The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1937-04-16
1896 Mineral Production i'm
State twenty-five Percent
Higher Than lit Was i'm '35

into q wall and ceiling insulator under the
trade name KarstoIte.
Cement production Of course is dependent
on building construction. Montana's needs
are supplied by the plant at Trident. using
natural cement rock as q raw product.
Clay production in Montana is small. due,
not to the lack of clays, but to the lack
of sufficient markets for brick and tile. Plants
are located at Lewistown, Helena, Butte, and
Kalispell.
Coal resources of Montana are enormous
and are said to represent seven percent OF
the total reserves Of the world. Coal is mined
both by open-pit and underground methods.
In 1881, due to economic conditions and to
the increasing domestic. commercial. and in
dustrial use OF natural gas coal mining SUI.
fered a serious setback and has not yet
recovered its former Importance. Production
in 1896 was only SIS percent of that in 1880.
Gems and precious stones have long been
known in Montana, and the quality of Mon
tana sapphires is unsurpassed. even by orr
entail gems. Gem sapphire production has
been at low ebb for many years. but each
year an appreciable quantity OF small sap
rflires is recovered from placer operations
in southwestern Montana. These are used
as jewel-bearings in scientific Instruments.
Moss agates found along river
are cut and polished, mainly for tourist
trade.
Graphite occurs in several localities. but
west Of Dillon. has been developed. The
graphite is produced according to the demand
Gypsum deposits of high-grade are wide
spread IN central montana. Much OF IL Is
utilized in the manufacture of gypsum plas-
tiers. Active plants are located at Hanover
and at Heath.
Lime, anothr building material, is derived
from pure limestones with which Montana
is well supplied. Production depends on local
demand controlled by activity in building con-
struction.
Mineral waters of Montana's many mineral
springs have long been valued for their ther-
apeutic properties, and much of it is mar
keted each year.
Nr.k,- .-
has increased rapidly since its beginning in
1915. Increase in industrial and commercial
activity during the year should cause a
marked increase in the production of natural
gas in 1896. There are nine active gas fields
in Montana.
Natural gasoline is being recovered from
natural gas in but one field. the Cut Bank
field. Here, more than one quart of gasoline
is recovered from 1000 cubic feet of gas
in an absorption plant.
Petroleum production in 1896 was marked
by the addition of one new field to the list
Of producers. Oil was discovered in CONNER
cial amounts on the Mosser dome southwest
of Billings late in 1896, and a production of
1856 barrels was reported.
Phosphate rock reserves in Montana are
large. At present. rock mined in Montana
is shipped to Trail, B. c., for manufacture
into treble superphosphate. Superrhosphates
at Anaconda are made from Idaho rock.
Sand and gravel production has reached a
value of several million dollars yearly owing
to the extensive road building program in
Montana.
Stone production in Montana fluctuates
considerably. ranging from 500, 900 to $780,
600 yearly. Montana stone includes granite,
sandstone. marble, travertine, limestone. and
crushed rock. Beautiful honey-yellow traver-
tine is auarried near Manhattan and Card
liner. and bla~ck-and-gold marble is quarried
near TOWNSEND.
Sulphuric acid is produced from pyrite
concentrates at the Anaconda smelter. The
acid Is used in the manufacture of super
phosphates.
Vermiculite. one Of the newest Insulating
materials, is found in many Places in Mon
tana, but at present only the Libby deposits
are being worked. This deposit supplies prac-
tically all the United States demand for
this product.