FIGURE 10.—Location of mercury mines and prospects, western United
States.
 MERCURY 229
REVIEW BY STATES

 California retained first place among the mercury-producing States, although
the gap between California production and the combined production of Texas,
Arizona, Arkansas, and Alaska decreased considerably. The California production
decreased to 5,172 flasks from. l3~448 flasks in 1931, while there were increases
in production

from Arkansas and Texas. The increase in the number of producing mines in
California from 45 in 1931 to 63 in 1932 was due to sporadic operations at
a number of small properties by leasers and caretakers who would otherwise
have been without employment, and the individual and aggregate output from
such operations was small. A decrease in production was recorded by all States
but Arkansas and Texas. Figure 10 shows the location of all mercury mines
and prospects in the Western States.