120 
Editorial. 
EDITORIAL. 
(  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
\    February,  1898. 
MINERAL  PRODUCTION  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES  FOR  THE  YEAR  1897. 
The  Engineering  and  Mining  Journal,  for  January  1st,  gives  some  very 
interesting  statistics  showing  the  production  of  metals  and  mineral  products  for 
the  United  States  during  the  year  1897,  and  makes  comparison  with  the  cor- 
responding figures  for  the  year  1896.  As  many  of  these  figures  will  interest 
our  readers,  we  give  a  transcript  of  some  of  the  more  important  ones. 
Aluminum. — The  production  of  aluminum  in  1897  was  4,000,000  pounds, 
valued  at  $1,542,240,  against  1,300,000  pounds,  valued  at  $520,000,  in  1896. 
Barytes. — The  production  was  27,316  short  tons,  valued  at  $109,264,  against 
21,900  short  tons,  valued  at  $87,600,  in  1896. 
Borax. — The  production  in  1897  amounted  to  18,000,000  pounds,  valued  at 
$900,000,  against  15,258,014  pounds,  valued  at  $762,900,  in  1896. 
Bromine. — The  production  in  1897  amounted  to  487, 149  pounds,  valued  at 
$I25,953,  against  550,285  pounds,  valued  at  $^3,074,  in  1896. 
Calcium  Carbide. — The  production  in  1897  amounted  to  1,925  short  tons, 
valued  at  $134,750,  against  860  short  tons,  valued  at  $48,000,  in  1896. 
Cement. — The  production  of  natural  hydraulic  cement  in  1897  was  7,721,215 
barrels  of  300  pounds,  valued  at  $4,347,925,  against  7,454,611  barrels,  valued  at 
$4,353)377.  iQ  1896.  The  production  of  Portland  cement  in  1897  amounted  to 
2,100,000  barrels  of  400  pounds,  valued  at  $3,570,000,  against  1,032,654  barrels, 
valued  at  $r, 170,151,  in  1896. 
Coal. — The  production  of  anthracite  coal  in  1897  was  49,537,675  tons,  valued 
at  $86,690,931,  against  48,855,563  tons,  valued  at  $88,105,837,  in  1896.  The  pro- 
duction of  bituminous  coal  in  1897  was  144,901,331  tons,  valued  at  $118,699,151, 
against  137,516,631  tons,  valued  at  $115,009,979,  in  1896. 
Coke. — The  production  of  coke  in  1897  was  11,774,273  tons,  valued  at 
$21,446,321,  against  10,359,584  tons,  valued  at  $17,271,871,  in  1896. 
Copper. — The  production  of  copper  in  1897  was  475,338,340  pounds,  valued  at 
$52,478,352,  against  467,822,973  pounds,  valued  at  $49,729,582,  in  1896.  Of  the 
production  just  given  for  1897,  60.5  percent,  was  exported,  and  the  remainder 
used  at  home.  More  than  one-half  the  total  product  is  now  re&ned  electro- 
lytically. 
Gold. — The  production  of  gold  for  1897  was  2,685,000  troy  ounces,  valued 
at  $55,478,352,  against  2,558,433  ounces,  valued  at  $52,886,209,  in  1896.  The 
most  important  gold-producing  state  is  now  Colorado,  which  has  surpassed 
California.  The  gold  production  of  the  Klondike  is  not  included  in  this  total, 
but  is  credited  to  Canada. 
Iron  and  Steel. — The  production  of  pig  iron  in  1897  was  9,491,796  tons, 
valued  at  $91,122,970,  against  8,623,127  tons,  valued  at  $91,577,619,  in  1896. 
The  production  of  steel  was  about  6,500,000  tons  against  5,582,606  tons  in  1896. 
Lead. — The  production  of  lead  in  1897  was  194,530  short  tons,  valued  at 
$13,931,348,  against  174,792  short  tons,  valued  at  $10,381,843,  in  1896. 
Lead  Carbonate  {White  Lead). — The  production  of  white  lead  in  1897  was 
96,197  short  tons,  valued  at  $8,657,730,  against  95,068  short  tons,  valued  at 
$7,802,267,  in  1896. 
Petroleum. — The  production  of  crude  petroleum  in  1897  was  66,000,000 
