The Character of California 

 Structural Materials. 



LEWIS B. AUBURY, State mineralogist. 



HE growth of development of the essential structural material 

 resources in California has been strikingly emphasized by the 

 field work of the State Mining Bureau assistants engaged in the 

 securing and preparation of data on the Structural and Indus- 

 trial Materials of California. 



California can and should produce every cubic foot of sand- 

 stone, granite, marble and onyx, every barrel of cement, all the clay and 

 terra cotta ware, paint and soda that may be employed or consumed within 

 the State, and become an exporter of all these materials and wares. There 

 is no necessity for importation of these from other States. 



Within the two years, 1903-1904, California builders have imported 

 from other States, approximately, 18,000 cubic feet of sandstone, 17,000 

 cubic feet of granite, 37,000 cubic feet of marble and onyx. That is just 

 72,000 cubic feet more than should have been imported. But when one 

 considers that in those two years California produced, approximately, 800,- 

 000 cubic feet of sandstone, 850,000 of granite and 200,000 of marble, the 

 import figures do not appear so terrifying. 



These figures are approximated, but they are close enough for the pur- 

 poses of comparison. 



California cement is another material that within the past two or three 

 years has shown what can be done in this State by the application of com- 

 mercial energy to the natural resources. There are now in operation three 

 cement plants in the State, and the demand for their products is enormous. 

 Compared with the imports from other States, the California production cuts 

 a very large figure. In the two years, 1903-1904, the imports from other 

 States amounted approximately to about 23,000 barrels. California pro- 

 duced in that period about one and one-half million barrels. 



California mineral paint is an essential material that should in the future 

 receive greater encouragement from the manufacturers than it has in the 

 past. The product of 1903 was greater than the imports of the two years 

 of 1903-1904, and two of the available deposits in the State were not ope- 

 rated. There is not the slightest doubt of the quality of the production; that 

 has been demonstrated. Activity of producers and encouragement by the 

 dealers and manufacturers will reduce the imports very materially within the 

 next two years. 



The manufacture and employment of concrete is one of the essential 

 structural industries that is making great strides in California. Since this 

 State produces the cement and the basic materials in the form of trap rocks 

 and gravel are so abundantly and economically distributed in the hills and 

 streams, there is no longer a question of the economy of employment of con- 

 crete for foundations and walls of buildings, for culverts, and for structural 

 work applied to irrigation and drainage. 



Akin to this industry, and one that is advancing rapidly, is the manufac- 

 ture of structural hollow ware for use in the interior construction of fireproof 

 buildings. California provides also the base for this ware in the clays and 

 cemented lavas that are abundant in many counties. 



Note. — The field assistants of the State Mining Bureau have been 

 making observations and investigations and reporting from occurrences 

 of materials that may be employed in structural and industrial operations. 

 The Mining Bureau will shortly issue a bulletin giving in full reports of the 

 field assistants on structural and industrial materials in California and many 

 other matters of importance. 



