96 HOLLAND: MICA DEPOSITS OF INDIA. 



By far the largest quantity of Indian mica is sent to the United 

 Kingdom which, however, is a market also for American buyers. 

 Smaller quantities are sent direct to the United States, Germany 

 and France, whilst casual shipments have been made at different 

 times to the Straits, China, Austria, Mauritius and Natal. The only 

 other countries which can be regarded at present as competing with 

 India in the production of mica are the United States, which con- 

 sumes the whole of its own production, Canada, which exports 

 largely to the United States, besides consuming a portion of its own 

 material, Argentina, Australia and Ceylon. Small quantities, mainly 

 of scrap mica, have at times been raised in England, Norway, Russia 

 and a few Other countries ; but India controls the market for the 

 higher grades. The imports of sheet mica into the United Kingdom 

 have been gradually rising during the past few years to the value 

 £142, 371 in 1898. The estimated value of the mineral imported 

 into the United States rose from £25,237 worth in 189410 £30,020 

 in 1898, followed by a sudden rise to £55,185 in 1899 and to 

 £63,912 in 1900. Of these amounts, Canada, which comes next 

 to India as a producer, contributed mica worth £5,310 in 1894, 

 £13,902 in 1898, with a jump to £29,648 in 1899. Canada may 

 possibly be the origin of half the mica entering the United States, but 

 the remainder, and most of that consumed in the United Kingdom, 

 comes from India. Nevertheless, the mica-mining industry of Canada 

 is making great strides, and its phlogopite is seriously competing 

 with the muscovite of India. 



(6)— Mica Mining Rules. 



Madras* 



Prospecting. 



I. Applications. — Licenses to prospect for mica in the classes of 

 lands specified in paragraph 3 of Board's Standing Order No. 15 (of 

 which the principal are reserved forests, reserved lands and unreserv- 



* Government Order No. 125, Revenue, 13th February igof. 

 ( 86 ) 



