The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1918-01-24
DEMAND FOR MAGNES|TE
SUPPLIED IN THE WEST
DEPOSITS IN WASHINGTON AND
CALIFORNIA ARE THE
CHIEF SOURCES.

A shortage in the supply of certain
minerals needed in war has stimulated
new industries and developments.
Among these minerals is magnesite.
Until 1915 the United States produced
only about 10000 tons of magnesite
annually, although it used 100000 tons.
The domestic supply came from Cali
fornia and the imported material came
from Austria, Hungary and Greece. In
1916 the production in California jump
ed to 10000 tons, but the imports, If
the calcined material is computed as
crude rock, fell to $4,000 tons. The
supply therefore fell short of the de-
mand Manufactures of open hearth
steel had difficulty in getting enough
magnesite brick to line their furnaces
and companies that made magneste
! flooring were short of raw material.
Increased Output.
In view of this condition and the de-
crease in imports, domestic production
was greatly stimulated. According to
estimates by c. G. Yale of the U. S
geological survey, department of the
4 interior, the production of magnesite
1 in California in 1917 exceeded that OF
all former years, being estimated al
215,0O0 tons. This quantity and the
magnesite produced in the recently
discovered field in Stevens county
Wash, estimated by r. w. Stone, OF
the U. S. geological survey, at close TIC
100, 900 tons, makes an output of about
315, 900 tons in 1917, or $1,000 tons more
than the normal domestic demadn. In
view of the great increase in produc-
ton made in California and of the
fact that some of the large properties
| in Washington were only partly devel-
Ioped at the close of 1917, it is believ-
ed that the domestic industry hereaf.
ter will be able not only to supply the
home demand but may be able to pro
duce a surplus for the allies.
California magnesite is mined b!
open cuts or underground from veins
The larger deposits are connected will
railroad by spur tracks or automobile
road Production can be increased
considerably by operating propert.
now in litigation and by further devel
opment of some of the newer mines
Washington Deposit.
The huge deposits of magnesite re
Gently discovered in Stevens county
Wash, are only few miles from
railroad, with a down grade haul TO
the load and are SO situated that the
can be easily quarried. The Washing
ton magnesite occurs in beds Xix
Limestone, in thick lenses up to
quarter of a mile long, exposed on hill
sides or ridge tops where long quar-
ries can be opened. Production in tn
field began with an output of TO tor
of crude magnesite in December, 191
BY the spring of 1917 four firms wei
in the field and in August the dali
shipments averaged 500 tons. III
output of Washington crude magnt
site in 1917 was between $4,000 an
100 900 tons. Nearly $4,000 tons I
this quantity was shipped crude; tt
, remainder was burned by three pre-
ducers in kilns at four places. three
the quarries and one on the railroa
at Chewelah, the four making ov
Is, 600 tons of calcined magnesite. Oh
ly one company continued productit
throughout the year; one stopped
August after making small outp
, and another began operations in TIL
month. Now that the quarries a
| opened and the transportation facil
J.; ties from the quarries are being In
f proved it will be possible to produ
e a much larger quantity in 1918.
d Uses Of Masnesite.
= Magnesite is used not only for ma
e ing refractory brick and composite
|, flooring, it's principal uses, but in fir
|, resistant paint, in the sulphite pr
= cess of wood pulp paper manufactul
= as a heat insulator or covering /
e steam pipes and boilers, in megnes
= cement, and for other purposes. Ma
nesia cement is used for making t
decks of ships, the floors of hospita
and the floors of railroad cars as W
as for floors of larger areas. 1t n
been employed successfully in the II
ropean war for making gun emplat
ments. it's advantage for this use
ing that it sets quickly and has sol