IRON ORE, PIG IRON, AND STEEL.

By ERNEST F. BURCHARD.

INTRODUCTION.

The iron and steel industry of the United States, after having experienced a deep depression in 1908, practically recovered during 1909 the position it formerly held, but made no gains over the total business of 1907. The slow recovery of activity characteristic of the last part of 1908 continued during the early months of 1909, but at first with much uncertainty. The curve showing pig-iron production by months for the years 1907, 1908, and 1909 (see fig. 2) affords a graphic outline of the general condition of the industry in these years. From April to October, 1909, there was a steady and rapid increase in the output of pig iron, with a slight lull in November, followed by a record-breaking production in December, which averaged 86,500 tons a day, as compared with 55,600 tons a day in December, 1908. On December 31, 1909, there were 338 furnaces in blast out of a total of 469; on the same date in 1908 there were 236 furnaces in blast out of a total of 459.

As a consequence of the recovery of normal conditions in 1909 the iron-ore output was brought up to nearly the total for 1907. The total quantity of iron ore produced in 1909, not including stocks left at mines, was 51,294,271 long tons, as compared with 35,983,336 tons in 1908 and with 51,720,619 tons in 1907; the output of pig iron in 1909 was 25,795,471 long tons, as compared with 15,936,018 tons in 1908 and with 25,781,361 tons in 1907. The total production of all kinds of steel ingots and castings in 1909 amounted to 23,955,021 long tons, as compared with 14,023,247 long tons in 1908 and with 23,362,594 tons in 1907.

In 1908 an agreement among iron and steel makers to refrain from destructive competition maintained fairly steady though not high prices for their products, notwithstanding the light demand. Prices during the last half of 1908 were generally lower than during the first half of the year. In February, 1909, an open market was declared by iron and steel manufacturers on finished products except rails, and as a result prices sagged to comparatively low levels, reaching the minimum in April and May. The last half of the year showed a steady recovery in prices to points at or slightly above those prevailing at the end of 1908 for most finished steel products, except wire nails, and to points $1 to $2.50 higher for pig iron.

The increase in the production of iron ore in 1909 over that of 1908 was more than 42 per cent, and the increase in the production of pig iron and steel was about 62 per cent and 70 per cent, respectively.

Annual production in long tons

The accompanying figure shows the production of iron ore, pig iron, and steel since 1870, and illustrates well the great decrease which followed the financial panic of October, 1907.

The statistics of production of iron ore for 1909 were collected by the United States Geological Survey in cooperation with the Bureau of the Census, and the compilation of the replies to the numerous and

FIGURE 1.—Curve showing the production of iron ore, pig iron, and steel in the United States, 1870-1909, in long tons.

detailed inquiries contained in the general census schedule has delayed the statistics far beyond the time at which the Geological Survey usually presents them to the public. Cordial thanks are due the various mine owners and operators for the promptness and courtesy with which they have replied to the various requests of the Survey for information.

IRON-ORE INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES.

PRODUCTION OF IRON ORE BY COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS.

The iron ore produced in the United States in 1909 amounted to 51,294,271 long tons, valued at $110,290,596 at the mines, as compared with 35,983,336 long tons, valued at $81,845,904, produced in 1908. This represents an increase of 42.5 per cent in tonnage and of 34.7 per cent in value. Notwithstanding this large increase, the production of iron ore in 1909 did not quite reach the high record made in 1907. Iron ore was mined in 26 States during 1909. Of these, four States-Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, and Wyoming-produced ores for fluxing purposes only; the rest produced ores for blast furnace use. The various States in which iron ore occurs may be conveniently grouped into six commercial districts, namely:

1. Northeastern district: Including Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.

2. Southeastern district: Including Maryland, the Virginias, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama.

3. Lake Superior district: Including Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.

4. Mississippi Valley district: Including Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, and Texas.

5. Rocky Mountain district: Including Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Nevada.

6. Pacific Slope district: Including Washington and California. Each of these districts may be subdivided into mining districts and the ores classified with regard to variety and to distribution of deposits. These subdivisions are discussed in another section. The Lake Superior is by far the most important of these districts and is followed in order by the southeastern district and the northeastern district; the Mississippi Valley and the western districts are of minor importance. The following table shows the relative output of iron ore in each of the commercial districts during 1907, 1908, and 1909: Production of iron ore in the United States, by commercial districts, in 1907, 1908,

1909, in long tons.

and

PRODUCTION OF IRON ORE, BY STATES.

The following table gives a comparison of the iron-ore production, by States, for 1908 and 1909, showing increase and decrease and the percentage of increase and decrease in the several States.

Quantity and value of iron ore produced in the United States, 1908 and 1909, by States.

Total..

955, 775 +

247, 967+
148,953 +
317,860 +
12, 628 +
10, 058
223, 728 +
22, 452 +
49, 492-
145, 624 +

1

247, 015+47.83 +34.85 444, 529 +37.73 +38. 24 974, 076+45. 57 +46. 42 30, 136+26.03 +39.20

8, 189-37.83-22. 29 220, 326+50. 48 +38. 50 31, 275 +3.53 + 3.57 21, 345-88. 43-69. 61 227, 497+21. 04 +15. 52 700, 198+45. 43 +34. 54

35, 983, 336 81, 845, 904 51, 294, 271 110, 290, 596 +15, 310, 935 +28, 444, 692 +42. 55 +34. 75

In the following table the States are arranged according to their rank as producers in 1908 and 1909, with regard both to the quantity and the value of the iron ore produced:

Rank of iron ore producing States in 1908, and 1909, with quantity and value of product and percentage of each.

Rank of iron ore producing States in 1908, and 1909, with quantity and value of product and percentage of each-Continued.

Iron minerals are classified as sulphides, oxides, carbonates, silicates, etc., of which only the oxides and carbonates are used in the steel industry. The ores of iron are generally classed under four heads:

1. Hematite: Including all the anhydrous sesquioxides (Fe,O,-theoretical percentage of iron, 70). This is known locally as red hematite, specular ore, gray ore, fossil ore, oolitic ore, etc.

2. Brown ore: Including hydrated sesquioxides, such as limonite, göthite, and turgite (FeOnH2O-theoretical percentage of iron, 59.8-66). This is known locally as brown iron ore, brown hematite, bog ore, limonite, etc. 3. Magnetite: Including magnetic oxides (Fe,O,-theoretical percentage of iron, 72.4). Magnetite is known generally as magnetic iron ore.

4. Iron carbonate: Including carbonates of various types (FeCO,-theoretical percentage of iron, 48.2). Iron carbonate is known locally as spathic iron ore, kidney ore, black band ore, siderite, etc.

Hematite has always been predominant as an ore of iron, and at present constitutes almost nine-tenths of the iron ores produced. Brown ore and magnetite are far below it in importance, each furnishing at present about one-twentieth of the total iron-ore production. The production of iron carbonate is insignificant in comparison with that of the other ores, constituting only about one-thirtieth of 1 per cent of the total.