6 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 
loss incurred by the decline of the latter year and placed 1912 
almost on a par with the record year of 1907 when the total reached 
$37,142,000. 
The materials on which these production figures are based number 
over thirty and represent in most cases the first products of the 
mines and quarries. They do not of course cover the whole field 
of enterprise in this department of activity, since there are many 
large industries based on their further elaboration or manufacture, 
as well as others of equal importance engaged in the treatment of 
products secured from sources outside the State. Among such 
industries may be mentioned the manufacture of aluminum, calcium 
carbide, carborundum, pig iron and steel, soda products, coke, and 
many others that together greatly exceed in value of their outturn 
those branches under present consideration. 
Among the metallic minerals found in the State, iron ore is the 
most valuable from an industrial standpoint. The gross output 
of this ore last year was 1,277,677 long tons. After allowance for 
concentration, which is practised by the Adirondack mines, there 
remained a total of 1,057,702 long tons of shipping ore which had 
a value of $3,349,095, as compared with 952,364 long tons valued 
at $3,184,057 for the year 1911. There was a good advance among 
the mines in the Clinton belt, though the magnetite ores as usual 
constituted the greater part of the production. New developments 
have been in progress which may lead to a material advance in 
the industry in the near future. 
The clay-working industries contributed the largest items of the 
totals, with an aggregate value of $11,947,497 in 1912, and 
$9,751,659 in the preceding year. The large gain in production 
during the year was due largely to a better demand for structural 
materials, including common and pressed building brick, terra cotta, 
hollow fireproofing, etc., of which the total value amounted to 
$8,301,839, as compared with $6,473,857 in the preceding year. . 
The number of brick for building purposes made in 1912 was 
1,205,704 thousands, against 1,078,019 thousands in 1911, about 
three-fourths in each year being manufactured in the Hudson 
River district. The pottery trade also showed an improvement and 
the returns indicated a total value for the production of $2,876,762 
which was a new record. About 200 firms were engaged in the 
various clay-working branches. 
The improved conditions in the building trades also brought about 
an increased output of quarry materials, inclusive of granite, lime- 
