The Central Nevadan

GOLD AND SILVER.
The Production of Each During 1886—
Nevada Shows a Slight Decrease.

The report of the Director of the Mint on the production of the precious metals in the United States for the calendar year 1886 is in press, and will soon be ready for distribution. The Director estimates the production of the United States to have been in 1886: Gold, $35,000,000. The value of the silver in the above estimate is calculated at the coining rate of silver in the United States—the silver dollar, namely, $1.2929 per ounce, fine. The production of silver was 30,445,312 fine ounces; commercial value, at average price of silver during the year, namely, about $1 per fine ounce, $30,445,312.

The production of gold shows an increase over the prior year of $3,200,000. The production of silver is slightly less than in 1885. The tabular statement shows that the production of silver in the United States has largely increased from 1880, when it was $39,200,000 to $51,000,000 in 1886.

Colorado claims the first rank as the largest producer of the precious metals in the United States, the value of its production of gold and silver having been over $20,000,000 during the last year. California yields second place to Montana, with a production of nearly $17,000,000, against $16,000,000 by the former.

The production of Nevada and New Mexico has decreased, while that of the other States has remained almost constant. Texas for the first time is added to the list of producing States, with a production of $200,000 in silver.

The annual supply of silver from the mines of the world has largely increased in the last four years.