Corundum appears to be abundant on the Island of Madagascar, where large amounts of gem stuff and abrasive materials have been found in alluvial deposits. The production of abrasive corundum, which was very small in 1910, expanded to about 1,100 metric tons in 1913, and approximately 1,000 metric tons in 1916.
DEVELOPMENTS AND CHANGES IN THE NEAR FUTURE
No material changes in geographic distribution of resources appear probable in the near future. None of the deposits now productive is approaching exhaustion, and only concerning emery in Virginia, where somewhat larger emery production may be expected, is information at hand upon which to forecast changes in output.
Substitution of artificial abrasives for emery and corundum may be extended. Experiments conducted early in 1918 looking toward the development of an artificial abrasive suitable for use in optical and plate-glass work have been successful, so that there may remain no industrial operation wholly dependent on emery and corundum. The complete supplanting of the natural abrasives, however, will depend in part on the supply of bauxite available for manufacture into artificial abrasives. At present the United States supplies of bauxite are sufficient for such use.
The demand in Britain and France for Indian and South African corundum and Greek emery would undoubtedly diminish if the French artificial abrasive plants were in full operation. Such a change would also probably cut down exports of artificial abrasives from the United States, and correspondingly affect the demand for emery and corundum.
POLITICAL CONTROL
Emery and corundum resources within the United States are owned, so far as known, by American citizens, and are in no way state controlled.
The Greek emery industry was formerly a monopoly controlled by the Greek government, but the inhabitants of the emery region had always maintained their sole right to mine the emery. This right was respected, and the Greek government merely regulated and managed sales and exports, exacted high royalties, which were changed from time to time, fixed prices, and maintained high quality and uniform standards of emery for export. The French government during the war assumed control of the Naxos emery supply and presumably continued the regulations of the Greek government. Supplies of Greek emery were available only to France and her allies, through allocation by the French government.
COMMERCIAL CONTROL
In the United States the various emery and corundum deposits are in small holdings that are mostly owned by local residents. The mines and quarries have been worked by lessees on royalty, generally. A considerable number of operators are and have been engaged in several localities, and there are no trade coalitions. Crushing and grading are in the hands of eight independent competitive companies, except in so far as they were welded during the war into a trade association by the War Trade Board for the purpose of allocating, under Government supervision, the small imports of Greek emery to essential industries.