THE MINING AND QUARRY INDUSTRY 



75 



crystalline character through metamorphic agencies. The change 

 has been accompanied by the formation of new minerals such as 

 graphite, mica, hornblende, pyroxene, garnet, tourmalin and titanite, 

 the constituents of which have been derived from the limestone and 

 its impurities. The graphite occurs in flake form with rounded or 

 hexagonal contours. It seldom forms more than 5 per cent of the 

 mass and usually less. In appearance it is bright and clean. 

 Though low grade, the limestones offer an attractive field for 

 exploration. They are very extensive, quite regular in their tenor, 

 and can be treated at a smaller cost than the quartzite owing to 

 their friable nature. The fact that they nearly always contain 

 more or less mica is the only serious drawback to the separation 

 of the graphite. 



Present developments. The American Graphite Co., a branch 

 of the Joseph Dixon Crucible Co., has operated for many years at 

 Graphite, in the town of Hague, Warren co. The deposit con- 

 sists of gray quartzite with graphite flakes distributed along the 

 cleavage planes. It is associated with garnetiferous gneiss carrying 

 sillimanite. The quartzite beds are inclined at a low angle and 

 vary in thickness from 1 to 15 feet or more. The average quantity 

 of graphite present is probably about 8 or 10 per cent. In the con- 

 centration plant at Graphite the rock is crushed and concentrated 

 to an average of about 70 per cent graphite. The concentrates 

 undergo further treatment in a refinery at Ticonderoga, the end 

 products being high grade flake graphite and residue. The flake 

 is used mostly as lubricant, while the residue is mixed with imported 

 graphite and made into crucibles. 



At Rock pond in the town of Ticonderoga, Essex co., the Colum- 

 bia Graphite Co. has been actively engaged in exploiting a deposit. 

 The latter resembles the mine at Graphite in that it consists of gray 

 quartzite associated with sillimanite gneiss, but it is not so rich and 

 the graphite occurs in smaller flakes. The quartzite beds arc in- 

 clined at an angle of 70 . There is a good deal of pyrite and some 

 pyrrhotite in the rock and mica is also present. The company has 

 erected a mill at Rock pond with a daily capacity of 3000 pounds of 

 graphite. The product is hauled by wagon to Ticonderoga for 

 shipment. 



In the vicinity of Rock pond other quartzite areas have been 

 found. A very extensive deposit occurs on property oWned by 

 John D. Bly who is preparing to develop it. 



The Crown Point Graphite Co. has opened a bed of graphitic 

 limestone in the western part of the town of Crown Point, Essex co. 



