1947

1952

1943

1944

1945

1946

1947

1948

1949

1950

ANTIMONY

The United States requires more antimony than all other countries of the world combined yet is almost wholly dependent upon foreign supplies. Intensive examination of domestic reserves and occurrences has failed to bring to light deposits that can compete in normal times with foreign antimony derived from richer or more cheaply mined ore bodies. Mexico has a substantial exportable surplus, and Bolivia, once a leading producer, is believed to have large reserves, therefore, the Western Hemisphere as a whole is more nearly self-sufficient. However, because of the ability of South Africa to produce large quantities at low cost, the establishment of a prosperous industry in the Western Hemisphere faces serious economic obstacles.

The following table presents salient statistics of antimony for 1948-52:

TABLE 1.-Salient statistics of antimony in the United States, 1948–52, in short tons (antimony content)

? Does not include antimony contained in domestic and foreign silver and lead ores, recovered at lead refineries and marketed in antimonial lead.

3 American Metal Market.

4 Exclusive of U. S. S. R.

DESCRIPTION AND PROPERTIES

Antimony is a lustrous white metal, having a bluish tinge. It is somewhat harder than copper, and so brittle that it can readily be powdered. It is a poor conductor, both of heat and electricity.

USES

On account of its unique chemical and physical qualities, there are no adequate substitutes for antimony in its most important uses.

Approximately 60 percent of the United States consumption of primary antimony is in the nonmetalic form-in the flameproofing of paints, plastics, and textiles, and also in ceramics, pigments, glass, etc.

In metallic products, antimony is used mainly as an alloying element with lead. Antimony hardens and strengthens lead and also greatly improves its corrosion resistance. The most important metallic uses are in storage batteries, bearings, type metal, and miscellaneous hard lead products.

The wartime uses for antimony are practically the same as in peacetime, the difference being that demands for primary antimony are enormously increased during waretime. This is especially true in the case of antimony oxide, which is used in the flameproofing of paints, plastics, and textiles for the military services. For these nonmetallic applications, primary antimony must be used, and these requirements cannot be satisfied by scrap or secondary antimony.

OCCURRENCE

Several antimony-bearing minerals are found in many metalliferous deposits that are exploited largely for lead, copper, silver, and gold, and this antimony is finally recovered in the ordinary processes of smelting and treatment. Deposits that contain only stibnite (antimony sulfide), the principal source of antimony, are uncommon. In such occurrences the ore is commonly in narrow lenticular veins and, even though these persist downward in the earth, experi

ence in mining shows that the shoots of antimony sulfide are sporadic and largely confined to shallow surficial zones. For these reasons, the appraisals of reserves of antimony minerals are highly speculative unless the deposits are thoroughly explored.

WORLD PRODUCTION

The estimated world production of 51,000 short tons of antimony in 1952 was about 18,000 tons less than in 1951 and increased 28 percent over the 1943-47 average (39,700 tons). Of the total output, North America supplied 19 percent; South America, 23 percent; Europe, 16 percent; Asia, 21 percent; and Africa, 21 percent.

Table 2 presents world production in short tons, by continents, from 1948-52. TABLE 2.-World production of antimony (content of ore), 1948–25, in short tons1

Mexico has been the dominant source of antimony in North America for many years. Although China and Bolivia have usually exceeded Mexico, their outputs have been erratic and subject to many uncertainties. Mexico's production has also varied greatly, but the extent of the variations have not been as pronounced because of its favored position in the United States market. This position is due largely to proximity to the United States and to the fact that the ores are transported by rail to the Laredo, Tex., smelter and do not depend upon long and, at times, uncertain transport by ocean.

More antimony was produced in Bolivia during the Second World War than in any other country. The annual output of Bolivian ore from 1939 to 1952, inclusive, averaged more than 10,000 tons of contained antimony, most of which was shipped to the United States. The greater part of the ore was produced from small workings by native operators. Inferred reserves are large and are believed sufficient for some decades at the current rate of production. Bolivia is capable of expanded output if stimulated by moderately high prices.

Large reserves of high-grade antimony ore recently have placed the Union of South Africa in the fore as one of the world's leading antimony producers. In 1952 the Consolidated Murchison Mines, in the Union of South Africa, produced 8,000 short tons of antimony, representing 16 percent of the world production. Minor supplies come from Belgium-Luxembourg, Canada, Greece, and Yugoslavia.

DOMESTIC PRODUCTION

In the United States numerous antimony deposits have been explored, but the principal sources are a few districts in Idaho, Nevada, California, and Alaska. Other occurrences have been explored in Arkansas, Arizona, Montana, New Mexico, Washington, and Oregon, but the production has been small and intermittent. At high prices, some deposits in the interior of Alaska could become important sources of antimony.

The principal domestic producer was the Yellow Pine mine and smelter at Stibnite, Idaho, operated by the Bradley Mining Co. Before shutting down in the summer of 1952, this property had supplied about 90 percent of the domestic primary antimony output in recent years. The productive capacity of the prop