J/t) 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[May 1, 1911. 



However, in 1877. a farmer named Fecteau discovered de- 

 posits of importance, and the first real mine began operations 

 shortly afterwards. It is said that the enterprise was a paying 

 one from the start. Seven mines in all were opened in the first 

 few years. One of these is said to have paid $24,000 net in 

 one year upon an investment of $6,000. 



In 1880, the Canadian ontput was only 380 short tons. This 

 had a value of $24,700, or $65 per ton. For a number of years, 

 production and total value increased. In 1888, the output de- 

 creased slightly, but the value did not. With this exception, the 

 eleven years following 1879 witnessed a constantly growing 

 production. The value never failed to rise. In 1890, there 

 were produced 9,860 tons, valued at $1,260,240, or nearly $128 

 per ton. Since then the output h;,s been on 'the whole on the 

 increase, but the value per ton ndver again re.ichcd the high- 

 water mark of 18S0. In 1904, Canada produced 35,068 tons, hav- 

 ing a value of $1,154,566, or $32.92 per ton. Pretty much the 

 whole of the total production is exported, the bulk coming to 

 the United States. Thus, in the ten years 1895-1904, Canada 

 exported to the United States a total of 151,848 tons, having a 

 value of $4,497,318, or an average ton value of $29.62. Great 

 Britain imported 26,048 tons in the same period, the value be- 

 ing $1,337,025, or $49.43 per ton; and Germany took 15,214 tons, 

 having a value of $600,402, or $39.46 per ton. Ten concerns in 



At the factories it is cleaned and separated into 3 grades: 

 One, long fibers for weaving; two, short fibers for manufac- 

 turing asbestos papers, etc.; three, asbestos powder, part of 

 which is used for cement and the rest is sold for land dressing. 



This hornblende asbestos although of very good quality will 

 never probably compete with the serpentine variety of Canada. 

 In the first place the mining problem is a difficult one, calling 

 for hand labor. Secondly, the fibers although long are of in- 

 different strength and special, intricate machinery has to be 

 used, and lastly, the supply is not as certain as is the Canadian. 



Asbestos upon leaving the cobbing sheds is sent to the spin- 

 ning mills, in bags holding about 100 pounds. Upon its arrival 

 "it is first fore-carded by a machine similar to the saw-tooth gin 

 used in cotton mills. This separates the tangled fibers; after 

 which a final carding takes place on a regular carding machine. 

 When the asbestos leaves the carding machine it is combed 

 smoothly and the fibers laid parallel, in a uniform mass. This 

 mass is treated in a rota-spinning machine. This first spins it 

 into a coarse yarn and then draws and spins this yarn until 

 it becomes fine and quite strong. Where a hard strong thread 

 is required for certain fabrics, the asbestos yarn is put into a 

 doubling and twisting machine where two or more of the yarn 

 threads are combined. Of course if the asbestos is to be im- 

 pregnated witli rubber a smcoth hard finished thread is not 



SjJIN'MNC- D£P.\RTMEM. UNITED A>nESTns Ci 



l.n 



1903^ 'were operating tlicir mines and plants, employing about 

 1,500 men at an average yearly wage of about $273. 



A.sbestos was first mined in Italy, and prior to 1880 it was 

 the ■ only country that produced it at a commercial profit. It 

 was 'found in the Susa and .\osta regions and in the district 

 of y^ltellina. The best quality from Italy is found in the Susa 

 regiem and is of the horn-blende or amphibole variety. It differs 

 frorn .chrysotile in that the latter is a hydrous silicate of mag- 

 nesia, while the hornblende species is silicates of lime and mag- 

 nesia \vith an earthy base, part of them only hydrous. 



The Italian asbestos is very silky in appearance and grey to 

 brown in color. Often the fibers are several feet in length. 

 Its heat resisting powxr is about the same as that of chrysotile, 

 but it has not the strength of the latter nor are its deposits 

 as sure. In the Susa district it occurs on the sides of the moun- 

 tains and, therefore, its mining is difficult. These mines vary 

 from 3,000 to 7,000 feet above sea level. Usually shafts are 

 driven, the blasting being accomplished by dynamite. The ore 

 IS taken out in the form of lumps of hard bundles of fibre. It 

 is then loaded onto sleds or toboggans and coasted down the 

 mountain side, and two men can bring dowm 8 cwt. of asbestos 

 in 3 hour.s. Whqn the day's work is finished the asbestos is 

 bagged up as it is and sent to the factories. 



We.wing Dep.\rt.\ie.\t, U.nited Asbestos Co., London. 



desirable. In asbestos spinning roller cards are used almost 

 entirely. Perfectly carded asbestos should be clean, uniform 

 of web, no knots or matted places and no impurities. The 

 weaving is done usually on power looms similar to those used 

 in cotton mills. The crossing of the warp is done in different 

 ways, depending upon whether the article to be produced be a 

 simple fabric or a compound weave in which a varied number 

 of filling threads is used. 



.\ simple fabric is thai which is made up of a cotton warp 

 and an asbestos filling thread, as are also fabrics that are made 

 to be coated on both sides with rubber. The simple weave 

 makes the '"stiffcst" and strongest fabric, owing to the equal 

 number of its threads, and this is an essential feature in water- 

 proof fabric, which must be of great flexibility and strength. 



The spinning of asbestos for a long time seemed of great 

 difficulty, owing to the manner in which the threads persisted in 

 slipping past each other. Finally it was discovered that, under 

 the microscope a thread of asbestos showed a notched and ser- 

 ried surface and that by means of special twisting the spinning 

 could be made successful. Now, after much experimenting 

 mainifacturers are able to spin a single asbestos thread of 100 

 yards in length, not weighing over an ounce and possessing 

 considerable strength. 



