(Article published the Glasgow Herald – Rubio’s Rambles)

The lead district near S. Louis extends over two millions of acres, and, with the adjoining States of Ioway and Wiskonsin, forms undoubtedly the richest region in the world for that mineral, beating English and Spanish mines already in amount of produce, but in a few years it will be equal to the whole consumption of the globe. It appears that they have not yet adopted the method which the great lead-owners of Yorkshire and Northumberland have of refining the lead ; consequently many tons of silver, say seven or eight, are thrown away annually by the Americans on the banks of the Mississippi, as I reckon every ton of their lead will produce five oz. of silver ; and consequently their loss this year will be near 200,000 dollars, by not refining. Iron is so abundant to the south of St. Louis that it seems to be on that account quite disregarded. At the Pilot Knob and Iron Mountain the ore is so rich and metallic that it may be beaten out into some rough implements on the spot, whilst at Copper Harbour, in the neighbouring state of Michigan, on the shores of Lake Superior, a company in Boston has secured what they consider the richest copper mines in the world, extending over 250,000 acres. This enterprise is quite in its infancy, having been only just discovered, but 1,000 tons of the ore were shipped to Boston at the opening of the navigation in 1845, which produced 700 tons of metal ! My informant was one of the partners, but assured me there were no shares for sale, there never having been more than twelve partners. Copper has been hitherto imported largely by the United States, but as soon as they get their smelting-furnaces erected at Copper Harbour, America will be an exporter of copper, as she already is of lead.