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greatly in increasing the amount of domestic minerals used in 
our manufacturing industries. 
The greatest bulk of imported minerals comes to this 
country from the United States. The American producers and 
jobbers have standardized their products and established grades 
with trade names, which they have brought to the attention 
of the consumers in this country by persistent and systematic 
advertising and efficient selling methods. Their goods have 
been tried and become known to the manufacturers, who, when 
satisfied with the results, have been loth to experiment further. 
A great many manufacturers know little concerning some 
of the raw materials which they use, the selection of which is 
frequently left to the judgment of the supply firm with which 
they deal, or else is- based on an original trial shipment. It is 
very seldom that specifications are used in purchasing. The 
orders are made to read “same as last shipment,” or “suitable 
for such and such a purpose.” 
Since the organization of the Mines Branch, numerous 
inquiries have been received with regard to the demand for non- 
metallic minerals; the uses to which they are applied; and the 
requirements of consumers with regard to purity and physical 
properties. In many cases, these inquiries were difficult to 
answer, owing to the lack of an intimate knowledge of the 
Canadian market and its requirements. In order that such 
data might be available I was commissioned to visit the manu 
facturers throughout the Dominion, with instructions to obtain 
from them as much information as possible regarding the non- 
metallic minerals used by them; the quantity of each consumed 
per year; the price delivered; and the source of supply, whether 
domestic, or imported. 
An effort was made to visit all manufacturers using minerals, 
for the purpose of collecting this information. Unfortunately, 
a number of firms were unavoidably missed in the canvass. 
These were requested by letter to furnish the information sought, 
and although many complied, quite a large proportion failed to 
respond, even to repeated appeals. On this account, and be 
cause of the fact that a number of manufacturers, personally 
visited, refused to furnish data, especially regarding prices,