426 JOSEPH HYDE PRATT 



furnishes the most valuable talc that is produced in the United 

 States, and in many respects is a unique occurrence of this 

 mineral. The quahty of this talc is such as is used in the manu- 

 facture of tailors' pencils, etc., and for which there is a larger 

 demand than can be met. All the rest of the North Carolina 

 talc is ground to flour, and most of it is used in the manufac- 

 ture of toilet powders. In Moore county occur the pyrophyl- 

 lite (soapstone) deposits, which have been mined quite ex- 

 tensively, the product being used for various purposes. None 

 of it is as good quality as the genuine talc, nor does it com- 

 mand as high a price. For foundry purposes, however, as far 

 as can be judged, it ought to be as satisfactory as the other. 



The Massachusetts talc deposits are not very numerous. 

 The deposits of talc in Maryland and Virginia are of the stea- 

 tite variety, and nearly all mined in these states is used for 

 manufactured articles. A very small amount has been ground 

 to a flour talc. A fibrous talc has been obtained in some quan- 

 tity in the vicinity of Wiehle, Fairfax county, Virginia. 



Soapstone deposits occur on both sides of the Delaware 

 river, being found in Warren county, N. J., and in North- 

 ampton county. Pa., in the vicinity of Easton. The general 

 width of this soapstone belt is from 500 to 600 feet, and the 

 mineral is obtained usually by quarrying. Practically all 

 of the Pennsylvania and New Jersey talc or soapstone is put 

 on the market in the form of a ground product, most of which 

 is used in the manufacture of paper. 



St. Lawrence county, N. Y., is the scene of the largest 

 talc industries in this country. The talc is of the fibrous vari- 

 ety, and is used almost entirely in the manufacture of paper. 

 There are about twelve mines in this talc region, and they 

 are located near Talcville, St. Lawrence county, and Little- 

 york, Cortland county. Since the consolidation of a number 

 of the smaller properties the mining and manufacture of ground 

 talc has been carried on more systematically and on a larger 

 scale, thus increasing the production of talc in this state and 

 decreasing the cost. 



The mining of talc is either (1) by means of open cuts 

 and pits, (2) by a system of shafts or tunnels and drifts, or 

 (3) occasionally by a combination of both cuts and shafts. 



