Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1904-12-08
PRODUCTION OF ASBESTOS
Only s74 Short Tons, Valued at $14,-
100, Turned Out in
1908.


O prospector could make In this country
would be the discovery Of en- extensive
deposit of chrysotile asbestos. Few
people realize the Importance OF this
useful mineral and the meagerness OF
our supply. The total quantity pro-
duced in the United States during the
year 1903 was only S74 short tons, valued
at $14,160, an average value Of $500 q
ton. This shows a decrease of 131 tons
in quantity and Of $1,040 in value as
compared with the production Of 1902,
which amounted to zoos tons, valued
at $4,000. The fact, however, that as
bestos to the value of s6S9,337 was inn
ported into the country during the year
1903 indicates the inadequacy Of our
home supply to meet the public demand.
The great economic value Of our limited
asbestos resources is particularly en-
phasized by DR.. Joseph Hyde Pratt in
his report on "The Production Of Asbes-
tos in 1903" which the United States
geological survey has just published as
an extract from Its annual volume Of
Mineral Resources)."
Nearly cc,,ii OF the asbestos imported
into the United States is obtained from
the Canadian deposits and is OF the
chrysotile variety. This is much SUI
perior to amphibole asbestos, the other
commercial variety, but unfortunately
1t Is also much rarer. Amplitude as
bestos occurs in so large quantity and
forms so high q percentage OF the rock
mass that is removed in mining or quar-
rying 1t that the cost Of mining is ex-
tremely low. On the other hand, .he
chrysotile variety never occurs In any
regular vein formation, so that 1t Is
usually necessary to mine from 30 to 30
tons of the rock to obtain one ton of the
asbestos. The heat resisting proper
ties Of both these varieties Of asbestos
are approximately the same, but the
chrysotile variety has much greater
strength Of fiber.
The sources Of supply OF amphibole
asbestos in the United States are very
numerous. A number Of new companies
have been organized and have begun
operations for the production Of this
variety Of asbestos, but so slight is the
demand for It that their production and
sale must be limited. The asbestos pro-
duced in the United States during 1908
came principally from deposits at Sail
Mountain. White county, Georgia but
small quantities were mined near Dali
ton, Berkshire county. Massachusetts.
and near New Hartford, Connecticut.
With the exception of the small amount
of asbestos produced in Massachusetts,
the entire production was of the amphi-
bole variety. In view OF the manifold
uses of chrysotile asbestos. which would
surely multiply with any reduction in
price, It is unfortunate that our country
contains so little Of this valuable min
eral. The most promising deposits or
chrysotile asbestos in the United
States are near the village of Lowell,
Vermont.
DIR. Pratt devotes the major portion
OF his report to discussion of the uses
of asbestos and the origin of the chryso-
tile variety. In practically all cases
where asbestos IS used, It's power to re-
sist heat or its nonconductivity of heat
is the important quality desired. A few
years ago only few articles were made
of this mineral, but It is now made in
hundreds of forms, as asbestos products
can be manufactured in almost any size
and shape and to meet all kinds Of de-
mands for fire-proohng material. Those
interested in the subject may obtain a
copy of Dr. Pratt's report, free of charge.
by applying to the director of the United
States geological survey, Washington,
d. C.