94 



HOLLAND: MICA DEPOSITS OF INDIA. 



These prices are much lower than those which have been 

 obtained for clear ruby mica of the best quality, of which the price 

 varies too greatly to give a fair average. The lumping together of 

 sheet mica with scrap prevents the use of export statistics as a test 

 of the average value of sheet mica sent out of India ; but in the 

 tables of production for the United States the two kinds are esti' 

 mated separately, and the following table gives the average value of 

 sheet mica produced from 1893 to 1898. These are values estimated 

 at the place of production, but they are in the country where most 

 of the mica is consumed, and to compete with the American pro- 

 ducer, the Indian miner must be able to meet his extra charges 

 connected with freight and duty. 





Production 



of sheet mica in th 



? United Stat 



es. 



Year. 



Quantity in lbs. 



Value. 



Average price 

 per lb. 



1893 









6,500 



£ W95 



3s. I Off. 



1894 









9,500 



£ 2,220 



4s. yd. 



l89S 









6,200 



£ 1,280 



45. 3d. 



1896 









17,630 



£ 2,506 



3s. od. 



1897 









118,852 



£ 16,659 



2S. lid. 



1898 









110,928 



£ 18,446 



3*- S<1> 



1899 









97»586 



£ 15.385 



3s. 2d. 



igco 









127,241 



£ 16,502 



25. yd. 



Scrap mica in the United States brings from 30^. to £ 2 a ton. 



(4) Labour. 



In both the principal mica-mining areas, Behar and Nellore, labour 



is fairly plentiful and cheap. In the Behar mines, Sonthals, Kols and 



other Kolarian tribes are employed, and the men earn from two to 



two and a half annas for a working day of eight hours, the Women and 



( 84 ) 



