MINERAL INDUSTRY, CALIFORNIA, 1912. Data Compiled from Direct Returns from Producers in Answer to Inquiries sent out by California State Mining Bureau, Ferry Building, San Francisco. CHAPTER ONE. Taking the mineral industry in California as a whole the year 1912 was one of unexampled progress and prosperity. The greatest single product, petroleum, excelled even the remarkable rate of growth which it has manifested during the past ten years. While the average price per barrel received for crude oil at the wells showed a slight decline as compared with that of the previous year, the consumption increased at a greater rate than the production, and the threatened oversupply, which seemed to be imminent at the end of 1911, was entirely dissipated. Development of the light gravity oil districts of the State has been active and most encouraging results have ensued. This fact, taken with the ever growing demand for crude petroleum and all its derivatives has given an added impetus to the industry and the present trend of both production and price is decidedly upward. Petroleum leads all other mineral products of the State by a wide margin, the value for 1912 being $41,868,344. Next in importance comes gold with an output of $19,713,478. The great deep mines of the State maintain a steady output which is nothing less than remarkable. At several properties extensive development work has been done during the year with an idea of determining the probability of obtaining continued values at depth, with most satisfying results. While the zenith of the dredge production is probably at hand, increased efficiency in methods has offset the fact that the richest of the gravel deposits have been rather completely worked out. There is at present nothing to indicate any decrease in California's output of the precious metal. Cement ranks third with an output valued at $6,074,661; copper is number four on the list with $5,638,049. Crushed rock, brick and borax follow, in the order of their importance, each with a production worth over the million dollar mark. Every one of California's fifty-eight counties contain mineral deposits of some description. During 1912 fifty-six counties produced commercially one or more mineral substance. |
