ADIRONDACK MAGNETIC IRON ORES 35 



been attempted on a commercial scale, though it has been used 

 successfully elsewhere for similar materials. 



The concentrates from the Adirondack mills carry on the average 

 60 to 65 per c^nt iron. Besides raising, the iron content, magnetic 

 concentration affords a partial elimination of the phosphorus and sul- 

 fur, important advantages for some ores. In fact the treatment of the 

 Old Bed ores at Mineville is designed particularly to reduce the phos- 

 phorus, and the concentration is rather incidental to that purpose. 



The costs of mining and milling differ of course according to 

 local conditions. With a modern plant 75 cents per ton is prob- 

 ably a fair average for underground mining under favorable cir- 

 cumstances. Quarry work has been conducted for less than half 

 that amount at Benson Mines. Magnetic concentration costs 

 from 25 to 40 cents per ton of material treated. For a period of 

 ten months during 1900, the total cost of producing concentrates 

 at Benson Mines, including mining, milling and general expense, 

 is said to have been $2 per ton, which is equivalent to about 80 

 cents per ton of the crude material handled. 



Statistics of ore production 



The production of magnetite in the Adirondacks has amounted 

 in all to something over 35,000,000 long tons. The total can not 

 be stated accurately, though there is little doubt that the figure 

 given represents a minimum. The actual production may be 

 larger by two or three million tons. The following table gives the 

 nearest possible approximation of the output distributed among 

 the leading districts; it is based upon the statistics included in the 

 reports by Smock and Putnam and in other publications and upon 

 records of mining companies that have been obtainable. The 

 statistics are carried down to the end of 1906. They are based on 

 the marketable product as shipped to the furnace. 



DISTRICT LONG TONS 



Mineville 25 000 000 j 



Lyon Mountain 3 500 000 j . 



Arnold and Palmer hills 2 000 000 



Hammondville 2 000 000 



Saranac valley 500 000 



Fort Ann 350 000 



St Lawrence county 300 000 



Other mines 2 000 000 



Total 35 650 000 



