﻿16(3 SMITH. 



G EOLOGY ECONOMIC. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The northern part of this province, although not yet. a mineral pro- 

 ducing district, bids fair to yield some rich returns, first of all from 

 its non-metallic minerals, and possibly later from the metalliferous de- 

 posits which in all likelihood are also to be found. 



Dynamic metamorphism which has prevailed throughout most of the 

 region is directly responsible for the formation of many minerals, both 

 of economic value and otherwise, which are not to be found in many other 

 parts of the Islands. The most important of the economic deposits is 

 asbestos, a collective name for more than one mineral, and actinolite, a 

 calcium hornblende predominating in the schists. 



The following is a list of the minerals and rocks which will probably 

 prove to be of greater or less value: Asbestos, manganese oxide, apatite, 

 mica and talc, oclier, quartz, feldspar and building stone. 



Asbestos is found as a " stock iverl;" or ramifying vein deposit in the 

 serpentine formation of the district; the manganese, in the form of an 

 oxide, is a sedimentary deposit, concentrates from veinlets ramifying the 

 eruptive conglomerate mass; the mica and talc are entirely secondary 

 formations in the schist zone ; ocher occurs as a concentrate from the 

 weathered igneous mass; the quartz and feldspar form a part of the 

 granulite mass; apatite was encountered near the granulite dike, its 

 exact relations being unknown. Building stone encountered here, both 

 the granulite and the Pasuquin calcareous sandstone, is suitable for 

 certain grades of construction. 



Of course we must continually bear in mind that the value of each 

 and every one of these products depends upon the market, after the 

 available quantity is assured. There seems to be no reasonable doubt but 

 that all the asbestos which can be mined can be used both in the Philip- 

 pines and elsewhere, as the production of this mineral is not at present 

 sufficiently great to interfere with the disposal of the Philippine product 

 at good figures. If any considerable quantity of first grade fiber is opened 

 up, handsome returns should be realized. The best Canadan fiber from the 

 Thetford mines brings $80 (United States currency) per ton and the 

 second grade from $13 to $50 15 (New York prices). 



It would be premature to say much about the market for manganese 

 oxide but we are reasonably certain of one thing, there is no local demand 

 for it and whether it could compete in the outside market is not at all 

 certain; furthermore, there is at least one other locality in the Islands 

 which will be a competitor, as reports by various engineers and prospectors 

 assert that there is a considerable deposit of good manganese ore in the 



15 U. »S'. Cl. S. Press Bulletin, Monday a. m., July 9 (1906). 



