SUMMARY
Corundum and emery, the latter a close association of corundum with certain other minerals, are used as abrasives for grinding and polishing metals, glass, stone, and wood. Many of the operations formerly performed with emery and corundum are now being performed with artificial carbide and alumina abrasives.
The deposits of emery and corundum are few in number, but their product is ample for all present needs. Commercially important deposits are situated in the Appalachian region of the United States; on the islands of the Grecian Archipelago, especially the Island of Naxos; in the Province of Aidin, in Asia Minor; in the presidency of Madras and the provinces of Punjab, Bengal, and Travancore, India; in Madagascar; and in the Transvaal near Pretoria.
The geological formation of emery and corundum deposits makes impossible any accurate estimate of reserves or any forecast of future discoveries.
The political control of the emery and corundum resources of the world corresponds to the geographical location except as regards the deposits on the Island of Naxos. This island is Grecian territory, but the French government during the war assumed control of the emery industry and allocated supplies of the abrasive only to the industries of France and her allies. The deposits of Asia Minor are at present (1920) nominally in the control of Turkey, but actually partly in the coastal strips seized and held by the Italians and the Greeks after the armistice. Madagascar is a French possession, and the Transvaal and India are parts of the British Empire.
The deposits of the United States are owned by a number of small independent operators, all American as far as is known. The Canadian deposits are controlled largely by one company, the Manufacturers Corundum Co., whose owners are predominantly or entirely Canadian. The Greek emery deposits, particularly those of Naxos, are claimed to be the inalienable property of the families resident on the island.
Table 64.—Production of Emery and Corundum, 1910-1917
| Emery | Corundum | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States [149] | Greece [149] | Turkey | United States [149] | Canada [149] | India [149] | Mada- gascar [149] | So. Africa [149] | |
| Ore produced (long tons) | Ore shipped from Syria (metric tons) | Grains produced (long tons) | Grains shipped (long tons) | Grains produced (long tons) | Grains or ore produced (metric tons) | Grains or ore produced (long tons) | ||
| 1910 | 940 | 12,939 | [150] | [151] | 1,660 | 218 | 11 | [150] |
| 1911 | 620 | 9,845 | [150] | [151] | 1,270 | 275 | 150 | [150] |
| 1912 | 870 | 7,687 | [150] | [151] | 1,600 | 345 | 496 | 99 |
| 1913 | 900 | 1,440 | [150] | [151] | 1,090 | 355 | 1,099 | [150] |
| 1914 | 460 | 10,226 | [150] | [151] | 500 | 105 | 556 | [150] |
| 1915 | 2,840 | [150] | [150] | [152] | 220 | 62 | 327 | [150] |
| 1916 | 14,400 | [150] | [150] | [152] | 60 | 1,868 | 914 | [150] |
| 1917 | 15,400 | [150] | [150] | 770 | 160 | [150] | [151] | [153]4,051 |
[149] Statistics for United States from U. S. Geol. Survey; for Canada, Canada Dept. Mines; for Greece, British Consular Reports quoted in “Mineral Industry;” for India, Records India Geol. Survey; for Madagascar, Service des Mines, Madagascar; for South Africa, American Consular Reports.
[150] Figures not available.
[151] No production.
[152] Small unrecorded amount.
[153] Nine months, Jan.-June and Oct.-Dec.