New York State Museum Bulletin 



Entered as second-class matter November 27, 191S. at the Post Office at Albany, New York, 

 imder the act of August 24, 1912 



Published monthly by The University of the State of New York 

 No. 203, 204 ALBANY, N.Y. November and December 1917 



The University of the State of New York 

 New York State Museum 



John M. Clarke, Director 



HIGH-GRADE SILICA MATERIALS 



FOR GLASS, REFRACTORIES AND ABRASIVES 



BY 



R. J. COLONY 



INTRODUCTION 



Owing to conditions brought about by the war, the importation 

 of certain kinds of both raw materials and manufactured products 

 was either wholly prevented or seriously curtailed; this resulted in 

 the revival of decadent industries, in the stimulation of others, and 

 in the establishment of industries new to this country. 



The demand for high-grade silica rock has recently been largely 

 augmented because of its increasing use in the manufacture of 

 ferro-silicon, in the making of glass, especially glass of optical 

 quality, in the manufacture of silica refractories and in the produc- 

 tion of grinding pebbles and tube-mill liners. 



According to statistics compiled under the direction of G. F. 

 Loughlin, of the United States Geological Survey, the increase in 

 the demand for ganister, used in making silica brick, resulted in an 

 augmentation of 49 per cent in quantity and 171 per cent in value 

 in 191 7, as compared with 1916. More than 50 per cent of the 

 demand for pebbles and liners for tube-mills was supplied by 

 domestic materials in 1917; previous to 1914 practically all grinding 

 pebbles (flints) used in this country were imported from France, 

 Denmark and Belgium. Pennsylvania appears to have furnished 

 the bulk of the output of raw material of this character, notwith- 

 standing the fact that within the borders of New York State there 

 is an abundance of high-silica rock of excellent quality, conveniently 

 located with respect to transportation, and easily quarried. 



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