Strategic Graphite A Survey By EUGENE N. CAMERON and PAUL L. WEIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1082-E An appraisal of domestic resources UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1960 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FRED A. SEATON, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Thomas B. Nolan, Director For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington 25, D.G. - Price $1.25 (paper cover) CONTENTS Page Abstract_______-_-_-_---_----_----_--- -___ __. ._.____ 201 Introduction. _ ___________________-__--_---__------__--____________ 202 The graphite problem--__-_____------- -----------_---_._____ 203 Scope of report____._______-_---__-_----_---___.___-.._____. 204 Previous investigations. .......................~................ 204 Sources of information_______________________________________ 205 Limitations._-__--_----_--___---------_----_---------.___---__ 205 Acknowledgments____-___-.__.---.-..-_-_-..------------...._. 206 Mineralogy_______-__-____.___-_-_-_-_.---------------._______. 206 Commercial types and geologic occurrence of natural graphite._-_.._._.___ 207 Minerals associated with various types of graphite.____________________ 208 Uses.._.._____.____...__----- . -----___ 209 Crucibles and refractory wares.___-__-___--__--.-_-__-_________ 209 Lubricating compounds__________-__--__--___________--_______ 216 Brushes___._._..____________________._____ 221 Nonstrategic uses_______.___-______._--_-_--------_--_--_.__. 221 Batteries_____..__.___________________._ 221 Foundry facings._-_-_-___-----_-------------------------._ 222 Steelmaking.........__....._..._.__-._.--_.--_.-.-_...._. 222 Pencils.___________.__-________________.._ 222 Paints_____________________________________ 223 Other uses.._._:__.__________________-___ 223 Production. ______________________________________ 224 Domestic production.___________--________--_____--_----_---___ 224 History_________________________________ 224 Factors influencing domestic production..____________________ 226 Domestic consumption___________________-_-__--______---___ 234 World production______._____-__-______-_-_-_--__---_----___ 234 4 ' Factors influencing world production.________________________ 238 Geology of graphite deposits in the United States__-_._________--.__- 241 Disseminated deposits in metamorphosed siliceous sedimentary rocks. 242 Relative value of hardrock and weathered deposits_____---__ 245 Disseminated deposits in marble__________-_-_____-___-__--__-- 246 Deposits formed by metamorphism of coal or other highly carbona­ ceous sedimentary rocks--____-------_----_-----------__------ 246 ^ Vein deposits__._____________-_-__--__------__------_----__- 247 Contact-metasomatic deposits in carbonate rocks._________________ 249 Graphite resources and reserves.__________________________________ 250 Domestic resources of graphite______._-_________-___-__--_-_- 250 Graphite districts_______________________--_--___.___-__-------_-- 252 Montana_____-____________----__--_-------__-------_------ 252 Texas_--___-__---_____-____-_-._._------------_---.-__.------ 255 Southwestern Graphite Co. mine____________________.--_-- 255 Other deposits__.__..__..___________.__-_-- 259 HI IV CONTENTS Page Graphite districts Continued Alabama___________-___-_---___-._-_-----__-_--_---_________ 260 Northeastern belt__________________________________________ 261' Southwestern belt________________________________________ 263 Structural characteristics of the graphite deposits._____________ 264 Grades of graphite ore and yields of flake.______ _ _____^_^_____ 264 Geologic factors influencing mining.._________________________ 265 Mining and milling methods-----__-_---_-_-_____--_____.__-. 266 Selected deposits.._________________________________________ 266 Pennsylvania_ _ _______________________________________________ 277 Benjamin Franklin and Just mines..___._-._________ ._._____ 279 Anselma mine._-______---_-_-_--_--_______-___-___________ 282 Other deposits----.-----------------------------.---.----- 282 Summary.. _______________________________________________ 283 New York-...-..._.._-...-----------_-.---------------------- 283 History of graphite mining____-_____________________________ 284 General geology._._.___--__-____-__-___-___-_--__-__--_-___ 285 Types of graphite deposits._________________________________ 285 Selected deposits.__________________________________________ 287 Appraisal of graphite deposits of the Adirondack area_.--__.___ 302 Selected references, with annotations of selected items..________________ 303 Author index________________________________________________ 315 Index........._._-._--.---.--.-.__-.___-_--_-_---------------_---- 319 ILLUSTRATIONS [Plates in pocket] PLATE 8. World production of graphite, all grades, 1910-55. 9. Geologic map of Crystal Graphite mine, Beaverhead County, Mont. 10. Map of mine and treatment plant of Southwestern Graphite Co., Burnet, Tex. 11. Geologic map of the Benjamin Franklin and Just graphite mines, Chester County, Pa. Page FIGURE 12. Map of localities of principal graphite deposits in the United States..___-__--___-__--__--_._-___--___-----___--- 225 13. Flake graphite prices, 1910-56------__-_-___-_---_____--__ 229 14. Supply of strategic graphite for United States, 1910-48-.--__ 231 15. Graphite imports, 1910-54.-_-__.-_____.__._.-.__-___---_ 232 16. Graphite imports to the United States, 1910-54.-__.________ 235 17. Graphite supply for United States, 1910-54._-_---_------__ 236 18. Map of localities of principal graphite deposits of the world- _ _ _ 237 19. Map of localities of graphite deposits of Ceylon_____-___--__ 239 20. Map of districts of principal graphite production of Mada­ gascar. ._-___-__--_-__-__-__-___-_____-__--____-__--_ 240 21. Map of localities of graphite deposits, Llano and Burnet Counties, Tex-___-____________-__-__.-_-__________-._ 256 22. Map of localities of graphite deposits of Clay, Coosa, and Chilton Counties, Ala___..___._..__..._...-__.__..__.. 260 CONTENTS V Page FIGURE 23. Map of localities of graphite mines and prospects in part of Clay County, Ala-_--_-----_----------------_--------- 261 24. Map of localities of graphite deposits of parts of Coosa and Chilton Counties, Ala.______________________________ 262 25. Map of localities of graphite deposits in parts of Chilton and Coosa Counties, Ala.-___---_-------- -_---_______--____ 276 26. Map of localities of graphite mines in Phoenixville, Pa., area.. 278 27. Map of localities of principal graphite mines in the eastern Adirondack Mountains area___---__-______-____--__-._. 284 28. Geologic map of Dixon-American Graphite Co. and Faxon mine properties, near Graphite, Warren County, N.Y_____ 289 29. Geologic map of Hooper Bros, graphite deposit, near Whitehall, Washington County, N.Y_____-_______.-_____._________ 293 30. Sketch map of underground workings of Lakeside mine, Warren County, N.Y..._______________________________ 295 31. Geologic map of area of Bear Pond Mountain and Rock Pond graphite deposits, near Chilson, Essex County, N.Y_______ 299 32. Cross section of Graphite Products Corp. mine area and quarry, near Saratoga Springs, N.Y.__..____.._____._.__ 301 TABLES Page TABLE 1. Consumption of natural graphite in the United States during certain years from 1918 to 1953.._-.-_-_------____-___.. 233 2. Typical flake size and grade, Adirondack graphite deposits...-. 286 CONTRIBUTIONS TO ECONOMIC GEOLOGY STRATEGIC GRAPHITE A SURVEY By EUGENE N. CAMERON and PAUL L. WEIS ABSTRACT Strategic graphite consists of certain grades of lump and flake graphite for which the United States is. largely or entirely dependent on sources abroad. Lump graphite of high purity, necessary in the manufacture of carbon brushes, is imported from Ceylon, where it occurs in vein deposits. Flake graphite, obtained from deposits consisting of graphite disseminated in schists and other metamorphic rocks, is an essential ingredient of crucibles used in the nonfer- rous metal industries and in the manufacture of lubricants and packings. High-quality flake graphite for these uses has been obtained mostly from Madagascar since World War I. Some flake graphite of strategic grade has been produced, however, from deposits in Texas, Alabama, and Pennsylvania. The development of the carbon-bonded crucible, which does not require coarse flake, should lessen the competitive advantage of the Madagascar producers of crucible flake. Graphite of various grades has been produced intermittently in the United States since 1644. The principal domestic deposits of flake graphite are in Texas, Alabama, Pennsylvania, and New York. Reserves of flake graphite in these four States are very large, but production has been sporadic and on the whole unprofitable since World War I, owing principally to competition from producers in Madagascar. Deposits in Madagascar are large and relatively high in content of flake graphite. Production costs are low and the flake pro­ duced is of high quality. Coarseness of flake and uniformity of the graphite products marketed are cited as major advantages of Madagascar flake. In addition, the usability of Madagascar flake for various purposes has been thoroughly demonstrated, whereas the usability of domestic flake for strategic purposes is still in question. Domestic graphite deposits are of five kinds: deposits consisting of graphite disseminated in metamorphosed siliceous sediments, deposits consisting of graph­ ite disseminated in marble, deposits formed by thermal or dynamothermal metamorphism