Copper — The following synoptical
statement relating to the copper mines of Eng
land, by Capt. Hughes, U. S. Topographical
Corps, is interesting, and deserves an attentive
consideration, at the present time, when our
copper region of Lake Superior is opening such
a wide field to American enterprise;—•• Eleva
tion of the surface above the level of the sea,
from 200 to 300 feet; depth below the sea,
about 1370-, total depth of mine 1500 to 1600
feet. Ores—chiefly yellow copper ore, occa
sionally native copper, variegated copper, red
oxide of copper, blue and green carbonate of
copper. Tin ore, or oxide of tin, also occurs,
bnt .tot in a very gteat abundance. Produce
of the ores—9 1-4 pet centum of fiue copper,
average produce in 100 parts of ore. Depth
of the principal shafts—Vinolfs engine shaft,
248 fathoms; Pearce’s engine shaft, 275 fa
thoms. Quantity of water rated, f rO m 2000
to 3000 gallons per minute. Pow« employed
in draining, 9 steam engines. Average annual
expense, 12,700/ ($63,500 ) Quantity O re
annnually produced, 16,400 tons of copper u,
and a few tone of tin ore. Produce in metal
1517 tons of fine copper and a little tin. To
tal returns or value of the produce in metal,
119,800/(5599,000.) Total costs of mines,
98,500/ ($492,500.) Clear profit to the pro
prietors, 21,000/ ($105,000.) Amount of capi
tal invested, 75,000/(5375,000.) Interest on
capital invested, 280 per centum, after paying
back the original capital. Number of men
employed, about 2500 persons, of whom 1450
are employed under ground. Manner in which
the ores are disposed of—sold to smelting com
panies, and smelted by them at Swansea, in
South Wales.
