In 1918 the extent of the mining industry was so broad that a special directory service was suggested by the Minister of Fomento, separate from the present Union of Mines, Government Lands, Industry and Commerce. Mining concessions in 1917 included 9 in iron, 14 in gold, 1 in copper and iron, 8 in copper and 1 in mica. In 1918, 9 were granted in gold, and 5 in iron. The production totalled:
Gold 958,304 grams Copper 42,270,900 kilograms Asphalt 54,071,700 " Petroleum 18,248,524 " Coal 20,164,915 "
_Companies._ _Metal._ _Quantity._ _Value._ South American Copper Syndicate, Ltd. Gold 902,510 grams B. 2,669,599.19 La Cumaragua Sindicato Buria Copper 43,701,500 Kilograms Nat. Government } So. American Co } Asphalt 47,124,000 " N. Y. & Bermúdez Co. } Caribbean Petroleum Co. Petroleum 8,650,700 "
The general mining output of Venezuela in 1918 exhibited the following characteristics:
The production of coal was 25,332 tons in 1918 against 20,165 tons in 1917, all from the two mines operated by the government. Considerable improvements were made at the Naricual mines, and plans have been formulated involving the installation of briquetting machines, and the electrification of the mine by means of the falls of the Neveri River as the power source. The cost of coal at the pit was 13 bolivares ($2.51) per metric ton, and 40 bolivares ($7.72) when delivered to private parties.
Copper production fell from 42,270 tons in 1917 to 29,708 tons of ore in 1918, probably owing to lack of vessels for transportation and the falling off of demand for the metal following the cessation of hostilities in Europe.
Twelve companies were engaged in mining gold, the output being 958,304 grams in 1916 and 712,007 grams in 1918.
Only one company produced commercial asphalt (46,453 tons). (See Report on Petroleum and Asphalt, p. 102.)
The number of mining claims of all kinds taken out was 97 in 1917, 119 in 1918 and 135 in the first three months of 1919.
THE PETROLEUM AND ASPHALT INDUSTRY IN VENEZUELA
[The writer of this report is much indebted to Mr. W. T. S. Doyle, a graduate of Georgetown University, now manager of the Caribbean Petroleum Company in Venezuela.]
The purpose of this report is to present a complete, yet concise, discussion of the petroleum and asphalt situation in Venezuela. The first part is devoted to petroleum and the second part to asphalt.