500  CONTRIBUTIONS    TO    ECONOMIC    GEOLOOY,   1903.  [bull. 225. 
Economic  importance. — The  Kentucky-Illinois  district  is  not  only 
the  main  American  source  of  fluorspar,  but  is  the  only  one  from  which 
il  reaches  the  general  market.  Since  1882  the  district  has  produced 
2 1 8, 1 35  tons  of  spar,  of  a  total  value  of  $1,309,469.  There  are  no  data 
for  determining  the  production  of  the  Illinois  mines  separately,  but 
since  1899  the  production  has  been  about  equal  from  the  two  States. 
Before  that  date  it  is  probable  that  considerably  more  than  half  the 
output  came  from  the  north  side  of  the  Ohio. 
The  spar  -is  shipped  in  part  by  the  Illinois  Central  Railway  and  in 
part  on  the  Ohio  River.  Prices  are  fixed  by  Pittsburg  quotations,  less 
freight  and  commissions.  At  Pittsburg  the  American  spar  comes 
into  competition  with  English  and  German  material  imported  through 
New  York.  The  American  mines  supply  the  Western  trade  and  about 
irnlf  of  the  Pittsburg  demand.  The  importers  control  the  Eastern  trade 
and  determine  prices  at  Pittsburg. 
There  are  three  main  uses  for  fluorspar.  The  highest  grade,  run- 
ning less  than  1  per  cent  of  silica,  and  white  in  color,  is  sold  either 
ground  or  in  lump,  for  use  in  the  enameling,  chemical,  and  glass  trades. 
It  brings  the  highest  price,  recent  New  York  quotations  being  $8  to 
$10  a  ton  unground  and  $11.50  to  $13.50  ground.  The  price  at  the 
Western  mines  is  about  a  dollar  less  per  ton  than  the  New  York  price, 
to  offset  differences  in  freight  rates  to  competing  territory.  There  is 
a  limited  market  for  this  grade  of  spar,  and  it  probably  would  not  be 
extended  much  even  at  lower  prices,  since  the  amount  used  is  deter- 
mined by  conditions  wholly  outside  the  cost  of  the  spar. 
The  second  grade  of  spar  is  used  in  steel  making,  and  is  sold 
unground  as  lump  or  gravel.  It  includes  colored  spar  and  may  run 
as  high  as  4  per  cent  silica,  though  mostly  sold  with  a  3  per  cent 
guaranty.  It  is  demanded  for  open-hearth  work  because  of  the  great 
fluidify  which  it  gives  the  slag.  At  present  about  20,000  tons  are  used 
annualty  in  this  work,  at  a  cost  to  the  user  of  from  $6  to  $8  per  ton. 
Importers  have  now  a  slight  advantage  in  the  Pittsburg  market  on 
this  grade  of  ore.  It  is  probable  that  if  a  steady  supply  of  fluorspar 
at  the  present  or  slightly  lower  prices  can  be  guaranteed  in  steel  mak- 
ing centers,  the  market  can  rapidly  be  expanded. 
The  lowest  grade  of  spar,  including  all  running  over  4  per  cent 
silica,  or  spar  mixed  with  calcite,  can  be  used  in  foundry  work,  and 
while  the  price  is  and  always  must  be  low,  there  is  possible  an  almost 
unlimited  market.  It  is  probable  that  systematic  efforts  to  introduce 
the  low-grade  material  into  this  trade  would  be  highly  beneficial  to  the 
industry  as  a  whole.  While  there  would  be  little  profit  in  mining 
foundry  spar,  it  would  allow  the  production  of  No.  2  spar  in  quantity 
and  at  prices  demanded  by  steel  makers.  With  the  exhaustion  of 
bessemer  grades  of  iron,  there  will  be  an  increased  demand  for  fluor- 
spar, though  even  now  demand  is  ahead  of  supply  for  steel-making 
