98 ECONOMICAL MINERALOGY. 



From a statement of property cleared at Whitehall, it appears that there was shipped in 

 1823, 3840 lbs. of blagk lead ; in 1829, 10,000 lbs.; in 1834, 22,000 lbs. It is probable 

 that a large proportion of this amount was the produce of Essex county. The mines, how- 

 ever, have never yet been worked with any degree of vigour, so that their real value or extent 

 cannot be accurately known. 



In Warren Codnty, graphite will probably be found in considerable abundance. There 

 is a locality of it on the farm of Mr. Noble, at Johnsburgh. Several hundred weight of good 

 graphite have been obtained from this mine. The mineral occurs in irregular-shaped masses 

 weighing from one to twenty pounds, in a vein of quartz. 



The same mineral occurs in independent masses in the rock. A locality of this kind was 

 discovered in Athol, whicli contained several tons, the whole of which was sent to market.* 



To these localities I will only add here, that graphite is said to occur in considerable quan-  

 tity in Clinton County, near the Saranac river, from four to six miles from Redford ; and 

 that it is thought to exist in workable quantities in the towii of Rossie and elsewhere in St. 

 Lawrence County. 



The principal uses of this mineral are well known. It is employed in the manufacture of 

 pencils, and for diminishing friction ; it also constitutes the basis of the silver lead, extensively' 

 used as a coating for cast and sheet iron. But the amount consumed for all these purposes is 

 comparatively small. 



* Emmons. J\^ew-York Geological Rpports, 1839. 



