GARNET, INDUSTRIAL1/ (Data in metric tons of garnet, unless noted) Domestic Production and Use: Garnet was produced in 1995 by five firms, four in New York and one in Idaho. Output of refined material was valued at $11.2 million. The end uses for garnet were abrasives in the petroleum industry, 41%; filtration media, 20%; transport manufacturing, 19%; finishing wood furniture, 10%; electronic components, 7%; and ceramics and glass, 3%. Salient Statistics--United States: 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995e/ Production (crude) 50,900 54,100 44,000 51,000 53,300 Sold by producers (refined) 48,000 46,100 55,800 40,600 47,900 Imports for consumptione 5,000 6,000 12,200 6,000 5,000 Exportse 10,000 8,880 11,400 10,000 7,260 Consumption, apparent 44,000 45,700 56,600 37,500 44,900 Price, range of value, dollars per ton 60-2,000 100-2,000 100-2,000 100-2,000 85-1,500 Stocks, producere/ 11,100 8,640 4,900 4,000 4,720 Employment, mine and mill 150 150 150 160 180 Net import reliance2/ as a percent of apparent consumption E E E E E Recycling: None. Import Sources (1991-94): Australia, 85%; India, 11%; and China, 4%. Tariff: Item Number Most favored nation (MFN) Non-MFN3/ 12/31/95 12/31/95 Emery, natural corundum, natural garnet, and other natural abrasives, crude 2513.21.0000 Free Free. Emery, natural corundum, natural garnet, and other natural abrasives, other than crude 2513.29.0000 0.6›/kg. 2.2›/kg. Natural abrasives on woven textile 6805.10.0000 2.0% ad val. 20% ad val. Natural abrasives on paper or paperboard 6805.20.0000 2.0% ad val. 20% ad val. Natural abrasives sheets, strips, disks, belts, sleeves, or similar form 6805.30.0000 2.0% ad val. 20% ad val. Depletion Allowance: 14% (Domestic), 14% (Foreign). Government Stockpile: None. Prepared by Industrial Garnet Specialist, (703) 648-7721. GARNET, INDUSTRIAL Events, Trends, and Issues: Imports from Australia continued to be used in the U.S. filtration and blasting media markets, but did not appear to affect domestic production negatively. The market appears to be large enough to absorb additional imports without harming U.S. producers. The garnet reclaim plant in Harvey, LA, was used intermittently as a distribution warehouse. Currently, evaluation and feasibility studies are underway on major garnet deposits in Arizona, California, Colorado, Montana, and New Mexico. World Mine Production, Reserves, and Reserve Base: Mine production Reserves4/ Reserve base4/ 1994 1995e/ United States 40,600 47,900 5,000,000 25,000,000 Australia 30,000 30,000 1,000,000 7,000,000 China 18,000 15,000 Moderate to Large Moderate to Large India 10,000 15,000 500,000 20,000,000 Other countries 2,000 2,000 6,500,000 20,000,000 World total (rounded) 101,000 110,000 Moderate Large World Resources: Garnets occur worldwide in a variety of rocks, particularly gneisses and schists. They also occur as contact-metamorphic deposits in crystalline limestones, pegmatites, and serpentinites, and in high-temperature intrusive contacts and vein deposits. Alluvial garnet also is a coproduct with many heavy mineral sand and gravel deposits in the world. Large domestic resources of garnet are concentrated in coarsely crystalline gneiss near North Creek, NY. One of the world's largest known garnet deposits in Rangley County, ME, is not currently being mined. The medium-grained ore from this deposit, has an unusually high garnet concentration of 50% to 60%. Significant resources of garnet also occur in Idaho, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Oregon. World resources of garnet are large. Substitutes: Garnet is competitive in abrasive applications with natural and manufactured abrasives, such as diamond, cubic boron nitride, fused aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, and quartz sand; in filtration media with ilmenite, magnetite, and plastics; and in nonskid surfaces with emery. e/Estimated. E Net exporter. 1/Excludes gem and synthetic garnet. 2/Defined as imports - exports + adjustments for Government and industry stock changes. 3/See Appendix B. 4/See Appendix C for definitions. Mineral Commodity Summaries, January 1996