ACTIVITIES 49 



Compilation of Information Relative to Mineral Deposits 

 and the Mineral Industries. In addition to its activities in 

 connection with the exploration of mineral deposits, the Sur- 

 vey collects, compiles and disseminates information relative 

 to all known mineral deposits in the United States, and rela- 

 tive to the production of minerals. 



The circumstances under which the Survey began in 1882 

 its publication of the annual report on the "Mineral Resources 

 of the United States" are set forth in the preceding chapter. 

 In 1905 authority was obtained from Congress (act of March 

 2, 1905, 28 Stat. L., 960) to publish the separate parts or 

 chapters of this report in pamphlet form as soon as they were 

 transmitted to the printer, it being provided that "the report 

 of the Mineral Resources of the United States shall 

 be * * * printed for each preceding calendar year as 

 soon as compiled and transmitted for publication, and that the 

 separate chapters on any given mineral product, such as iron, 

 coal, building stone, and so forth, shall be printed as rapidly 

 as transmitted for publication." This act was passed only to 

 insure prompt publication. "Advance chapters" had been 

 issued long before this act was passed. 



In early years, the work of the Survey in this field was 

 confined largely to the compilation of statistics of production. 

 More recently the tendency has been to emphasize the impor- 

 tance of data relative to the occurrence, technology and utili- 

 zation of the mineral resources of the country. Simultane- 

 ously the effort has been to publish more promptly the statis- 

 tics of production, and at present weekly, monthly and quar- 

 terly statistics regarding certain mineral products are being 

 collected. 



The collection of statistics showing the production of min- 

 erals in the United States involves a complete annual canvass 

 of all the mineral producers, a complete list of whom is kept 

 by the Survey. This canvass is made largely by correspon- 

 dence, but is supplemented by field work. The technical press 

 is also carefully scrutinized for new names. As a further 



