THE MINING AND QUARRY INDUSTRY 1908 



89 



writing paper as filler and finisher, and it is used to a considerable 

 extent, though perhaps not so widely, in news])aper. It is more 

 readily incorporated with paper stock than clay and at the same 

 time has a beneficial influence upon the strength of the paper. For 

 wallpai)er the foliated talc is often employed to give a lustrous 

 surface. The manufacturers of gypsum wall plasters are consum- 

 ers of talc which takes the place of hair, wood fiber or asbestos 

 in these plasters. Among minor uses are in the manufacture of 

 waterproof paints, steam pipe coverings and toilet powders. 



Production. The production of talc in recent years has averaged 

 about 65,000 tons. Of late there has been no decided expansion 

 fiom year to year, though the tendency on the whole has been up- 

 ward rather than to remain stationar\-. This appears from the 

 following table which gives the ontjnit and value for each year 

 since 1896. 



Production of talc in New York 



YEAR 



1896 

 1897 

 1898 

 1899 

 1900 

 1901 

 1902 

 1903 

 1904 



1905 

 1906 

 1907 

 1908 



SHORT 

 TOXS 



46 089 



57 009 

 54 356 

 54 655 



63 500 

 62 200 

 71 100 

 60 230 

 65 000 

 67 000 



64 200 

 59 000 

 70 739 



VALUE 



$399 443 

 396 936 

 411 430 

 438 

 499 

 483 



615 

 421 



455 

 519 

 541 

 501 

 697 



150 

 500 

 600 



350 

 600 

 000 

 250 

 600 

 500 

 390 



VALUE 

 PER TON 



$8 67 



6 96 



7 57 



8 02 



7 87 



6 99 



8 65 



7 • • 

 7 • ■ 



7 75 



8 43 



8 50 



9 86 



The production in 1908 of 70,739 .short tons valued at $697,390 

 was considerably above that of the preceding year due mostly to 

 the shortage of supply in 1907 brought about by the burning of one 

 of the larger milling jjlants. There was also an increase in the 

 average prices received for the ground talc, the average of nearly 

 $10 a ton being the highest for a long time. At the low prices 

 which prevailed in some of the years past, there was little or no 

 profit for the mining companies, and the present level can not be 



