MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK 8/ 



dependence is put upon the buddle. The rock is broken by crushers 

 and then further reduced by rolls or stamps until the graphite flake 

 is in free form. The crushed material is then sent in launders to 

 the buddle which is a cylindrical tank i6 or i8 feet in diameter and 

 3 1 or 4 feet deep. As the material is discharged into the buddle 

 it imdergoes gentle agitation so that the graphite flakes are carried 

 to the outer edge owing to their buoyancy while the granular 

 minerals collect within the interior zone. A second or even a third 

 treatment may be required to make a fairly clean graphite product. 

 After the separation the graphite is screened in order to eliminate 

 more of the impurities and is then dried. 



Within the last year the practice of the Adirondack mills has 

 been completely changed by the substitution of oil flotation for the 

 buddle. In the mill of the American Graphite Co. at Graphite, 

 callow cells have been introduced and are reported to be giving 

 good satisfaction. The flotation process, according to accounts, 

 effects an increased saving of the graphite and reduces the amount 

 of mica admixed with the product. This process has also been 

 introduced in the plants of Hooper Bros, and of the Graphite Products 

 Corporation. 



|v Production. Interest in the production of flake graphite assumed 

 unprecedented proportions last year. This was brought about by 

 the scarcity of high-grade crystalline graphite in the domestic market 

 owing to the curtailment of available shipping which interfered with 

 ' the importation of Ceylon and Madagascar graphite and to embargoes 

 placed upon the importations by the English and French govern- 

 ments for a period of 3 months. An abnormal demand for crucibles 

 in the manufacture of alloys and alloy steels stimulated the market 

 and brought about an increase of prices to nearly double the previous 

 figures. 



The New York mines did not register any important gain in 

 the production of graphite in spite of the favorable conditions of 

 the market, and th-e output for 19 17 of 2,941,040 pounds valued at 

 $261,548 and in 1918 of 3,266,518 pounds valued at $273,188 were 

 only about the average quotas for the mines. The failure of the 

 companies to respond to the stimulating cctnditions may be accounted 

 for by the changes and improvements in progress in the mining and 

 milling plants. 



