SYMPOSIUM ON SCIENCE AND RECONSTRUCTION 91 



of tlie pyrite resources of the central and eastern states. 

 Tlie coal-producing- states were given special attention, 

 because of the recognized importance of the coal mines as 

 the most probable source of large quantities of pyrite. 



As a result of this investigation carried on in the coal 

 fields under the direction of Mr. E. A. Holbrook of the 

 U. S. Bureau of Mines, it is now known that the coal mines 

 of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Illi- 

 nois, and Missouri can easily furnish, with the equipment 

 now available, up to more than 2,000,000 tons of pyrite 

 annually, and that tlie mines of Illinois, on a very con- 

 servative estimate, could easily produce 200,000 tons with- 

 out additional equipment. During 1917 this State pro- 

 duced about 24.000 tons, so that it is probably producing 

 not over one-tenth of what it could easily produce. Indeed, 

 with additional rather inepensive equipment, the output 

 could be increased very materially beyond 200,000 tons, 

 probably nearly 500,000 tons annually, a figure which is 

 essentially the amount of pre-war demand for pyrite from 

 domestic sources. 



That the stimulation of the pyrite industry has not re- 

 sulted from the growth of war industries has been some- 

 what of a surprise. Events have shown, however, that the 

 country possesses larger resources of brimstone than could 

 have been suspected at the time the pyrite inventory was 

 inaugurated. Xew areas have been opened to development, 

 and new wells have been di-illed on the original properties, 

 so that at the opening of 1919, it is a serious problem to find 

 a market for the prospective production of brimstone. In 

 fact, as early as July, the War Industries Board issued the 

 statement that there was above ground at the mines in 

 Louisiana and Texas, over 1,000,000 tons of brimstone — 

 a sufticient stock for 8 months at the rate of 120,000 tons a 

 mouth, which was approximately the current demand, ac- 

 cording to one authority. There was the additional un- 

 certainty, however, in regard to these deposits that was 

 occasioned by tlieir location near the coast, thereby making 

 them possible targets of marauding German vessels that 

 might escape into the Gulf. In general, however, uneasi- 

 ness in regard to a possible sulphuric acid shortage had 

 disappeared in the latter part of the summer, before the 

 pyrite inventory had been completed in all the states. 



