MINERAL RESOURCES OE THE STATE OF NEW YORK 79 



the same material has been opened on an adjoining farm by M. A. 

 Penfield. The New York material has thus far not been used for 

 clarif^nng purposes, and it is doubtful if the deposit from McCon- 

 nellsville will prove to be smtable for this purpose." 



Tests in the laboratory indicate that the earth has not a strong 

 decolorizing action on mineral oils, as compared with some of the 

 southern earths. The appHcation of fuller's earth to oil refining 

 has become of much more importance than of cleansing wool, so 

 far as the actual consumption is concerned. Very httle of the 

 domestic material is now used for the latter purpose, and the require- 

 ments are mainly imported. Fuller's earth also finds a limited 

 outlet in the manufacture of pigments, as a substitute for talc, and 

 as a reagent for food analysis. 



The properties of fuller's earth are much like those of ordinary 

 clay. It usually lacks the plasticity of clay, is more adhesive when 

 touched with the tongue, and also absorbs water imtil it crumbles 

 and flows. Practical tests are necessary to establish the commercial 

 value of any particular sample. Chemical analysis shows that the 

 earths from different locahties have a wide range of composition 

 which is without much significance as to their valuable properties. 



GARNET 



Conditions in the abrasive garnet industry have undergone no 

 great changes recently as a result of the unusual trade developments. 

 Some branches of the abrasive trade, however, experienced extensive 

 readjustment owing to the curtaiknent or failure of supplies of the 

 necessary raw materials which hitherto had been drawn more or 

 less from foreign sources. The garnet business, however, being 

 largely an American industry, was exempt from any disturbances 

 of this character, and consumers were able to get plentiful supphes 

 at prices a little above the average of previous years. 



The use of garnet as an abrasive has obtained a firm foothold in 

 this country, but strangely enough its value in that line has not 

 been recognized to any extent abroad. The only foreign mines of 

 any importance, so far as present yield is concerned, are those in 

 Spain from which a few thousand tons of garnet have been obtained 

 in recent years. This garnet finds little market in the European 

 countries, but practically all of it is shipped to the United States 

 for manufacture. Abrasive garnet has its own special functions and 

 does not enter into competition with other abrasive materials to 

 any extent, its employment being particularly in the woodworking 

 and leather manufacturing industries. 



