CHAPTER V

 THE SUPPLY OF IRON AND COPPER AFTER 1860

 Even though changing technology and expanding

production caused increased demands to be made for iron

and copper within the United States after 1860, domestic

mines proved more than equal to the task by increasing

their metals production apace. In 1860 United States

mines produced only 2.9 million long tons of usable

iron ore and 8.0 thousand short tons of copper. By

1900 iron ore production had increased tenfold to some

27.3 million long tons, and copper production to 303

thousand short tons. Rates of metals extraction

continued to increase rapidly, and by 1960 iron ore

production had reached 88.8 million long tons and

domestic copper production had grown to 1.08 million

short tons.


 1Iron ore figures represent usable ore, the
iron content of which has varied from year to year,
generally ranging from about 40 to 60 percent.
Copper figures represent copper content of mined ores.

 Historical Statistics, pp. 365-66, Series M
195-200; p. 368, Series M 225.


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