188 



ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1945 



Figure 7 shows the geography of the reserves, production, and con- 

 sumption of iron ore. The importance of the Lake Superior district 

 as a source of supply is obvious. Its proportion of commercial re- 

 serves, however, is considerably less than its share of current produc- 

 tion, which fact indicates that the relatively more favorable reserve 

 position in the southeastern and northeastern regions will bring forth 

 a somewhat larger proportion of production in those areas in the 

 years to come. The concentration of iron-ore consumption in the 

 States bordering the Great Lakes may be expected to continue with 

 minor modifications for many years. The steel industry in this region 

 is soundly based on the proximity of coal and iron ore and a tremen- 



IRON ORE-PRODUCTION, CONSUMPTION, a RESERVES 



LONG TONS 



PERCENT DISTRIBUTION 



Figure 7. — Geography of iron-ore production, consumption, and reserves. 



dous consuming industry has been built around it. Further develop- 

 ment of northeastern iron ores will cause little if any change in the 

 geography of steel production. Moderate expansion on the seaboard 

 seems probable. The expansion that may result from the favorable 

 reserve position of the southeastern States and the postwar operation 

 of the new plants in the West will have only limited effects on the 

 present pattern of steel production. The situation in the more distant 

 future will depend on national policies which probably will be de- 

 termined by the success achieved in developing the low-grade ores of 



