MINERAL RESOURCES OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK 



28=; 



The average selling price based on the above figures was $12.68 a 

 ton in 1918 as compared with $11.81 a ton in 1917 and$io. 30 in 1916. 

 Altogether the output of talc in the State has amounted to about 

 1,950,000 tons, valued at $16,500,000. Shipments began to assume 

 importance about 1880, but talc was mined on a small scale before 

 that date which, however, marks the inauguration of continuous 

 mine operations in the Edwards district. 



Production of talc in New York 



YEAR 



SHORT 



TONS 



VALUE 



YEAR 



SHORT 

 TONS 



VALUE 



1883 



6 000 

 10 000 

 10 000 

 12 000 

 15 000 

 20 000 

 23 476 

 41 354 



53 054 

 41 925 

 36 500 

 50 500 

 40 000 

 46 089 

 57 009 



54 356 

 54 655 

 63 500 



$75 000 

 no 000 

 no 000 

 125 000 

 160 000 

 210 000 

 244 170 

 389 196 

 493 068 

 472 485 

 337 625 

 454 500 

 320 000 



399 443 

 396 036 

 411 430 

 438 150 

 499 500 



1901 



1902 



1903 



1904 



1905 



1906 



1907 



1908 



1909 



1910 



1911 



1912 



1913 



1914 



1915 



1916 



1917 



1918 



62 200 

 71 100 



60 230 

 65 000 

 67 000 



64 200 



59 000 



70 739 

 50 000 



65 000 

 65 000 



61 619 



63 000 

 74 075 

 69 514 

 93 236 

 74 671 



71 167 



$483 600 

 615 350 

 421 600 



455 000 

 519 250 

 541 600 

 501 500 

 697 390 

 450 000 

 552 500 

 552 500 

 511 437 

 551 250 

 671 286 

 576 643 

 961 510 

 881 462 

 902 100 



1884 



1885 



1886 



1887 



1888 



1889 



1890 



189I 



1892 



1893 



1804. 



189'i 



1896 



1897 



1898 



i8qq 



1900 



Nature of talc. Talc is a hydrated magnesian silicate, which in 

 pure state contains: silica 63.5 per cent, magnesia ■31.7 per cent and 

 water 4.8 per cent. The mineral is both a primary deposit from 

 solution and a secondary product resulting from the alteration of 

 an anhydrous magnesian silicate of the amphibole and pyroxene 

 groups. Primary talc shows crystal properties, occurring as flakes 

 and scales that have well defined physical characters, and chemically 

 is close to the theoretical percentages demanded by the formula. 

 Secondary talc frequently preserves the structure and habit of the 

 parent substance, so that its form is without significance in regard 

 to its own crystal development, and it is often admixed with 

 impurities that were contained in the primary silicates. 



The talc in the Edwards district is principally secondary and 

 pseudomorphic talc, derived by alteration of tremolite whose physical 

 structure is still retained. The talc occurs in small elongated to 

 squarish particles, made up of many parallel fibres; and these 

 fibrous aggregates are intergrown so as to constitute a solid mass 



