Table 1&—.-Tenor of lead and zinc ore milled and concentrates produced
in Missouri 1 
 ' Includes southwest Missouri. 
 2 Figures represent metal content of crude ore only as recovered in the
concentrate; data on tailing losses not available. 
478 
MINERALS YEARBOOK, 1967 
 
 
 
1966 
1967 
Concentrate production: 
 Lead short tons~ 
185,410 
220,096 
 Zinc do 
Concentrate obtained from: 
8,525 
15,512 
Lead percent~ 
Zinc do~ 
3.44 
0.16 
3.96 
0.28 
Metal content of ore: 2 
 
 
Lead do~ 
2.45 
2.74 
Zinc do~ 
0.07 
0.13 
Average lead content of 
 
 
galena concentrate 
 
 
percent. 
Average zinc content of sphalerite concentrate 
72.79 
70.77 
percent 
Average value per ton: 
Galena concentrate__ 
 51.71 
 
$182.38 
 53.22 
 
$162.77 
Sphalerite concentrate 
$93.27 
$91 .00 
Total material milled 
 
 
short tons~ 
5,387,330 
5,563,824 
 Construction of the Magmont mine and mill south of Bixly, Iran County, was~
started in late 1965, and the facilities were expected to begin operation
in early 1968. The underground mine will produce more than 1 million tons
of ore annually, which will yield 50,000 ton of metallic lead plus quantities
of zinc and copper, Cominco American, Inc., and Dresser Industries, Inc.,
jointly own the mine and mill complex, but Cominco Mines Division was responible
for operation of the Magmont property. 
 St. Joseph Lead Co.'s Fletcher mine and mill, Reynolds County, began operation
in February. The Fletcher mine-mill has a designed capacity of 5,000 tons
of ore per day, with the mine on two shifts per day and the mill running
three shifts, both on a 5-day week. Output, which could yield 60,000 tons
of lead per year, was reported regularly exceeding the mill's rated capacity.

 The new 12.5-foot-diameter Goose Creek shaft of St. Joseph Lead Co., started
in 1966 to provide access to ore reserves north of the existing Indian Creek
mine, Washington County, was bottomed at 1,180 feet, and surface facilities
were completed. First production from the mine was expected by the third
quarter of 1968. 
 An expansion program, doubling the capacity of the St. Joseph Lead. Co.'s
Herculaneum Smelter, Jefferson County, was completed in early 1967 after
a conversion shutdown period that extended into the opening weeks of the
year. Herculaneum production from company concentrates totaled 120,207 tons
of finished lead metal in 1967, substantially exceeding the 1966 ouput of
90,729 tons despite unexpected difficulties in operating automated control
systems for sintering and furnace processes. 
 A decision to postpone further development and production at the Higdon
mine, Perry County 7 miles northeast of Fredericktown, was announced by The
Bunker Hill Co. Higdon had been scheduled to begin operating in 1968 and
produce about 15,000 tons of lead annually. Bunker Hill expended over $3.5
million, sinking two 1,500-foot shafts and installing hoisting equipment.
The main production shaft had been completed by the end of April. Development
of the property for production was deferred because of market conditions.
All shafts were cased and sealed and the mine placed on a standby basis.

 American Smelting and Refining Company's new lead smelter at Glover in eastern
Iron County was nearing completion. Annual capacity was reported from 80,000
tons upward. Concentrates will come from Ozark Lead Co.'s mine at the south
end of the new lead district. 
 
 Silver.—Among the byproducts and coproducts of metal mining in the
State, silver attracted considerable attention because of its worldwide shortage.
The potential recovery of 1 millicn ounces of silver per year from southeast
Missouri is significant. 
 
 Zinc.—Zinc production in the State has dropped in recent years. Full-scale
operation in the new lead district should enable Missouri to regain some
of its prominence in zinc and become the fifth or sixth ranking producer.
Zinc output for southeast Missouri reached record levels in 1967. 
 
MINERAL FUELS 
 
 Small quantities of petroleum and natural gas were produced. Drilling decreased
considerably from that of previous years, and prospects improved for in-