver in Japan by various periods, 1493-1927
Period Qantity,fine ounces
Averageaflunal
production,fine ounces
Per centof world
totalPeriod Quantity,
fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Per centof worldto1
1880-1890.._ - 16,000 3,200 1911-191&__ 843,850 168, 770 0. 081891-189&_ 60,000 13, 200 0.01 1916-1920... 10,602, 501 2, 120, 500 1. 161896-l90&.. - 141,000 28,200 .02 1921-192&._ 22,869,083 4, 571,817 2.041901-1905 190,000 39, 200 . 02 1928 5 124,962 5, 124,962 2.021906-191O .. 197, 180 39,430 .02 1927 6 024,806 0,024,806 2.40
Period Quantity,fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Per centof world
totalPeriod Quantity,
fij3e ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Per centof world
total
1493-1600....__ 25,000,000 231, 481 3.35 1876-1880___ 1,578, 613 315,728 0.421601-1700...._ 75, 000,000 750, 000 5.90 1881-1885__ 3,300,338 680,068 . 751701-1800_ 1,000,000 10,000 .05 1886-1890_ 6,183,071 1,236,614 1.101801-1810... 100,000 10,000 .03 1891-189&.... 9, 144,331 1,828,806 L 151811-1820...._ 100,000 10,000 .06 1896-1900___ 9, 195,686 1,839, 137 1. 101821-1830....... 100,000 10,000 .07 1901-1005_... 10,080,287 2,017,247 1.211831-1840_. 100,000 10,000 .05 l906-1910_ 18, 203,480 3,640,697 1.84l841-1850__ 100,000 10,000 .04 1911-1915__ 23,998,370 4,799,674 2.301851-1855_... 75,000 15,000 .05 1916-1920__ 29,360,648 5,872,130 3.22186 -1800.. 100,000 20,000 .07 1921-1925... 20,049,130 4,009,827 L 801861-1885__ 150, 30,000 .08 1926 4,776,110 4,776,110 1.881866-l870 280,000 40,000 .09 1927 4,800,000 4,800,000 1.911871-1875_... 475,000 95,000 .14
PRINCIPAL SILVER-PRODtTCING COtTNThThS 51
TABLE 33.-Mine production of 81.10er in India by various periods, 1888-1 927
52 SLJMMAEIZD DATA 0F SILVRR PRODUCTION
NETHERLAND EAST INDIES
Table 35 gives the production of silver in the Netherland EastIndies since 1900. The production has increased very rapidly sincethat year and passed the 2,000,000-ounce mark in 1924. Virtuallyall of this silver comes from the gold-silver wines of the Benkoelendistrict on the west coast of Sumatra.
TABLE 35.Mine production of silver in Netherland East Indies by various periods,1900-1 .9fd7
11'IGUBE 17.Average annual mine production of silver for yapan by 10-year periods, 1801 to1850; by 5-year periods, 1851 to 1925; and for 1926 and 1927
TURKEY
Table 36 gives the silver production in Turkey since 1851. Thereare no available records before that date, but it is improbable thatthe output was important. From an average annual production ofover a third of a million ounces a year between 1851 and 1860 theoutput fell to less than a quarter of a miJJion ounces for the whole5-year period 1886 to 1890. After that period there was a rapid riseuntil almost 8,000,000 ounces was produced dúring the 5-year period1911 to 1915. The World War crippled the industry, and it has notyet even approached the pre-war production figures. The silverdeposits are in Asia Minor and include the Buighar Maden silverdistrict, the Balia Karaidin silver-lead-zinc district, and some smallargentiferous copper deposits in the Caucasus Mountains
Average-annual Per cent Average Per cent
Period Quantity,fine ounces production,
fine ouncesof world
totalPeriod Quantity,
fine ouncesannual
production,fine ounces
of worldtotal
1900 80,659 80,659 1916-1920_ 4,120,774 824, 155 0.411901-1905 778, 519 155, 704 0.09 1921-1925_ 8,178, 906 1,635,781 .741906-1910._ 2,087, 607 417, 521 21 1926 2,363,829 2,363,829 . 931911-1915.. 2,197, 940 439, 588 .21 1927 2,285,801 2,285,801 .91
z.a,a.o
Japan
0 ___.iI18811910
18111820
10511830
18511840
18411950
18511895
1850 1801 1800 1871 1870 1881 1886 1891 18961860 1865 1870 1879 1880 1885 1850 1895 1900 1905
1901 1906 19111910 1915
1916 19211920 1929 1926 1927
OTHER COUNTRIES OF ASIA
China, Chosen, Indo-China, the Philippine Islands, and Taiwanhave all contributed minor quantities of silver to the world total.China has undoubtedly produced silver in small quantities sincebefore the Christian era, but records are entirely lacking, and evento-day the Chinese production is largely an estimate. Since 1913,when the first reliable estimates were made, China has produced1,000,000 ounces of silver. In Chosen and Taiwan the productionof silver has been largely the result of Japanese initiative since thesecountries have come under the control of Japan. The first produc-.tion in Taiwan is recorded in 1907 and in Chosen in 1910. In Indo-China production, which started in 1903, has been very small. Thesilver produced in the Philippine Islands has been derived almostexclusively from the gold ores of the island. The date of the firstsilver output is 1907.
AFRICA
Africa has long been the least important of all continents as asilver producer. Since 1493 it has contributed only one-fourth ofi per cent of the world silver, and in 1927 its output was only one-halfof i per cent of the world total.
ALOERIA
Table 37 shows the silver production of Algeria since 1896. Thesilver-lead and silver-lead-zinc deposits have yielded increasingamounts of silver, but during no 5-year period has this productionequaled one-tenth of i per cent of the world total.
TABLE 37.Mine production of silver in Algeria by various periods, 1896-197
RHODESIA
Production of silver in Rhodesia started in 1900. Table 38 showsthe output from that date to 1927. Since 1906 this country hasproduced about 1,000,000 ounces of silver every 5-year period. Thesilver-lead-zinc deposit of Broken Hill bas been the principal producerin Rhodesia.
Period Quantity,fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Per centof world
totalPeriod Quantity,
fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Per ceniof world
total
1851-i855____ 1,780,000 356, 000 1. 15 1896-1900___ 793, 805 158, 761 0.101856-1860___ 1,780,000 356000 1.22 1s0i-1905.. 1,971,135 394,227 .231861-186&__ 1, 500,000 300,000 .84 1906-1910. 3,548,988 709, 798 .36186 -1870... 500,000 100,000 .23 i911-19I5.._ 7,754,428 1,550,886 .741871-I875. -- 250,000 50,000 .08 1916-1920.. 1, 500,000 300,000 . 161876-1880._ 260,534 52,107 .07 1921-1925._ 555,886 111,177 .051881-188&_ 252, 446 50,489 .06 1926 225, 050 225, 050 .09l886-1890. 212,675 42,535 .04 1927 225,050 225,010 .091891-1895...._ 920,466 184,093 . 12
Period Quantity,fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Per centof world
totalPeriod Quantity,
fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Per centof world
1896-190&...._ 42, 084 8,417 0.01 1916-192(L 791,626 158,325 0.091901-1905_.. 45, 559 9, 112 .01 1921-1925_ 302, 192 100,438 .051906-1910....... 288,231 57 646 . 03 1926 169, 141 169, 141 .07191l-1915____ 673,775 134755 .06 1927 118,087 118,087 .05
PRINCIPAL SILVER-PRODUCING COUNTRIES 53
TABLE 36.Mine production of silver in Turkey by various periods, 1851-19J7
SIJMMARIZED »ATA OF SILVER PRODUCTION
TABLE 38.Mine production of silver in Rhodesia by various periods, i9OO-197
UNION OF SOtJPR AFRICA
Table 39 gives the production of silver for the Union of SouthAfrica since it was begun in 1886. Production before 1901 has beenestimated at 0.11 ounce of silver per ounce of gold produced. Vir-tually all of this silver has been obtained from the refining of theWitwatersrarid gold bullion. This deposit, however, is very low insilver; therefore, silver production in the Union of South Africa hasonly just passed one-half of 1 per cent of the world total for anyyear so far. The Union of South Africa is credited with the entireoutput of South Africa before the Boer War and the present outputof all the British possessions of South Africa except Rhodesia.
TABLE 39.Mine production of silver in Union of South Africa by various periods,1886-19r7
OTNEB AFRICAN COUNTRIES
Very small amounts of silver have been reported from the othercountries of Africa. The most important are German SouthwestAfrica (included under Union of South Africa since 1914) and theBelgian Congo. The areas under French, Portuguese, Italian, andSpanish control, as well as independent Ethiopia and Britisk-con-trolled Egypt and Sudan, have produced almost no silver so far.From the early years of the twentieth century until the Bntish mva-sion of 1914 the Germans produced a small amount of silver from themines at Otavi, Southwest Africa. There is some silver produced asa by-product from the copper mines of Katanga.
AUSTRALASIA
Since the first recorded production of silver in 1861 Australasia haproduced a half billion ounces, or 3 per cent of the world silver since1493. Thére are only two producing countries--Austraha and NewZealand.
AUSTRALIA
Table 40 and Figure 16 give the silver production of Australiasince 1861. During the first 24 years (until 1885) the silver camelargely from gold buffion and very small silver mines. In 1883 the
Average cent Average Per centclOd Quantity,
fine ouncesannual
production,fine ounces
of worldtotal
Period Quantity,fine ounces
annualproduction,fine ounces
of world
1900 951 951 1916-1920___ 983,878 186,776 0.101901-190&___ 186,716 37,343 0.02 1921-1925__.. 1,066,996 213,399 .101906-1910..._ 1,021,089 204,218 .10 1926 117,703 117,763 .051911-191&___ 842,589 168,518 .08 1927 131,585 - 131,585 .05
Average Per cent Average Per centP&IO4 Quantity,
fine ouncesannual
production,fine ounces
of worldtotal
Period Quantity,fine ounces
annualproduction,fine ounces
of worldtoi
1886-1890....__ 117,000 23,400 0.02 1911-1915__ - 4,724,378 044,876 0.461891-1895....__ 757,000 151,400 .10 1916-1920___ 4,567,108 913,422 .501896-1901L__. 1,384,000 276,800 .10 1921-192&.. 5,881,058 1,176,212 .53190i-1905..__ 1,457, 050 291,410 . 17 1926 982,594 982,594 .391906-1910__ 3,807,838 761,568 .39 1927 1,013,070 1,013,070 .40
PRINCIPAL SILVER-PRODUCING COUNTRIES 55
Broken Hill deposit, the greatest single lode of silver-lead-zinc orethat the modern world has ever seen, was discovered, and by 1885its production began to be important. During the 5-year period1881 to 1885 the million-ounce mark was passed followed by 20,000,000ounces in the period 1886 to 1890 and 74,000,000 ounces in the period1891 to 1895. Since 1895 a maximum of 79,000,000 ounces were pro-duced during the 5-year period 1906 to 1910 and a minimum of38,000,000 ounces during the war period 1916 to 1920. Productiondeclined to little over 2,000,000 ounces in 1920, subsequently increasedto 13,000,000 ounces in 1923, and then decreased to 7,000,000 ouncesin 1927.
Although Broken Hill has been by far the greatest silver producerin Australia the copper deposit at Great Cobar, New South Wales,and thq Mount Lyell silver-lead-zinc deposit and the Zeehan silver-lead deposit, Tasmania, also produce large amounts. Very large silverreserves have been blocked out at the Mount Isa silver-lead-zincmine of Queensland, and an important silver yield is expected fromthe Read-Roseberry silver-lead-zinc field of Tasmania. Large-scaleproduction from these ore bodies is expected in the fourth decade ofthe present century.
TABLE 40 -Mine production of silver in Australia by various periods, 1881-197
NEW ZEALAND
Table 41 gives the production of silver in New Zealand since 1869.Silver has never been an important product of the mines of New Zea-land. The highest yield was during the 5-year period 1906 to 1910,when 8,000,000 ounces of silver was produced. Virtually all of thesilver has been a by-product of gold mining, and the Hauraki districthas been the most important producing area.
TABLE 41.-Mine production of silver in New Zealand by various periods, 1869-197
Period Quantity,fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Per centof world
totalPeriod Quantity,
flnè ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
centof world
total
1861-1865.._.... 10,000 2,000 0.01 190l-190&__ 53, 101,868 10, 620,274 6.311866-1870.... 22,973 4,595 .01 1906-1910.... 78,729, 141 15, 745, 828 7.951871-i875 - -- 374, 538 74,908 . 11 1911-1915.... 65,050,415 13,010,083 6.211876-1880....._ 451, 780 90,356 . 12 1916-1920..... 37,526,403 7,505,281 4. 121881-188&..._ 1, 181, 738 236,348 .27 1921-192&.... 49,999,092 9,999,818 4.501886-l800_ 19,807,012 3,961,402 3.51 1926 10,800,073 10,800, 073 4.251891-1895....... 74,314,559 14,862,912 9.39 1927 6,887,280 6,887,280 2.741896-l900_.... 59, 842,712 11,968,542 7.21
Period Quantity,fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Per centof world
totalPeriod Quantity,
fine ounces
Averageannual
production,fine ounces
Per centof world
total
i869-187O 48,186 24,093 l901-1905. 4,431,449 886,290 0.531871-1875.... 223, 174 44,635 0.07 1906-1910.. - 8,209,541) 1,641,908 .831876-1880....... 110,240 22,048 .03 1911-191&__ 4,644,527 928,905 .441881-i88& 82,943 16,589 .02 19i6-1920 2,980,780 596,156 .331886-i89O_ 90,052 18,010 .02 l92i-192&_ 2,277,676 455,535 .20189l-i895........ 205,853 41,771 .02 1926 425,287 425,287 .17189-l900.. 842,949 168,590 . 10 1927 427,358 427,358 . ii
56 SUMMARIZED DATA OP SILVER PRODUCTION
GENERAL SUMMARY
The world production of silver from 1493 to 1927 has totaledfourteen and one-third billion ounces. The rate of production hasincreased steadily since 1493. During the 108-year period 1493 to1600 the production was 747,000,000 ounces, less than the productionfor 1925, 1926, and 1927. For the century 1601 to 1700, 1,272,000,000ounces were produced, or less than the production from 1922 tO 1927,and for the century 1701 to 1800 the production was 1,833,000,000ounces, or less than the figure for 1919 to 1927. The total worldproduction from 1493 to 1800, a period of 308 years, was 3,852,000,000ounces, or less than the production from 1909 to 1927, a period of 19years. Since 1888 more silver has been produced in the world thanin the period 1493 to 1887; in other words, the production of 396years has been exceeded by the production of the last 39 years. Theincreasing rate of production is illustrated in the following table,which gives the relation of the length of various periods and theirproductions to the total time (435 years) and the total production(14,357,000,000 ounces), respectively, since the discovery of America.
TABLE 42.-World production of silver for various periods and their relative importance
The rate of increase in silver production, however, has not beennearly as rapid as that for copper, zinc, lead, or gold, during the last120 years (1801 to 1920). The following table gives the rate ofincreâse by decades for this period.
TABLE 43.-Rate of increase of world production of silver, lead, copper, gold, and zinc
Increase over preceding decade, per cent
Percentages Cumulative Inverted cumulative
Length,eri of
period,years
Production,ounces
Time Produe- Time
Percentages
Time
Percentages
Time Produc- Time Produc-
i493-1600.... lOS 747, 000,000 24.9 5.2 108 24.9 52 435 100. 0 100.01601-1700... 100 1,272,000,000 23.0 8.9 208 47.9 14.1 327 75.1 94.8i701-1800_ 100 1,833, 000,000 23.0 12.8 308 70.9 26.9 227 52. 1 8591801-1850..... 50 1,064,000,000 11.5 7. 4 358 82.4 34.3 127 29. 1 73. 11851-187&_ 25 1,036,000,000 5.7 7.2 383 88. 1 41. 5 77 17. 6 65.71876-1900__. 23 2,999,000,000 5.7 20.9 408 93.8 62.4 52 11.9 58.51901-1910..... 10 1,830,000,000 2.3 12.7 418 96. 1 75. 1 27 6.2 37.61911-1920_. 10 1,958,000,000 2. 3 11.6 428 98. 4 88.7 17 3.9 24.91921-1925..... - 5 1, 113, 000, 000 1. 1 7.8 433 99. 5 96. 3 7 1. 6 11.31926-1927..... 2 505,000,000 .5 3. 6 435 100.0 100. 0 2 .5 3.51493-1927.._ 435 14,357,000,000 180.0 100.0
DecadeSilver Lead Copper Gold Zinc
1801-18201821-18301831-18401841-18501851-18601861-18701871-18801881-18801891-19001901-19101911-1920
-39.5-11.4
28.529. 418. 633.377.340.962. 112.87.0
23.5
39.4168.225. 216.338 846.139.840.150.587.611.
48.7
36.645.133.335.553. 751.423.974.866. 783.859.8
52.8
-34.22.840. 2
160.2277.2-5.4-7.4-7.494.080.912.
57.5
142.6595. 1
53.5143. 4112.866.255.865.335 757. 630.8
23.9
I Price ratio for period 1501-1600.
The decline in the price of silver has been the result of a lesseningdemand rather than an abnormally increasing supply. The lessen-ing demand has been due very largely to demonetizing of silver duringthe latter part of the nineteenth century by the principal nations of theworld.
When Columbus sailed from Spain on his great voyage of dis-covery the principal silver producers of the world were Germany,Austria-Hungary, Japan, and Sweden. Discoveries of mineralsin Bolivia, Peru, and Mexico soon after the beginning of the sixteenthcentury quickly forced the producers of the Old World into positionsof secondary importance. In the 108 years from 1493 to 1600Bolivia produced 48 per cent of the world's silver, followed in turnby 13 per cent from Peru and 12 per cent each from Mexico andAustria. During the next century, 1601 to 1700, the New Worldestablished its supremacy as a silver producer more firmly, accountingfor over 77 per cent of the world total. Both Peru and Mexicoalmost quadrupled their production and doubled their proportionof the world total. Bolivia continued as the leading producer, with36 per cent of the world total.
Mexico increased its production very rapidly, so that in the eight-eenth century over 1,000,000,000 ounces-57 per cent of the world'ssilver-was mined in this one country. Peru remained in secondplace with a production of 360,000,000 ounces, or 20 per cent of theworld total. The production of Bolivia dropped to 214,000,000ounces, less than one-half of that in the preceding century.
In the decade 1801 to 1810 the Spanish colonies produced over 91per cent of the total world silver of 287,000,000 ounces. With theclose of this decade a revolution started which was to drive theSpanish governors from every capital of continental America within20 years. Silver mining declined greatly for the two decades ofrevolution and reconstruction, but before the end of the half century
PeriodAverage
gold-silverprice ratio
Silver-goldproduction
ratioPeriod
Averagegold-silverprice ratio
Silver-goldproduction
ratio
1499-1600 L 11.3 32.5 1891-1895 26.4 20. 31601-1700 14.1 44. 1 1896-1900 33.4 13.31701-1800 15.0 29.9 1901-1905 36. 1 10. 7180i-1850 15. 7 28.0 1906-1910 35.3 9.41851-1875 15_5 6. 7 1911-1915 36.8 9.41876-i880 17.9 13.3 1916-1020 22.5 9.61881-1885 18.6 17.8 1921-1925 31.2 12.71886-1890 21. 1 20.4 1926-1927 34. 7 13.0
GENERAL SEJMMARY 57
In spite of the greater relative increase in the production of goldthan that of silver the price of silver has declined. In 1493 the ratioof value of gold to silver was about 12 to 1, a ratio that had beenfairly constant since the time of the Csars. Variations from thisratio had usually placed still higher values on silver. The followingtable shows the gold-silver price and production ratios from 1493 tothe present time (the price ratio as given by Soetbeer from 1501 to1875 and since as given in Mineral Resources).
TABLE 44.-The ratio of value of 1 ounce of gold to 1 ounce of silver, by variousperiods, 1501-1927
58 STJMMABIZED t)ATA OF SILVER PROrnJCTION
production had reached new heights. Mexico, with 605,000,000ounces, or 57 per cent of the world total, continued to lead the world.Peru was second and Bolivia third withproductions and percentagesof 159,000,000 ounces, 15 per cent, and 101,000,000 ounces, 10 percent, respectively.
During the next half century the production of the United Statesrose from a negligible amount to first place among the countries ofthe world. This period witnessed the development of the WesternStates. After the discovery of the Comstock lode in 1859, a yearseldom passed without discovery of a great silver deposit. For thehalf century 1851 to 1900 the world production nearly quadrupledattaining a total of over 4,000,000,000 ounces. The United Statesproduced one and one-third bifiion ounces, or 33 per cent; Mexicoone and one-quarter billion ounces, or 31 per cent; and Bolivia one-third of a billion ounces, or 8 per cent of the world total.
The United States, producing 1,534,000,000 ounces or 31 per centof the world total, was unable to hold first place during the firstquarter of the twentieth century, being surpassed by Mexico, whichproduced 1,615,000,000 ounces, or 33 per cent. Canada was thirdwith 464,000,000 ounces or 9 per cent of the world total and Australiafourth with 284,000,000 ounces or 6 per cent. In 1926 and 1927 theproportions showed an increase for Mexico to 40 per cent of theworld total, the United States dropped to 24 per cent, Canada re-mained at 9 per cent, and Australia dropped to 3 per cent.
The following table gives the amounts and proportions producedby countries that have contributed 1 per cent or more of the total.The first five countries in this list are in the Western Hemisphere andaccount for over 80 per cent of the total. Of this group of five, thoseof North America (Mexico, United States, and Canada) have pro-duced 60 per cent of the world total and those of South America(Bolivia and Peru) 20 per cent.
TABLE 45.Principal silver producers of the world (1493-1927)
In early times the proportion of silver extracted from silver orewas much higher than it is now. Slowly the silver and the silver-gold deposits have become less important, and the silver-lead, silver-copper, silver-zinc, silver-lead-zinc, and other silver-bearing depositshave risen in silver-producing importance. Silver production is be-coming more and more dependent on the production of these basemetals and gold. This trend wifi probably continue, and the futureof silver production should therefore follow the expanding produc-tion of these other metals. The silver content of base-metal depositsusually becomes smaller with depth, so it is probable that futuresilver production, though generally upward, will increasè at a lowerrate than the rates indicated for copper, lead, and zinc.
o
Country Quantity Per cent Country Quantity Per cent
Mexico 5, 123, 242, 279 35. 68 Austria 325, 098,3.53 2.26United States 2,995,643,236 20.87 Chile 294,944,645 2.08Bolivia...... 1,567,624., 166 iO. 92 Japan 243, 176,024 1.69Perth i, 349,052,029 9.41) Spain 200,990,531 L 40Canada 539, 449,516 3.76 All others 762,487.44)7 5. 32Germany 496,917, 138 3.46
14,356,724,911 190.00Australia 458,099,584 3.19 Total
