6 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



expansion of the market demands, making feasible the working of 

 deposits hitherto considered of remote value; for others the con- 

 ditions have not favored any enlargement of productive activity 

 and even in some instances have caused a notable contraction from 

 the normal quotas; but for nearly all it may be said that the course 

 of economic development has been under the control of factors 

 scarcely anticipated and whose effects will continue to be felt after 

 the special causes themselves have been removed. 



The statistical canvasses of the mineral industries for the years 

 19 1 7 and 19 18, which were conducted by this office in cooperation 

 with the United States Geological Survey showed the value of the 

 products for 191 7 to have been $51,935,094. This represented a 

 gain of $5,987,147, or 13 per cent, in the value as compared with 

 that reported for 1916. InigiS the value of the products amounted 

 to $54,169,287, an increase of $2,234,193 in value over the year 1917. 

 As shown by the statistics on following pages the increased 

 value of the output for 19 18 resulted partly from an increase in 

 quantity of a few of the mineral products together with higher 

 prices; and partly from the increased value of some of the products, 

 although the quantities produced were less than in the preceding 

 year. The values given for both the years 191 7 and 19 18 are new 

 records for the mineral industry. 



The products of which notice has been taken in the statistical 

 investigations niunber over thirty and with few exceptions represent 

 their first forms as they come from the mines or quarries without 

 elaboration or manufacture, except so much as may have been 

 necessary to put them in marketable condition. They are not 

 inclusive of secondary products like iron and steel, ferro-alloys, 

 aluminimi, coke, sulphuric acid, alkali products of salt, artificial 

 graphite, calciimi carbide, etc., that are made from the crude ores 

 and minerals and that in combined value far outrank the reported 

 total for the basic materials. 



Among the materials that have an important place in the list 

 of products are iron ore, zinc ore, pyrite, gypsum, salt, portland 

 cement, petroleimi, natural gas, talc, graphite, clay wares and stone. 

 The production of iron ore for 19 17 is given as 1,356,011 long 

 tons with a value of $7,381,333, an increase in value but a decrease 

 in quantity as compared with 1916. In 1918 the production in 

 long tons is 899,970 with a value of $5,802,870. The production 

 of zinc ore for 19 17 totals 47,961 tons and the value based upon 

 the metal contents $1,059,186. In 1918 the corresponding production 

 amounted to 40,850 tons having a value of $687,230. Of pyrite 



