THE NONMETALLIC MINERALS. 277 



lows: Maryland, Bare Hills, Baltimore County. New Jersey, Hobo- 

 ken. Massachusetts, Roxbury. New York, near Rye, Westchester 

 County; Warwick, Orange County; Stony Point, Rockland County; 

 New Rochelle, Westchester County; Serpentine Hills, Staten Island. 

 North Carolina, Webster, Jackson County ; Hamptons, Yancey County, 

 McMakins Mine, Cabarrus County. Pennsylvania, Goat Hill, West 

 Nottingham, Chester County; Scotts Mine, Chester County; Low's 

 Chrome Mine, Lancaster County (Specimen No. 53101, U.S.N.M.). 

 California, Coyote Creek, near Madison Station, Southern Pacific 

 Railroad, Santa Clara County (Specimen No. 16070, U.S.N.M.); Gold 

 Run, Iowa Hill, and Damascus, Placer County; Arroyo Sero, Monterey 

 County; Mariposa and Tuolumne counties; Diablo Range, Alaineda 

 County; between Four Creek and Moores Creek, near Visalia, 

 Tulare County (Specimen No. 63842, U.S.N.M.); Alameda County; 

 Napa County (Specimen No. 62594, U.S.N.M.); Millcreek, Fresno 

 County. Washington, Spokane County(Specimen No. 53235, U.S.N.M.). 

 Sutton, Quebec, lot 12, range 7; Bolton, Quebec. Regla, near Havana, 

 Cuba. Kongsberg, Norway. Piedmont, Italy. Bingera Diamond 

 Fields, New South Wales. Victoria, South Australio (Specimens Nos. 

 28466 and 28472, U.S.N.M.). Kosewitz and Frankenstein, Silesia. 

 Styria, in Austria-Hungary. Greece (Specimens Nos. 62895 and (J7983, 

 U.S.N.M.). 



Uses. Magnesite is used in the preparation of magnesian salts 

 (Epsom salts, magnesia, etc.), in the manufacture of paint, paper, and 

 fire brick. For the last-named purpose it is said to answer admirably, 

 particularly where a highly refractive material is needed, as in the 

 so-called basic process of iron smelting. 



Magnesia made from the carbonate [magnesite] by driving off the carbonic acid 

 is very refractory, if pure. It is made into any shape that is required, and is one of 

 the most refractory of substances. It was formerly very difficult to get the carbon- 

 ate of magnesia, but large quantities of it have been found on the island of Eubcea, 

 so that it can now be had for $15 to $25 per ton, instead of $60 to $70 as formerly. 

 It can be calcined at a lesa cost than ordinary lime, losing half of its weight, so that if 

 calcined before it is transported the cost may be still further reduced. It contains a 

 little lime, silicates of iron, and some serpentine and silica. After calcination, the 

 serpentine and silica can be separated, as it is easily crushed, but the most of the 

 work can be done by hand-picking beforehand. Before moulding, it must be sub- 

 mitted to about the temperature it is to undergo in the furnace, otherwise it would 

 contract. It is then mixed with a certain portion of less calcined material, which is 

 one-sixth for steel fusion, and 10 to 15 per cent, water by weight, and pressed in iron 

 moulds. If for any reason either because there was too much or too little water, or 

 because the material was not properly mixed, or contains silica the crucible is not 

 strong enough, it has only to be dipped in water, which has been saturated with 

 boracic acid, and then heated. 1 



Twenty or more years ago the mineral was mined from serpentinous 



J T. Egleston, Transactions of the American Institute of Mining Engineers, IV, 

 1876, p. 261. 



