U.S. Industrial Garnet Chapter L of Contributions to Industrial-Minerals Research Evans and Moyle—U.S. Industrial Garnet—U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 2209–L Bulletin 2209–L U.S. Department of the Interior Printed on recycled paper U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Industrial Garnet By James G. Evans and Phillip R. Moyle Chapter L of Contributions to Industrial-Minerals Research James D. Bliss, Phillip R. Moyle, and Keith R. Long, Editors Bulletin 2209–L U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior P. Lynn Scarlett, Acting Secretary U.S. Geological Survey P. Patrick Leahy, Acting Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2006 This report and any updates to it are available online at: http://pubs.usgs.gov/bul/b2209-l/ For product and ordering information: World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod Telephone: 1–888–ASK–USGS For more information on the USGS—the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment: World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov Telephone: 1–888–ASK–USGS Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report. Cataloging-in-Publication data are on file with the Library of Congress (URL http://www.loc.gov/). Produced in the Western Region, Menlo Park, California Manuscript approved for publication, March 29, 2006 Text edited by George A. Havach Layout and design by Stephen L. Scott III Contents Abstract -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1 Introduction ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1 Status of U.S. Industrial Garnet ----------------------------------------------------------------------1 Composition of Garnet ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------1 Uses of Garnet ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2 Industrial Specifications ------------------------------------------------------------------------------3 Evaluation of Garnet Deposits ------------------------------------------------------------------------4 Markets for Garnet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------5 International Garnet Reserves -----------------------------------------------------------------------6 Risks of Production Abroad ---------------------------------------------------------------------------6 Competition from Other Natural and Manmade Abrasives ---------------------------------------7 Advantages of Garnet ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------7 U.S. Garnet Deposits -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------8 Overview ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------8 New York ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------9 Geologic Setting ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------9 Barton Mines Co., LLC ---------------------------------------------------------------------------9 NYCO Minerals, Inc. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 Other Garnet Mines and Deposits ----------------------------------------------------------- 12 Northern Appalachian Mountains and New England ------------------------------------------- 13 Geologic Setting -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13 Maine ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13 New Hampshire -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 17 Vermont ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 17 Connecticut ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18 Central and Southern Appalachian Mountains --------------------------------------------------- 18 Geologic Setting -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18 Pennsylvania------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 19 Virginia ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 21 North Carolina ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 21 South Carolina ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 22 Georgia ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 23 Florida ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 24 Western United States ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 25 Idaho-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 26 Placer Garnet Deposits of Northern Idaho -------------------------------------------- 26 Emerald Creek Area --------------------------------------------------------------- 26 Garnet Source ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 28 Description of Garnet -------------------------------------------------------------- 30 Garnet in Black Sand Deposits of Central Idaho ------------------------------------- 30 Montana ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 32 Overview ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 32 Ruby Garnet Mine ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 33 IV Sweetwater Garnet Mine --------------------------------------------------------------- 35 Evaluation of the Ruby Garnet and Sweetwater Garnet Mines -------------------- 37 Section 36 Deposit ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 37 Other Garnet Occurrences -------------------------------------------------------------- 38 Garnet Sources in the Southern Tobacco Root Mountains ------------------------- 38 Alaska-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 39 California ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 41 Nevada ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 42 New Mexico ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 42 Oregon ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 44 Conclusions ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 47 Acknowledgments ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 47 References Cited ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 47 Figures 1. Plot of U.S. industrial garnet production for the years 1894–2002---------------------------2 2. Pie chart showing the principal domestic uses of garnet------------------------------------3 3. Plot of U.S. garnet value and unit value for the years 1900–2000----------------------------5 4. Pie chart showing the principal uses of garnet worldwide---------------------------------- 5 5. Pie chart showing U.S. abrasive-mineral demand for the year 2001------------------------8 6. Sketch map of the Appalachian Mountains and New England, showing areas of basement rocks of the Proterozoic (Laurentian) continental margin and adjacent suspect terranes------------------------------------------------------------------10 7. County map of New York, showing the locations of counties with deposits of garnet and associated sand and gravel and wollastonite----------------------------------- 11 8–10. Photographs of: 8. Garnet porphyroblast in the Gore Mountain deposit, N.Y., showing typical cleavage---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------12 9. Garnet ore in the Gore Mountain deposit, N.Y.--------------------------------------------12 10. Garnet ore in the Ruby Mountain deposit, N.Y.--------------------------------------------12 11. Isograd map of Taconic metamorphism in New England------------------------------------14 12. Isograd map of Acadian metamorphism in New England------------------------------------15 13. County map of Maine, showing the locations of counties with garnet deposits or occurrences---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------16 14. Sketch map of northern New England, showing the locations of regional structures------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------16 15–17. County maps of: 15. New Hampshire, showing the location of Merrimac County, which has garnet deposits---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 17 16. Vermont, showing the location of Windsor County, which has garnet deposits----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------18 17. Connecticut, showing the locations of counties with garnet deposits or