โ Scribed by R.H.O.
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
Wrather of the Geological Survey informed Secretary of the Interior J. A. Krug that the number of public-land mineral leases in force, the area covered by such leases, and the production of petroleum, natural gas, potassium, sodium, phosphate rock, and silica sand on leased public lands increased substantially during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1946. The recent strike, which paralyzed the coal industry and severely hampered production throughout the United States, resulted in only a small decrease in coal production on public lands.
Under supervision of the Conservation Branch of the Geological Survey, the recovery of minerals, including oil and gas, from 9,121 leases embracing 6,168,438 acres amounted to 5g,567,525 barrels of petroleum; g6,o7o,275,ooo cubic feet of natural gas; I2o,SIg,733 gallons of gasoline and butane: g,282,o5g tons of coal: 3,gIg,73g tons of potassium salts; 276,381 tons of sodium salts: 23,355 tons of silica sand; and 91,650 long tons of phosphate rock.
This compares with the fiscal year 1945, during which the production from 7,335 leases embracing 4,652,go8 acres amounted to 55,go7,o88 barrels of petroleum; g5,g20,557,ooo cubic feet of natural gas; I27,g22,745 gallons of gasoline and butane; 10,117,328 tons of Coal; 3,775,860 tons of potassium salts; 243,614 tons of sodium salts; 73,360 long tons of phosphate rock; and 15,000 tons of silica sand.
Dr. Wrather pointed out that the increases in production of petroleum as well as other minerals sharply reflect the results of the Department's all-out effort to produce minerals for war and reveal, in part, the important r61e of the Conservation Branch in this program.
Had the war continued, it is likely that the increases in production would have been materially greater.
R. H. 0.
๐ SIMILAR VOLUMES