Document XON7a1pD8gNedq4kXdXRn1zy4

1971 Volume I METALS, MINERALS, AND Prepared, by staff of the BUREAU OF MINES N49796 Lead By J. Patrick Rya VVorltl production of lead in 1971 de clined from the record level of 1970, but as lead consumption increased an improved supply-demand relationship was achieved. Free world mine production decreased about 3 percent as production gains in Canada, the United States, and Mexico were not sufficient to offset losses in other countries. An increase of about 2 percent in metal consumption was accompanied by a significant decline in metal inventories, particularly in the United Stales. Tree world producer stocks of lead de clined about 79,000 tons during the year to about 224,000 tons at yearend. The im proved supply-demand relationship was the principal factor tending to stabilize market price. A modest increase in the New York price of lead was achieved in the second ' half of the year. The London Metal Ex change (LME) quotation remained rela tively stable during the 6rst 7 months of 1971, hut declined sharply following im position of the surcharge on US. imports oil August 15, 1971. After the duty sur charge was removed in December the LME price began to rise. The domestic lead industry achieved in creases in both mine production and con sumption of lead, but production of pri mary refined metal declined owing to the sharp reduction in imports of crude materials for processing in domestic plants. Mine production increased 1 percent to 578,600 tons as gains in Missouri, Idaho, and Colorado more than offset the decline in Utah's output. Primary lead production from both domestic and foreign sources was nearly 2 percent less than the record high level achieved in 1970. Domestic mines contributed 88 percent of the total pri mary metal. Secondary lead output of 596,800 tons, representing about 40 percent of the market supply, was only slightly less than th of lead amount less tha Dema tion co the ma 15 perc decline of 197 creased lead us sumpti 71,000 amoun gasolin Prim month July. F the be were r Comm stockp 12 ton Govern tons. T all so sumpt to the tons. The by the U.S. c and 12 6 mon Novem Decem 11.52 c lead a pound of 14 field t 1 Min Metals. 666 MINERALS YEARBOOK. 1971 price of 14.0 to 14.3 cents was established for delivery anywhere in the United States. The New York price averaged 13.89 cents for the year. At yearend, International Smelting and Refining Co. closed its custom lead smelter at Tooele, Utah, and U.S. Smelting, Refin ing and Mining Co. closed down its U.S. and Lark mine and Midvale mill. Legislation and Government Programs.-- The program of the Office of Minerals Ex ploration, Geological Survey, U.S. Depart ment of the Interior, continued in effect but activity was minimal. Lead was with drawn from the list of eligible metals in June 1962 and there was virtually no activ ity in connection with any previous certified projects involving lead. Sales of Government surplus lead from the strategic stockpile to commercial users under Public Law 91-46 dropped to 12 tons from 22 tons sold in 1970. Lead authorized for sale on an off-the-shelf basis to commer cial users was 77,290 tons at yearend 1971. Transfers for Government use in 1971 under Public Law 89-9 amounted to 9,572 tons used primarily at Government-owned am munition plants. The remaining tonnage In the authorization was 21,683 at yearend. Actual drawdown of Government slock dur ing 1971 was 13,180 ions, leaving a total of 1,127,440 tons remaining in the stockpile, of which 597,440 tons was in excess of the 530,000-ton stockpile objective. In February legislation was introduced in the Congress to dispose of 498,000 tons of surplus lead in Government stocks. Hearings were held but further action was delayed pending determination of methods of dis posal. A bill (H.R. 8587) to provide an ade quate supply of lead and zinc for consump tion in the United States from domestic and foreign sources was introduced in May and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means. The proposed legislation was de signed to implement, with respect to lead and zinc, the National Mining and Minerals policy (Public Law 91-631) , but no further action was taken. The International Lead and Zinc Study Group convened in Torremolinos, Spain, Nov. 2-6, 1971, to review the current situa tion and outlook for 1972 for lead and zinc. The forecasts for 1971 production and con sumption of lead made at the Hlh Session were reduced and a supply surplus of 53,000 tons was anticipated. For 1972, lead mine production was forecast to increase by 107,000 tons (4 percent) and lead metal pro duction was forecast to increase 151,000 tons (5 percent) over 1971 levels. Lead metal consumption was predicted to exceed the 1971 level by 63,000 tons, 2 percent more than in 1971. The Study Group also discussed trade liberalization and the need to adopt policies designed to promote the orderly development of the lead and zinc industry throughout the world. Special groups were designated to continue inves tigations of specific supply-demand prob lems identified in the discussions and to submit recommendations for their allevi ation to the Standing Committee. The International Lead-Zinc Research Or ganization continued to sponsor a broad program of research on lead and lead com pounds and to publish information on their applications including batteries, architec tural uses, and cable sheathing. The Organi zation also described research on properties including corrosion resistance of lead and its alloys, preparation and uses of lead com pounds, lead pigments in paints, and lead compounds in ceramics. LEAD PERCENT 50 t 0 1,600 ___ _l__ l__ I__ L "T i United States per (refined, do ' i~ i 1 ~i i - 1,400'- 1,200 LEAD, thousond short tons 1,000 800 600 - -Totol refinery production primary / 400 Metal imports 200 - -r--' '-Refinery pr -Co 30 8 20 - a. aa. K 10 - lIilIi Ii ll 1950 1955 I960 Figure L--Trends in the lead indust 668 MINERALS YEARBOOK, 1971 Table 1.--Salient lead statistics (Short tons unless otherwise specified) 1967 1968 1969 United States: Production: Domestic ores, recoverable lead con tent........................................................... 316,931 Value............................thousands.. 388,741 Primary lead (refined): From domestic ores and base bullion............................................. 268.607 From foreign ores and base bullion__________ _________ ____ 121,387 Antimonia) lead (primary lead con tent)......................................................... 9.083 Secondary lead (lead content)............ .. 663,772 Imports, general: Lead In ore and matte............................ Lead In base bullion............................... 124,067 nr,9 I,eo<l In pigs, hare, and old................... 878,887 Exporta of lead materials excluding scrap. 6,636 Stocks December 31 (lead content): At primary smelters and refineries___ 126,479 At consumer plants_______ _________ _ 105,786 Consumotion of metal, primary and secondary ........................................................ 1,260.516 Price: New York, common lead, average, cents per pound............................................. 14,00 World: Production: Mine............................................................. 3.159,343 Smelter......................................................... 3,182.316 Price: London, common lead, average, cents per pound............................. ............... 10.28 369.156 394.903 349,039 118,271 19.494 650.879 87.886 8 844.601 8,281 90,427 78,900 1,328.790 18.21 3.314,992 3,250.514 10.88 509,013 3161,636 613,931 124,724 16.260 603.906 109.252 1,993 285.842 4,968 101,860 126,404 1,389,368 14.93 3,666,061 3,553,468 13.09 1970 671,767 3178.609 528,086 138,644 11,665 597,890 112.406 206 261.480 7,747 192,985 133,602 1,360.662 16.69 3,725.699 3,622,306 13.76 1971 678,650 3169,679 678,022 76,993 16,116 596,797 66,998 41 198.970 5,926 121.660 126,677 1,431,614 18.89 3,761,797 3,492,274 11.62 DOMESTIC PRODUCTION MINE PRODUCTION Domestic mine production of recoverable lead, continuing the rising trend since 1967, increased slightly to 578,500 tons in 1971, the greatest annual output since 1929. Monthly production reached a maximum of 56,100 tons in December, the largest monthly lead output in more than 30 years. Production from Missouri mines in creased 7,900 tons to 429,600 tons, represent ing 74 percent of the total domestic lead in ore. Idaho, the second largest producer, provided 12 percent; Utah, 7 percent; and Colorado, 4 percent. These four States com bined supplied 97 percent of domestic mine output. Although total production in Mis souri increased slightly in 1971 only one mining company, Missouri Lead Operating Co., reported a production gain; the other three mine operators, St. Joe Minerals Corp.. Cominco American Inc., and Ozark Lead Co. reduced output during the year. The Buick mine of Missouri Lead Op erating Co. was the leading lead producer, having displaced the Fletcher mine of St. Joe Minerals Corp. as first-ranking mine. The six leading mines, all in Missouri, con tributed 72 percent of the total domestic mine production. The 10 leading mines produced 85 percent, and the 25 leading mines contributed 98 percent. Although production of lead concentrate by St. Joe Minerals Corp. decreased 5 per cent to 303,190 tons, the company reported a gain of nearly 8 percent in lead and lead alloy production to 222,213 tons in 1971. Development of the new Brushy Creek mine continued during the year. The new facilities scheduled for initial production in 1973 will have a capacity of 70,000 tons of lead concentrate per year.2 In the second full year of operations of the Buick mine by Missouri Lead Operat ing Co., a joint venture of American Metal Climax Inc. and Homestakc Mining Co., ore milled increased over 40 percent to 1.34 million tons, from which 124,049 tons of lead concentrate was produced. The company reported improvements in ore extraction and processing methods and in creased labor efficiency and productivity. Ore reserves at yearend were approximately 61 million tons with an average grade of 4.7 percent lead and 1.7 percent zinc.3 * St. Joe Minerals Corp. 1971 Annual Report. Pp. 13, 16. 1 Homeaiake Mining Co. Ninety-Fourth Annual Report. 1971, pp. 5-6. l ead According to the Annual Report of Ken- its U.S. necott Copper Corp.4 the Ozark Lead Co. late in produced 55,300 tons of lead, compared with 06,900 tons in 1970. The loss in production was largely attributed to a labor strike at ASARCO's Glover, Mo. smelter which buys Ozark's lead concentrate. After settle ment of the 7-month strike in April 1971 Ozark continued to operate on a reduced scale as the smelter processed the inventory of conccniratcs that had accumulated dur ing the strike. Ozark also achieved increased productivity during 1971 from less than nomic. The per Co verse m mine re compan tiona! stated Park a reserves miners 30 to nmnr than 45 tons per man shift, velopm and operated the entire year without a In C lost-time injury. 18 perc The Magmont mine at Bixby, Mo., at the L jointly owned by Cominco American Inc. and Dresser Industries Inc., increased lead ore production 14 percent to 1.04 million joint v at Lea by the tons, but owing to a lower grade of ore Unit b extracted the lead content of concentrate produc produced declined approximately 15 per per mo cent. ing the Production in Idaho,, the second largest were e State in lead output, increased 5,400 tons ing 5.1 compared with 1970. Production gains at Idarad the Lucky Friday, Dayrock, and Star mines of ore together more than offset the loss in output 3.75-pe at the Bunker Hill mine. Although total percen tonnage mined at the Bunker Hill mine increas increased during the year the average Mining grade of ore decreased. Hecla Mining Co. Standa reported 5 ore production of 246,100 tons in Col at the.Star-Morning mine owned jointly by during Hccia (30 percent) and Bunker Hill (70 closed percent), about 30,000 tons more than in the in 1970. Hccla's share of the 1971 produc tion was 73,800 tons yielding 3,800 tons SM of lead. The company continued deep-level development below the 7,500-foot level and improved production facilities during the year. Hccla's Lucky Friday mine produced 213,390 tons of ore yielding 23,500 tons of lead, about 4,400 tons more than in 1970. Ore reserves at yearend totaled 552,000 tons compared with 624,000 tons in 1970. In Utah, lead output declined about 16 percent in 1971. The Mayflower mine operated by Hecla Mining Co. produced 124,350 tons of ore yielding 4,860 tons of lead, slightly less than in 1970. Ore reserves at yearend were estimated at 183,000 tons, 57,000 less than in 1970. The company Rev years, was n crease failed recove centra mary the y shutdo durin The produ total reported that development work has been curtailed and that continued production is rapidly depleting ore reserves. U.S. Smelting Refining and Mining Co. closed * Ke P. 22. He 7, 8, Ne Pp. I 670 MINERALS YEARBOOK, 1971 of the total lead production was derived Missouri Lead Operating Co. smelter at from domestic ores compared with 79 per Buick, Mo., owned jointly by AMAX and cent in 1970. An additional 1,200 tons Homestake Mining Co. produced 109,000 was refined from scrap. Antimonial lead tons of refined lead, slightly less than production declined for the third consecu in 1970. The small drop in output resulted tive year with only 18,500 tons of lead from a brief shutdown to rectify operating recovered, of which 12,200 tons originated problems. Of the total lead production, from domestic ores, 3,900 tons from for 52,000 tons came from AMAX-Homestake eign ores, and 2,400 tons from scrap. The mining operations and 57,000 tons was pro antimony content of the lead increased cessed on loll for others.10 *A major modi slightly to 6.0 percent. . fication in the sinter plant designed to im The Herculaneum smelter of St. Joe prove production efficiency and hygiene was Minerals Corp. produced 222,213 tons of nearly completed at yearend. lead metal and alloys from 303,190 tons of The Bunker Hill smcltcr-rcfincry of Gulf concentrate. Lead output increased nearly * Resources & Chemical Corp. at Kellogg, 26,000 tons although concentrate production Idaho, produced a record of 129,000 tons was 15,200 tons less than in 1970. The of lead, about 6,000 tons more than in company began construction of a $4.5 1970. The new updraft sintering equipment million facility which will double the installed late last year was brought up smelter's gas cleaning capacity and made to full capacity and pollution control facil major alterations to its sulfuric acid plant ities, including a new sulfuric acid plant, to improve sulfur dioxide recovery.? came on-stream. Resolution of problems ASARCO's smelter and refinery at Glover, relating to the changeover in smelting Mo., resumed operations in April after a practice and labor disputes adversely af settlement of a 7-month strike. Lead output fected production during part of the year, was 66,500 tons compared with 59,200 tons but by September operations stabilized and in 1970. The East Helena, Mont., smelter record production was achieved,11 operated at full capacity during the year processing crude ores and concentrates from RAW MATERIAL SOURCE approximately 50 domestic mines and from mines in Canada, Peru, and Australia. The El Paso lead smelter processed ores and concentrates from about 40 domestic mines and 23 foreign sources, chiefly in Peru, Canada, and Mexico. The company's Omaha refinery, which processed lead bullion from the East Helena and El Paso smelters, operated below capacity in 1971 because bullion shipments from the El Paso smelter were interrupted by a 7-week labor strike which began July 1. Production of refined lead dropped 8,500 tons below the 1970 level to 122.500 tons.s International Smelting & Refining Co., a subsidiary of The Anaconda Company, pro cessed lead concentrates at its Tooele, Utah, custom smelter and produced approximately 38,200 tons of lead in bullion, of which about 16,400 tons came from Anaconda operations and the remainder from outside sources under contract. About 30 percent of Anaconda's total production was derived The 578,500 tons of recoverable lead in concentrates delivered by domestic mines to smelters in 1971 constituted about 86 percent of the 669,700 tons of primary re fined and antimonial lead, compared with 83 percent in 1970 and 79 percent in 1969. Lead in imported concentrates smelted dur ing the year amounted to 80,900 tons, a drop of 43 percent below the level of 1970. The quantity of lead recovered from lead scrap processed at primary plants also dropped sharply to 3,600 tons compared with 12,000 tons in 1970. Raw material stocks at the beginning of the year at pri mary plants totaled 174,300 tons, of which 71,500 tons was in process and 2,600 tons was in secondary materials. Total stocks trended upward to a high of 188,800 tons at the end of April and generally declined thereafter to a low of 160,300 tons at the end of November. At yearend stocks of pri mary materials awaiting processing con- from zinc plant operations at Great Falls, Mont. The lead bullion was refined by the United States Lead Refinery, Inc., in East Chicago/ Ind. The Tooele smelter was shut down at yearend essentially because opera tions had become uneconomic.*9 1 Pages 13 and 16 of work cited in footnote 2. 1 American Smelting and Refining Co, 1971 Annual Report. P. 9. 9 The Anaconda Company. 1971 Annual Re port. P. 11. 10 AMAX. 1971 Annua! Report. P. 23. M Gulf Resources & Chemical Corp. 1971 An nual Report. Pp. 2, 6. LEAD tained 79,300 tons, material in process 84,400 tons, and secondary materials 1,800 tons, making a total of 165,500 tons. Scrap materials consumed in 1971 totaled 784,700 tons compared with 786,200 in 1970. New scrap in the form of purchased drosses and residues from a wide variety of sources aggregated 143,400 tons, about 18 percent of the total input. The re mainder, old scrap, was predominantly bat tery scrap with small amounts of cable lead, type metal, solder, babbitt, and soft and hard lead. The scrap processed was essentially all from domestic sources. Gen eral im tons (le Canada tons wa the yea States more th in 1970 slightly quarter G3.700 rising compar year. CONSUMPTION AND Lead consumption in 1971 increased about of 3,92 5 percent to a record of 1.43 million tons. in 197 Monthly requirements for lead were higher percen than those of 1970 in every month except monial July. All major products except pigments alloys, and antiknock additives required greater accoun amounts of lead. The 86,400-ton increase base s in battery lead more than offset the de old ma creases in lead in pigments and antiknock as mar compounds. The high rate of growth in The battery lead requirements continued with all sou an increase of 15 percent in 1971. Much of sumpti this gain was attributed to the increasing ments-- numbers of ofl-thc-road vehicles using bat ported teries for starting, lighting, ignition, and same propulsion. A total of more than 49.3 supply million automotive batteries were produced the re in 1971, about 20 percent of which were an an required for new car production. The 1963-7 growth in recent yean in antiknock addi presum tives was reversed in 1971 as requirements and st declined 5 percent from the 1970 level in and d part reflecting the impact of proposed Burea regulations reducing the use of lead alkyl antiknock additives in gasoline. The average lead content of regular gasolines fell from The sumpt averag 2.43 grams per gallon in mid-1970 to 2.22 to the grams a year later. In metal products other portat than batteries increases in lead use of 20 additiv percent and 31 percent, respectively, were percen recorded in ammunition and sheet lead; proxim calking lead and type metal requirements mestic were down 13 and 15 percent, respectively. perce Quantitative changes in lead used in other signifi metal products and for miscellaneous pur consu poses were relatively small. growt Except in July, requirements of lead cation exceeded 100,000 tons during each month. cover The high occurred in September, and the and s low, as usual, in July. The daily average used 672 MINERALS YEARBOOK, 1971 moderately, but in some miscellaneous uses, including weights and ballast, galvanizing, and plating, modest gains were recorded. In 1962 the use of lead in products in terms of percent of the total was as follows: Ammunition, 4 percent; batteries, 38 per cent; other metal products, 30 percent; pigments, 9 percent; chemicals, including antiknock compounds, 16 percent; and miscellaneous and other unclassified uses, 3 percent. During 1971 the comparative percentages were as follows: Ammunition, 6 percent; batteries, 47 percent; other metal products, 20 percent; pigments, 6 percent; chemicals, including antiknock compounds, 18 percent; and miscellaneous and other unclassified uses, 3 percent. LEAD PIGMENTS Lead requirements for the production of lead oxides and pigments in 1971 totaled 427,100 tons, about II percent more than in 1970. Virtually all of the lead used was derived from refined pig lead. The quantity of lead used in making white and red lead pigments increased about 10 percent and comprised only 7 percent of the total lead consumed in this category. White lead requirements in 1971 were about one-half of the quantity used in 1962. Red lead use in 1971 was only slightly less than in 1962. Litharge pro duction and shipments increased slightly in 1971 compared with 1970 and were substantially greater than 10 years ago. Most of the litharge is usedin battery manufacture and is included in "Other." This category, comprising 81 percent of the total shipments, has increased from 77,400 tons in 1962 to120,000 tons in 197). Litharge requirements for ceramic glazes amounting to about 16 percent of (he total remained relatively stable. Shipments of both white lead and red lead were again less than production, in dicating lower demand for lead-base paints, but shipments of litharge continued to ex ceed production for the seventh consecutive year in 1971, indicating continued draw down of stock. Prices.--Lead pigment prices remained essentially stable during the year despite an upward trend in the price of lead dur ing the second half of the year. The price of basic carbonate white lead remained unchanged at 21.5 cents per pound in carload lots, freight allowed. The price of red lead, 95 percent red lead oxide (Pb^O^) in carload lots, at works, also remained unchanged at 17.75 cents, and commercial-grade litharge, powdered, in carload lots, at works, was unchanged at 18 cents. The value of shipments of white lead, red lead, and litharge amounted to $57.1 million, an average of $325 per ton in 1971 compared with $G0.7 million and $348 per ton, respectively, in 1970. Foreign Trade.--Exports of pigmentgrade lead oxides totaled 1,955 tons valued at $833,000 and exports of lead oxides other than pigment grade amounted to 510 tons valued at $510,600. Shipments went to about 50 countries. Canada, South Vietnam, Republic of South Africa, Italy, the United Kingdom, Belgium, and Japan were the leading importers of pigmentgrade lead oxide, accounting for 64 percent of the total. West Germany, Japan, and Canada received nearly R0 percent of the non-pigmcnt-grade oxide exported. Imports for consumption of lead oxides and compounds decreased 4 percent in quantity to 21,700 tons and 19 percent in value to $4.7 million. Litharge, which com prised 68 percent of total imports, in creased 7 percent, but imports of red lead dropped 29 percent. Mexico supplied nearly all of the 14,700 tons of litharge and 87 percent of the 4,900 tons of red lead imported. Canada and West European countries provided most of. the remaining tonnage of these oxides imported. Imports of lead nitrate amounted to 370 tons; lead acetate, 21 tons; white lead 1,231 tons; lead sulfate, 113 tons; lead suboxide, 40 tons; and other lead compounds, 250 tons. STOCKS Inventories of refined and antimonial lead at primary smelters and refineries declined steadily through the year as ship ments exceeded production in all but 2 months. Metal stocks totaling 97,900 tons at the start of the year were reduced to LEAD 52,100 ions at yearend. Stocks of base bullion increased about 2,000 tons during the. year, but ore and matte stocks de creased about 28,000 tons. Stocks of lead in all forms at consumer and secondary smelting plants declined about tons a locate lead vento total PRICES Increased lead consumption combined with a decline in free world mine and smelter production and reduction of in ventories improved the free world lead supply-demand relationship and brought an increase in prices in (he United States in the second half of the year. The LME lead price also remained relatively stable in the first half of the year but thereafter trended steadily down to mid-November, then moved upward through December. The average LME spot quotation ranged from 11.9 cents per pound (U.S. equiva lent) in January to 12.2 cents in early June, then declined steadily to 10.0 cents in November, and moved up to 10.5 cents in December. The decline in the LME price largely reflected monetary adjustments between major world currencies. Following removal of the 10-percent surcharge on U.S. imports on December 20 the LME price began to rise, reflecting more stabil ized conditions in world trade and cur rency realignments. The lead 13.5 c the t price to D Corp. poun Unite Smel delive price livere Unite end. rtionsales and t This 15.69 lead, U.S. poun FOREIGN t r a Exports of lead materials during 1971 aggregated nearly 15,500 tons valued at $5.3 million, compared with 12,000 tons valued at $5.8 million in 1970. Wrought and unwrought metal exports constituted 38 per cent of the total exported; the remaining fi2 percent was contained in scrap materials, most of which was shipped to Canada, Belgium-Luxembourg, and West Germany. General imports of lead materials con tinued to decline in tonnage for the fourth consecutive year in 1971. The total of 265,000 tons was about 99,200 tons less than in 1970 and marked the lowest level of imports since 1951. Shipping interrup tions caused by dock strikes at U.S. ports and foreign concern regarding the 10-per cent ad valorem surcharge on dutiable imports effective between August 16 and December 20 were contributing factors to the import decline. Receipts of lead in ores and other crude materials were about 46,70 recei with meta tion. exce cons build seco to b with Peru also perc trali 15 p 7 pe decl imp ava and mes 676 MINERALS YEARBOOK. 1971 to lead smelting. Tonnage milled during the year at No. G concentrator was 847,000 averaging 5.76 percent zinc. 2.11 percent lead, 0.86 percent copper, and 1.86 ounces of silver per ton. About 73,000 tons of zinc-lead concentrates and 7,800 tons of lead concentrates were produced. The smelter processed 140,085 tons of concen trates and produced 74,230 tons of 1SF metal, 44,770 tons SHG zinc and 22,417 CG lead. Zinc-lead ore reserves totaled 78.8 million tons at yearend, about 3.8 million less than at yearend 1970. I.cad content of the re serves totaled about 2.4 million toiis.m Heath Steele Mines Ltd. treated 972,000 tons of lead-zinc-coppcr ore at its mill in New Brunswick and produced 45,000 tons of lead concentrate along with zinc and copper concentrates. Mill feed tonnage and grade were down slightly but were offset by higher recoveries of metals in the concentrates.tr At the Buchans mine of ASARCO in Newfoundland, lead production dropped to 10,000 tons, less Ilian one-half the output in 1970, because of a 21-week labor strike and subsequent manpower shortage. By product lead from Hudson Bay Mining and Smelling Go. Ltd., and Ecstall Mining Ltd., a subsidiary of Texas Gulf Sulphur Co., and United Kcno Hill Mines Ltd. together contributed about 11,800 tons of Canada's total lead output. Mattabi Mines Ltd. at Sturgeon Lake, Ontario, owned 60 percent by Mattagami Lake Mines Ltd. continued its J40 million construction program during the year. The concentrator is scheduled to commence production at a rate of 3,000 tons per day in June 1972 on ore from its open pit mine. Ore reserves arc estimated at 12.9 million tons averaging 7.60 percent zinc, 0.91 percent copper, 0.84 percent lead, and 3.13-oun.es silver per ton. Drilling ex ploration of a second ore body by Matta gami soni; 4 miles cast of the Mattabi mine has outlined ore reserves to date of 826,000 tons of on- averaging 9.19 percent zinc, 1.22 percent t'-pper, 1.33 percent lead, 0.015 ounce gob per ton, and 5.24 ounces silver per ton. Output ; primary refined lead in 1971 from Can;* 's two primary lead refineries at Trail, )* itish Columbia, and Bclladune, New Brun wick, was estimated at 185,000 tons comp, red with 204,600 tons in 1970. Exports -if lead in ores and concentrates principally to Japan, West Germany, the United States, and Belgium totaled 199,318 ions. Refilled metal exports totaling 136,884 tons went mostly to the United States, the United Kingdom, and India. Honduras.--New York and Honduras Rosario Milling Go. icportetl that ore production at iis El Mocliilo mine in 1971 reached a record of 311,936 tons. Ore milled increased 15 percent to 311,310 tons con taining 7.34 percent lead, 8.51 percent zinc, 12.3 ounces silver per ton, and 0.011 ounce gold per ton. The increase in tonnage re sulting from completion of an expansion program was accompanied by improved metallurgy and a slight decline in mine operating costs. However, these improve ments were more than offset by decreased silver prices, lower grade ore mined, in creased smelter charges, and the imposition of a surcharge on imports of lead and zinc concentrates into the United States. Also, 1971 was the first full year of the produc tion tax imposed by the mining code of Honduras enacted in August 1970. After increasing for G conscculivc years, ore reserves declined slightly in 1971 to a total of about 2.08 million tons at yearend, however, average grade increased to 10.87 percent lead, 11.70 percent zinc, 12.6 ounces silver, and 0.009 ounce gold.' India.---Lead concentrates produced at the Zawar mine of Hindustan Zinc Ltd., the country's only operating mine, totaled 4,455 tons in 1971. The concentrates were shipped 1,200 miles to the company's Tundoo lead smelter near Dhanhad, Bihar, Smelter output was about 1,700 tons, only 29 percent of capacity, compared with 2,050 tons in 1970. Zawar mine ore reserves were reported to total 182 million tons ranging in metal content from 0.5 to 2.5 percent lead and 3.5 to 7.0 percent zinc. Expansion plans announced in 1970 and later revised indicated that the Zawar mine output was to be increased from 800 tons to 2,000 tons per day by yearend 1972. According to the Planning Commission and India's lead consumers, lead demand in 1971 increased to about 88,000 tons whereas lead availability was only 54,400 tons, a shortfall of 33,600 tons. Ireland.--Tara Exploration and De velopment Co., Ltd., reported that explora- '* Brunswick Minin; and Smelting Corp. Lid I9lli Annual Report. 1971, pp 5-7. ,T rage 25 of work ciled'in footnote 10. " New York and Honduras Rosario Mining Co 1971 Annual Report. Pp. 4-5. LEAD tion of its Navan lead-zinc ore body has 4.96 oun disclosed reserves of 51.9 million tons, of decline which 21.4 million tons was "well estab 197. lished ore," 5.8 million tons was "indicated Nicar ore," and 24,7 million tons was termed subsidia "potential ore." The average grade of ore mine o ranged from 2.38 percent lead and 11.51 and ma percent zinc in the "well established" and lead-zin "indicated" ore to 2.62 percent lead and Corpus 10.06 percent zinc in the "potential" cate reporte gory. Investigations to date indicate that lead an ore reserves arc sufficient to support an an reserves nual output of about 400,000 tons of 56- averagi percent zinc concentrate and 70,000 tons lead, a of 62-pcrccnt lead concentrate. Tara plans centrat to construct jetty- and vessel-loading facili per day ties in conjunction with its mine and proc concen essing plant to handle shipments to West trales European ports. Peru Mexico.--Asarco Mcxicana, S.A., 49 per cent owned by ASARCO, reported normal operations at its mines and plants during 1971 except for startup problems at the ductive sidiary strikes 5 perc Chihuahua lead smelter's new updraft sintering plant. The company produced 73,400 tons of refined lead, about 10,000 of the ores. caused tons less than in 1970. The new 850-tonper-day mill at the San Antonio mine of the Santa Eulalia unit was completed and major mine development work continued at the Santa Barbara and Taxco mines. The I'Tcsuillo Company produced 1.15 million tons of lead-zinc-copper-silver ore from its five operating mines and recovered 41,612 tons of lead. Combined ore re serves of all mining units at yearend were 4,83 million tons averaging 4.4 percent lead, 4.8 percent zinc, 0.38 percent copper, and ductio Yugo expand at the tons outpu tons o region Trepc mines will u capac TECHNOLOGY Lead-related research efforts continued to be directed to developing technology and equipment for controlling motor vehicle exhaust emissions compatible with the use of leaded gasoline so as to meet new emission standards for lead and other air borne pollutants scheduled to become ef fective by 1975. Significant progress was reported by manufacturers of lead alkyls in the development and testing of new catalytic, thermal, and filtering devices that may substantially cut automotive air pollu tion without eliminating lead alkyls. Research scientists of Electrolytic Zinc Co. of Australia Ltd. (EZ) developed a new hydromclallurgical process for extracting lead f soluti moniu insolu proces Lea repor type for m such is sti rating theor is se ra 8. C 678 MINERALS YEARBOOK, 1971 ent capacity rating of about 20 watt hours concluded that exploitation of the lead-air per pound. battery must await improved cathode cata The Internationa] Lead Zinc Research lysts or air electrode redox systems and the Organization, Inc., (ILZRO) continued to identification or development of materials sponsor and direct research and develop for the cathode which will withstand cor ment programs in the general areas of rosion in an acid electrolyte under anodic metallurgy and chemistry and to publish oxygen evolution conditions. Fundamental the results of individual projects in its Re and developmental research has been di search Digest. The organization with 34 rected towards synthesis of new organolead member companies in 14 countries con compounds and improved methods of pro ducted some 20 lead research programs ducing them for protecting wood against relating to existing uses as well as new marine borers and other destructive agents. products. According to ILZRO research Industrial research on lead in paints and has been a prime factor in maintaining pigments and ceramics was conducted to and expanding markets for lead in various expand markets in these areas. The market architectural applications. Programs in this potential for magnetic lead ferrites as sub general area include (l) development of equipment to produce screen-reinforced lead sheet, (2) development of confirmed procedures for ensuring good service from paint systems on lead surfaces, (3) de signing and demonstrating uses for lead in industrialized housing, and (4) develop stitutes for field windings in small motors has created much interest and has en couraged the lead industry to conduct programs relating to development of manu facturing techniques for lead ferrites and to development of lead-based glasses for conversion into magnetic lead ferrites. ment of lead preforms for caulked joints Another ceramics program included in in cast iron drainpipe. Research was com pleted on a program to develop suitable lead-plastic composites, including adhesive technology and identification of optimum conditions for forming the laminates. The results of this program indicated that lead- plastic composites would be suited for making fuel tanks and military packages vestigation of the fundamental properties of leaded-glass systems to develop basic information for use in such applications as color television tubes and porcelain enamels for steel and aluminum radiation shielding and for paint pigments. The Zinc Development Association and the Lead Development Association of Lon as well as for construction and industrial don (ZDA/LDA) review all current world applications. literature on the metals and their prod Three ongoing industry research pro grams, focused on expanding the cable sheathing market for lead, dealt with de veloping and forming lead-plastic cable sheathing and improving methods for splic ing cable joints. Two research programs were directed toward improving the per formance of lead-acid batteries including new designs suitable for use in electric vehicles and tests on casting lead-calcium grids containing 0.03 to 0.06 percent cal cium. A final report was completed by ILZRO covering the results of its tests evaluating several different leadnir cells to determine the basic operating characteristics and to identify the primary limitations of the lead-air concept. The report (LE-156) 22 ucts including published research work and provide an abstracting service to lead and zinc users throughout the world. Lead Abstracts, published bimonthly in 1971, may be obtained from Lead Industries Association Inc., 292 Madison Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017. Some 1500 abstracts were listed in (he 1971 editions. Cominco Ltd. reported that construction at Trail, Uritish Columbia, of a pilot plant to test the company's unique oxygen smclling process was nearing completion at yearend. This plant will have a daily capacity of 60 tons of lead bullion and will es tablish (he design data for a full-size plant. u International Lead Zinc Research Organization, Inc. Lead Research Digest, No. 28, Autumn 1971. 38 pp. " Christopher, H. A. and Moran, P. J., LeadAir Battery, Gen. Elec. Co. LEAD Table 2.--Mine production of recoverable lead in the (Short tons) ---------------------- ---------- ^7 "" ^ ^ -------------- ------------------- " Alaska............................................................................ Arizona.......................................................................... CCoalloifroardnoia......................................................................................................................................-.... 4 l'796 9t'aoo .............................................................................. Illinois............................................................................ Kansas........................................................................... Kentucky...................................................................... 2 884 j 03j 'g4r 162,649 w |t704 4 001 19S'77#8? 1.467 1,227 \\r 212,611 Montana........................................................................ Nevada........................................................................... New Mexico................................................................. , 600 , o27 {'ggg 863 i 3$g J'sgg Oklahoma............................................... ...................... Oregon............................................................................ South Dakota...............................................1............. ' "" an ale 46 206 Washington............... .................................................. J Wisconsin...................................................................... * 140 Other States................................................................................. ________________ ToU, ........................................ ................. 816,981 869.166 W Withheld to avoid dlacloaing Individual company confidential da 1 Less than H unit. 1168 MINERALS YEARBOOK, 1971 DOMESTIC PRODUCTION Concentrates.--Production of ilmenite allurgical Corp. (Oremet), Albany, Oreg., concentrates dropped 21 percent, the low partly owned by Artnco Steel Corp. and est level in 11 years. Producers were E. 1. Ladish Co. At the end of the first quarter, du Pont dc Nemours & Co., Inc., Starke the SST program was cancelled, and this, and Highland, Fla.; Humphreys Mining coupled with the stretchout of commercial Co., Folkston, Ga.; SCM Corporation, Glid- and military aircraft development and pro den-Durkee Division, Lakehurst, N.J.; NL duction, resulted in very poor demand for Industries, Inc., Tahawus, N.Y.; and Amer titanium metal during the rest of the year. ican Cyanamid Co., Piney River, Va. No Sponge inventories built up to the extent domestic production of rutile concentrate was reported. The American Cyanamid Co. closed its ilmenite mine at Piney River, Va., in June. Titanium Enterprises, a joint ven ture of American Cyanamid and the that TMCA and Oremet shut down their sponge production facilities at the end of August, and RMI shut down its plant in December. At ycarend, the primary tita nium producers were seeking governmental action to preserve this basic part of the in Union Camp Corp., had almost completed dustry. installation of plant facilities by ycarend Production of titanium ingot, including at its Green Cove Springs property in Fla. alloys, was 18,387 tons, a decrease of about The first phase of mining was scheduled to 26 percent from 1970 production. Nine begin in January 1972 with all phases to companies that produced titanium ingot be in full swing by July of that year. The from sponge metal and scrap are as fol deposit, located on an ancient pleistocene lows: beach lying 35 miles inland from the At lantic Ocean, will he mined at a rate to Company Plant location produce some 140,000 tons of concentrates per year. In January American Smelting and Refin ing Co, (Asarco) announced plans to de velop beach sand deposits discovered by Asarco geologists in New Jersey in 1957. The company concluded a 10-year agree ment with E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Inc., under which Asarco will supply Crucible Steel Company ot America. Harvey Aluminum, Inc.................. Howmet Corp-........................ ........ Oregon Metallurgical Corp........... RMI Company................................. Teledyne Titanium, Inc................. Titanium Metals Corporation of America. Titanium Technology Corp.......... Titanium West, Inc......................... Midland, Pa. Torrance, Calif, Whitehall, Mich. Albany, Oreg. Niles, Ohio Monroe, N.C. Henderson, Nev. . Pomona, Calif. Reno, Nev. The mil! products plant of TMCA, the du Pont with up to 165,000 long tons of ilmenite concentrate per year. Estimated cost of the project, including the suction nation's largest titanium producer, was closed on .September 30 by a strike. Early in November, a strike also closed the melt dredge to be used for mining, is over $15 ing plant and mill products plant of RMI, million. Site preparation was begun on the the nation's second largest titanium pro plant near Lakehurst, N.J., and production ducer, The plants of both companies re at a rate of 20,000 tons of ore per day is mained closed at yearend. expected to start in April 1973. Pigment.--On a gross-weight basis, Kerr-McGee Corp., a major producer of titanium dioxide (T1O2) pigment produc titanium pigments, continued engineering tion in 1971 was 2 percent lower than that and pilot plant work to develop methods of 1970. However, the average TiC>2 con for processing heavy mineral deposits lo tent of pigments produced increased, and cated in western Tenn. on a Ti02-conienl basis, output increased Metal.--Production of titanium sponge by almost 2 percent. Rutile-type pigment was about 34 percent lower than in 1970. was produced by all nine pigment compa The producing companies were Titanium nies and comprised approximately 62 per Metals Corporation of America (TMCA), cent of the total production. Most of the Henderson, Nev., owned by NL Industries, remainder was anaiase-type pigment, pro Inc., and Allegheny Ludlum Steel Corp,; duced by five companies, and composite- RMI Company, Ashtabula, Ohio, owned by type, produced by one company. Compa National Distillers tc Chemical Corp. and nies producing titanium pigments and United States Steel Corp.; and Oregon Met plant locations are as follows: American TITANIUM Table 2.--Production and mine shipments of titanium from domestic ores in the United Sla Year Production ------------------------- (short tons, Short tons gross weight) (gross weight) 1967........................................................................... 936,091 882,414 1968.............................................................................. 978,609 960,118 1969................................................... .......................... 931,247 893,034 1970.............................................................................. 867,966 920,964 1971.............................................................................. 683,014 718,649 ---- ------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------- 1 Includes e mixed product containing rutile, leucoxene, and altered ilmenitaP In the United States was discontinued in 1968. Cyanamid Co., Piney River, Va., and Sa vannah, Ga.; American Potash & Chemical Corp., a subsidiary of Kerr-McGee Corp., Hamilton, Miss.; Cabot Titania, Inc., wholly owned subsidiary of Cabot Corp., Ashtabula, Ohio; E. I. du Pont de Nem ours & Co,, Inc., Edge Moor, Del., Antioch, Calif., and New Johnsonville, Tenn.; NL Industries, Inc., St. Louis, Mo., and Sayre- vjlle, N.J.; New Jersey Zinc Co., controlled by Gulf 8c Western Industries, Gloucester, N.J.; PPG Industries, Inc., Natrium, W. Va.; SCM Corporation, Glidden-Durkee Di vision, Baltimore, Md.; and Sherwin Wil liams Chemical, a subsidiary of Sherwin- Williams Co., Ashtabula, Ohio. . During the year, the capacity of the titanium pigment industry decreased by about 36,000 tons as American Cyanamid shut down and dismantled its old sulfate- process plant at Piney River, Va., and PPG Industries closed its 3-year-old chlorideprocess plant .11 Natrium, W. Va. Toward the end of the year, NL Industries an nounced the shutdown of parts of its tita nium pigment c States and Canad The plants to be process facilities Varennes, Quebec ment section of it the final quarter, anatase pigment chloride process tase-grade pigmen the sulfate proc could be of con meeting antipollu ten the phaseout ess production. Welding Rod 225,000 tons of we taniferous materia produced. Of the contained rutile; leucoxene; 7 perc and manufacture percent, manufac and 1 percent, m titanium slag. Table 3.--Titanium-metal data (Short tons) 1967 1968 Sponge metal: Imports for consumption..._______ _ Industry stocks......................................... Government stocks (DPA Inventories) Consumption................................................ Scrap-metal consumption................................. Ingot: * " Production.............................. .. ................... Consumption................................................ Net shipments of mill products 1................... 7.144 2,900 20.7JI 20,062 6,822 26,960 25,386 13,684 3,443 2.600 20,711 14,237 4,701 19.234 18,323 11,900 f Revised. i Includes alloy constituents. c 1 ^ensu ar>d Business and Defense Services Administratio Series BDCF-263. Net shipments are derived by subtracting the sum of produ from the industry's gross shipments of that shape. 1170 MINERALS YEARBOOK, 1971 Table 4.--Titanium-pigment data (TiOt content) Year (short tons) 1971............................................................................... .................. . .. . . ..................... p Preliminary. r Revised. NA Not available. ! Includes interplant transfers. Source: Bureau of the Census. 689.449 623,691 664.253 r 666,293 i*662.977 Shipments 1 Quantity (short tons) Value, f.o.b. (thousands) 682,825 632,106 664.490 643,746 NA 3297,283 323,216 334,621 320.014 NA CONSUMPTION AND USES Concentrates.--Consumption of ilmenite, which is used chiefly for making titanium dioxide pigment, declined more than 7 percent, while the amount of Sorcl slag consumed by the pigment industry in creased 14 percent. Consumption of rutile, which is used principally for producing ti tanium dioxide pigment, titanium metal, and also in welding rod coatings, increased 21 percent. Metal.--Inasmuch as the demand for ti tanium metal is closely tied to the fortunes of the aerospace industry, the collapse of the SST project and the exceedingly slow development of military and commercial aviation programs created serious problems for titanium suppliers. Consumption of ti tanium sponge and ingot declined 26 and 28 percent, respectively. Consumption of ti tanium metal as gaged by shipments of mill products fell 22 percent below that of 1970. Titanium consumption in commercial aircraft during the year again surpassed that in military aircraft and comprised slightly under 50 percent of total end use. Military aircraft took about 30 percent, and industrial applications improved its position in the industry. A large domestic producer of titanium metal estimated the end-use distribution of titanium mill products as follows: Consumption, percent 1969 1970 1971 Jet engines...................... Airframes........................ .. Spied and missiles____ .. Industrial........................ .. Total........................ _. 64 28 8 10 100 63 25 9 13 100 51 26 7 16 100 Industrial applications are varied. The corrosion resistance in aggressive chemical environments has been acknowledged for several years. The use of titanium tubing lias increased annually and titanium tub ing is being utilized in all major industries requiring heat exchange. In May 1971 the Consolidated Edison Co. of New York pur chased a full powerplant surface condenser containing some 165 miles of welded tita nium tubing for the Staten Island power station. The Westinghouse Electric Co. is building a plant for the State of Pennsyl vania which will handle acid mine drain age and convert it to fresh water and chemical byproducts. The plant will con tain over 2 million feet of welded tubing. Titanium sheet and plate was extensively used for corrosion resistant equipment ei ther in solid or clad steel construction, A leading chemical producer has placed in service the first titanium tank truck ever built for general chemical trucking. The titanium tank replaced a rubber-lined tank and has an estimated useful life of 15 years in comparison with a 3-year life for the rubber-lined tank. A newly developed titanium metal anode system was installed at the Augusta, Ga., chlorine-caustic soda plant of the Olin Corp. Other nonaero space uses include plating racks, marine hardware, ordnance equipment, pump cast ings, batteries, and prosthetic applications such as the auricle birdcage heart valve. Pigments.*--In 1971 titanium pigment consumption on a gross-weight basis, using shipments as a gage, was 2 percent greater than that of 1970. TITANIUM Table 5.--Consumption of titanium concentrates in the (Short tons) Ilmenite Tita Year and product Gross TIO. weight content (estimated) Gros weig 1967.............. ........................................... 919,206 1968.......................................................... . 969,658 1969..................................................................... . 1,003.601 488.286 610.853 641,840 122, 142, 188, 1970: Pigments....................................... Titanium metal.______________ We}dlng-rod coatings and fluxes. Alloys and carbide__ _________ Ceramics........................................ Glass fibers______ ____ ___ .... Miscellaneous............................... . . . . . 966.860 610 r2,906 <) 21 516.860 866 ' 1,820 (*) 18 129. (> < ) . ' 969,786 ' 617,649 129, 1971: Pigments.................. v................... . Titanium metal______________ Welding-rod coatings and fluxes____. Alloys and carbide............... ...... . Ceramics............................. .......... . Glass fibers................................... . Miscellaneous....... ....................... . 690,226 641 2,699 c) 8,172 481,141 474 1,104 o 1,714 147, o < ) Total......................................... . 896,638 484,438 147, f Revised. 1 Includes a mixed product containing rutile, leucoxene. and altered I 1 Included with "Miscellaneous" to avoid disclosing Individual compa 1 Included with "Pigments" to avoid disclosing Individual company c Table 6.--Distribution of titanium-pigment ship (Percent) Industry Distribution by gross weight: Paints, varnishes, ana lacquers..................................................... Paper......... .............................. ........................................... ........ ......... Floor coverings_________ ____ _________ ___ Rubber.................................................................................................... Coated fabrics and textiles (oil cloth, shade cloth, artificial leather, etc.).................... ............... ................. ...... ...................... Printing {nk__________ _______________________________ ____ , _ Roofing granules................................................................. ............... Ceramics....................................................................... ........................ Plastics (except floor covering and vinyl-coated fabrics and textiles) ________ _______________ __________ ___ _____ ___ _ Other (Including export).......................................... ........ ............... 1967 61.9 14.6 2.7 2.8 1.4 2.0 1.1 1.9 6.1 6.6 Total................................................................................................... " loo.o Distribution by titanium dioxide content: Paints, varnishes, and lacquers______________ ______________ Paper........................................................................................ ............. Floor coverings............. ...................................................................... Rubber.......... ..................... .......................... ............. ........................... Coated fabrics and textiles (oil cloth, shade cloth, artificial leather, etc.)_____ Printing Ink................................................................................. ........ Roofing granules_________________________________ __________ Ceramics............................................................................................... Plastics (except floor covering and vinyl-coated fabrics and textiles)_____ ___________________ _________ ________________ Other (Including export)........................ _....................................... 67.6 17.2 8.1 8.2 1.6 2.8 1.4 2.2 6.0 6.6 Total....... ~ 100.0