26 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



The production reported by the companies for 1906 was the 

 largest on record, amounting to 4729 short tons valued at $159,298. 

 In the preceding year the total was 2700 tons valued at $94,500, 

 and in 1904 it was 3045 tons valued at $104,325. The relatively 

 small output for 1905 was due in part to a temporary curtailing 

 of operations by the North River Garnet Co., incidental to starting 

 tlieir new plant. 



GRAPHITE 



The production of crystalline graphite in the Adirondack region 

 showed an unexpected falling off during the past year. It amounted 

 to a total of 2,811,582 pounds valued at $96,084, as compared with 

 3,897,616 pounds valued at $142,948 in 1905 and 3,132,927 pounds 

 valued at $119,509 in 1904. The output for 1905 was probably 

 the largest that has been made in any one year since the estab- 

 lishment of the industry. The average value of the graphite per 

 pound was 3.4 cents in 1906, 3.7 cents in 1905 and 3.8 cents in 1904, 

 showing that there has been a decrease also in the market prices 

 received for the product. The relatively small output in 1906 can 

 not be ascribed to any general conditions that are likely to influence 

 adversely the future progress of the industry, but is doubtless a 

 temporary feature incidental to the limited scope of the opera- 

 tions as carried on at present. 



The Adirondack graphite deposits which are being exploited are 

 of the bedded type, the graphite occuring as disseminated flakes in 

 a rock matrix, which may be limestone, quartzite or a silicious schist. 

 The rocks are ancient sediments that have been thoroughly metamor- 

 phosed, and it is believed that the graphite has originated from 

 included organic matter that was distilled by the heat to which 

 they have been subjected, with a resultant loss of the volatile con- 

 stituents. The rocks which have a thoroughly crystalline char- 

 acter, occur in force on the borders of the Adirondacks, but are 

 less abundant in the interior. Their content in graphite is variable. 

 As an extreme it may reach 8 or 10 per cent, which is found only 

 in the deposits owned by the American Graphite Co., near Hague. 

 The average for the other deposits that have been worked probably 

 does not exceed 3 per cent. 



The companies who have reported a production for 1906 are : 

 American Graphite Co., with mines at Graphite, near Hague, War- 

 ren CO. ; Crown Point Graphite Co., operating near Penfield pond, 

 Essex CO. ; Pettinos Bros., with mines at Rock pond, Essex co. ; 

 Adirondack Mining & Milling Co., and Champlain Graphite Co., 



