Document M4gdjej80pK7rr7VLBY94mvXL

Minerals Year 1972 Volume I METALS, MINERALS, AND Prepared by staff of the BUREAU OF MINES N49797 Lead By J. Patrick Ryan World production and consumption of lead reached record levels and achieved a near balanoe in 1972. Free world mine production increased about 1% with most of the net gain coming from the United States and Peru. Refined lead production was up nearly 2% with most of the major producing countries contributing to the in crease. Consumption of metal rose 4%, the largest annual increase since 1969. The near balance between metal production and consumption brought relatively stable world market prices, particularly in the London Metal Exchange (LME) quota tion. The average LME cash price pub lished by Metals Week in terms of U.S. currency increased from 11.40 cents per pound in January to 14.51 cents in March, and generally declining thereafter to 13.98 cents in December. The average equivalent LME price in 1972 was 13.68 cents. The average U.S. producers' price after rising 1.6 cents to 15.60 cents in the first 5 months trended lower thereafter to 14.50 cents in December. The average domestic price of lead on a nationwide delivered basis in 1972 was 15.03 cents per pound. The domestic lead industry again achieved significant gains in both mine production and consumption. Refinery pro duction also increased continuing the ris ing trend of recent years after a falloff in 1971, which was attributed to a reduction in imports of crude materials for process ing at domestic plants. Both mine and re finery production of lead reached the high est levels since 1929 with respective gains of about 7% over 1971 output. The 40,360 ton net increase in domestic mine output was achieved as gains in Missouri and Colorado more than offset declines in Idaho and Utah. Secondary lead output of 616,600 tons, representing about 39% of the market supply, was nearly 20,000 tons more than the 1971 output. The apparent domestic supply of lead consisting of pri- mary, s amounte more th Dema continue teries a increase quantity ture rea in antik below t used in cline, in lead co teries a pounds, 6%; and Stocks primary at the b at yeare declined ning of end. C governm reduced stockpil end. St. Jo mine in ous ope crations Missou Legis --Comm Genera from th fers for in 197 1971. T Public 92-356 498,000 authori 1 Mini ala. 696 MINERALS YEARBOOK, 1972 Actual drawdown of government slocks during 1972 was 44,738 tons, leaving a total of 1,085,871 tons remaining in the stockpile on December 31. Of the total un committed inventory at yearend 547,615 tons was in excess of the 530,000-ton objec tive. , GSA concluded contracts in May with primary producers for the disposal of 575,000 tons of surplus stockpile lead. Under terms of the contracts producers were obligated to purchase metal at the rate of 50,000 tons per year subject to sus pension during quarters when producers' slocks exceed one-tenth of the preceding year's shipment of primary metal. The long-term contracts were amended at year- end by reducing the point of suspension to one-twelfth of the preceding year's ship ments and increasing the purchase require ment to 55,000 tons per year. The new rates were to become effective January I, 1973. A bill (H.R. 16388) to provide for an adequate supply of lead and zinc for con sumption in the United Slates from do mestic and foreign sources was introduced in August and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means. The bill included a proposal to increase tariffs on lead in im ported concentrates, lead and zinc un wrought and wrought metals, lead and zinc waste and scrap, and manufactures of these metals when exceeding specified lim iting quantities. The bill also provided for revising the quotas for lead and zinc in concert with changes in the annual con sumption. The proposed act was designed to implement the Mining and Minerals Policy Act of 1970 by encouraging private enterprise. No further action was taken on the bill by the 92d Congress. Bills (S. 3136, H.R. 12958) were introduced in the 2d Session, 92d Congress to regulate the amounts of lead and cadmium that may be released from glazed ceramic or enamel dinnerware; other bills introduced in the Congress relating to the use of lead ineluded the following: S. 607--which would reduce the amount of lead contained in lead-based paints for residential use and establish procedures to minimize hazards of lead-based paint in any existing hous ing; H.R. 15937--which would provide performance standards for emission control devices to reduce air pollution from used vehicles, which could affect the use of lead in gasoline. The enactment of the Noise Control Act of 1972, which sets limits on noise emission, could stimulate the use of lead as a noise suppressing material in construction and other equipment. On February 23 the Environmental Pro tection Agency (EPA) published guidelines Table 1.--Salient lead statistics (Short tons unless otherwise specified) 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 United States: Production: Domestic ores, recoverable lead con tent........................................................... 359,166 Value............................. thousands.. (94,903 Primary lead (refined): From domestic ores and base bullion............................................... 349,039 From foreign ores and base bullion 118,271 Antlmonlal lead (primary lead content) 19,494 Secondary lead (lead content)................. 550,879 Exports of lead materials excluding scrap__ 8,281 Imports, general: Lead In ore and matte.............................. 87,836 Lead in base bullion.................................. 8 Lead in pigs, bars, and old...................... 344.601 Stocks December 31 (lead content): At primary smelters and refineries__ _ 90,427 At consumer plants.................................... 78.900 Consumption of metal, primary and sec ondary................................................................ 1,328.790 Price: Common lead, average, cents per pound ..... ...... .......................... .. 13.21 World: Production: Mine...................................................... ........ 3,314.992 Smelter.......................................................... 3,250,614 Price: London, common lead, average, cents per pound............................................... 10.88 609,013 $161,636 613,931 124,724 16,260 603 ,906 4 ,968 109,252 1,993 285,342 101,860 126,404 1,369.368 14.93 3,666,061 3,553,468 13.09 671,767 $178,609 628,086 138,644 11,655 697,390 7,747 112,406 296 251,480 192,985 133,602 1,360,662 16.69 3,741 ,646 3,628,422 13.76 578,660 $169,679 673.022 76,993 16,116 696,797 6,926 65,998 41 198,970 121.660 126,677 1,431.614 13.89 3,771,879 3,600,868 11.52 618 ,915 $186,046 592,668 103,001 8,186 616,697 8,876 101,614 896 246,625 146,673 118,644 1,486,264 16.08 3,848,682 3,726,634 13.68 1 Quotations for 1968-71 at New York and for 1972 on a nationwide, delivered basis. LEAD in the Federal Register calling for a staged reduction in the lead content of gasoline and requiring that major oil companies provide at least one grade of unleaded ga soline--actually, 0.05 gram per gallon by July l, 1974. The proposed timetable for E Q- 10 CL 1950 1955 I960 Figure 1.--Trends in the lead industry 698 MINERALS YEARBOOK. 1972 Table 2.--Lead statistics, 1931-72 (Short tons unless otherwise specified) Year United States Mine production Refinery production (primary sources) Secondary production Imports (refined) 1 Exports Consump tion 1931......... 1932......... 1933......... 1934......... 1936......... 1936......... 1937......... 1938......... 1989-------- 1940......... 1941......... 1942......... 1943 ......... 1944......... 1946......... 1946......... 1947......... 1948......... 1949......... 1960......... 1961......... 1952......... 1963......... 1964......... 1966......... 1966-------- 1967......... 1968......... 1959......... 1960......... 1961......... 1962 ......... 1963......... 1964......... 1966......... 1966......... 1967......... 1968......... 1969......... 1970......... 1971......... 1972-------- 404,622 292.968 272,677 287,339 831,103 372,919 464,892 369,726 413,979 467,392 461,426 496,239 463,31 3 416,861 390,831 335,475 384,221 390,476 409,908 430,827 388,164 890,162 342,644 326,419 338,026 362,826 338,216 267,377 266,686 246.669 261,921 236,956 253,369 286,010 301,147 327,368 316,931 359,156 609,013 671,767 678,650 618,916 442,764 281,941 263,676 311,236 324,560 399.166 467,817 383,669 484,035 533,179 670,967 666,839 469,612 464,763 443,686 338,197 441,010 406,694 477,338 608,314 417,693 472,862 467,891 486,712 479,157 642,308 633,633 470.166 340,931 382,436 449,666 376,063 394,732 449,429 418,249 440,736 379,894 467,310 638,655 666,730 660,015 696,659 234,700 198.300 224,500 208,400 270 400 262,900 276,100 224 900 241 600 260 346 397.416 323,001 342,094 331.416 363 039 392,787 511,970 600 071 412,183 482,276 518,110 471,294 486,737 480,925 602,051 606 765 489,229 401 787 461,387 469,903 462,792 444 202 493,471 541,682 675,819 672,834 563,772 650,879 603,906 597,390 696,797 616,597 1 1931-39 Includes a small quantity ol scrap. 10 44 1,322 2,590 4,903 3,236 7,139 16].648 274,189 366,497 244,510 222,768 227,469 116,603 169,513 247,116 276,240 441,788 179.032 610,720 385,071 276,286 264,149 262.654 324,279 368,462 263,416 206.033 266.852 257,201 227,027 207,844 222.613 286.389 363,598 338,120 278,380 244.623 195,587 242.390 21,665 567,700 23,616 416,700 22,835 449,600 5,909 488,000 6.982 638,900 18,313 633,600 20,091 678,700 46,866 646,000 74,892 667,000 23,765 782,000 14,359 1,060,000 1,940 1,043.000 2,003 1,113,000 15,523 1,118,600 1,408 1,051,600 698 956,600 1,623 1,172,000 399 1,133,896 969 957,674 2,735 1,237,981 1.281 1,184,793 1,762 1,130,795 803 1,201,604 696 1,094,871 403 1.212,644 4,628 1,209,717 4,339 1,138,115 1,369 986,387 2,766 1,091,149 1.967 1,021,172 2,133 1,027,216 2,108 1,109,635 1,088 1,163.358 10,175 1,202,138 7,811 1,241,482 6,436 1,323,877 6,536 1,260,616 8.281 1,328,790 4.968 1,389,358 7.747 1,360,652 5,926 1,431,514 8,376 1,485,254 ---------------- World Price production (cents per (mine) pound) 4.24 1,461,000 3.18 1,315,000 3.87 1,304,000 3.86 1,447,000 4.06 1,623,000 4.71 1,666,000 6.01 1,863,000 4.74 1.942,000 6.06 1,902,000 5.18 1,936.000 6.79 1,784,000 6.48 1,793,000 6.60 1,691,000 6.60 1,453,000 6.60 1,302,000 8.11 1,268,000 14.67 1,498,000 18.04 1,671,000 15.36 1,709,000 13.30 1,860.000 17.49 1,890,000 16.47 2,030,000 13.48 2,100,000 14.05 2,270,000 15.14 2,430,000 16.01 2,490,000 14.66 2,640,000 12.11 2,590,000 12.21 2,670,000 11.96 2,620,000 10.87 2,640,000 9.63 2,765,000 11.14 2,776.267 13.62 2,779,182 16.00 2,966,608 15.12 3,138,779 14.00 3,169,343 13.21 3,314,992 14.93 3,666,061 16.69 3.741,646 13.89 3,771,879 15.03 3,848,582 DOMESTIC PRODUCTION MINE PRODUCTION Domestic mine output of recoverable lead continued its uninterrupted rise since 1967 with an increase of about 7% in 1972 to 618,900 tons. Monthly production reached a maximum of 56,900 tons in Au gust, slightly more than tlte maximum achieved in 1971. Production from Mis souri mines increased 59,800 tons to 489,400 tons, representing 79% of the total domestic mine output. Idaho, the second largest producing Stale, provided 10%; Colorado, 5%; and Utah, 3%. ' The Buick mine of AMAX Lead Co. of Missouri was again the leading lead pro ducer with an output of 189,000 tons of lead concentrate in 1972. The seven lead ing mines, all ill Missouri, contributed 74% of the total domestic mine production of lead. The 10 leading mines produced 84%, and the 25 leading mines contributed nearly 99%. St. Joe Minerals Corp. closed its Federal mine in October and reported that its new brushy Creek mine in the New Lead Belt with a production potential of 50,000 tons of lead per year is scheduled to start mill ing early in 1973. Although St. Joe re ported a 3% increase in lead concentrate production to 312,700 tons, output of lead and lead alloy declined 6% to 207,877 tons. Operations at the company's Hercula neum smelter were interrupted by a 2week work stoppage.2 3 St. Joe Minerals Corp. 1972 Annual Report. Pp. 9, 17. LEAD Ozark Lead Co.'s Ozark mine produced 69,100 tons of lead in concentrates com pared with 55,300 tons in 1971. The pro duction gain reflected a return to full-scale operation following a production curtail ment in 1971 because ol a buildup of concentrates during the period when the Glover custom smelter was closed by a labor strike. Production of lead in Idaho was 5,200 tons less than in 1971. Increased output at the Bunker Hill and Star mines did not fully offset the loss in output at the Lucky Friday mine. Hecla Mining Co. reported * ore production of 263,595 tons at the Star Morning mine, owned jointly by Hecla (30%) and Bunker Hill (70%), about 17.000 tons more than in 1971. Hecla's share of the 1972 silver-lcad-zinc ore pro duction was 79,079 tons assaying 5.33% lead and yielding 3,854 tons of lead. Ex tensive deep level development was com pleted, including deepening of No. 4 shaft to the 7,900-foot level and approximately 4,150 feet of development footage. Hecla's share of computed ore reserves increased 4.000 tons to 265,000 tons at yearend. He- cla's Lucky Friday mine produced 192,020 tons of ore assaying 10.43% lead, compared with 213,390 tons assaying 11.3% lead in 1971. Ore reserves at yearend totaled 584.000 tons, about 32,000 tons more than 1 year earlier. The main shaft was deep ened to 30 feet below the 4,250-foot level, and a pilot station crosscut was completed at the 4,250 level. Crosscuts were com pleted through the vein on the new 4,050 level. Output of lead in Utah declined about 46% in 1972. The Mayflower mine oper ated by Hecla Mining Co. produced 114,604 tons of ore yielding 3,586 tons of lead compared with 4,860 tons in 1971. The mine was closed at yearend. Kennecolt Copper Corp. reported that output of lead increased at its Burgin mine in the Tintic District, Utah, in 1972 owing to improved working conditions and the discovery of a new ore zone. The criti cal shortage of skilled miners continued to hamper mine development and production A can Sm --mana Mining the fir shaft, tons o 7,400 tons in below day d develo capaci Ore re 2,609,0 zinc, a ounce mined zinc-co 391,30 end w eragin per, ounces SM Con outpu crease in me foreig mestic tons, was 2 mary the la 85% from 1971. from declin with which ores, from creas Th Joe M of lea less t resul In Colorado lead output, continuing the rising trend since 1968, increased nearly 22% in 1972. As in 1971 the production gain was attributed largely to increased output at the Leadville Unit, an Ameri- 1 He 7-8. Ke AS N Pp. 700 MINERALS YEARBOOK. 1972 AMAX Lead Co. of Missouri reported that the smeller at Buick, Mo., jointly owned by AMAX and Homestake Mining Co., produced 133,000 tons of refined lead, compared with 109,000 tons in 1971. Of the total output 67,000 tons were for the account of AMAX-Homcsiake, and the re mainder was processed on toll for other producers.7 ASARCO's custom smelting and refining plant at Glover, Mo., operating at less than capacity because of market conditions, produced 86,400 tons of lead compared with 66300 tons in 1971, a year in which the smelter was shut down for nearly 4 months by a strike. Most of the concen trate treated at the Glover plant came from the Ozark Lead Co. mine at Sweet water, Mo. Concentrates from 13 other do mestic mines in five Slates and from one mine in Honduras also were treated at Glover. The East Helena, Mont., smelter operated continuously during the year processing crude ores and concentrates from approximately 54 domestic mines and mines in Canada, Peru, and Australia. The El Paso lead smeller processed ores and concentrates from about 28 domestic mines in seven States and from mines in Peru, Canada, Honduras, Nicaragua, Australia, and Mexico. Refined metal output at the company's Omaha refinery, which processed lead bullion from the East Helena and Kl Paso smelters, totaled 142,700 tons, 20,200 tons more than in 1971 when production was interrupted by a 7-weck labor strike. The Bunker Hill smelter-refinery of Gulf Resources & Chemical Corp. at Kellogg, Idaho, produced 131,000 tons of lead in alt forms, 2% more than in 1971 and a new record. The corporation attributed the in crease in lead production to improved op erating techniques at the smeller.8 RAW MATERIAL SOURCE Domestic mines delivered 619,000 tons of recoverable lead in concentrates to domes tic primary smellers in 1972. This represents 88% of the plant production of 703,800 tons of primary refined and antimonial lead compared with 87% in 1971 and 84% in 1970. Lead recovered from im ported concentrate smelted during the year amounted to 105,000 tons, about 24,100 tons more than in 1971. The 7,000 tons of lead recovered from lead scrap processed at primary plants was nearly double the 1971 total but constituted only 1% of the total lead from primary plants. Raw material stocks at the beginning of the year at pri mary plants totaled 165,500 of which 84.400 tons was in process and 1,800 tons was in secondary materials. Total stocks trended upward from a low of 163,800 tons at the end of January to a high of 204,000 tons at the end of November. At yearend, stocks of primary materials awaiting proc essing contained 92,900 tons of lead, mate rial in process 101,900 tons, and secondary materials 2300 tons, making a total of 197.300 tons. Scrap materials consumed in 1972 totaled 814.400 tons, nearly 30,000 tons more than in 1971. New scrap in the form of pur chased drosses and residues from a wide variety of sources aggregated 158,900 tons, about 19% of the total input. The remain der, old scrap, was predominantly battery scrap with small amounts of cable lead, type metal, solder, babbitt, and soft and hard lead. The scrap processed was essen tially all from domestic sources. General imports of reclaimed scrap, mainly from Australia, totaled 3,200 tons (lead con tent) , slightly less than in 1971, but ex ports of lead scrap totaling 35,200 tons were about double those in 1971. Stocks of scrap at smelters at yearend were nearly 66.300 tons, about 7,300 tons less than at yearend 1971. CONSUMPTION AND USES Lead consumption in the United States increased nearly 4% in 1972 to a new rec ord of 1.18 million tons. Monthly require ments were higher than those of 1971 in every month except July and September. All major product categories required greater quantities of lead than in 1971. In the metal products category, the 46,800-ton (7%) increase in battery requirements more than offset decreases in the quantity of lead used in ammunition, cables, calk ing, tubes, sheet lead, and other products. The growth in battery lead requirements 7 AMAX. 1972 Annual Report. I*. 17. Gulf Resources & Chemical Corp. 1972 An nual Report. P. 23. LEAD largely reflected continued increase in the other m population of both on-the-road and off- chemica the-road motor vehicles using battery 17%. a power for starting, lighting, ignition, and classifie propulsion. A total of 55.5 million automo percent tive batteries were produced in 1972, about otheT m 43.2 million of which were required for re chemica placement and the remainder for new car 19%, a production. The growth in antiknock re fied use quirements was resumed in 1972 after a 5% decrease in 1971. The quantity of lead used in gasoline antiknock compounds in creased 5% to 278,340 tons, only slightly less than the record consumption in 1970. The gain in lead antiknock additives re flected continuing growth in gasoline pro duction and an increase in the average lead content per gallon of gasoline, from 2.59 grams per gallon in 1971 to 2.63 grams per gallon in 1972. Soft refined lead represented 65% of the total consumption, aniimonial lead 29%, and lead in other alloys, mainly solder and bearing metals, accounted for 5%. Lead in copper-base scrap accounted for 1% of consumption. The domestic supply of lead metal from Lead lead o tons, a quanti and re 1971 a lead c require one-ha quanti less. L were a substa the li manuf This c all sources--production, imports for con shipm sumption, stock changes, and stockpile re in 196 leases--totaled about 100,000 tons more for us than reported consumption and exports. of the The unaccounted for supply in 1972, in 197 amounting to about 7% of reported con sumption compares with an annual average of approximately 64,000 tons for the 1963-72 period. The difference in totals is . attributed to unreported consumption and stock buildup, especially by small users and Ship tion, b produ contin eighth tinued dealers that do not report to the Bureau of Mines. The compound annual growth rate in lead consumption during the 10-year pe Pric 1971, aaitliVvVeIlyJ price riod 1963-72 averaged about 2.5% owing largely to the increased demand from the transportation sector for batteries and gas oline additives, which together showed an annual growth of 4.8% and accounted for approximately 68% of the total domestic consumption in 1972, but only 54% in 1963. load tually durin price pound to ye oxide was a Pigments and weights and ballast uses to a also showed significant growth, but lead ruary consumption in most other metal products 20.45 was less than in 1971. In 1963 the use of to O lead in various products in terms of per reduc cent of total was as follows: Batteries 39%, reduc 702 MINERALS YEARBOOK, 1972 J8.75-J8.90 cents. The price quotation of commercial-grade litharge, powdered, in carload lots, at works, ranged between 17.75-18.00 cents per pound and 19.25)9-50 (Tents during the year and was 18.00 cents at yearend, the same as at the begin ning of the year. The value of shipments of white lead, red lead, and litharge amounted to $01.1 million, an average of $344 per ton com pared with $57.1 million and $325 per ton, respectively, in 1971. Foreign Trade.--Exports of pigmentgrade lead oxides total 1,806 tons valued at $818,400 and exports of lead oxides other than pigment grade amounted to .nearly 500 tons valued at $455,000. Ship ments went to about 30 countries. Canada, South Vietnam, West Germany, Italy, Japan, and Trinidad were the leading im porters of pigment-grade lead oxide, ac counting for 80% of the total. Canada, West Germany, Japan, and Netherlands re ceived nearly 85% of the nonpigmentgradc oxide exported. Imports for consumption of lead pig ments and compounds decreased 5% in quantity hut increased 21% in value to $9.2 million. Litharge which comprised 58% of the total imports increased 4%. hut imports of red lead decreased 74%. Mexico supplied nearly all of the 15.3G0 tons of litharge and 1,290 tons of rod lead imported. STOCKS Inventories of refined and antimonial lead at primary smelters and refineries de clined through the first 4 months as ship ments exceeded production then increased steadily through September falling off again at yearend. Metal stocks totaling 52,100 tons at the start of the year in creased to 64,500 tons at yearend. Stocks of base bullion declined about 2,300 tons dur ing the year, but ore and matte stocks in creased 13,800 tons. Stocks of lead in all forms at consumer and secondary smelting plants totaled 118,500 tons at yearend, which reflects a 7,000-ton reduction during the year. Re lined soft lead constituted 62% of the total compared with 65% of the total in 1971. Stocks of lead at producers and consum ers plants totaling about 264,000 tons, rep resented slightly more than 2 months' domestic consumption. PRICES Although the quoted price range of common-grade lead on a nationwide deliv ered basis was 14.0 to 14.3 cents, the pro ducer price based on the weighted average of domestic sales as reported by Metals Week remained unchanged through Janu ary at 14.0 cents per pound. Two price changes in February raised the price to 155 cents, which held until ruid-April when ia split quotation of 15.5 to 16.0 cents again developed because some pro ducers raised their price. The average price in April and May was 15.6 cents. Thereafter an average price of 15.5 cents held until late in August when one major producer lowered its price 0.5 cent to 15.0 cents and the split quotation became 15.0 to 16.0 cents. In mid-October the quoted price range became 14.5 to 16.0 tents when one producer reduced its price 0.5 cent to 14.5 cents. The price reduction reflected an increased supply situation attributed to gains in imports, meia! inventories, and GSA releases. The split price quotation of 14.5-16.0 cents per pound continued un changed through December; how'ever, vir tually all sales were made at 14.5 cents. Hence the weighted average producers' price of lead at yearend was 0.5 cent more than at the beginning of the year. The spread between the average domestic price of lead and the average equivalent London Metal F.xchange (LME) spot quotation narrowed during the year from 2.6 cents in January to 1.4 cents in September and 0.5 tent in December. The average weighted domestic price for the year was 15.0 cents per pound. Ihe LME average spot quotation trended upward from a low of 97.80 per metric ton in January to 123.79 in Sep tember and to 131.39 in December. The equivalent price in terms of U.S. dollars was 11.40 cents per pound in January, LEAD 13.71 cents in September, and 13-98 cents in December; the average for the year was 13.68 cents (using a Sterling exchange av erage of 250.08 cents) compared with an average price of 11.52 cents in 1971. The relative stability in the domestic price of lead in 1972 was attributed largely to the near balance between supply and demand du tening of excess inve metal con were well cents esta regulations FOREIGN TRADE Exports of lead materials during 1972 aggregated 43,600 tons valued at $8.8 mil lion, compared with 23,000 tons valued at $6.2 million in 1971. Wrought and un wrought metal constituted 19% of the total exported; the remaining 81% was contained in scrap materials, most of which was shipped to Canada. Reversing the declining trend since 1967, general imports of lead materials increased 31% in 1972 to a total of 348,000 tons val ued at $84.5 million. Receipts of lead in concentrates and other crude materials were about 36,000 tons more than In 1971 and meta nearly 242 in ores an the quan sumption a buildup continued crude lea total, fol Honduras the leadi the total 15%, Me dom 5%. WORLD REVIEW In 1972 mine production of lead in non-Communist countries (including YugosJavia), depending on the reporting base and source, and scope of estimating, ranged from 2.89 million tons based on data compiled by the Bureau of Mines, through the International Lead and Zinc Study Group preliminary total of 2.82 mil lion tons to the American Bureau of Metal Statistics (ABMS) total of 2.73 million tons. Bureau of Mines data, which indicate the basis used insofar as possible, depend largely on government information, as do those of the Study Group, although a somewhat different basis is used by the Study Group. ABMS relies largely on com * pany and industry association sources. The Bureau of Mines estimated production in Communist countries (excluding Yugosla via) at 0.96 million tons and the world total at 3.85 million tons, an alltirae rec ord high. Smelter output of lead is re ported by the Bureau of Mines as primary output, insofar as possible, whereas the Lead and Zinc Study Group reports metal output from both primary and secondary sources. Thus, smelter output in 1972 in non-Com Study Gr lion tons million t of 2.77 m reau of M of metal (excludin total of The ABM nist coun world sm tons of le The U as the l 1972, acc the worl Australia Mexico 100,000 seven co total. No increased gains fr Peru, an loss in increase lion ton 708 MINERALS YEARBOOK, 1972 zinc-silver ore, respectively.* In 1972 about 47% of Ccrro-Pcru's refined lead produc tion came from purchased ores, 40% came from purchased ores in 1971. Yugoslavia.-- Trcpia Corp. expansion and modernization of production facilities at its Stari Trg mine continued during the year. When completed in 1975, the expan sion program will increase ore production capacity to 440,000 tons per year and metal production to 184,000 tons of lead per year. TECHNOLOGY Most of the research and development effort in the lead industry continued to be market-oriented with emphasis on main taining growth in established uses and in developing new applications that will offset a declining trend in some areas where sub stitution and environmental restrictions have become significant factors. Further progress was made in developing automo tive emission control technology and equipment that will be effective in reducing lead and.other exhaust pollutants in com pliance with standards established under the Clean Air Act of 1970. A dual-bed catalytic device designed by Gould, Inc., to meet auto exhaust emission control standards for carbon monoxide, hy drocarbons, and nitrogen oxides was un dergoing tests by leading automobile and antiknock-additive manufacturers to deter mine the catalysts effectiveness and com patibility with leaded gasoline. The com pany stated that the first catalyst in the dual-bed system not only is effective in re ducing nitrogen oxides but facilitates (he action of the second oxidation catalyst which removes most of the carbon monox ide and hydrocarbons to meet emission standards. The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in a report to Congress and the Environmental Protection Agency stated that the Honda dual-caiburated. stratified charge system, which is not sensitive to leaded gasoline, was the most promising of the five systems under evaluation by auto mobile manufacturers. The Honda system was reported by NAS to be clearly supe rior to the noble metal catalyst system. NAS also stated that the Honda system of fers the promise of lower initial costs, greater durability in service, and signifi cantly greater fuel economy compared with the catalyst system. The stratified charge engine achieved well over the 90% reduction in hydrocarbon and carbon mon oxide emissions, called for in the Clean Air Act, after .50,000 miles of durability testing. Some uncertainty exists as to whether the same degree of emission con trol achieved in smaller engine sizes could be mass produced for larger conventional engines by 1976. The International Lead Zinc Research Organization (1LZRO) continued to spon sor and conduct research programs on a worldwide basis with emphasis in those areas that will have a strong impact on markets. The shortage and steeply rising price of lumber coupled with increasing labor costs has prompted strong efforts by II.ZRO to produce lower cost prefabricated all-metal housing units in which lead and zinc will have major roles. The ILZRO house is designed to provide a basic mod erately priced core unit that can be ex panded as required, and will include such new developments as lead-plastic compos ites and lead sheet for sound attenuation in conjunction with galvanized steel build ing panels and wrought zinc roofing sys tems. ILZRO in cooperation with the lead battery industry has augmented research efforts to improve and increase the efficiency and power density of the leadacid battery as a source of electrical energy for general use in addition to its primary use in automotive vehicles, particularly in response to demands of environmentalists for a totally nonpolluting vehicle. A comprehensive study of battery manu facturing process fundamentals, sponsored by ILZRO, identified the conditions for cast ing calcium-lead grids in top-filled molds, iishig a reducing gas to prevent loss of cal cium by oxidation. Battery manufacturers report drat tests by auto companies indi cate that maintenance-free, calcium-lead batteries may last 50,000 miles and they re quire no water and are permanently sealed. They can be placed out of the way to make room under the hood for pollu tion control devices. ILZRO participated in research directed to designing and con- LEAD structing a prototype electric delivery truck porte powered by lead-acid batteries. Road tests indicated that operation of the batterypowered delivery vehicle under typical rnultistop, limited range and speed condi tions was technically feasible. ILZRO also reported the development of lead-plastic composite materials combining light weight, corrosion resistance, and case of forming suitable for such applications as fuel containers and military packaging. The lead and zinc industry continued to sponsor extensive research into the medi cal, biological, and environmental aspects prov elect milli on-th The Vehi Elec The Auto build pose will cubi of these metals. A cooperative research R study on the effect of airborne lead, the of a Seven-Cities Survey, was sponsored by the close American Petroleum Institute and the En cling vironmental Protection Agency, The data zinc collected in this project disclosed that spee within the range of air-lead concentrations C found in the major U.S. cities, airborne by lead has no effect on the blood-lead level of the population. This finding was an im portant factor in the decision to defer im plementation of proposed restrictions on nat met quir ers. the use of lead in gasoline. An ILZROsponsored project to determine the possible role lead plays in biological processes also was begun. The project may provide fur ther conclusive data on the human health aspects of lead. by con bat ma abl pac The NAS also reviewed the scientific T knowledge on the biologic effects of lead on sea human health and welfare and issued an nifi evaluation report15 to help guide EPA de hyd cisions on establishing air-quality criteria. lea NAS concluded that the average lead con tent of the air over most major cities ap parently has not changed gTeatly over the last 15 years and that little change in the character and magnitude of the effects of atmospheric lead on biologic systems will by 99% rea we sel likely occur for some years to come. The als NAS study also found the transfer of lead tor from the atmosphere to the soil is directly tec related to the density of automobile traffic with heavy contamination in cities and major roadways and little evidence of con tamination in rural areas attributable to lead alkyls. Similarly, the waters of streams and lakes have about the same concentra tion of lead today as in 1940. Furthermore, there was no evidence to indicate that the ga bla po co Th te lu amount of lead in diets of people has changed substantially since 1940. bo Lead Industries Association, Inc., re- 19 7 JO MINERALS YEARBOOK, 1972 achieved and metallic lead of 99.9% purity was produced. Other Bureau of Mines in vestigations included strengthening !ead-antimony alloys by modified roiling tech niques, improving fatigue resistance of lead and lead alloys by surface coatings, and developing lead composites for noise con trol. Table 3.--Mine production of recoverable lead in the United States, by State . (Short tons) State 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 Alaska................................................................... ................... Arizona..... .......................................................... California............................................................ .................. Colorado.............................................................. .................. Idaho.................. .....................----------------.................... Illinois............................... .................................. .................... Kansas...................................................................................... Kentucky........................................................... .................. Maine.. . .................. .................................. ... Missouri................................................................................... Montana....... ............................................. ............................. Nevada................................................................ .................... .................... New York.......................................................... .................... Oklahoma.. *................................................... ..................... Oregon.............................................................. ..................... South Dakota.................................................... Utah.................................................................... .................... Virginia.............................................................. .................... Washington....................................................... .................... Wisconsin......... ........................................... .................... Other States..................................................... .................... W 4,001 19.778 64,790 1,467 1,227 W 212,611 1,870 863 1,363 1,396 2,887 W 46.206 3,673 6,656 1,126 140 ToUl...................................................... .................... 369,166 2 217 2,618 21,767 65,697 791 896 .. 355,462 1,763 1,420 2,368 1,686 606 o) 1 41.332 8.868 8,649 1,102 -- 609,018 285 1,772 21,865 61,211 1,632 80 .. 421,764 996 364 3,560 1,280 797 o 3 45,377 3,366 6,784 761 -- 671,767 869 2,284 25,746 66,610 1,238 ._ _. 429,634 616 111 2,971 877 .. .. 38,270 3,386 6,177 762 20 578,660 1,763 1,163 81,346 61,407 1,336 .. 85 489,397 287 o 3,682 1,089 .- . 20,706 3,441 2,667 767 -- 618,916 W Withheld to avoid disclosing individumi company confidential data; included in "Other States." 1 Leas than H unit. 716 MINERALS YEARBOOK, 1972 Table IS.--Lead consumption in the United States, by product (Short tons) Product Metal products; . Ammunition....................... Bearing metals.................. Brass and bronze.. Cable covering................... Calking lead....................... Casting metals.................. Collapsible tubes............. Foil....................................... Pipes, traps, and bends.. Sheet lead........................... Solder................................... Storage batteries: Battery grids, posts, etc. Battery oxides................... Terne metal........................ Type metal......................... Total Pigments: White lead.......................... Bed lead and litharge... 1971 1972 Product 1971 87,567 16,286 20,044 52,920 29,993 7,281 10,041 27^607 70,013 322,236 367,667 1,409 20,812 ,046,366 Pigments--Continued: 84,699 Pigment colors............ . 16,915 Other *........................... . 19,806 46,930 Total........................... . 22,483 7,139 Chemicals: 4,020 Gasoline antiknock 4,692 additives.................... .. 17,780 Miscellaneous chemi- 23,607 cals............................... .. 71,289 Total......................... .. 347,226 379,367 Miscellaneous uses: 604 Annealing...................... .. 19,944 Galvanizing.................. .. -- ........... - Lead plating............. .. 1,064 ,869 Weights ana ballast. .. 13,916 . 778 81,258 264,240 401 264,641 4,068 1,396 582 17,463 4,731 61,838 2,814 69.799 Total..................... Other, unclassified uses. Grand total *___ .. 23,498 .. 16,761 .. 1,431,514 i Includes lead content of leaded zinc oxide and other pigments, t Includes lead that went directly from scrap to fabricated products. 1972 16,264 387 89,214 278,340 849 279,189 4,329 1,397 638 21,302 27,666 24,826 1,486,264 Table 14.--Lead consumption in the United States, by month (Short tons) Month 1971 1972 Month 1071 1972 ____ ___ ____ ... ... June..................... ............... ____ July...................................... ____ 118,676 113,197 126,679 120,660 120,104 116,648 95,773 122,272 123,671 132,311 122,867 129,012 126,651 91,439 August............................... _____ September....................... _____ October............................. _____ November................................. ......... 123,174 130,668 127,763 121,126 117.346 Total i................ ._____ 1.431,614 127,368 125,984 132,241 131,438 120,600 1,485,254 Includes lead that went directly from scrap to fabricated products and lead contained (n leaded zinc oxide and other pigments, Table 15.--Lead consumption in the United States in 1972, by class of product and type of material (Short tons) Product Soft lead Lead in antimonial lead Lead in alloys Lead In copperbase scrap Total Metal products.. Storage batteries Pigments.............. Chemicals............ Miscellaneous__ Unclassified......... Total____ 176,116 390,728 89,214 278,890 13,398 23,092 970,438 81,924 335,864 299 14,216 906 433,209 66.620 .. .. ,, 62 828 67,400 14,207 .. .. .. .. 14 ,207 337 ,767 726,692 89,214 279,189 27,666 24,826 > 1 ,486,264 Includes lead that went directly from scrap to fabricated products and lead contained in leaded zinc oxide and other pigments. LEAD Table 16.--Lead consumption in the Uni (Short tons) State California....................................... .. Colorado.............. _ ........ ................. .. Connecticut............................................ District of Columbia........................... Florida...................................................... Georgia.................................................... Illinois...................................................... Indiana.............. ..................................... Kansas...................................................... Kentucky................................................ Maryland.............................................. Massachusetts...................................... Michigan................................................. Missouri.................................................. Nebraska................................................. New Jersey............................................. New York................................ Ohio.................................................... Pennsylvania......................................... Rhode Island......................................... Tennessee................................................ Virginia.................................................... Washington....________________... West Virginia........................................ Wisconsin.............................................. Alabama and Mississippi................... Arkansas and Oklahoma.................... Hawaii and Oregon.............................. Iowa and Minnesota........................... Louisiana and Texas........................... Montana and Idaho.......................... New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, Delaware............................................. North and South Carolina................ Utah, Nevada, Arizona...................... Refined aoft lead Lead antim lea 90,682 1.042 10,579 114 6,761 66,810 87,616 99,408 11,104 6.017 1,042 2,219 14.697 82,032 8,186 134,018 46,906 12,089 61,056 1,481 7,244 644 16,479 17,301 6,281 4,634 6,742 4,682 4,426 211,962 697 88 3 1 9 20 6 4 10 1 1 18 1 2 3 4 1 1 8 6 3 8 1 8 11,583 4,986 36 1 6 Total. ........................................ 488 1 Includes lend Unit wont directly from scrap to fabricated p and other pigments. Table 17.--Production and shipments of lead pigm 1971 Product Produc tion (short tons) Shipments Quantity (short tons) Value s Total Averag per to White lead: Dry................. ... In oil *............ .. 7,605 1,297 Total............. 8,802 Red lead................ .. 23,548 Litharge................. .. 138,271 Black oxide........... 283,032 6,466 1,316 6,781 20,989 147,844 32,348,721 868,893 3,217,614 7,687,104 46,801,521 843 66 47 86 31 1 Excludes basic lead aulfate, figures withheld to avoid disclo * At plant, exclusive of container. Weight of white .l.e..a..d....o...n..l.y..,...b...u...t..v...a..l.u..e....o...f..p...a..s..te. 718 MINERALS YEARBOOK, 1972 '* abfe 18.--Lead content of lead and zinc pigments i and lead oxides produced by domestic manufacturers, by source (Short tons) oduct 1971 Lead In pigment* produced from-- Ore Domestic Foreign Pig lead 1972 Lead in pigments produced Total from-- lead In -------------------------------------------------- pigments Ore --------------------------------- Pig lead Domestic Foreign Total lead in pigments White'^ad............. .. ... 7,042 7,042 .. 6 492 6,492 Red lend................ .. 21,346 21,846 .. 21 908 21,908 Litharge................. .. .. 128,692 128,692 .. 130 014 130 014 Black oxide........... .. .. 270,097 270,097 .. .. 292^492 292,492 Leaded zinc oxide W W W W W .. W Total.......... W W 427,077 427,077 W W 460,906 460,906 W Withheld to avoid disclosing Individual company confidential data. Excludes lead in basic lead sulfate. Table 19.--Distribution of white lead (dry and in oil) shipments^ by industry (Short tons) Industry 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 Ceramic.............................................. 6.969 67 4,323 4,460 26 4,162 4,896 84 2,361 6,768 31 3,267 Total.................................. ---------------------------- 11.634 10,369 8,638 6,781 10,066 1 Excludes basic lead sulfate (figures withheld to avoid disclosing individual company confidential data). Table 20.--Distribution of red lead shipments, by industry (Short tons) Industry Paints. _ . __ Storage batteries................ Other................. Total................ 1968 ......... ................... 23,811 1969 9,191 9,302 3,684 22,177 1970 7,848 W 11,696 19,444 1971 8,717 W 12,272 20,989 W Withheld to avoid disclosing individual company confidential data; included with "Other." 1972 'W 14,864 19,778 Table 21.--Distribution of litharge shipments, by industry (Short tons) Industry 1968 1969 1970 1971 Ceramic^........................... Insecticides.................. . Oil refining.. . . Paints.. .................................... Rubber. ....................... Other.. ...................................... ................................. w 1 986 21,670 W 1,603 1,611 1.794 ' 109,241 24,578 W 2.016 1,316 1,663 116,771 24,337 W 1 ,413 3,085 2,081 r116 ,928 T ntal................ .................................... 131,178 136.719 146,343 147,844 ' Revised. W Withheld to avoid disclosing Individual company confidential data; included with "Other." 1972 23,188 W 7,310 2,162 113,694 147,622 LEAD Table 22.--U.S. imports for consumption of lea Kind White lead.-................... Red lead......................... Litharge............................. Chrome yellow................ Other lead pigments -- Other lead compounds. Total. ' Revised. Quantity (snort tone 1,281 4,89 14,70 6,22 20 68 27,89 Table 23.--Stocks of lead at primary smelte United States, D- ecem-be (Short tons) Stocks 1968 Refined pig lead............................................... ...................... Lead In antimonlal lead.____........... ................... Lead In base bullion...................................... ...................... Lead in ore and matte.................................... ...................... 11,490 3,862 11,471 68,614 Total............................................................................. 90,427 Table 24.--Consumer stocks of lead in the United State (Short tons, lead conten Year 1968........................................ ............................. 1969........................................ ............................. 1970...................................... .............................. 1971........................................ ............................. 1972..................................................................... Refined soft lead 48,988 67,804 82,828 81,984 74,161 Lead sntimo lead 26,00 49,6 42.42 86,70 86,16 Table 25.--Average monthly and yearly (Cents per pound) Month 1971 St. Louis New Yo January___ February... March_____ April............ May............. June_______ July............ . August____ September.. October___ November. December. 18.80 18.80 18.80 18.80 18.80 18.60 14.06 14.06 14.05 14.06 14.06 18. 18. 18. 18, 18. 18. 14. 14. 14. 14. 14. 14. Average. 18.66 18. i St. Louis: Metal Statistics, 1972. New York: Metal Statisti 1 Metals Week. Quotations for United States on a nationwide, 1 Eleven-month average. i