CONTENTS. Page. Metals and metallic ores in 1908 and 1909, by Waldemar Lindgren Iron ore, pig iron, and steel, by Ernest F. Burchard... World's production of iron ore. Iron and steel industry of United States.. Movement of Lake Superior iron ore in 1909, by John Birkinbine.. Manganese ore, by Ernest F. Burchard... 3. Average weekly prices of spelter and of 60 per cent zinc concentrates, 524 1908. 4. Average weekly prices of spelter and of 60 per cent zinc concentrates, 524 MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE UNITED STATES FOR 1909-PART I. INTRODUCTION. COOPERATION WITH THE BUREAU OF THE CENSUS. Apologies are due to those interested in the annual volume, Mineral Resources of the United States, and to the public for the tardy publication of the report covering 1909. The delay is due to the fact that the statistics of mineral production in 1909 were collected under a cooperative agreement with the Bureau of the Census, the information desired by the United States Geological Survey being collected on schedules supplemental to the general schedules of the Census Office, and by the special agents of that bureau. By this arrangement the Bureau of the Census had the benefit of the lists of producers in the possession of the Geological Survey, and the latter, through the houseto-house canvass of the census agents, was able to secure revision of these lists. The Geological Survey has also no doubt benefited by a more complete canvass than is practicable in the conduct of an investigation where returns are received for the most part by mail. On account, however, of the more detailed information required by the census schedules, the completion of the canvass was delayed beyond all expectation, and the benefit derived by the more thorough canvass has been seriously modified, if not rendered nugatory, by the tardy presentation of the results contained in the present volume. As it is, a number of the chapters from the report for 1910 have been completed, and others are in press at the time of the issue of the report for 1909. It should be stated in justice to the Director of the Census, to Mr. William M. Steuart, the chief statistician for manufactures, to Dr. I. A. Hourwich, the expert special agent on mining, and to the other officials of the Bureau of the Census, that every effort has been made by them to carry out the spirit of the cooperative agreement and to facilitate the prosecution of the work. CHARACTER AND SCOPE OF REPORT. The arrangement and scope of this report are practically the same as in the 25 preceding reports of the series Mineral Resources of the United States. Each report records the development of the mineral industries of the United States since the time covered by the preceding number of the series; the reports should therefore be consulted together. Each chapter is a census of the productive features of the industry under discussion. The statistics of the imports and exports of minerals, which form an essential part of the volume, are obtained through the courtesy of the Chief of the Bureau of Statistics, Department of Commerce and Labor. The summary gives the principal statistical information recorded in tais report. |