GOLD AND SILVER 87


cipally farming, and it is believed that most gold-mine employees returned
to them The mimng staffs, made up largely of Americans, were ordered to Mamla,
where it was hoped that the open-city dedaration of the nulitary authorities
would insure their safety
 The invasion progressed so rapidly that little time was given the company
managements to consider courses of action; the eventual complete defeat of
the Japanese seems to have been assumed. During the occupation, however,
a number of possibilities presented themselves, which included reopening
of the mines by the Japanese, stripping the properties of machinery either
for use elsewhere or as a source of scrap metal, or complete quiescence at
the properties.
 Some of company officials have stated that the first possibility would be
the least injurious to the interests of the mine owners; reserves, being
in narrow veins at most of the mines, could not be extracted very rapidly,
and operation wOuld tend to preserve the plants and organizations during
hostilities. The Japanese need for gold; particularly to foster treason on
the Asiatic mainland, has been suggested as an outstanding reason for reopening
the gold mines It seemed not impossible that some method would be found to
exact reparations for the benefit of the owners. Possibthty that plants would
be looted for machinery and scrap was evident, because much of the equipment
could be very helpful to the invaders for use elsewhere and because of chronic
shortage of metallic scrap in Japan. When the Japanese established complete
control of Manila Bay, it became practicable for them to export even the
largest units of. machinery from the deep-water docks of Manila; whereas,
while the American forces at Corregidor commanded the entrance to the bay,
there were no Luzon harbOrs in the hands of the Japanese from which cargoes
could be transferred to ocean-going vessels except with lighters Nothing
short of overwhelming military force could have brought the expanding Philippine
mining industry to such a sudden halt; the healthy condition of the gold
industry at the time of the mvasion, however, gives promise of prompt revival
when peace is
                              .    -    ....  


DOMINION OF CANADA AND NEWFOUNDLAND

 Canada.—Gold production in Canada reached a recerd total of 5,351,689
fine ounces valued at $206,040,026 in 1941 compared with
5,311,145 fine ounces valued at $204,479,083 in 1940. Canada contributes
about 12 percent of the total world production of gold and is exceeded only
by South Africa and Russia as a world producer.
 Canadian production of gold in 1941 was distributed among the various provinces
as follows:
 Fine ounces Fine ounces
Ontario 3, 190, 786 Northwest Territories 77, 334
Quebec 1, 088, 860 Yukon 70, 959
British Columbia  615, 838 Nova Scotia 19, 170
Manitoba  150, 523 Alberta 215
Saskatchewan  138, 004

 In Ontario virtually all the gold comes from quartz veins; a small amount
is obtained as a byproduct in the refining of nickel and copper. The principal
producing areas are Porcupine and Kirkland Lake. The 72 mills with an operating
capacity of 36,800 tons a day were in con-. tmuous operation in 1941.
 In Quebec, also, most of the gold comes from quartz veins, although the
largest single producer is the Noranda gold-copper mine. In 1941
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