MERCURY 699


WORLD PRODUCTION

 The inability to obtain data covering activity in Spain and Italy, the world's
largest sources of production of mercury, makes it impossible to. com.pile
a reliable estimate of. world production. As the mines in these areas are
either under Axis domination or friendly .to the Axis Powers, ample supplies
are assured enemies of the Umted States, whereas supplies. for. the United
Nations have presented more of a problem
 World trade conditions have contributed to greatly expanded production in
the Umted States, Mexico, and Canada during the past 2 years and have prompted
prospecting for and development of additional sources in several other Western
Hemisphere countries Output in the Umted States durmg 1941 was 44,921 flasks
compared with 18,633 in 1939, and Mexico produced 23,137 flasks in 1941 compared
with 7,376 in 1939 Canada, during this period, rose from an insigmflcant
producer to a position as the only important source in the British Empire
Interest regarding mercury mining has been reported recently in Honduras,
Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Venezuela. Ii~ connection with the increased emphasis
on finding additional sources of mercury, technical representatives of the
United States Government have examined mercury prospects in Mexico and other
countries of the Western Hemisphere.
 Available information for various countries is reviewed on the following
pages.

World production of mercury, 1937—41, by countries
[Compiled by B. B. Waldbauer]

[i metric ton=29.008 flasks of 76 pounds]

,


Country
1937

i938

i939

194.0

1941

— Flasks


Flasks
Mic
Flasks
Mrc
Flasks

Flasks
MetflC


Algeria        Australia: Queensland         

Bolivia2       

Canada

China         

Chosen~        

Czechoslovakia   

Germany'      Austria       

Italy          

J~pan_         

Mexico.....      

New Zealand    

Rumania       

Southern Rhodesia

Snain'        

¶I'~inlsla        

Turkey        

U.S.S.R      

UnltedStates    

Total'    
140

9
16
       
' 1736
2
2,750
1 775
134
66,963
580
4,936
18
4

28,357
25
483
8,700
16,508
4.8

.3
.6

259.8
.1
94.8
61.1
4.6
2,308.4
20.0
170.2
.6
.1
   
977.5
.9
16.7
' 300.0
569.1
191

 
 
10
' 65
(1)

2 900
1 750
(1)
66,748
592
8.~5i9
10
 

340000
270
597
8,700
17,991
6.6



.3
22.2
(1)

100.0
60.2
(1)
2,301.0
20.4
293.7
.3


~1,378.9
9~3
20.6
' 300.0
620.2
(1)

3
9
6
213
(1)

~2 669
(1)
(1)
67,154
(1) .
7,376
 
(1)
(1)
53 441
(1)
359
(1)
18,633
(1)

0.1
.3
.2
24
(1)

~92.0
(I)
(1)
2,315.0
(1)
254.3

(1)
(2)
1 842.3
(1)
12.4
(1)
642.3
(1)

(1)
(1)
(1)
26,~RJ)
(1)

' 2 582
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
11,653
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
2261
(1)
37,777
(1)

(2)
(1)
(2)
2215.8
(1)

~89.0
. (1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
401.7
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
~9.0
(1)
1,302.3
(1) .

(1)
(1)
(1)
26000
(1)

(1)
(1)
. (1)
(1)
(1)
. 23,137
(1)
(1)
(I)
(1)
(1)
~1)
(1)
44,921
(1)


(1)
(1)
(1)
p2068

(1)
(1)
(1)
(1
(1
797.6
(1)
.
(1)
(1)
~1)
(1)
(1)
1,548.6

133,136
4,589.6
148,348
5~ 113.7
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
1 Data not yet available.
' Exports.
' Estimated.
4 Slovak Metallurgical Works.
' Production less than 1 fiask or 0.1 metric ton.
* Production figure published by Metallgeseilsehaft.
' Sum of figures gIven In table only~