| Show DEPOSITS AMPLE there can be no question of the adequacy of the american supply of flour spar to meet all demands in case the english supply is cut off the flour spar industry of the united states has shown a steady growth from a production of short tons in 1884 to tons valued at in 1913 this notable gain has been conditioned largely by the growth of the open hearth process of steel manufacture which absorbs about 80 per cent of the flour spar produced Flour spar is used also as a flux in blast furnaces iron foundries and silver copper and lead smelters shelters sm elters in the manufacture of flo urides of iron and manganese for steel fluxing flexing flu xing in the manufacture of glass enameled and sanitary ware and of hydrofluoric acid in the production of aluminum in the electrolytic refining of antimony and lead and for many other purposes the increase in the home production and the imposition of a tariff on flour spar in 1909 have resulted in a marked decrease in the amount brought in from foreign countries and in 1913 only 22 short tons was imported compared with the tons produced at home the imports came almost entirely from great britain and amount to over 55 per cent of the total english production of this mineral the english product entering at new york is able to compete with domestic spar as far west as pittsburgh in 1913 the american output came from illinois kentucky new mexico colorado new hampshire and arizona named in the order of yield furthermore the foreign spar is of lower grade than the mechanically treated spar from illinois and kentucky and as flour spar is of value chiefly according to its purity purchasers find that the purer american spar is more efficiency and consequently cheaper in the end |
