ALBANY MOLDING SAND^ 



BY DAVID H. NEWLAND 



This paper deals more particularly with the features of molding 

 sand as exhibited in the field. Its scope will be restricted to the 

 description of the deposits in the Albany district, one of the better 

 known sources of sands for general foundry use in the East and in 

 some respects, perhaps, typical as an illustration of their occur- 

 rence in this section. 



The study of molding sands from the present standpoint does not 

 seem to have engaged much attention heretofore. There are one 

 or two state reports of relatively recent issue, but aside from these 

 little information may be found in regard to the distribution of the 

 resources, their geological association, extent of available supplies 

 and other matters that have direct relation to the productive 

 industry and that in the future may develop critical importance. 

 In view of the wide interest that has been manifest of late in the 

 investigation and appraisal of the supplies of other natural 

 materials that have engineering or technical value, the lack of infor- 

 mation upon this subject seems the more striking and prompts the 

 inquiry whether any real incentive for such study has been forth- 

 coming from those who should be mainly concerned — the foundry- 

 men themselves. 



General Features of the District 



Albany molding sand is the product of a single district, but has 

 a more extended distribution than the name might suggest to one 

 unfamiliar with the conditions. The district includes a stretch of 

 about loo miles on the meridian and takes in both banks of the 

 Hudson river from near Glens Falls on the north to Kingston on 

 the south. Albany lies near the center of the area, but by itself is 

 not an important factor in the industr}^, although good sand is 

 found within the city limits. 



The deposits occur here and there over the distance mentioned, 

 but usually are restricted to a very narrow section within close 

 proximity of the river. From Kingston to Albany county they do 

 not reach back usually more than a mile or two from either bank. 

 With the expansion of the valley near Albany through the entrance 



^ This paper was presented before the American Foundrymen's Associa- 

 tion, Atlantic City Meeting, 1915. 



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