98 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



TALC 



The talc mines in the Gouverneur district were under steady 

 operation throughout 1912 and contributed about their usual out- 

 put which was shipped for the most part in ground condition for 

 use in paper, wall plasters and other purposes. The district has 

 supplied for some time the greater part of the ground talc produced 

 in this country. During the last twenty years the annual outturn 

 has ranged from 40,000 tons as a minimum to a maximum of about 

 70,000 tons ; the total quantity mined from the first may be placed at 

 1,450,000 tons with a value on the average market basis of approx- 

 imately $12,000,000. This very considerable item in the mineral 

 yield of the State has not caused any serious drain upon the re- 

 sources, so far as can be estimated, for the development of new 

 mines has fairly kept pace with the depletion of supplies in the 

 older workings while there are still many possibilities for the occur- 

 rence of additional deposits within the long stretch of territory that 

 constitutes the district. 



The principal features of the occurrence of the talc and present 

 methods of its mining and milling were described in the preceding 

 issue of this report. The past season has witnessed no important 

 developments which call for any revision of the information con- 

 tained in the article, except that the list of active companies was 

 increased by the entrance of the Standard Talc Co. into the field. 

 This company, however, did not operate a new mine, but took over 

 the old United States mine, at Talcville, which had been under 

 lease to the International Pulp Co. The product was shipped to 

 New Jersey for grinding, as the mill formerly connected with the 

 mine was burned down some time ago. 



The Uniform Fibrous Talc Co. which began production in 191 1 

 was active throughout the year, continuing the development of its 

 mines as well as preparing for an enlarged milling capacity. The 

 mine has been developed practically from the surface. It lies 

 a little west of Talcville on the north bank of the Oswegatchie 

 river. The deposit appears to be nearly in the same horizon as that 

 worked in the United States and No. 2]/ 2 mines at Talcville. The 

 shaft is vertical for the first 90 feet, then follows the northerly dip 

 of the talc; at the end of 1912 it had reached a depth of a little 

 over 200 feet. The talc body has been explored for a width of 

 30 feet without coming into the unaltered tremolite schist which 

 forms the walls. It yields a very white talc of fibrous nature. 

 An addition to the mill recently completed, provides space for the 



