MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK 283 



Dr V. J. Chambers of Colmnbia University, who found it to be 

 strontium sulphate, with some barium sulphate admixed. From 

 this analysis it appears that the mineral is in reality barytocelestite. 



The Schoharie occurrences seem to deserve investigation as 

 possible sources of strontium minerals, if these should come into 

 considerable demand in the future. 



Celestite has been noted at Starkville, Herkimer county and in 

 several localities in Jefferson county, notably at Brownville, Depau- 

 ville, Chaumont and Theresa. It occurs at the Rossie lead mines 

 in small amounts in association with calcite. At Lockport it is 

 found as crystals in geodes with calcite, dolomite and gypsum, 

 inclosed in the Lockport dolomite. It is not likely that any of 

 these occurrences have commercial interest. 



TALC 



Talc occurs in important deposits and for many years has been 

 actively mined in the State. The principal supply of the mineral 

 has been obtained from the Edwards district, St Lawrence county, 

 where the deposits occur in crystalline magnesian limestones of 

 Precambrian age, which also are the sources of the newly developed 

 zinc ores. The district includes the belt of limestones that extends 

 from Sylvia lake, town of Fowler, into and across the adjoining 

 town of Edwards, with an area of some 20 square miles. A second 

 parallel belt of the limestones to the south, extending into Lewis 

 county, contains a deposit of talc in the vicinity of Natural Bridge 

 which has been under exploitation in recent years. 



The talc industry during 19 17 and 19 18 showed a continuation 

 of the favorable market conditions that obtained in the preceding 

 years, stimulated by the widespread industrial activity and by the 

 necessity of utilizing the domestic product in the place of foreign 

 grades which previously had been freely imported but of which 

 shipments in the last year or two have been greatly curtailed. In 

 the same way the diminished importations of white clay for coating 

 papers has enlarged the field for grades of talc applicable to that 

 use. The fibrous talc of St Lawrence county occupies a special 

 place in the paper industry by reason of its physical texture. 



The production of the talc mines in 191 7 showed a decline from 

 the record total of the previous year, for which local conditions, 

 and especially the inadequate labor supply, may be held responsible. 

 The output in 1917 was 74,671 short tons, valued at $881,462, as 

 compared with 93,236 tons valued at $961,510 in 1916. In 1918 

 the production amounted to 71,167 short tons valued at $902,100. 



