Mineral Facts and Problems: 1960 Edition Page: 426
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MINERAL FACTS AND PROBLEMS, ANNIVERSARY EDITION
RESERVES
DOMESTIC
The only known domestic reserve of massive
kyanite is about 5,000 tons on Willis Mountain
in central Virginia (7). No reserves of related
minerals in massive form are known in the
United States.
The reserve of disseminated kyanite ores in
Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and
Georgia is in the order of tens of millions of
tons of ore containing 20 to 30 percent kyanite.
Disseminated kyanite, andalusite, sillimanite,
and dumortierite occur in Montana and Idaho
but little investigation and no commercial de-
velopment have taken place.
Another potential source of fine-grained kya-
nite and sillimanite is in the heavy mineral
fraction of the beach sands of Florida. The
tailings from the magnetic and electrostatic
separation of monazite, zircon, rutile, and
ilmenite from other minerals contain 20 to 30
percent of a mixture of kyanite, sillimanite,
and staurolite. These tailings may be con-
centrated to yield a product containing approxi-
mately 90 to 95 percent kyanite plus sillimanite
(2). A conservative estimate places the reserve
of titaniferous Florida beach sand at approxi-
mately 11/2 billion tons. On this basis the kya-
nite-sillimanite reserve would be about 12 mil-
lion tons. A deposit of massive topaz near
Naples, N.C., is estimated to contain about
45,000 tons.
Industry and Government reports indicate
that domestic reserves of low-iron siliceous
bauxite, not suitable for aluminum production,
are sufficient to meet short-range requirements
for producing synthetic mullite, provided that
in an emergency the supply is allocated princi-
pally for mullite refractories production. The
adequacy of reserves, however, to supply all
potential refractory requirements, including
alumina enrichment of fire-clay refractories,
may be questioned. Domestic reserves of kaolin
and silica, also used in synthetic mullite pro-
duction, are adequate.
FOREIGN
The reserve of massive Indian kyanite in the
Kharsawan State is considered adequate for
the near future, although detailed information
is lacking. A deposit containing about 250,000
tons of massive sillimanite was discovered about
1953 in Assam, India. Known massive kyanite
deposits in Kenya, British East Africa, have
been substantially depleted, but massive silli-
manite in large quantities has been reported
from the Union of South Africa. There are
large reserves of disseminated kyanite andsillimanite in both India and southern Africa
(1, 15). Small deposits of massive kyanite
have been reported from Canada and Australia
in recent years, but data on reserves are lacking.
SOURCES OF STATISTICAL INFORMATION
Domestic production and sales of kyanite
and, beginning with 1957 synthetic mullite, are
reported annually to the Bureau of Mines by
domestic producers. Import data are compiled
by the Bureau of the Census and published
annually by the Department of Commerce.
PRODUCTION, CONSUMPTION, AND
FOREIGN TRADE
Production of synthetic mullite was 20,000
short tons in 1957 and 16,000 tons in 1958.
The figures on domestic production of kya-
nite and consumption of mullite are withheld
by the Bureau of Mines to prevent disclosure
of individual company data.
Imports and exports of kyanite and related
minerals are shown in table 1.
STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS
Because of the present dependence upon im-
ports of lump kyanite, the United States would
not be self-sufficient in wartime, unless the pro-
duction of synthetic mullite were expanded.
Lump kyanite and synthetic mullite have been
purchased for the national stockpile. Alloca-
tion of domestic low-iron siliceous bauxite pro-
duction probably would assure sufficient raw
materials for all mullite requirements. Addi-
tional domestic refractory plants can be con-
verted to sintered synthetic mullite production
within a few months. The relatively small
quantities of Bayer-process alumina that might
be required in wartime for fused and high-tem-
perature sintered mullite should not create a
serious problem.
PRICES AND COSTS
Kyanite prices effective December 1958 were
as follows: Per ton, f.o.b. point of shipment,
Virginia and South Carolina, 35-mesh, carload
lots, in bulk, $42 to $44; 200-mesh, carload lots,
in bags, $53 to $55; imported, 60-percent grade,
in bags, c.i.f. Atlantic ports, $76 to $81, a short
ton.
Synthetic mullite prices are not quoted on the
open markets as are those of kyanite, but are
subject to quotation from individual producers.
The prices depend upon the type of manufac-
ture, degree of processing, and specifications
required by the individual consumer. In De-
cember 1958 the average value of the mnullite
produced as reported to the Bureau of Mines
was $100 a short ton. Special products are
valued as high as $300 a ton.426
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United States. Bureau of Mines. Mineral Facts and Problems: 1960 Edition, report, 1960; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc38790/m1/434/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.