Hi Snowshoe - My limited understanding was the US gold only mines were shut down to free up manpower for the draft. Base metal mining continued, and workers were classified as essential.
Canada did not shut their gold mines, and thus was in a much better position at the end of the war.
The shut down had a very bad effect on many of the deep hard rock mines in California. These mines needed pumping to keep the water out, once this was stopped, the mines (some thousands of feet deep) flooded, timbers rotted, etc. these mines are pretty much forever lost.
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Right now, shipping is so maxed out on some routes that shipping cost is changing the import effects on prices. I think this is happening in steel - can't get ore, coal, etc. to China, Japan, Korea, and not much cheap capacity to ship back...
In rail roads, they can't export coal, lumber, and grain all at the same time.
I have recently bought some Norfolk Southern, a rail road -first time I think I have ever owned a railroad stock.
I also have options. (NYSE : NSC)
Railroads do use diesel more efficently than trucks. |
