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I t ~: Ii I j i I 40 grade ores of many metals also are plentifu although some of the richer metallic ores no, are nearly exhausted. ., Fuel Resources 1 Vast reserves of bituminous coal-great\ than those of Pennsylvania-and oil shJJe, tH largest deposit on this continent, assure tij future of fuel extracting and processing ind~ tries in Colorado for centuries to come. Bot coal and shale can be processed, when necessa~ to make liquid fuels, tars, gases, and vario~ chemicals. However, for the next two or thr~ decades, proved reserves of petroleum, natur! gas, and metallurgical coal are sufficient to s~ tain present production levels, suppl; iag Col~ rado's own needs and helping to meet those d neighboring States. Mineral Economy The geographic base of Colorado's miner i economy is unusually wide. Coal fields aboud' in both northern and southern counties. q and gas are found in the plains and foothi~ east and west of the Rockies. Hisroricallf metals have been most plentiful near the cent~ spine of the Continental Divide. Howev9 most of the State's 62 counties report prOductil of several different minerals. Construction materials are found alma) everywhere. Sand and gravel are produced 1 S9 counties and stone is quarried in 32. COl is mined in 16 counties, cla y in 10, uranium in 1) The precious metals and copper, zinc, ~ lead-in different combinations and mind compounds-are produced in varying quantit~ in more than a score of counties. Only urb~ Denver, the capital city and county, reports' mineral production, but its five refine~1 process nearly twelve million barrels of pe~ leum annually. I I I Petroleum and Natural Gas j j Petroleum is Colorado's most valuable si Carbonization processes for transforming coal j,lto CO~ tar, and a variety of gasses and chemicals are consto.i under study by the Department of Interior's BureoUJ M'.~.' 'h 0..,.. C..I '~.."h L.h.~lo.. 1