Arsenious Oxide

The domestic production of arsenious oxide (white arsenic) in 1902 was 1,353 short tons, valued at $81,180, as compared with 300 short tons, valued at $18,000, in 1901. The entire product was made by the Puget Sound Reduction Company at Everett, Wash., which began the manufacture of this important substance in 1901. The largely increased output in 1902 is a sign of the success of the new industry.

Borax

The reported returns for 1902 gave an aggregate commercial production of crude borax of 2,600 short tons, valued at $91,000, of refined borax and boric acid, amounting to 17,404 short tons, valued at $2,447,-614, of which it was stated that 862 short tons, valued at $155,000, were boric acid. This gives a total production for 1902 of 20.004 short tons, valued at $2,538,614. The production during 1901 was 17,887 short tons of crude borax and 5,344 short tons of refined borax, with a total value of $1,012,118.

Bromine

The production of bromine in 1902, including the amount of bromine contained in potassium bromide, amounted to 513,890 pounds, valued at $128,472, as compared with 522,043 pounds, valued at $154,-572, in 1901, a decrease for the year of 38,153 pounds in quantity and of $26,100 in value. The price per pound during 1902 averaged 25 cents, as compared with 28 cents in 1901 and with 29 cents in 1900. There has been practically no change in the bromine industry in the United States in 1902.

Fluorspar

There was a large increase in the production of fluorspar in 1902 over that of 1901, due partly to its increased use for metallurgic purposes. The total production in 1902 was 48,018 short tons, valued at $271,-832, as compared with 19,586 tons, valued at $113,803. in 1901. This increase in production was not due to any one State, but there was a large increase in production in both Illinois and Kentucky, and also an increase in Arizona. The average price of crude fluorspar was reported as $5.19 per ton, as compared with $5 in 1901, and the average price of ground fluorspar was $9.98 per ton, as compared with $9.22 in 1901. In addition to this production there were 800 short tons, valued at $3,850, mined but not marketed in 1902.

Gypsum

The production of gypsum, particularly for the manufacture of calcined plaster, continues to show a remarkable gain. The output of crude gypsum in 1902 was 810,478 short tons, valued in its first marketable condition at $2,089,341, as compared with 033,791 short tons, valued at $1,506,641, in 1901, and with 595.-462 short tons, valued at $1,627,203. in 1900. The production in 1899 was 486,235 short tons, and in 1898 it was 291,638 short tons. The greatly increased production of the last four years is attributable to the largely increased use of plaster of pan's in the large modern buildings and in the manufacture of staff for temporary buildings.

Marls

The production of marls in the United States in 1902 was 12,439 short tons, valued at $12,741.

Phosphate Rock

The total commercial production of phosphate rook reported to the Survey in 1902 amounted to 1,490,314 long tons, valued at $4,693,444, as compared with 1,483,723 long tons, valued at $5,316,-403, in 1901, an increase in quantity of 6,591 tons and a decrease in value of $622,959. The total quantity of phosphate rock reported as mined during 1902 was 1,548,720 long tons, valued at $4,922,943, as compared with 1,440,408 long tons in 1901.

Salt

The salt product includes salt in the form of brine used in large quantities for the manufacture of soda ash, sodium bicarbonate, caustic soda and other sodium salts. The domestic production of salt in 1902 amounted to 23,849,221 barrels of 280 pounds net, valued at $5,668,636, as compared with 20,556,661 barrels, valued at $6.-617,449, in 1901, and with 20,869,342 barrels, valued at $6,944,603, in 1900.

Sulphur And Pyrite

The domestic production of sulphur and of pyrite for the manufacture of sulphuric acid amounted in 1902 to 207,874 long tons, valued at $947,089, as compared with a combined production of 241,691 long tons, valued at $1,257,879, in 1901. The production of sulphur was from Louisiana, Nevada and Utah, named in the order of the importance of their outputs. Oregon and Idaho reported no production in 1902. The greater part of the output of pyrite was derived from Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina, Colorado and Massachusetts, named in the order of production.