Annotated Bibliography 

and Index Map of 

Barite Deposits in 

United States

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1019-C

Annotated Bibliography 

and Index Map of 

Barite Deposits in 

United States

By BASIL G. DEAN and DONALD A. BROBST

A CONTRIBUTION TO BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MINERAL RESOURCES 

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1019-C

Including references to September 

15,1954

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1955
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Douglas McKay, Secretary

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

W. E. Wrather, Director

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office 

1 ' ' Washington 25, D. G. - Price 45 cents (paper cover)
CONTENTS

	Page 

Introduction______________________________________________________ 145

Explanation of the annotated bibliography______________________ 145

Explanation of the index map ____________--______-____--_-_.__ 146

Annotated bibliography..__________________________________________ 147

General references.___________________________________________ 147

State references.______________________________________________ 147

Author index._______________________________________________ 152

ILLUSTKATION

PLATE 1. Index map of barite deposits in the United States________ In pocket

m

.A CONTRIBUTION TO BIBLIOGRAPHY OF 

MINERAL RESOURCES

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY AND INDEX MAP OF BARITE 

DEPOSITS IN THE UNITED STATES

By BASIL G. DEAN and DONALD A. BEOBST

INTRODUCTION

Barite is now ranked as an important non-metallic mineral commodity because of its extensive use in weighting drilling muds and 

concrete aggregate, in the chemical industry, and in the manufacture 

of paint, glass, and rubber. According to the U. S. Bureau of Mines, 

aboutr one million short tons of barite was produced in the United 

States during 1952. Imports in 1952 totaled three hundred thousand 

short tons. The United States is the world's leading producer and 

consumer of barite.

Missouri, Tennessee, and Georgia have been the major sources of 

barite since mining began there in 1872, 1902, and 1914 respectively. 

Deposits in Arkansas, Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and New 

Mexico have been developed extensively in recent years. Deposits 

in Connecticut, Maryland, and Pennsylvania have not been worked 

for many years, and no production has been recorded from Kentucky 

since 1926. Deposits in Alabama, Colorado, Illinois, Virginia, and 

Wisconsin were not mined during 1953, although they were worked 

between 1923 and 1948. Most of the deposits in California have been 

worked between 1923 and 1948.

EXPLANATION OF THE ANNOTATED BIBLIOGBAPHT

The work of compiling the preliminary copy of the annotations of 

the literature cited was done by Basil G. Dean in 1952-53. The 

material was assembled, brought up to date, and prepared for publication by Donald A. Brobst in 1953-54. The annotated references are 

listed by authors in alphabetical order. The entries are cross-indexed 

by two other lists including general references and state references.

The general references, numbered to correspond with the alphabetical list of authors, include general information on occurrence, origin,

145
146 CONTRIBUTIONS TO BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MINERAL RESOURCES

production, mining and treatment of ore, as well as some descriptions 

of deposits that are distributed over large areas involving several 

states.

State references describe deposits and mining and milling techniques 

practiced within a particular state. The index by state consists of 

two parts: a list of general pa'pers arranged by number; a numbered 

list of districts, mines, and prospects in the state arranged alphabetically. The number for each deposit corresponds to the number of 

that deposit on the accompanying index map. Letter symbols describing the type of deposit used on the map are repeated in the text; 

the symbols are explained on the map. The numbers to the right of 

the names of the deposits correspond to the numbers of the reports 

in the author index that describe the given deposit.

In a few instances, two references containing essentially the same 

information have been included for the convenience of the reader who 

may have access to only one of the references. Some older references 

which have been superseded by more recent ones have been omitted.

EXPLANATION OF THE INDEX MAP

The index map (Plate 1) gives the location, type of geologic occurrence, and relative production from barite deposits in the United 

States. The deposits are numbered consecutively in each State on 

the map; this order is the same as in the list of deposits placed in 

the State index.

The deposits are classified on the map according to the mode of 

occurrence as residual (r), bedded or lenticular replacements (b), 

veins, tabular ore bodies or mineralized breccia zones (v), and other 

occurrences including disseminated deposits and circle deposits (o). 

Circle deposits are bell- or cone-shaped masses of lightly brecciated 

country rock which have been mineralized with barite and small 

amounts of galena, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, and calcite. Deposits 

not described in the literature as to type are indicated by a question 

mark (?).

The symbol for the type of occurrence refers to that part of the 

deposit which is commercially exploitable, although other types of 

occurrences may be in the vicinity. In the Cartersville district, 

Georgia, the deposits are listed as residual because nearly all of the 

production has been from residual deposits in clay, although the 

primary deposits of barite occur in noncommercial veins in the bedrock. If more than one type of occurrence is of commercial value, 

as in the Central district, Missouri, symbols are combined, with the 

most important type listed first.

Deposits are indicated as either prospects or mines. Prospects include all undeveloped deposits for which there is no record in the
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF BARITE DEPOSITS IN THE IT. S. 147

literature of production of barite and the large ore bodies which contain barite as a major gangue constituent. Commercially exploited 

deposits of barite are associated chiefly with other non-metallic minerals in bedrock and residual clay. Deposits of only mineralogic 

interest have been omitted.

Production from individual mines or districts is classed as small if 

the estimated total production has been less than 5,000 tons, and as 

large if the estimated total production has been more than 5,000 tons. 

These estimates of production are based largely on incomplete information in the literature cited.

The active or inactive status of mines has not been shown on the 

index map, for it changes with economic and other conditions. Some 

barite mines and prospects have not been indicated on the map 

because of the scale or because of inadequate information in the 

literature. Some recent discoveries and mining developments, particularly in Nevada, have not been described in the literature as of 

September 1954.

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

[Numbers refer to author index, p. 152-186] 

GENERAL REFERENCES

39, 42, 53, 54, 55, 57, 65, 74, 80, 84, 99, 105, 113,114, 115, 120, 134, 135, 136, 

143, 148.

STATE REFERENCES

ALABAMA

General: 1, 2, 28, 67, 102, 118. 

Districts, mines, and prospects:

1. r Angel Station district, Calhoun County: 2, 65, 102, 118.

2. r Beaver Creek Valley, St. Clair County and Greens Valley, Etowah 

County: 2, 102, 118.

3. r Leeds, Jefferson County: 2, 102.

4. r Longview-Saginaw district, Shelby County: 2, 102.

5. r Sinks district, Bibb County: 2, 28, 54, 67, 74, 102, 118, 143.

6. v Southeastern corner, Cherokee County: 1, 2, 54, 74, 102.

7. v Southern Cleburne County: 1, 2, 54, 74, 102.

8. r Vincent-Harpersville-Wilsonville district, Shelby County: 2, 54, 102.

ARIZONA

General: 4, 8, 13, 43, 85, 149, 150, 158. 

Districts, mines, and prospects:

1. v Arizona Barite Co. (Christman) mine, Maricopa County: 8, 43, 53, 151, 

158.

2. v Castle Dome district, Yuma County: 43, 149.

3. v Ernest Hall Property, Yuma County: 151.

4. v McCracken Lead mine, Mohave County: 13.

5. v Nottbusch mine.(Neversweat district), Yuma County: 149.

6. v Renner barite mine, Yuma County: 43, 149, 151.

7. v Sheep Tanks district, Yuma County: 149.

8. v Silver district, Yuma County: 149.

9. v Silver Belt mine, Yavapai County: 85.
148 .CONTRIBUTIONS TO BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MINERAL RESOURCES

ARKANSAS

General: 6, 21, 22, 66, 69, 88, 89, 93, 97, 103, 104. 

Districts, mines, and prospects:

1. r Bear Creek prospect, Pike County: 66.

2. b Bee Mountain, Boar Tusk Mountain, and Two Mile Creek prospects, 

Polk County: 22, 66, 92, 93.

3. b Boone Springs Creek, Fancy Hill, Gap Mountain, Polk Creek Mountain, and Sulphur Mountain prospects, Montgomery County: 66, 

89, 93, 120.

4. b Cossatot River prospect, Polk County: 66, 93.

5. b Magnet Cove district, Hot Spring County: 21, 39, 53, 54, 69, 80, 88, 

93, 97, 103, 104, 148.

6. b Mill Creek prospect, Pike County and Pigeon Roost Mountain deposit, 

Montgomery County: 66, 93.

7. b Viles Creek prospect, Polk County: 66, 93.

CALIFORNIA

General: 9, 10, 11, 19, 20, 23, 26, 40, 52, 56, 63, 68, 86, 95, 117, 125, 130, 152,

155, 157, 160. 

Districts, mines, and prospects:

1. v Afterthought prospects and Austin quarry, Shasta County: 10, 19, 20^ 

95, 152.

2. b Almanor district (Cameron, Savercool, and Synthetic Iron Color Co. 

mines), Plumas County: 11, 23, 63, 95, 125, 152, 157.

3. ? Barite No. 1 and No. 2 claims (Noble prospect on Beegum Creek), 

Shasta County: 10, 19, 20, 152, 154.

4. v Barstow area (Ball, Barium Queen, Big Medicine, Lead Mountain 

and Silver Spar mines), San Bernardino County: 19, 32, 56, 95, 

152, 155, 157.

5. v Bidwell Ranch prospect and Exposed Treasure No. 1 and No. 2 

claims, Shasta County: 10, 19, 20, 95.

6. ? Democrat barite mine, Nevada County: 19, 20, 86, 95, 152.

7. b El Portal and Egenhoff mines, Mariposa County: 11, 19, 20, 23, 40, 52, 

53, 54, 63, 68, 80, 95, 113, 114, 148, 152.

8. b Gabilan (Fremont) Peak deposit, Monterey County: 19, 20, 152.

9. b Glidden Co. (Loftus) deposit, Shasta County: 10, 19, 20, 95, 152.

10. v Gunter Canyon deposit, Inyo County: 19, 20, 95, 130.

11. v Hansen barite mine, San Bernardino County: 19, 56, 95, 152, 155.

12. v La Brea deposit (Eagle mine), Santa Barbara County: 19, 20, 95, 152.

13. v Liscom Hill deposit, Humboldt County: 19, 20, 95.

14. v Mountain Pass deposits, San Bernardino County: 26; 117, 155, 160.

15. v Poso baryta deposit, Tulare County: 56, 95, 130, 152.

16. v Red Hill deposit, Orange County: 19, 20, 95, 152.

17. b San Dimos Canyon deposit, Los Angeles County: 19, 20, 95, 152.

18. b Spanish mine, Nevada County: 19, 54, 80, 86, 95, 152.

19. v Warm Springs Canyon deposit, Inyo County: 95, 130.

COLORADO

General: 7, 44, 58, 81, 140. 

Districts, mines and prospects:

1. v Hartsel deposit, Park County: 7, 58, 81, 140.

2. v Use area (Feldspar, School Section, and other mines), Custer County: 

7, 44, 81, 140.
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF BARITE DEPOSITS IN THE IT. S. 149

3. ? Little Maude mine, Fremont County: 7.

4. v Sunshine Canyon deposit, Boulder County: 7, 44, 81, 140.

CONNECTICUT

General: 57.

District, mines, and prospects:

1. v Cheshire deposits, New Haven County: 57.

GEORGIA

General: 25, 28, 59, 61, 72, 73, 75, 87, 94, 144. 

Districts, mines, and prospects:

1. r Bass Ferry prospect, Floyd County and Kingston prospects, Bartow 

County: 25, 61, 87.

2. r Cartersville district, Bartow County: 25, 28, 50, 54, 57, 59, 60, 61, 

72, 73, 74, 75, 87, 105, 113, 114, 143, 144, 148, 150.

3. r Eton district, Murray County and Rural vale deposit, Whitfield County: 

25, 61, 87, 94, 105, 143.

4. r Plainville area, Floyd and Gordon Counties: 25, 61, 87.

5. r Stilesboro prospect, Bartow County: 25, 61, 87.

6. b Waleska deposit, Cherokee County: 25, 61, 87.

IDAHO

General: 5, 78, 106, 110, 116, 133. 

Districts, mines, and prospects:

1. v Meyers Cove deposit, Lemhi County: 5.

2. b Sun Valley barite mine (Bonnie and Barium Sulphate claims), Blaine 

County: 57, 78, 106, 110, 116, 133.

ILLINOIS

General: 15.

Districts, mines, and prospects:

1. b v Kentucky-Illinois fluorspar district, Hardin and Pope Counties: 15.

KENTUCKY

General: 41, 109, 132. 

Districts, mines, and prospects:

1. v Central district, Anderson, Bourbon, Boyle, Clark, Fayette, Franklin, 

Garrard, Harrison, Henry, Jessamine, Lincoln, Madison, Mercer, 

Owen, Scott, and Woodford Counties: 41, 54, 57, 105, 109,t 113, 

114, 143.

2. v Western Kentucky fluorspar district, Caldwell, Crittenden,f and 

Livingston Counties: 41, 57, 105, 113, 114, 132, 143.

MARYLAND

General: 101, 143

Districts, mines, and prospects:

1. b Johnsville mine, Frederick County: 101.

2. v Sauble quarry, Frederick County: 143.

MISSOURI

General: 16, 17, 18, 24, 30, 70, 76, 90, 91, 92, 126, 127, 128, 131, 145.

Districts, mines, and prospects:

1. ro Central district, includes portions of 16 counties but principal deposits 

are in Cole, Miller, Moniteau, and Morgan Counties: 39, 42, 54, 57, 

90, 91, 92, 113, 114, 126, 127, 148. 

327327 55 2
150 CONTRIBUTIONS TO BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MINERAL RESOURCES

2. v Graniteville occurrence, Iron County: 128.

3. o Houston (Murphy Mining Co.) mine, Texas County: 76.

4. ro Southeastern (Washington County) district, Franklin, Jefferson^St. 

Francois, and Washington Counties: 18, 24, 30, 39, 53, 54, 57,r70, 

80, 113, 114, 126, 127, 128, 131, 145, 148.

MONTANA

General: 77, 108, 111, 112, 161. 

Districts, mines, and prospects:

1. v Greenough area mine, Missoula County: 161.

2. v Pattee Canyon and Rattlesnake Creek prospects, Missoula County: 77, 

108, 111, 112.

NEVADA

General: 35, 45, 121, 129, 138, 139. 

Districts, mines, and prospects:

1. v Austin (Reese River) district, Lander County: 45, 139.

2. ? Contact deposit, Elko County: 45.

3. v Eagleville district deposit, Churchill County: 45, 121.

4. o Ellendale deposit, Nye County: 23, 121.

5. bv Hilltop district (Bateman Canyon, Lewis Canyon, Starr Grove 

Mine), Lander County: 23, 45, 139.

6. v Lone Mountain deposit, Esmeralda County: 23, 57, 121.

7. v Lynn district (Boulder Flat, Simon Creek, Rossi barite mine), 

Eureka County: 45.

8. v Maggie Creek Canyon deposit, Eureka County: 45, 138.

9. b Nevada and Valley View barite mines, Lander County: 45, 139. 

10. v Pine Valley deposit, Elko County: 45.

NEW MEXICO

General: 27, 98, 119, 159. 

Districts, mines, and prospects:

1. v American Fluorspar group, Socorro County: 27.

2. bv Derry district mine, Sierra County: 27, 98.

3. bv Devils Canyon and White Spar mines, Dona Ana County: 27, 98.

4. v Dewey mine, Socorro County: 27, 159.

5. v Gallinas district prospects, Lincoln County: 27, 119.

6. v Gonzales prospect, Socorro County: 27.

7. v Hansonburg district, Socorro County: 27, 79, 98, 103, 159.

8. v Palm Park mine, Dona Ana County: 27, 39, 98.

9. v Tonuco Mountain deposits, Dona Ana County: 27, 98.

10. v Vincent Moore claim, Torrance County and unidentified mine in 

Bernalillo County: 27, 98.

NORTH CAROLINA

General: 62, 71, 96, 100, 123, 124, 141, 142. 

Districts, mines, and prospects:

1. v Hillsboro area, Orange County: 123, 124.

2. vo Hot Springs districts, Madison County: 29, 54, 57, 62, 71, 74, 96, 100. 

113, 114, 123, 124, 143.

3. vo Kings Mountain: Gaffney district, Gaston and Cleveland Counties, 

North Carolina, and York and Cherokee Counties, South Carolina: 

54, 57, 62, 74, 113, 114, 123, 124, 141, 142, 143.
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF BARITE DEPOSITS IN THE U. S. 151

OKLAHOMA

General: 51, 146.

Districts, mines, and prospects:

1. r Cache prospect, Comanche County: 51, 146.

2. r Maniton prospect, Tillman County: 51, 146.

3. r Mill Creek (Thompson ranch) prospect, Johnston County: 51, 146.

4. v Watson prospects, McCurtain County: 51.

PENNSYLVANIA

General: 122, 143.

Districts, mines, and prospects:

1. vr Buckmanville deposit, Backs County: 122.

2. r Chambersburg deposits, Franklin County: 57, 60, 122.

3. rv Fort Littleton deposit, Fulton County: 122, 143.

4. r Waynesboro deposits, Franklin County: 57, 122, 143.

SOUTH CAROLINA

General: 143.

Districts, mines, and prospects:

3. vo Kings Creek, Cherokee County (see Kings Mountain-Gaflfney district, 

North Carolina): 54, 57, 62, 113, 114, 123, 124, 141, 142, 143.

TENNESSEE

General: 29, 31, 38, 46, 47, 48, 49, 60, 64, 82, 83, 107, 147. 

Districts, mines, and prospects:

1. vr Del Rio district, Cocke County: 29, 38, 46, 49, 54, 74, 113, 114, 143, 

147, 148.

2. r Fall Branch district, Greene, Sullivan, and Washington Counties: 

46, 49, 82, 105, 107.

3. r Greene County area: 49, 143, 147.

4. r Lost Creek district, Union County: 46, 105.

5. v Middle Tennessee area, Davidson, De Kalb, Rutherford, Smith, 

Sumner, Trousdale, and Williamson Counties: 64, 105, 143, 147.

6. r Pall Mall district, Fentress County: 54, 105, 107, 147.

7. r Sweetwater district, McMinn, Monroe, and Loudon Counties: 31, 47, 

48, 54, 60, 74, 83, 105, 107, 113, 114, 143, 147, 148.

TEXAS

General: 12, 14, 37, 156. 

Districts, mines, and prospects:

1. rv Freeman ranch deposit, Llano County: 14, 37, 156.

2. o Henry Mills ranch deposit, Val Verde County: 14, 37.

3. b Seven Heart Gap area, Culberson County: 37.

4. v Van Horn area, Culberson County: 12, 37.

VIRGINIA

General: 33, 34, 36, 143, 153, 154. 

Districts, mines, and prospects:

1. v Bedford County area: 33, 34, 54.

2. rvb Campbell-Pittsylvania Counties area: 33, 34, 36, 54, 113, 114.

3. rv Fauquier County area: 33, 34, 54.

4. vr Grayson County area: 33, 34, 54.

5. r Roanoke-Botetourt Counties area: 33, 34, 54, 143.

6. rvb Russell-Tazewell and Smyth Counties area: 33, 34, 54, 105, 113, 114, 

154,
152 CONTRIBUTIONS TO BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MINERAL RESOURCES

WASHINQTON

General: 137.

Districts, mines, and prospects:

1. b Maple Creek prospect, Mason County: 137.

2. v Northern Stevens County deposits, Stevens County: 137.

3. v Springdale area deposits, Stevens County: 137.

WISCONSIN

General: 3.

Districts, mines, and prospects:

1. b v Cuba City mines, Lafayette County: 3, 134, 135, 136.

AUTHOR INDEX

1 Adams, G. I., 1931, Hydrothermal origin of the barite in Alabama: Econ.

Geology, v. 26, no. 7, p. 772-776.

Small barite veins occurring in shales of the Weisner formation of Lower 

Cambrian age and in the pre-Cambrian Ashland mica schist, in Cherokee 

and Cleburne Counties are believed to have been deposited by hydrothermal solutions at the close of the Paleozoic, after formation of the main 

structural features of the Appalachians. The veins are 12 to 18 inches 

wide and not considered economic.

2 Adams, G. I., and Jones, W. B., 1940, Barite deposits of Alabama: Ala.

Geol. Survey Bull. 45, 38 p.

The geologic occurrence and origin of barite are discussed, and individual 

mines and prospects in the nine barite-bearing localities of Alabama described. The major primary deposits occur as irregular veins and replacement bodies in the Knox dolomite of Cambrian and Ordovician age and in 

the Pelham limestone of Ordovician age. Barite veins also occur in shales 

of the Weisner formation of Lower Cambrian age and in the pre-Cambrian 

Ashland [mica] schist. The authors believe that these deposits were formed 

by mesothermal and epithermal solutions moving along fractures caused 

by the main deformation of the Appalachians at the close of the Paleozoic. 

Only residual deposits in red clay derived from weathering of the primary 

deposits described above have been worked. The most abundant residual 

deposits are found in Bibb County where barite is associated with fluorite, 

limonite, calcite, and native sulfur. These deposits are believed by Adams 

and Jones to offer the best possibilities in the state for mining development. 

Barite was first produced in 1914; production reached a peak in 1917 and 

then gradually declined until 1925. Since 1925, production has been 

intermittent and on a small scale.

3 Agnew, Alien F., Flint, Arthur E., Crumpton, R. P., 1954, Geology and 

zinc-lead-barite deposits in the area east of Cuba City, Wisconsin: 

U. S. Geol. Survey Map MF 15.

A detailed map (scale 1:12,000) shows the geology of the ore deposits 

east of Cuba City. A marginal text briefly describes the history of the 

district, the rock units and thin alteration, the structure, and the ore 

deposits.

4 Alien, M. A., and Butler, G. M., 1919, Barytes: Univ. Bur. Mines Bull.

99, 18 p.

A general discussion of barite is followed by brief notes on occurrences of 

barite in Arizona. All known deposits, which occur in veins in igneous or
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF BARITE DEPOSITS IN THE U. S. 153

sedimentary rocks, are small and most veins are less than three feet wide. 

It is doubtful that many would be of commercial value, even if they were 

near a market.

5 Anderson, A. L., 1943, The antimony and fluorspar deposits near Meyers 

Cove, Lemhi County, Idaho: Idaho Bur. Mines and Geology Pamph. 

62, p. 1, 11, 14-16.

A mineralized fracture zone as much as 20 feet wide in silicic tuff of the 

Challis volcanics of Oligocene [and early miocene] age contains mostly 

barite, with considerably less stibnite, fluorite, and chalcedony. 

The stibnite content of the deposit is economically unimportant.

6 Arkansas Geological Survey, 1942, Mineral resources of Montgomery, Garland, Saline, and Pulaski Counties: County Min. Rept. 3, p, 30. 

Small deposits of impure barite have been found in veins with calcite and 

in limonite deposits in Pulaski, Saline, Garland, and Montgomery Counties. 

These deposits are not of economic value. The occurrence of commercially 

exploited barite deposits in Hot Spring County (Magnet Cove) is noted. 

Additional deposits may occur in Garland County.

7 Argall, G. O., Jr., 1949, Industrial minerals of Colorado: Colo. School of

Mines Quart., v. 44, no. 2, p. 32-39.

Barite occurrences in Colorado are described. A bibliography and general information on uses, treatment, and marketing of barite are included. 

Barite occurs as gangue in many base-metal sulfide veins of Colorado, in 

gold telluride veins at Cripple Creek, in ferberite veins in Boulder County, 

and in fluorite veins of Boulder and Mineral Counties. In a few localities, 

barite constitutes the main filling of the vein. Small quantities of barite 

were mined in Boulder, Fremont, and Custer Counties during World War I 

and more recently in Park and Custer Counties.

8 Arizona Department of Mineral Resources, 1945-1950, Seventh to Eleventh

Annual Repts.

These annual reports contain summaries of information on barite mining 

in the state.

9 Averill, C. V., 1937, Mineral resources of Plumas County: Calif. Jour.

Mines and Geology, v. 33, no. 2, p. 92.

Barite occurs in lenses in slate at the Savercool and Synthetic Iron Color 

Co. mines four miles southwest of Almanor, Plumas County. Up to 1936, 

about 17,000 tons of barite had been mined at the Synthetic Iron Color Co. 

property. The ore averaging about 94 percent BaSOi was mined in open 

pits and underground. At the Savercool mine, a carload of barite was 

mined from a barite lens 10 feet wide and shipped as a sample.

10 Averill, C. V., 1939, Mineral resources of Shasta County: Calif. Jour. Mines

and Geology, v. 35, no. 2, p. 114-115.

Barite occurs in fissure veins in basic igneous rock at the Afterthought 

prospects, 20 miles north of Redding. The veins range from a few inches 

to eight feet in width and are reported to contafn "quite pure" barite. 

Barite associated with a small amount of witherite has been exposed in a 

small open cut (Barite No. 1 and No. 2 claims) in the side of Beegum Creek 

Canyon about two miles from Platina. A narrow lens or vein of barite has 

been found on the Bidwell ranch just south of the town of Montgomery 

Creek. Several thousand tons of barite have been mined east of Castella 

(Loftus deposit) by the Glidden Co. for the manufacture of lithopone. The
154 CONTRIBUTIONS TO BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MINERAL RESOURCES

barite occurs as a bedded deposit in nearly horizontal slate and limestone of 

probable Devonian or Carboniferous age. The average grade of ore was 

nearly 93 percent BaSO4j mining was from open pits.

11 Averill, C. V., and Norman, L. A., Jr., and others, 1951, Counties of California, mineral production and significant mining activities of 1949: 

Calif. Jour. Mines and Geology, v. 47, no. 2, p. 338 and 350. 

A new barite lens was discovered by diamond drilling at the El Portal 

barite deposits by the National Lead Co. on the north side of the Merced 

River, Mariposa County. The company planned to explore the lens with 

-a crosscut and raise in 1950. Colored barite occurs in a lens six feet wide 

in slate at the Cameron barite mine three miles south of the Almanor Dam, 

Plumas County. The deposit was mined from an open cut in April and 

May of 1949.

12 Baker, C. L., 1932, Barite in Texas: Texas Univ. Bur. Econ. Geology Min. 

Res. Circ. 4, 5 p.; 1934, The geology of Texas, v. 2, Structural and 

economic geology: Texas Univ. Bull. 3401, p. 403-409. 

This paper is largely a general discussion of properties, occurrence, production, mining, preparation and uses of barite. Barite occurrences in 

Texas are briefly described. The barite commonly occurs in small veins 

or nodules in sedimentary rocks. No production had been recorded from 

Texas as of 1932.

13 Bancroft, Howland, 1911, Reconnaissance of the ore deposits in northern

Yuma County, Arizona: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 451, p. 123-126. 

At the McCraclisn bad raine in southern Mohave County barite is reported in large quantities in two fissure veins which range in width from 6 

to 20 feet. In addition to barite, the vein filling consists of quartz, calcite, 

siderite, dolomite, and galena.

14 Barnes, V. E., 1939, Additional notes on barite: Texas Univ. Bur. Econ. 

Geology Min. Res. Circ. 11, 4 p.

Three small barite deposits in northeastern Gillespie County, northern 

Llano County, and near Pandale, Val Verde County are described. Deposits at the first two localities are small veins in pre-Cambrian schist and 

gneiss. The veins contain impure barite associated chiefly with quartz. 

Barite occurs near Pandale as cavern fillings in cherty limestone. None of 

the deposits appears to be large enough to be of economic value.

15 Bastin, E. S., 1931, The fluorspar deposits of Hardin and Pope counties,

Illinois: 111. State Geol. Survey Bull. 58, p. 30-31 and 57. 

Barite occurs sporadically near the surface where it coats and replaces 

fluorite in both the vein and blanket-type deposits. The fluorite is considered of hydrothermal origin, but the barite was probably deposited by 

circulating ground water. The barite is generally not of commercial importance, but it might be recovered as a by-product in mining the fluorspar 

deposits of the blanket type.

16 Bishop, O. M., 19*49, The mineral industry of Missouri in 1946 and 1947 

with total production summarized: Mo. Geol. Survey and Water 

Res. Inf. Circ. 4, p. 8-13.

Uses of barite, types of occurrences, production, and mining and milling 

methods in Missouri are summarized. Annual production and value of 

barite produced in Missouri from 1872 through 1947 is tabulated. Barite
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF BARITE DEPOSITS IN THE U. S. 155

mining began in pre-Civil War days and has been continuous since 1872, with 

a total recorded production to 1947 of 4,765,125 tons valued at $31,774,237. 

Missouri has produced more barite than any other state.

17 Bishop, 0. M., 1950, The mineral industry of Missouri in 1948: Mo. Geol.

Survey and Water Res. Inf. Circ. 6, p. 6-7.

Barite production in Missouri in 1948 is discussed. In 1948 this totalled 

278,071 tons of barite valued at $2,413,802.

18 Bishop, O. M., 1951, The mineral industry of Missouri in 1949: Mo. Geol.

Survey and Water Res. Inf. Circ. 7, p. 6-7.

Competition from producers at Magnet Cove, Ark., caused a decline in 

barite production in Missouri in 1949. Of the total production of 186,891 

tons, approximately 78,800 tons were ground for use in drilling muds and 

83,300 tons were shipped to the chemical industry. The remaining 25,000 

tons was added to stockpiles. All but 3,540 tons was mined in Washington 

County from residual clays having an average content of 10 percent barite.

19 Bradley, W. W., 1930, Barite in California: Rept. 26 of the State Minerologist, v. 26, no. 1, p. 45-57.

The occurrence and uses of barite in the United States are discussed. 

Principal barite deposits in California are described by counties. By 1929 

production of barite had been reported from Inyo, Los Angeles, Mariposa, 

Montcrcy, Nevada, Orange, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, and Shasta 

Counties. Commercial production of barite in California began in 1910 

and with the exception of 1924 and 1925 some production has been recorded 

each year since then reaching a total of 86,768 tons at the end of 1929. 

California barite resources in 1929 were considered ample to meet any 

considerable increase in Pacific Coast market demands. This is the most 

complete summary available about deposits of barite in California.

20 Bradley, W. W., 1930, Barite in California: Am. Inst. Min. Metall.

Engineers. Tech. Pub. 266, 9 p.

Same material as in reference 19 but presented in a slightly condensed 

version.

21 Branner, G. C., 1931, Barite in Arkansas: Eng. and Min. Jour., v. 131,

no. 11, p. 512.

The results of prospecting the large Magnet Cove barite deposit during 

1930 and 1931 are summarized. The material reviewed here is covered in 

detail by Norman and Lindsey (1941).

22 Branner, G. C., and others, 1940, Polk County: Ark. Geol. Survey County

Mineral Rept. 1, p. 18-19 and pi. 7.

The occurrence of six small barite deposits in central Polk County is 

noted. The barite occurs in thin veins in the Missouri Mountain slate of 

Silurian age and in small pockets and seams in the overlying Arkansas 

novaculite of Devon'ian and Mississippian age. The deposits appear to be 

too small to be of economic value. Location of deposits is shown on 

geologic map of Polk County.

23 Braun, L. T., 1950, Barite, in Jenkins, O. P., and others, Mineral commodities of California: Calif. Dept. Nat. Res. Div. Mines Bull. 156, 

p. 130-132.

Occurrences, production, uses, and markets for barite in California are 

discussed briefly. Occurrences of barite, chiefly as veins or replacements,
156 CONTRIBUTIONS TO BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MINERAL RESOURCES

are widespread and a total production of more than 500,000 tons from 

several deposits was recorded between 1910 and 1949. Recent production 

has been from two properties, a replacement deposit near El Portal, 

Mariposa County (the principal source) and from a lens near Greenville, 

Plumas County. California barite is used principally for drilling mud.

24 Buckley, E. R., 1909, Geology of the disseminated lead deposits of St.

Francois and Washington Counties: Mo. Bur. Geology and Mines,

v. 9, pt. 1, p. 223-228 and 238-248.

Lead deposits of southeastern Missouri contain barite associated with 

galena and other sulfides, sulfates, and carbonates. They occur in irregular 

vertical and horizontal openings in dolomite and in residual clay derived 

from dolomite. Barite is most abundant in the Potosi dolomite (Cambrian). 

The barium is believed to have been carried in solution as BaCOs in groundwater and precipated in solution cavities by reaction with solutions of an 

alkaline sulfate, probably CaSO*. The barium probably was derived 

originally from the feldspars of igneous rocks from which the sediments of 

the area were derived. The report includes descriptions and a map indicating the location of 33 barite deposits which were being or had been 

worked in the area as of 1909.

25 Butts, Charles, and Gildersleeve, Benjamin, 1948, Geology and mineral 

resources of the Paleozoic area in northwest Georgia: Ga. Geol. Survey 

Bull. 54, p. 83-85.

Although barite is widely distributed in northwest Georgia, important 

deposits are essentially limited to the Cartersville district. Six other 

isolated barite localities lie within a belt about 75 miles long and as much as 

25 miles wide which extends northeast from the vicinity of Esom Hill, 

Polk County to Ruralvale in Whitfield County. The principal producers of 

crude barite in the past three years are listed in a table. The locations of 

active barite operations in 1946 are indicated on a mineral resource map. 

Reserves are believed sufficient for many years of continued production.

26 California State Mining Bureau, 1910-1948, Mineral production of California: Calif. State Min. Bur. Ann. Bulls. 1910-37; Calif. Dept. Nat. 

Res. Div. Mines Ann. Bulls. 1938-48.

In this annual publication of the Division of Mines, yearly production of 

barite by counties in California is tabulated. Tables are included to show 

annual value and tonnage of barite produced since 1910.

27 Clippinger, D. M., 1949, Barite of New Mexico: N. Mex. Bur. Mines and

Mineral Res. Circ. 21, 28 p.

All available information on barite in New Mexico up to and including 

1948 is summarized. The geology, occurrence, mining, milling, and production of barite is reviewed. Nineteen mines and prospects in Dona Ana, 

Lincoln, Socorro, and Torrance Counties and 12 other scattered deposits 

are described briefly. A bibliography is included. Barite occurs chiefly 

as vein and breccia fillings which may be accompanied by replacement of 

wall rock. Country rocks include pre-Cambrian granite and schist and 

quartzite, limestones, and shales of Paleozoic age. The principal minerals 

associated with the barite are fluorite and quartz, with lesser amounts of 

calcite, gypsum, and sulfides. Fluorite in varying amounts is present in 

almost all the deposits. As a result of the recent development of milling 

methods for separation of barite and fluorite the recovery of both 

minerals from some deposits is now commercially possible. Recent demands
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF BARITE DEPOSITS IN THE U. S. 157

for heavy drilling muds in the oilfields of New Mexico and west Texas 

have created a new market nearby.

28 Crickmay, G. W., 1935, Origin of barite in the Appalachian Valley: Econ.

Geology, v. 30, no. 5, p. 563-564.

The paper by Jones and McVay (1934) in which they advocate hydrothermal origin for Alabama barite deposits is discussed. Crickmay believes 

that both hypogene and supergene deposition of barite occurred in the 

Cartersville district, Georgia and probably also in Alabama. Massive, 

white barite at Cartersville is commonly brecciated and Crickmay considers 

it of hypogene origin. Delicate transparent barite crystals called "flowers 

of ocher" occur in open cavities in quartzite and may have formed from the 

earlier veins by solution and subsequent deposition of barite from circulating 

surface waters.

29 Dahners, L. A., 1949, Investigation of the Del Rio and Stackhouse barite 

deposit, Cocke County, Tenn., and Madison County, N. C.: U. S. 

Bur. Mines Rept. Inv. 4571, 26 p.

The results of diamond-drilling by the U. S. Bureau of Mines during 1944 

on the Moccasin Gap prospect and Krebs property in Cocke County, Tenn., 

and the Sandy Bottom mine of the Stackhouse group in Madison County, 

North Carolina are described. Tables of analyses of samples and logs of 

drill-holes are included. The ore is principally barite associated with 

fluorite, pyrite, calcite, quartz, and traces of copper. The veins cut by drill 

holes on the Moccasin Gap property were narrow and low grade. Ore containing 33 to 57 percent barite was intersected by one drill hole on the 

Krebs property, which was in operation in 1944.. At the Sandy Bottom 

property unconsolidated vein material could not be cored and sludge samples 

showed only a trace of barite.

30 Dake, C. L., 1930, The geology of the Potosi and Edgehill quadrangles:

Mo. Bur. Geology and Mines, 2d ser., v. 23, 233 p.

Detailed descriptions of stratigraphy, structure, and ore deposits of this 

area in southeastern Missouri are given. Rocks of the area include preCambrian igneous rocks, chiefly rhyolite porphyry, and sedimentary rocks 

of Paleozoic age, chiefly dolomites. Beds in this area west of the structural 

center of the Ozark dome have a westerly regional dip broken by faults and 

porphyry knobs. Nearty half the total barite produced in the United States 

in 1927 was from the Washington County district, part of which lies in the 

Potosi quadrangle. Nearly all of the commercially important barite occurs 

irregularly disseminated in deep residual clays derived from the weathering 

of the Potosi and Eminence dolomites of Cambrian age. Silica in the form 

of chert, chalcdony, or quartz universally is associated with barite in the 

residual clay. Other minerals associated with barite in order of their decreasing abundance are limonite, galena, marcasite, and pyrite. The 

author suggests that barite was precipitated from sea water in minutely 

disseminated form in beds of the Potosi and Eminence dolomites. The 

barite was later concentrated into larger masses by the shallow circulation of 

groundwater during the weathering process which also formed the residual 

clay.

31 Dunlap, J. C., 1945, Structural control in the eastern belt of the Sweetwater 

barite district, east Tennessee (abstract): Econ. Geology, v. 40, no. 1, 

p. 82; Geol. Soc. America Bull., v. 56, no. 12, pt. 2, p. 1156.

327327 5E
158 CONTRIBUTIONS TO BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MINERAL RESOURCES

The Cambrian and Ordovician sedimentary rocks lie in three parallel 

belts separated by major thrust faults. Barite deposits are restricted to the 

Beekmantown division [Ordovician] of the Knox group, and occur principally 

in the limestone member of the lower Kingsport formation. The regional 

strike of these beds is N. 50° E. and dip is 10° to 20° southeast. Two types of 

minor structures with axes that strike from N. 70° W. to due west cut across 

the regional structure. These minor structures "are (1) 'knobs' or sharp flexures 

caused by abrupt change in strike and (2) very gentle anticlines." Narrow 

brecciated zones in these minor structures are believed to have admitted 

rising hydrothermal solutions which spread laterally along the favorable 

beds in which the barite deposits now occur. These deposits form banded 

veins in coarse breccia and contain pyrite, fluorite, and barite listed in the 

order of deposition and increasing abundance. Monthly barite production 

of 3,400 tons in 1945 was derived entirely from residual deposits.

32 Durell, Cordell, 1954, Barite deposits near Barstow, San Bernardino County, 

California: Calif. Dept. Nat. Res. Div. Mines, Special Report 39, 8 p. 

The geology of four barite mines and areas are briefly described: the Ball 

deposit, the Hansen deposit and vicinity, the deposits in the vicinity of the 

Barium Queen mine, deposits at the Lead Mountain mine and vicinity. 

Four detailed geologic maps are included.

33 Edmundson, R. S., 1936, Barite deposits of Virginia: Am. Inst. Min. Metall.

Engineers Tech. Pub. 725, 17 p.

The descriptions of the individual mines are omitted from this condensed 

version of a later report (Edmundson, 1938). The occurrence, mineralogy, 

and origin of the deposits of Virginia are reviewed.

34 Edmundson, R. S., 1938, Barite deposits of Virginia: Va. Geol. Survey

Bull. 53, 85 p.

The distribution, types of deposits, origin, and probable commercial value 

of barite deposits is discussed. Individual mines and prospects are described 

and a section on mining methods and prospecting is included. The deposits 

are in the Piedmont and Valley and Ridge provinces. Abundant small 

deposits of barite occur in bedrock in fissure veins, replacement masses, and 

in breccia zones. The most important of these deposits are lenticular replacement bodies up to 20 feet wide, 100 feet long and 150 feet thick in 

calcareous rocks. Breccia deposits contain thin seams of barite generally 

only a few inches wide. Bedrock deposits, because of their small size, are 

probably not of commercial value. Wall rock of these deposits includes 

pre-Cambrian marble, schist, and gneiss, Paleozoic limestone and dolomite, 

and Triassic shale, sandstone, and diabase. The author cites criteria considered indicative of an hydrothermal origin for these deposits. Residual 

deposits irregularly distributed in red or black clay in Grayson, Botetourt, 

Campbell, and Pittsylvania Counties might yield small commercial quantities of barite.

35 Emmons, W. H., 1910, A reconnaissance of some mining camps in Elko, 

Lander, and Eureka Counties, Nevada: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 408, 

p. 126.

At the Starr Grove mine about 15 miles southeast of Battle Mountain, 

barite occurs with quartz and small amounts of disseminated sulfides in a 

large flat ore body which lies nearly parallel to the enclosing dark gray 

limestone. In places "there is as much as 10 feet of nearly pure barite".
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF BARITE DEPOSITS IN THE TJ. S. 159

36 Espenshade, G. H., 1952, Manganese, iron, and barite deposits of the James

River-Roanoke River district, Virginia: U. S. Geol. Survey Map MF 5.

A geologic map shows the location of barite deposits in the district.

Barite has been found at about a dozen localities in the southern part of

the district and also south of the Roanoke River in Pittsylvania County.

The barite occurs in veins in white marble of Furcron's Mount Athos

formation [Paleozoic (?)] and as fragments in overlying surficial and residual

clays. Although the Hewitt mine is estimated to have produced about

100,000 tons of barite, most of the deposits in this district are believed to

be rather small.

37 Evans, G. L., 1946, Barite deposits in Texas, in Sellards, E. H., and others,

Texas mineral resources: Univ. Texas Pub. 4301, p. 105-111. 

Deposits of barite in Texas occur in thin veins, replacement bodies, and 

as irregular masses in residual clay. The deposits are in rocks ranging in 

age from pre-Cambrian to Tertiary. Deposits in 13 counties are described. 

Only a few hundred tons have been mined from these deposits, many of 

which are too small to be of commercial value. A replacement deposit of 

relatively high grade barite in the limestone of the Permian Delaware 

Mountain formation near Seven Heart Gap, Culberson County, is described 

as "one of the most promising (deposits) now known in the state from the 

standpoint of possible commercial development". A large tonnage of low 

grade barite occurs as filling in limestone caverns near Pandale (Henry 

Mills ranch deposit), Val Verde County. This is the most complete reference on barite deposits in Texas.

38 Ferguson, H. W., and Jewell, W. B., 1951, Geology and barite deposits of 

the Del Rio district, Cocke County, Tennessee: Tenn. Dept. Conserv., 

Div. Geology Bull. 57, 235 p.

The barite deposits and geology of the district are described in detail. 

The district has yielded about 55,000 tons of barite from 12 mines and 

5 major prospects since 1880. Geologic conditions indicate reserves of at 

least four times the amount already mined. The rocks include a clastic 

group of unknown age, a Lower Cambrian group of elastics, the Cambrian 

Shady dolomite and Rome formation. The principal barite deposits occur 

in the immediate vicinity of two prominent low angle thrust faults. High 

grade but comparatively small deposits of barite are found along a bedding 

plane fault beneath a prominent coarse-grained quartzite in the upper part 

of the Cambrian Unicoi formation. In these deposits white, coarsely 

crystalline barite, commonly containing 95 to 98 percent BaS(>4, occurs with 

ankerite in pods, stringers, and veinlets in the fault zone. Mining has been 

chiefly along weathered portions of the vein where lumps of barite are in 

reddish-brown sandy clay. Larger low grade deposits containing 60 to 

90 percent BaSO* are along the Brushy Mountain thrust, a zone of intense 

shearing with a maximum thickness of nine feet. The sheared granulated 

material is usually replaced by quartz discolored by blue-black hematite. 

Workable ore deposits occur where barite is concentrated locally with small 

amounts of fluorite, hematite, pyrite, and traces of chalcopyrite.

39 Fine, M. M., and Kennedy, J. S., 1948, Investigation of ore-dressing methods 

for barite ores from New Mexico, Missouri, and Arkansas: U. S. Bur. 

Mines Rept. Inv. 4280, 31 p.

The results of laboratory beneficiation tests on barite samples from five 

properties are described. Barite-fluorite ore from the Palm Park claims
160 CONTRIBUTIONS TO BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MINERAL RESOURCES

near Hatch, New Mexico yielded acid-grade fluorspar and drilling-mudgrade barite by flotation and gravity concentration. Recovery of 86 percent of the barite and 76.5 percent of the fluorite was accomplished by 

flotation. Gravity concentration yielded slightly better recovery of barite 

but a much poorer recovery of fluorite. Ore with an unusually high content of iron from Washington County, Missouri yielded concentrates by 

flotation, magnetic separation, and agglomerate tabling. These concentrates contained less than 0.1 percent iron oxide. The flotation of ore 

with a high content of quartz and iron from central Missouri yielded a 

concentrate containing 1.1 percent iron oxide, and recovered 95.2 percent of 

the barite. With tabling and magnetic separation, 86.2 percent of the 

barite was recovered in a concentrate containing only 0.7 percent iron 

oxide. Samples from two producing properties at Magnet Cove, Arkansas 

contained soluble salts detrimental to flotation. Drilling-mud-grade barite 

was recovered by flotation after removal of most of the soluble salts by 

leaching and washing.

40 Fitch, A. A., 1931, Barite and witherite from near El Portal, Mariposa

County, California: Am. Mineralogist, v. 16, no. 10, p. 461-468. 

The mineralogy of the barite-witherite veins and their wall rocks near 

El Portal, California are described. A group of north-trending replacement 

veins up to 20 feet wide occur in the limestone lenses of isoclinally folded 

Paleozoic sedimentary rocks. These rocks, dominantly argillaceous, have 

undergone low-grade dynamic metamorphism and local contact metamorphism near the margin of a small granite boss. The veins which terminate 

at the contact with the intrusive change in composition and texture as the 

granite is approached. This change may be correlated with the degree of 

contact metamorphism of the wallrock. Barite and witherite in places 

occur together and are associated chiefly with quartz and pyrite. As the 

intrusive is approached, more coarse-grained calc-silicate minerals are developed in the veins with a corresponding decrease of barite and witherite. 

Barite and witherite are absent from the veins adjacent to the granite. The 

deposits may have formed by replacement of limestone lenses "by barium 

solutions given off from the underlying Sierra Nevada granite batholith.''

41 Fobs, F. J., 1913, Barytes deposits of Kentucky: Ky. Geol. Survey, 4th

ser., v. 1, pt. 1, p. 441-588.

The geology, mineralogy, mining, milling, production, and prospecting 

of the barite deposits are reviewed. A general section on the uses and occurrence of barite is also included. Deposits of commercial importance are 

reported in the Central and Western districts and in Union County where the 

deposits occur in veins in Ordovician and Carboniferous sedimentary 

rocks. The important Central district is discussed in detail including brief 

descriptions of nearly 200 prospects. Barite in the Central district is 

associated chiefly with calcite, fluorite, sphalerite, and galena in steeply 

dipping veins and breccia fillings in Ordovician limestone. Replacement 

of the wall rocks is of minor importance. The veins and breccia fillings are 

irregularly shaped and average two to four feet in width and 600 feet in 

depth. Production from the Central district was recorded every year from 

1903 to 1911; the most productive year was 1908 when 11,000 tons were 

mined, ranking Kentucky as the third largest producer in the United States. 

A small tonnage was produced in the Western district in 1903 and 1907.

42 Frommer, D. W., and Fine, M. M., 1952, Experimental treatment of 

barite ores from Montgomery County, Ark., and Morgan County, 

Mo.: U. S. Bur. Mines Rept. Inv. 4881, 11 p.
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF BARITE DEPOSITS IN THE U. S. 161

Results of ore dressing studies on samples of barite ore from two undeveloped barite deposits in Arkansas and Missouri are described. Ore 

from Montgomery County, Arkansas consists of barite intimately mixed 

with finely crystalline quartz. Ore from near Stover and Versailles, 

Morgan County, Missouri consists of barite with considerable dolomite, 

sphalerite, chert, and quartz with lesser amounts of fluorite, sulfides, and 

iron oxides. Ores from both areas are amenable to concentration by fine 

grinding and froth flotation. The Arkansas ore yields barite concentrate 

suitably for use in drilling muds and the Missouri ore yields both zinc 

concentrate and barite concentrate the latter of which is suitable for manufacture of some barium chemicals.

43 Galbraith, F. W., 1947, Minerals of Arizona: Ariz. Bur. Mines, Geol.

Ser. 17, Bull. 153, p. 62.

The location of important barite occurrences in Arizona are listed by 

counties.

44 George, R. D., 1927, Geology and natural resources of Colorado: Univ.

Colorado, Boulder, Colo., p. 162.

The occurrence of "strong veins of barite in the vicinity of Boulder and 

Jamestown and near South Boulder Creek in Boulder County" are reported. Several carloads have been shipped from vein deposits in Sunshine 

Canyon west of Boulder. Barite has also been produced from mines near 

Aspen.

45 Gianella, V. P., 1940, Barite deposits of northern Nevada: Am. Inst. Min. 

Metall. Engineers Tech. Pab. 1200,6 p.; 1941, Trans., v. 144, p. 294-299. 

Barite is widely distributed in at least nine counties. Annual production 

in 1938 and 1939 was over 15,000 tons and total production to the end of 

1938 was 66,424 tons. Production has been principally from the northern 

part of Lander and Eureka Counties with a smaller amount from Elko 

County. The barite occurs in veins and replacement deposits. Barite in 

veins is generally white and is generally associated with sulfides. Most of 

the barite has been mined from open cuts in replacement deposits of dark 

barite in limestone beds of probable Carboniferous age. The deposits are 

believed to be of hydrothermal origin and are probably contemporaneous 

with some of the hydrothermal metallic ore deposits of the state. Nine 

principal deposits in northern Nevada are briefly described and located on 

an index map. This is the most complete reference available concerning 

barite deposits of Nevada.

46 Gildersleeve, Benjamin, 1946, Minerals and structural materials of east

Tennessee: TVA Regional Products Research Div. Rept. B., p. 3-5. 

In the Fall Branch district of Greene, Washington, and Sullivan Counties, 

workable deposits of barite occur as irregular masses in residual clays in 

the upper part of the Knox dolomite. The deposits are in a linear belt 

about 20 miles long. The deposits contain two distinct types of barite, an 

exceptionally pure black variety and a less pure white variety. There has 

been no production from the district in many years except for about 168 

tons shipped in 1935. Vein deposits in lower Cambrian rocks have been 

worked intermittently for the past 25 years at several localities in Cocke 

County. A small deposit of relatively pure white barite in the residium 

of the basal part of the Ordovician Murfreesboro limestone on the shore of 

the Lost Creek area of Norris Lake was developed in 1938. Other occurrences of barite in Johnson, Carter, Sevier, Hamblen, and Hawkins Counties 

are reviewed briefly.
162 CONTRIBUTIONS TO BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MINERAL RESOURCES

47 Gildersleeve, Benjamin, 1946, Minerals and structural materials of the 

Watts Bar and Fort Loudon Reservoir areas: TVA Regional Products 

Research Div. Report No. 5, p. 2-5.

The occurrence and distribution of barite in the Sweetwater district of 

east Tennessee is described briefly. The location and a brief statement 

about the history of operation and production of the nine mines that yielded 

the major production from the district in the early part of 1943 are given. 

The location of five other mines abandoned or worked intermittently as of 

1943 is included. Annual production in the area averaged 20,000 to 30,000 

tons prior to 1940 and 60,000 tons in 1941 and 1942. Monroe County 

yielded 51,501 tons in 1942.

48 Gordon, C. H., 1918, Barite deposits of the Sweetwater district, east 

Tennessee: Tenn. Geol. Survey, Resources of Tenn., v. 8, no. 1, p. 48-82. 

The geology and barite deposits of this district in parts of McMinn, 

Monroe, and Loudon Counties in eastern Tennessee are described in detail. 

The barite occurs in bedded veins or shattered zones in the Knox dolomite 

[Upper Cambrian and Lower Ordovician] and as masses in the residual clay 

derived from weathering of the dolomite. Only the residual deposits are of 

commercial importance. They occur along three northeastward trending 

narrow parallel belts about 20 miles long. Workable ore bodies appear only 

at intervals along the ore belts which are usually from 100 to 300 feet wide. 

In many places six to eight feet of alluvial red clay overlies the baritebearing residual clay. The chief impurities in the ore are fluorite, chert, 

and iron oxide. Small amounts of sphalerite, galena, calcite, and manganese 

oxide are also found. The primary deposits are believed to have been 

deposited within breccia zones of the Knox dolomite by solutions that had 

leached the barium from the dolomite and associated limestones. The 

principal mines along the three barite belts are described. The history of 

mining in the district and the mining and preparation of the ore for market 

are discussed. Only the high grade (98-99% BaSO*) barite is marketed. 

A table showing the amount of crude barite marketed in Tennessee from 1903 

to 1916 is included.

49 Gordon, C. H., 1920, Barite deposits in upper east Tennessee: Tenn. State

Geol. Survey BuU. 23 (Pt. 1, Ann. Rept. 1919), p. 65-70. 

Barite deposits of upper east Tennessee are of two types irregular fissure 

and gash veins in crystalline rocks, and residual deposits in breccia veins in 

limestones. Vein deposits occur in the vicinity of Del Rio, and residual deposits occur in several places in Greene County. The Del Rio region is 

underlain by quartzites and slates of Cambrian age. The Pond Ridge 

prospects about l}{ miles north of Del Rio yielded a small tonnage years ago. 

Considerable ore was mined from a vein deposit of hard crystalline barite in 

masses and stringers imbedded in clay at West Meyer 2}£ miles east of 

Bridgeport. At East Meyer pure, hard crystalline barite was mined from a 

bedding plane vein in quartzite and conglomerate. A vein deposit at Rock 

Creek, four miles from Del Rio, was worked some years ago. In Greene 

County, four deposits all in residual clays overlying the Knox dolomite 

[Upper Cambrian and Lower Ordovician] formerly were worked. These 

deposits are in the vicinity of Greeneville, Jearoldstown, Midway, and 

Morristown. Indications appear favorable for the existence of workable 

bodies of barite in the vicinity of Jearoldstown.
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF BAEITE DEPOSITS IN THE U. S. 163

50 Hale, D. P., Jr., 1938, Modern mining and beneficiation of barite at Cartersville, Georgia: Am. Inst. Min. Metall. Engineers Tech. Pub. 973, 13 

p.; 1942, Trans., v. 148, p. 277-290.

Opencut mining and beneficiation of residual barite ore in the Cartersville district, Bartow County, Georgia are discussed. Overburden averaging 

12 to 15 feet thick is removed by stripping. Hydraulic mining has been 

used successfully for recovery of the fines impounded in old mud ponds and 

in one mine where large limestone pinnacles were encountered in the residual 

clay. The chief impurities in the ore are silica and iron oxide. Silica is 

easily removed by washing and jigging. Manganese, where present, is 

separated by gravity methods. Since 1931 greater recovery of barite and 

a final product of higher grade has been made possible by finer crashing, 

tabling, and use of magnetic separators for removal of iron. Use of these 

improved methods has permitted mining in large areas previously considered 

unworkable and had more than doubled the reserves of minable ore as of 

1938. Ore from Cartersville has been consumed chiefly by the lithopone 

and barium chemical industries.

51 Ham, W. E., and Merritt, C. A., 1944, Barite in Oklahoma: Okla. Geol.

Survey Circ. 23, 42 p.

Barite occurrences in Oklahoma and general information on barite are 

reviewed. The deposits are either too small or of too low grade to be of 

commercial value as of 1944. The deposits are of 3 general types: 1) hydrothermal veins, 2) residual deposits and 3) sedimentary deposits. Hydrothermal veins containing small amounts of barite and metallic sulfides cut 

highly folded shales and qaartzitic sandstones of the Stanley [shale of 

Pennsylvania age] in the Ouachita Mountains in northeastern McCurtain 

County. Coarsely crystalline masses of barite associated with ocherous 

limonite are embedded in clays derived from weathering of Cambrian and 

Ordovician dolomite in the Arbuckle Mountains of south-central Oklahoma. 

The lower Permian shales and sandstones of central and southwestern 

Oklahoma contain disseminated grains, concretions, and veins of barite. 

Some barite may form a cementing agent. Surface concentrations of high 

grade concretionary nodules in a few localities may offer the possibility for 

limited production of several thousand tons. The barite in these Permian 

sedimentary rocks may have been introduced as a secondary concentration 

from marine water.

52 Harding, A. C., 1941, Ground barytes for weighting drilling mud: Eng.

and Min. Jour., v. 142, no. 1, p. 33-36.

Barite deposits and mining and milling practices at the National Lead 

Co. plant near El Portal, Mariposa County, California are reviewed. The 

deposit has been worked continuously since 1910; in 1941 it was the largest 

deposit west of the Rockies and yielded the only commercial witherite in 

the United States. The chief product is ground barite for use in drilling 

mud. Barite and witherite associated with silica and calcium carbonate 

occur in vertical shoots or lenses in two distinct belts each about 200 feet 

wide and 1200 feet apart in steeply dipping metamorphosed sedimentary 

rocks. Both mineralized belts are cut by the Merced River Canyon. 

Lenses on the south side of the river contain principally barite and those 

on the north side contain a higher percentage of witherite. Contacts of 

the ore with the wall rock of siliceous limestone and schist are generally 

sharp. The deposits have been worked to a depth of 350 feet without 

reaching their lower limit. The origin of the deposit is attributed to 

replacement of limestone lenses by barium sulphate and carbonate.
164 CONTRIBUTIONS TO BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MINERAL RESOURCES

53 Harding, A. C., 1948, Barite production in the United States: Am. Inst.

Min. Metall. Engineers Tech. Pub. 2414, 6 p.

The geology and mining and milling operations at the major barite 

deposits in the United States are described briefly. Production and consumption of barite in 1945 and specifications for the various grades of barite 

ore used in different industries are listed. It is estimated that inferred 

reserves at properties now in production or being developed would yield at 

least a supply for 20 years at the rate of consumption in 1948.

54 Harness, C. L. and Barsigian, F. M., 1946, Mining and marketing of barite:

U. S. Bur. Mines Inf. Circ. 7345, 78 p.

Information about the geologic occurrence, mining, treatment, and production of barite ore at all major barite mines or districts in the United 

States is summarized. Mining and methods of preparation of ore for the 

market are described. Uses of barite, specifications of barite ore for different uses, prices, marketing, and manufacture and utilization of barium 

chemicals are reviewed.

55 Heck, E. T., 1940, Barium in Appalachian salt brines: Am. Assoc. Petroleum

Geologists Bull., v. 24, no. 3, p. 486-493.

Appreciable amounts of barium have been found in many [Appalachian] 

brines from rocks of Silurian, Devonian, Mississippian, and Pennsylvanian 

age in the Appalachian region. Brines from productive oil and gas areas 

contain the highest percentage of barium. The barium is believed to have 

been present in barite in the sediments and was brought into solution by 

reduction of BaSO*, probably by the action of bacteria.

56 Hewett, D. F., and others, 1936, Mineral resources of the region around

Boulder Dam: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 871, p. 149-151. 

Occurrences and deposits of barite in the region around Boulder Dam in 

adjacent parts of California and Nevada are noted briefly. Barite is common particularly as a gangue mineral in Tertiary metal veins in some parts 

in the region. Five deposits are described in which barite occurs in veins 

or as replacements. "Most of the deposits are relatively small and of poor 

quality." Small production has been reported from a few properties and 

"with sufficient demand a moderate production might be made."

57 Hill, J. M., 1917, Barytes and strontium, [in 1915] in Mineral resources of 

the United States, 1915, pt. 2 nonmetals: U. S. Geol. Survey, p. 

161-185.

In addition to the usual statistics on annual production, consumption, 

and exports and imports of barite, the principal known deposits in the 

United States as of 1915 are described by States and are shown on a map 

on which are also indicated the location of plants manufacturing barium 

products. Methods of mining and preparation of barite for market are 

discussed. This reference is the most complete summary available as of 

1915 concerning the production of barite in the United States.

58 Howland, A. L., 1936, An occurrence of barite in the red beds of Colorado:

Am. Mineralogist, v. 21, no. 9, p. 584-588.

A small deposit two miles southwest of Hartsel, Park County, is described. 

In 1932 development work consisted of pits of various size from which 

some barite had been mined. Further development was done in 1934 and 

1935. It is not known whether commercial ore was produced. The barite 

occurs as a replacement in vertical veins one to two feet wide and in irregular 

layers six inches to three feet wide in gently dipping beds of a limestone
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF BARITE DEPOSITS IN THE U. S. 165

member of the Maroon formation [of Pennsylvanian and] Permian age. 

The barium is believed to have been leached from the surrounding sediments 

by meteoric waters and precipitated by reaction with gypsum in the 

limestone.

59 Hubbell, A. H., 1942, New Riverside - producer of barytes in Georgia:

Eng. and Min. Jour., v. 143, no. 10, p. 62-65.

Mining and milling operations of the New Riverside Ochre Co. in Bartow 

County, Georgia are summarized. Barite occurs irregularly distributed in 

clay, eight tons of which will yield an average of one ton of washed barite. 

Concentrations of barite are pockety and hard to find because overburden 

may be as much as 60 feet thick. The flow sheet of the washing plant is 

described in detail. The final products are of three grades: 1) drilling mud, 

92 percent BaSO4 with 5 percent iron; 2) lithopone, 96 percent BaSCX 

with not more than 1.0 percent iron; and 3) glass, 98 percent BaS04 with not 

more than 0.3 percent iron.

60 Hubbell, A. H., 1943, Barytes a non-metallic product of eastern Tennessee: Eng. and Min. Jour., v. 144, no. 1, p. 63-65. 

Mining and treatment of barite ore from residual deposits in the Sweetwater district of Tennessee and in Bartow County, Georgia are discussed. 

In the Sweetwater district, overburden as much as 40 feet thick is stripped 

from the ore-bearing clays which may be as much as 30 feet thick. Each 

mine generally has its own washing plant. In some operations the washed 

product may be subsequently cleaned of the remaining iron by tabling, 

drying, sizing, and magnetic separation. In Bartow County, Georgia, on 

property operated by the Barytes Mining Co., overburden is 10 to 30 feet 

thick and the underlying ore-body is over 50 feet thick. Although the 

barite content of this deposit is slightly less than that of the Tennessee 

mines, the output is more uniform. Mining and treatment of ore is essentially the same as in Tennessee. A high grade product containing 96 

percent BaS04 or more and a low grade product containing 92 percent 

BaS04 are produced.

61 Hull, J. P. D., 1920, Barytes deposits of Georgia: Ga. Geol. Survey Bull.

36, 146 p.

Occurrence, distribution, origin, production, and mining and milling of 

barite in Georgia are discussed. The stratigraphy and structure of the 

Cartersville district are described in detail. More than 60 individual mines 

and prospects in Bartow, Murray, Whitfield, Gordon, Floyd, Cherokee, 

and Polk Counties are described. The deposits are of the following types: 

1) vein, 2) replacement, 3) breccia, 4) residual, 5) colluvial or residual 

hillside, and 6) alluvial. The primary deposits (types 1, 2, and 3) occur in 

pre-Cambrian igneous rocks and Paleozoic sediments. Barium is believed to have been leached from feldspars and mica in the crystalline rocks 

by circulating meteoric and thermal waters which moved upward along 

fault and fracture openings to carbonaceous sediments where precipitation 

of barite occurred. Vein deposits have been worked on a small scale but 

only the residual and colluvial deposits are of economic importance. The 

deposits occur almost wholly in the Appalachian Valley region of northwest Georgia in a belt 75 miles long with a maximum width of 25 miles 

near its center. All the large deposits which have been worked are in the 

Cartersville district. From 1916 to 1919 Georgia ranked first in production 

of barite in the United States. Production in 1919 was estimated at 90,000 

tons, all from the Cartersville district.
166 CONTRIBUTIONS TO BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MINERAL RESOURCES

62 Hunter, C. E., and Gildersleeve, Benjamin, 1946, Minerals and structural 

materials of western North Carolina and north Georgia: TVA Regional 

Products Research Div. Rept. C, p. 9-10.

Barite deposits in Gaston and Madison Counties are described briefly. 

Extensive vein deposits of white barite occar in Gaston County, extending 

from a point four miles south of Bessemer City to the South Carolina state 

line. Deposits in the Stackhouse area of northwestern Madison County 

have intermittently yielded an estimated production of 300,000 tons between 

the latter part of the nineteenth century and 1927. The barite occurs in 

veins mainly in a fault zone between the [pre-Cambrian] Max Patch granite 

and the Cambrian Snowbird [formation]. This area, adjacent to the Del 

Rio district of Tennessee, is believed to contain large reserves of "rather 

pure" barite.

63 Jenkins, O. P., and others, 1949, The counties of California mineral resources and mineral production during 1947: Calif. Dept. Nat. Res. 

Div. of Mines Bull. 142, p. 13 and pis. 1 and 4.

The report which in past years has been issued as an annual statistical 

bulletin known as "Mineral Production of California", has been issued this 

year with special emphasis on the mineral resources of the counties of 

California. Production of barite is reported from single properties in 

Mariposa and Plumas Counties. Barite from Mariposa County was used 

chiefly for drilling mud and that from Plumas County was used for the 

manufacture of barium chemicals. A map of California locates barite 

deposits in 12 counties.

64 Jewell, W. B., 1947, Barite, fluorite, galena, sphalerite veins of Middle

Tennessee: Tenn. Dept. Conserv., Div. Geology Bull. 51, 114 p. 

The location, geologic occurrence, and methods of mining small deposits 

of barite, fluorite, sphalerite, and galena in fissure veins of middle Tennessee 

are discussed in detail Mines and prospects also are described. Most of 

the deposits occur within a 20 mile radius of the intersection of DeKalb, 

Smith, and Wilson Counties in the Ordovician limestones of the Nashville 

dome. The veins, which range from a few inches to six feet in width, occur 

chiefly as fillings in limestone breccia in steeply dipping shear zones which 

trend northeast. Replacement of the wall rock by barite has been small. 

Barite is one of the most abundant minerals in the veins; in places it makes 

up almost the entire vein filling. The barite is generally granular or massive 

and is often intimately mixed with fluorite and calcite. The vein material 

is believed to have been deposited from rising magmatic solutions of probable 

post-Carboniferous age. Only small amounts of lead, zinc, barite, and 

fluorite have been produced from the area. In 1934 two carloads of barite 

were shipped from Davidson County and further production may be feasible 

on a small scale. The veins have not been adequately prospected.

65 Johnson, B. L., 1941, Marketing of barite: U. S. Bur. Mines Inf. Circ. 7149,

16 p.

General information is presented about the uses, production, markets, 

and prices of crude barite. Also included is a list of barite producers, 

buyers, grinders, and producers of barium products, arranged by states.

66 Jones, T. A., 1948, Barite deposits in the Ouachita Mountains, Montgomery, 

Polk, and Pike Counties, Ark.: U. S. Bur. Mines. Rept. Inv. 4348, 15 p.
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF BARITE DEPOSITS IN THE U. S. 167

Ten barite deposits in the Ouachita Mountains of western Arkansas, 

which were investigated by the U. S. Bureau of Mines in 1946 and 1947, 

are described. The deposits occur as lenticular bodies of impure barite 

near the contact of the Stanley shale of Pennsylvanian age and Arkansas 

novaculite of Devonian [and Mississippian] age in beds of both formations. 

The deposits are associated with the Mazarn syncline. The Bear Creek 

prospect in Pike County contains boulders of crystalline barite in residual 

clay of the Stanley shale; it is the only residual deposit known in the area. 

At the Pigeon Roost Mountain deposit in southeastern Montgomery County, 

barite occurs in three lenticular bodies near the base of the Stanley shale. 

This deposit is near the axis of the Mazarn syncline and is the largest yet 

found in the area. Barite in the deposits of this area would be suitable for 

use in drilling mud.

67 Jones, W. B., and McVay, T. N., 1934, Barite deposits of the Sinks district,.

Bibb County, Alabama: Econ. Geology, v. 29, no. 8, p. 761-766. 

Barite deposits in the northeast corner of Bibb County in central Alabama are described. Barite in veins and cavities in Ordovician limestoneis associated with fluorite, calcite, limonite, and native sulfur. Hydrothermal origin is advocated because of the intimate association of baritewith flaorite. Residual deposits derived from the primary deposits have a. 

much higher content of barite than other deposits mined in the past in 

Alabama. The authors believe that these deposits may be profitably 

mined.

68 Juh'hn, C. E., and Horton, F. W., 1940, Mineral industries survey of the

United States: U. S. Bur. Mines. Bull. 424, pt. II, p. 168-170. 

Barite deposits at the El Portal and Egenhoff mines near El Portal, 

Maripbsa County, California are described. Mining and milling at the 

El Portal mine of the National Lead Co. is summarized. Large quantities 

of high grade barite and witherite have been developed by crosscuts at the 

Egenhoff mine.

69 Just, Evan, 1943, An Arkansas travelogue: Eng. and Min. Jour., v. 143, 

no. 12, p. 64-65.

The mining and milling operations at Magnet Cove are described briefly. 

Barite occurs as a replacement near the base of the Stanley shale (Pennsylvanian) in a syncline plunging southwestward. At the National Lead Co. 

mine near the eastern end of the syncline, the southern limb of the fold is 

nearly vertical and the northern limb dips 40° south. At the mine, the 

barite horizon in the bottom of the fold is 200 feet beneath the surface. 

The barite deposit, 40-75 feet thick, is mined in an open cut about 500 

feet long. After milling, the barite in the ore is then concentrated by 

flotation to yield a product with a specific gravity of 4.35 used entirely for 

drilling mud.

The smaller open pit mine of the Magnet Cove Barium Corp. is adjacent 

to the Mational Lead Co. mine. The mill is in nearby Malvern where ore 

is concentrated by a flotation process which floats barite, in contrast to the 

process used by National Lead Co. in which the barite is depressed.

70 Just, Evan, 1948, Barite production upheld by improved equipment:

Eng. and Min. Jour. v. 149, no. 1, p. 71-73.

The use of modern earthmoving equipment and more efficient beneficiation methods in the old Washington County, Mo. barite district have 

enabled operators to obtain a greater recovery per acre, and to rework many
168 CONTRIBUTIONS TO BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MINERAL RESOURCES

areas previously mined by primitive methods. Residual barite occurring 

with soil and gangue in a ratio of approximately 1 to 10 is dug from pits 

with diesel power shovels, and hauled by trucks a short distance to movable 

washing plants. The mill flowsheets of two operations are given.

71 Keith, Arthur, 1904, Asheville folio North Carolina-Tennessee: U. S.

Geol. Survey Geol. Atlas, folio 116, p. 9.

Small irregular veins of barite generally only a few inches wide occur in a 

narrow zone extending about five miles northeast from Bluff, Madison 

County. The veins occur in granite and quartzite near the contact of the 

two rock types. In 1904 the deposits on Spring Creek were the only ones 

being mined in the area. Mining was done chiefly in open cuts. A "considerable amount" of barite is reported to have been mined about one mile 

southeast of Stackhouse.

72 Kesler, T. L., 1940, Structure and ore deposition at Cartersville, Georgia: 

Am. Inst. Min. Metall. Engineers Tech. Pub. 1226, 18 p.; 1941, Trans., 

v. 144, p. 276-293.

The general geology and ore deposits of the Cartersville district are 

described, with emphasis on the relation of structure to ore deposition. 

Deposition of ore was controlled by rock composition and structure. Hydrothermal solutions of magmatic origin ascended to the carbonate rocks of 

the district along steep oblique fault planes and fractures in a highly folded 

zone of the Weisner formation and Shady dolomite of Early Cambrian age. 

Ore deposition occurred chiefly in the carbonate rocks of the Shady dolomite rather than in the quartzites and schists of the underlying Weisner 

formation. Examples of structural control in four areas in the district 

are described. The currently mined barite ores are principally surficial 

weathered products of the primary deposits.

73 Kesler, T. L., 1949, Occurrence and exploration of barite deposits at Cartersville, Georgia: Am. Tnst. Min. Metall. Engineers Trans., v. 184, p. 

371-375.

The geology of the residual barite deposits of the district are described 

briefly. The primary ore is localized in three differently oriented groups 

of faults. The search for new ore in the residual clay may be guided by 

projecting the trend of the fault zones seen in outcrops of the Weisner 

formation along the ridge crests across the areas of residual clay. Because 

many of the good deposits on the surface or at shallow depth have been 

found, prospecting by drilling at greater depths is necessary. The problems 

of drilling and the methods of interpreting the resulting data compiled by 

the Paga Mining Company are reviewed.

74 Kesler, T. L., 1950, Barite deposits southeast of the Appalachian plateaus, 

in Snyder, F. G., ed., Symposium on mineral resources of the southeastern United States, p. 88-98: Univ. Tenn. Press, Knoxville, Tenn. 

The occurrence and origin of the major barite deposits in the southeastern 

United States are summarized from the reports of recent workers in the 

region. The areas discussed include the Cartersville district and other 

areas, Georgia; the Sweetwater and Del Rio-Hot Springs districts, Tennessee; the Central Carolina district in North and South Carolina; and areas 

in Alabama. Most workers believe that the barite and associated minerals 

were deposited by hydrothermal solutions of magmatic origin. Laurence 

and Dunlap attribute ore deposition in the Sweetwater district to thermal
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF BARITE DEPOSITS IN THE XI. S. 169

waters but do not specify their source. Although igneous rocks are not 

obviously associated with most of the deposits, a magmatic source for the 

ore bearing fluids is suggested by the similarity of their mineralogy to 

metalliferous deposits of undoubted hydrothefmal origin. Evidence suggests that more than one period of barite mineralization occurred. Most 

investigators believe the deposits are late Carboniferous; Edmundson believes that the deposits in Virginia are Triassic in age.

75 Kesler, T. L., 1950, Geology and mineral deposits of the Cartersville

district, Georgia: U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 224, 97 p. 

The geology and ore deposits of this district in northwest Georgia are 

described. By the end of 1943, the district had yielded about 1,830,000 

long tons of barite representing 24 percent of the total production of the 

United States. Rocks of the district are Cambrian metasedimentary rocks 

of the Weisner, Shady, Rome, and Conasauga formations and feldspathic 

gneisses derived from them. These rocks are folded into major anticlinoria 

and synclinoria that extend beyond the limits of the district. The primary 

ore and gangue minerals were deposited by hydrothermal solutions in 

steeply dipping faults which trend roughly parallel and oblique to the axis 

of the major folds. Primary barite occurs as thin veins and irregular bodies 

principally in carbonate rocks of the Rome formation. The barite which 

is coarsely crystalline encloses small amounts of pyrite and other sulfides 

and is associated with quartz and carbonates. Weathering of these primary 

deposits has freed the barite which remains as fragments % to 6 inches across 

distributed unevenly through the residual clay. Pyrite enclosed by the 

barite is usually weathered to limonite, and angular boulders of jasperoid 

commonly accompany barite in the clay. These deposits constitute the 

barite ore of the district and are mined in open cuts. The average proportion of recoverable barite in clay in large deposits ranges from 11.8 to 17.5 

percent. The deposits are believed to be "far from exhausted; but their 

recovery will generally involve a gradual increase in mining costs." Nine 

major barite mines are described and a table summarizes data on 35 barite 

mines that have been commercially productive.

76 Kidwell, A. L., 1946, Blue barite from Texas County, Mo.: Rocks and

Minerals, v. 21, no. 12, p. 849-850.

An abandoned open-pit barite mine six miles southwest of Houston, 

Texas County is the only known commercial barite deposit within a radius 

of 60 miles. Blue barite associated with limonite and calcite occurs as a 

filling which cements large blocks of dolomite in a collapsed solution cavity. 

The country rock is Jefferson City dolomite [Ordovician] containing chert 

and drusy quartz. This deposit was last operated during 1941 and 1942 

by the Murphy Mining Company.

77 Knechtel, M. M., and others, 1948, Map showing construction materials 

and nonmetallic mineral resources of Montana: U. S. Geol. Survey 

Missouri Basin Studies Map no. 11.

A map shows the location of barite deposits in Glacier National Park 

and Missoula County. Very little barite has been produced in Montana 

but occurrences of residual barite in Upper Cretaceous clays are reported in 

Missoula and Lincoln Counties. Barite deposits are also known in Custer, 

Wibaux, Dawson, Musselshell, Pondera, Madison, and Phillips Counties.
170 CONTRIBUTIONS TO BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MINERAL RESOURCES

78 Kiilsgaard, T. H., 1950, Geology and ore deposits of the Triumph-Parker 

mine mineral belt, in Anderson, A. L., and others, Detailed geology of 

certain areas in the Mineral Hill and Warm Springs mining districts, 

Blaine County, Idaho: Idaho Bur. Mines and Geology Pamph. 90, 

p. 60.

The Sun Valley barite mine (Bonnie group) about nine miles northwest 

of Hailey, has been operated intermittently during recent years, and was 

under lease to the Simplot Co. in 1950. The barite occurs as a series of 

lenticular masses in the Wood River formation [Pennsylvanian]. Ore is 

shipped by rail to the mill in Pocatello where it is prepared for use in drilling mud. Selective mining to control contamination by silica yields an 

ore containing 84 to 88 percent BaSO* with a specific gravity of 4.0 to 4.1. 

In 1949, 6,700 tons of barite were produced.

79 Kottlowski, Frank E., 1953, Geology and ore deposits of a part of the Hansonburg mining district, Socorro County, New Mexico: N. Mex. Bur. 

Mines and Mineral Res. Circ. 23, 9 p.

Data are supplied to aid exploration of the barite-fluorite-galena ore 

bodies on the west face of the Oscura Mountains. Stratigraphy, structure, 

and the nature of the ore deposits are described briefly. The ore is localized in fracture zones and solution cavities in limestones of Paleozoic age.

80 Ladoo, R. B., and Myers, W. M., 1951, Nonmetallic minerals: New York,

McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc., p. 67-82.

General information on barite is given: occurrences, production, consumption, mining, milling, ore specifications, marketing, and uses. Short 

descriptions of principal deposits in the United States and other countries 

are included. Tables show world production of barite from 1942 to 1948; 

salient statistics of barite, witherite, and barium chemical industries in the 

United States from 1944 to 1948; domestic barite sold or used by producers 

in the United States from 1946 to 1948 by states. A brief section on 

witherite is included. The bibliography contains 42 references on barite 

and witherite.

81 Larrabee, D. M., and others, 1947, Map showing construction materials 

and nonmetallic mineral resources of Colorado: U. S. Geol. Survey 

Missouri Basin Studies Map no. 10.

On the map are indicated the location of barite deposits in Custer, Park, 

and Lake Counties. The text states that barite occurs in Boulder, Custer, 

Lake, Las Animas, Park, Pitkin, and Pueblo Counties. Deposits have been 

developed in Boulder, Custer, and Park counties. Small production from 

veins and layers in limestone has been recorded in 1915, 1916, and 1939 to 

1941.

82 Laurence, R. A., 1938, Black barite deposits in upper east Tennessee:

Tenn. Acad. Sci. Jour., v. 13, no. 3, p. 192-197.

Deposits of large, crystalline masses of exceptionally pure, dark barite 

occur in residual clay in the Fall Branch district of upper east Tennessee. 

The deposits are associated with a thrust fault in the upper Knox dolomite 

("Post-Nittany") [Upper Cambrian and Ordovician] and form a long narrow 

belt extending northeastward through Greene, Washington, and Sullivan 

Counties. Associated deposits of white barite with sphalerite and galena 

are found in residual clay and in veins and breccia zones in the underlying 

dolomite. The black barite, which apparently occurs only in the residual 

clay, is more pure than the white barite. The dark color and fetid odor are
AlSnSTOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF BARITE DEPOSITS IN THE TJ. S. 171

attributed to small amounts of carbonaceous material on cleavage and 

fracture planes. The black barite is stable while enclosed in residual clay 

but will decrepitate readily at low temperatures. Stockpiles exposed to 

summer sun have disintegrated almost to powder in a short time. White 

barite was mined in the district in the late 1890's and during World War I. 

In 1935 about 170 tons of chiefly the black barite were shipped from the 

district. No production has been recorded since that time. In spite of 

the purity of the deposits, they are probably not of much commercial value 

because of their small size and scattered distribution.

83 Laurence, R. A., 1939, Origin of the Sweetwater, Tennessee barite deposits:

Econ. Geology, v. 34, p. 190-200.

This important district had produced about 600,000 tons of barite by 

1938. The residual deposits which occur along three parallel belts are 

underlain by irregular fissure veins in the [Ordovician] Beekmantown limestone. The chief vein minerals, in order of their deposition, are calcite, 

pyrite, fluorite, and barite. The veins are simple fissure fillings and occur 

in coarsely crystalline dolomite produced by alteration and recrystallization 

of limestone. The alinement of the deposits parallel to the regional strike 

of the country rocks suggests mineralization was restricted to openings 

created by shattering and brecciation of certain favorable beds. The 

deposits are believed to have been formed by ascending thermal waters of 

magmatic or meteoric origin. Igneous rocks are absent from the district.

84 Lewis, J. V., 1919, The magmatic origin of barite deposits: Econ. Geology,

v. 14, no. 7, p. 568-570.

The localization of barite deposits in a disturbed belt extending from 

southeastern Missouri to north-central New York is noted. The belt is 

characterized by anticlinal folds, faults which are cut by basic dikes, veins, 

and breccias containing barite, fluorite, and sulfides. The barite and associated deposits in this belt are believed related to igneous activity which 

is not necessarily of the same age in all localities. Barite occurrences in 

Triassic shales and diabase in New Jersey are believed related to the Late 

Triassic igneous activity in that region.

85 Lindgren, Waldemar, 1926, Ore deposits of the Jerome and Bradshaw Mountains quadrangles, Arizona: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 782, p. 128-129. 

A vein reported to be 15 to 20 feet wide containing much barite and 

manganiferous ankerite and minor amounts of galena and sphalerite was 

worked at the Silver Belt mine in the late 1870's and in 1906 for silver and 

lead ore.

86 Logan, C. A., 1941, Mineral resources of Nevada County: Calif. Jour.

Mines and Geology, v. 37, no. 3, p. 378-379.

The Democrat barite mine near Alta in Nevada County is reported to 

have been one of the largest sources of barite in the state between 1919 and 

1930. The ore body was 250 feet long and 15 to 24 feet wide near the 

surface. The mine had not been worked for several years prior to 1941. 

The Spanish barite deposit about five miles west of Graniteville was being 

developed in 1940 and was reported to contain several hundred thousand 

tons of barite. Ore is hauled 20 miles to Emigrant Gap for shipment.

87 McCallie, S. W., 1926, Mineral resources of Georgia: Ga. Geol. Survey

Bull. 23, revised edition, p, 12-15.

The information of reference 61 is briefly summarized. Statistics on 

production of barite in Georgia from 1919 to 1924 are presented along with 

a list of producers as of 1926.
172 CONTRIBUTIONS TO BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MINERAL RESOURCES

88 McElwaine, R. B., 1946, Exploration for barite in Hot Spring County,

Arkansas: U. S. Bur. Mines Rept. Inv. 3963, 21 p.

The geology and development of M^agnet Cove barite deposit are reviewed along with the results of U. S. Bureau of Mines drilling project 

conducted in 1944 and 1945 to determine reserves and extent of the deposit. 

A geologic map shows the location of the 10 completed diamond drill holes; 

The logs of all holes and analyses of barite penetrated are also included. 

Results of drilling indicate a large tonnage of ore in reserve. Mine workings 

and mining methods are briefly described.

89 McElwaine, R. B., 1946, Exploration of barite deposits in Montgomery

County, Ark.': U. S. Bur. Mines Rept. Inv. 3971, 24 p. 

The results of exploration of the Gap Mountain, Fancy Hill, and Sulphur 

Mountain barite deposits by the TJ. S. Bureau of Mines in 1945 are listed. 

These deposits occur as lenticular replacement bodies near the base of the 

highly folded Stanley shale [Pennsylvanian] and in the upper part of the 

underlying Arkansas novaculite of Devonian [and Mississippian] age. 

The barite is exposed along the sides of parallel west-trending ridges of the 

Ouachita Mountains. The barite is similar to that at Magnet Cove and is 

amenable to concentration by flotation. Exploration indicates the existence of an "appreciable amount of barite suitable for commercial use." 

The report includes diamond drill core logs, analyses of barite samples, cross 

sections of trenches, and sketch maps of the deposits. Geologic conditions 

in the surrounding area indicate that additional deposits may be found. 

Suggestions for prospecting are given.

90 Marbut, C. F., 1907, The geology of Morgan County: Mo. Bur. Geology

and Mines, 2d ser., v. 7, p. 86-87.

Brief descriptions of four barite deposits mined in 1907 are presented. 

The barite, associated with galena, occurs in pocketlike masses in clay 

derived residually from the Gasconade dolomite [Ordovician].

91 Mather, W. B., 1946, The mineral deposits of Morgan County. Missouri:

Mo. Geol. Survey and Water Res. Rept. Inv. 2, 207 p. 

Barite has been produced intermittently since 1870 from deposits in 

Morgan County, in the geographic center of the Central Missouri barite 

district. Greatest activity was between 1935 and 1942. Barite occurs in 

fissure breccia, circle, and residual deposits. Production has been chiefly 

from the last two types, the residual deposits yielding the larger amount.. 

Individual mines and prospects are described and located on the map.

92 Mather, W. B., 1947, Barite deposits of central Missouri: Am. Inst. Min.

Metall. Engineers Tech. Pub. 2246, 15 p.; Trans., v. 173, p. 94-108. 

Barite is mined from small, high grade, relatively deep, isolated circle, 

replacement, and residual deposits. Mining operations are small because 

the deposits are small and scattered. The ore is mined in open pits and is 

concentrated by crushing and jigging. Concentrates contain 97 to 98 

percent barite. Production from the district in 1946 was less than 10,000 

tons. The deposits occur chiefly in the dolomites and limestones of the 

Gasconade, Roubidoux, and Jefferson City formations of Ordovician age 

and in the Burlington limestone of Mississippian age. Six transitional 

types of deposits are recognized: fissure, breccia, circle, solution channel, 

replacement, and residual. The circle and residual deposits are commercially the most important. The diameter of the circle deposits ranges 

from 60 to 300 feet. The ore containing from 20 to 30 percent barite by
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF BARITE DEPOSITS IN THE U. S. 173

weight, has been mined to a depth of 100 feet. (See also Mather, 1946.) 

The richest residual deposits are derived from weathering of circle and 

replacement deposits. Evidence is cited to support the author's belief 

that the barite and associated sulfides were deposited from relatively ^cool 

hydrothermal solutions.

93 Mather, W. B., 1950, Nonmetalliferous mineral resources in Arkansas:

Am. Inst. Min. Metall. Engineers Trans., v. 187, p. 582-583. 

The deposits of commercial barite and their reserves are reviewed. 

Arkansas has been the principal barite producer in the United States since 

1945. Production has been from a synclinal replacement deposit near 

Magnet Cove, mined by the National Lead Co. and the Magnet Cove 

Barium Corp. Barite apparently has replaced carbonate-rich zones at 

the base of the Stanley shale [Pennsylvanian]. The ore-bearing zone is 

35 to 45 feet thick and averages about 67 percent BaSO*. Ore is mined 

in open pits and underground. Barite is concentrated by flotation and is 

used almost entirely for drilling mud. This deposit was estimated to contain 

8,400,000 tons of reserves as of January 1949. Smaller deposits of similar 

type have been prospected in Montgomery, Polk, and Pike counties. 

Reserves for the entire state were estimated to be 15,000,000 tons of ore 

containing more than 40 percent barite as of January 1949.

94 Munyan, A. C., 1951, Geology and mineral resources of the Dalton quadrangle, Georgia-Tennessee: Ga. Geol. Survey Bull. 57, p. 100-101. 

A small open pit mine yielded barite for a short time in 1948. The 

deposit near Camp Ground Mountain, east of Eton, consists of "considerable quantities of small barite nodules" in sandy residum between 

pinnacles of Conasauga limestone [Cambrian] which contain thin veinlets 

of barite. The mine was not successful and has not been operated since 

1948. Other barite deposits in this region are described by J. P. Hull 

(1920). Barite deposits of the Dalton area appear to be small.

95 Murdoch, Joseph, and Webb, R. W., 1948, Minerals of California: Calif.

Dept. Nat.,Res. Div. Mines Bull. 136, p. 64-67.

Occurrences of barite are reported in 29 counties of California. The 

location and a bibliography are cited, where possible, for each occurrence. 

The geologic setting of the more important occurrences is briefly reviewed.

96 Murdock, T. G., 1950, The mining industry in North Carolina from 1937 

to 1945: N. C. Dept. Conserv. Devel., Div. Mineral Res., Econ. Paper 

65, p. 22-23.

Activity in the barite areas of North Carolina during 1937-1944 was 

restricted to the Hot Springs district, where the U. S. Bureau of Mines did 

core drilling on the Betts property. Small production was reported from a 

new locality near Stackhouse.

97 Norman, James, and Lindsey, B. S., 1941, Flotation of barite from Magnet 

Cove, Arkansas: Am. Inst. Min. Metall. Engineers Tech. Pub. 1326, 

5 p.

Tests on beneficiation of barite ore from Magnet Cove are reviewed. 

The barite is intimately mixed with quartz, small amounts of iron oxide, 

and residual shale. Crude ore tested had a specific gravity of 4.03 and 

assayed 85.1 percent BaS04, 11.11 percent SiOj, and 2.85 percent R203. 

After grinding the ore to 100 percent minus 325 mesh to liberate the barite 

and siliceous gangue, the minerals were separated by froth flotation, without 

desliming, using sodium silicate, a fatty acid, and pine oil as reagents. A
174 CONTRIBUTIONS TO BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MINERAL RESOURCES

concentrate with a specific gravity of 4.395 and containing more than 98 

percent BaSCU was produced while recovering about 90 percent of the barite 

in the mill-heads.

98 Northrop, S. A., 1944, Minerals of New Mexico: Univ. of New Mexico

Press, p. 79-81.

Barite occurrences in 16 counties are listed. Barite is described as

abundant in occurrences in Bernalillo, Dona Ana, Grant, Hidalgo, Sandoval,

* and Socorro Counties. It has been mined a few miles south of Barton,

Bernalillo County, at Devil's Canyon mine, Dona Ana County, and in the

Derry district, Sierra County.

99 O'Meara, R. G., and Coe, G. D., 1936, Froth flotation of southern barite

ores: Am. Inst. Min. Metall. Engineers Tech. Pub. 678, 6 p. 

Results of froth flotation experiments on samples of impure southern 

barite ores containing iron oxide, quartz, calcite, fluorite, and sulfides indicate that the ores can be beneficiated by flotation. The ores tested are 

identified only as southern barite ores from properties "either idle or handicapped in their operations by the lack of satisfactory concentration 

methods."

100 Oriel, S. S., 1950, Geology and mineral resources of the Hot Springs window, 

Madison County, North Carolina: N. C. Dept. Conserv. Devel., Div. 

Mineral Res. Bull. 60, p. 48-52.

The occurrence, mineralogy, and origin of the barite deposits of the Hot 

Springs area are discussed. Descriptions of mines and prospects are 

included. Production has been largely from the Stackhouse and Gahagan 

mines and the A. G. Betts Sandy Bottom property. The barite occurs in 

veins, irregular masses, and small disseminations along thrust faults and in 

the adjacent wall rocks. Oriel believes that the barite associated with 

quartz, fluorite, sericite, hematite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, and calcite is of 

hydrothermal origin. The Stackhouse area is believed to contain large 

reserves of barite.

101 Ostrander, C. W., 1942, Barite prospect near Johnsville, Frederick County, 

Maryland: The Natural History Society of Maryland Bull., v. 12, 

no. 3, p. 44.

Small deposits of barite have been prospected and mined. A small lensshaped deposit in limestone \}i miles southeast of Johnsville was worked 

many years ago and is reported to be "the only mine operated for barite in 

the State of Maryland."

102 Pallister, H. D., 1952, Barite in Alabama: Ala. Acad. Sci. Jour., v. 21, p. 45. 

Production, location, geology, origin, reserves, and the future of the 

barite industry in Alabama are summarized briefly. Barite in veins and 

residual deposits occurs throughout the eastern part of State extending from 

near Centerville in Bibb County to near the Georgia State line in Cherokee 

County. Primary deposits occur as veins and breccia fillings and were 

probably formed by hydrothermal solutions. Residual deposits, some of 

large extent, were derived by weathering of pre-existing deposits. Although 

reserves of barite in Alabama are large and widely distributed, their economic 

value can be determined only by extensive prospecting. In 1952 several 

deposits were being considered for development, but no barite was produced 

in the State during the year.
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF BARITE DEPOSITS IN THE U. S. 175

103 Parks, Bryan, 1932, A barite deposit in Hot Spring County, Arkansas:

Ark. Geol. Survey Inf. Circ. 1, 52 p.

Results of prospecting the Chamberlin Creek valley deposit near Magnet 

Cove, Hot Spring County are described. The barite occurs near the base 

of the Stanley shale [Pennsylvanian] in a syncline plunging to the west. The 

east end of the syncline is closed: the west end is cut by the intrusive rocks 

of Magnet Cove. The barite is considered a hydrothermal replacement of 

of the porous beds at the base of the Stanley shale. The bed with barite 

on the north flank of the syncline is 44 feet thick and has been traced for 

three quarters of a mile. The deposit was estimated to contain at least one 

million tons of barite within 100 feet of the surface in an area of seven acres. 

The average of 15 chemical analyses of barite^re show 86.10 percent barium 

sulfate, 10.29 percent silica, 1.28 percent iron and aluminum oxides and 

small amounts of magnesia, calcium, and titanium oxides. Concentrates 

containing 97 percent BaSOi were obtained in flotation tests. No barite 

had been produced from the deposit as of 1932.

104 Parks, Bryan, 1932, Great barite deposit of Arkansas: Pan Am. Geologist,

v. 57, no. 1, p. 329-332.

The geology and origin of the Magnet Cove barite deposit are discussed. 

A geologic map and cross section are included. This is a summary of the 

paper by Parks (1932).

105 Penhallegon, W. J., 1938, Barite in the Tennessee Valley region: TVA

Geol. Bull. 9, 47 p.

The geology and barite deposits of five major districts and several less 

important areas in six States of the Tennessee Valley region are described 

briefly. A summary of the history of barite mining, beneficiation, and 

production in Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Virginia, and Kentucky is 

given. The Cartersville district, Georgia and the Sweetwater and Pall 

Mall districts, Tennessee were the chief producing areas in 1936. A table 

showing production of barite by years from 1882 to 1936 in States of the 

Valley region is included. Other tables show statistics on barium products 

sold and used in the United States. Mining and concentration of barite 

ore, chiefly in the Cartersville and Sweetwater districts, is discussed. A table 

showing the analyses of a wide variety of samples from five districts in the 

Valley region is included with a brief statement on buyer's specifications. 

The manufacture and uses of barium compounds are summarized.

106 Prater, L. S., 1948, Beneficiation tests on ore from the Sun Valley Barite 

mine, Blaine County, Idaho: Idaho Bur. Mines and Geol. Pamph. 81, 

11 p.

Tests made on ore from the Sun Valley mine indicate that it may be 

beneficiated by flotation. Difficulty is experienced in obtaining a wettable 

product for use in drilling muds because of the film of fatty acid left on 

particles processed by flotation. The present practice of destroying the 

film by calcining is expensive. Tests were made to determine the feasibility 

of flotation at a coarser size followed by grinding to produce sufficient new 

wettable surfaces. Coarse particles could be floated but beneficiation is 

much poorer than with fine particles. The best means of obtaining a wettable 

barite product by flotation, without subsequent calcination, is to depress 

the barite and float the impurities.
176 CONTRIBUTIONS TO BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MINERAL RESOURCES

107 Rankin, H. S., Laurence, R. A., Davis, F. A. W., Houston, E. C., and 

McMurray, L. L., 1938. Concentration tests on Tennessee Valley 

barite: Am. Inst. Min. Metall. Engineers Tech. Pub. 880, 13 p.; 1942, 

Trans., v. 148, p. 291-303.

"Experiments were conducted to determine the application of decrepitation or flotation in simplifying the concentration of barite by removing 

the iron oxide and silica in one operation. Bleaching studies were made 

to determine the bleachability" of the off-color ores of the area. A brief 

description is given of the geology and barite deposits of the Sweetwater, 

Pall Mall, and Fall Branch districts of Tennessee from which were obtained 

the samples used in the tests. Ores from the Sweetwater district yield to 

decrepitation "to give concentrates of commercial quality, bat with rather 

low recoveries". Ores from the other districts "either failed to decrepitate 

at all or decrepitation was so slight as to be of little interest as a concentrating operation." Froth flotation tests on ore from the Sweetwater district 

showed that "barite could be floated to a salable concentrate with the feed 

assay running as high as 9.8 percent iron oxide and 36.7 percent silica." 

Bleaching by use of acids and calcining gave promising results on most 

samples. Black barite from the Fall Branch district and barite ore with a 

rather high silica content from the Sweetwater district were somewhat 

resistant to bleaching. Few samples attained commercial whiteness without calcining.

108 Reyner, M. L., and Traaerman, C. J., 1950, Directory of Montana mining

properties 1949: Mont. Bur. Mines and Geology Memoir 31, p. 126.

Five barite deposits in Beaverhead, Missoula, Musselshell, and Phillips

Counties are indicated on a state map showing area! distribution of mineral

resources. No barite properties are listed in the directory.

109 Robinson, L. C., 1931, The vein deposits of central Kentucky: Ky. Geol.

Survey, 6th ser., v. 41, pt. 1, p. 7-127.

The geology of vein deposits in north central Kentucky is described. 

The veins occur along or near three well defined fault zones in Ordovician 

limestones and limey shales. The veins of barite, fluorite and calcite average four feet in width, generally trend north, and dip steeply. Barite is 

most abundant and is the only mineral of economic importance, although 

the others may be recovered as by-products in the mining of barite. The 

barite and associated minerals are believed to have been derived from solutions of deep seated igneous origin. Mining, milling, and prospecting are 

reviewed. Individual deposits are described by counties and located on a 

sketch map of central Kentucky.

110 Ross, C. P., 1941, The metal and coal mining districts of Idaho, with notes 

on the nonmetallic mineral resources of the state: Idaho Bur. Mines 

and Geology Pamph. 57, p. 101-102.

The occurrence of barite in large veins at the Sun Valley mine near Hailey, 

Blain County is briefly noted. Another deposit near Muldoon, Blain 

County is reported. Smaller and less pure deposits are said to occur in 

Paleozoic and other sedimentary rocks in Custer County and elsewhere.

111 Rowe, J. P., 1908, Barytes deposits in Montana: Mining World, v, 28,

no. 16, p. 637.

A barite deposit two miles southwest of Missoula is described as "the 

only one of commercial value in the State." A vein from two to three feet 

wide containing massive, quite pure barite crops out for several hundred
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF BARITE DEPOSITS IN THE TJ. S. 177

feet. Near the head of Cabin Creek, 23 miles southeast of Ekalaka, Custer 

County, small spheroidal nodules of barite associated with selenite occur 

in the residual clay of the Fox Hills formation [Cretaceous]. Layers very 

rich in nodules have been traced for over one-half mile. Wine colored 

crystals of barite were found in the Fox Hills formation about 25 miles 

from mouth of Cedar Creek, Dawson County.

112 Rowe, J, P., 1928, Minor metals and non-metallic minerals of Montana:

Eng. and Min. Jour., v. 125, no. 20, p. 816.

Commercial deposits of barite were unknown in Montana in 1928. Near 

Missoula, two deposits (Pattee Canyon and Rattlesnake Creek) of quite 

pure, massive white barite associated with specular hematite may be of 

economic importance. A non-commercial occurrence of barite nodules in 

Upper Cretaceous clays of Wibaux County is noted.

113 Santmyers, R. M., 1930, Barite and barium products, part 1, general information: U. S. Bur. Mines Inf. Circ. 6221, 55 p.

Barite deposits in the United States and methods of mining, washing, 

and milling of barite are described. Domestic and foreign production of 

barite is discussed. Foreign deposits are briefly described. Imports, 

exports, consumption, and the condition of the barite industry in 1928 are 

summarized.

114 Santmyers, R. M., 1930, Barite and barium products, part 2, barium

products: U. S. Bur. Mines Inf. Circ. 6223R, 26 p.

General information on barium products is given. Preparation, uses, 

production, markets, imports and exports of ground barite, lithopone, and 

barium chemicals are discussed. On the map are shown the location of 

barite deposits and plants making barium products in United States.

115 Schrader, F. C., Stone, R. W., and Sanford, Samuel, 1917, Useful minerals

of the United States: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 624.

The more important occarrences of useful minerals, including barite, 

are listed by states. Some of the deposits are very briefly described.

116 Shannon, E. V.. 1926, The minerals of Idaho: U. S. Natl. Mus. Bull. 131, 

p. 442-444.

Barite occurrences in Idaho are listed and very briefly described. Barite 

is found principally as a gangue mineral in metallic ore deposits of nine 

counties. A deposit now known as the Sun Valley barite mine, Blaine 

County, is the only one of commercial importance.

117 Sharp, W. N. and Pray, L. C., 1952, Geologic map of basfcnaesite deposits 

of the Birthday claims, San Bernardino County, California: U. S. 

Geol. Survey Mineral Investigations Map MF-4.

An area 900 by 1,500 feet is shown on the geologic map of the Birthday 

claims near Mountain Pass where "considerable quantities" of bastnaesite, 

a rare-earth mineral, were discovered in 1949. Pre-Cambrian metamorphic 

rocks are cut by younger shonkinite which forms the host rock for most of 

the barite-rich carbonate veins. The veins range up to 18 feet in thickness. 

One vein contains either a new mineral or a variety of barite which is a 

sulfate of barium and strontium containing rare earths.

118 Smith, E. A., and McCalley, Henry, 1904, Index to the mineral resources

of Alabama: Ala. Geol. Survey Bull. 9, p. 62-63.

White barite partly stained with iron oxides occurs as irregular masses in 

residual clay derived from the Trenton limestone [Ordovician] near its con-
178 CONTRIBUTIONS TO BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MINERAL RESOURCES

contact with the Knox dolomite [of Cambrian and Ordovician] age. Important occurrences are reported near Tampa, Calhoun County, near Greensport, St. Clair County, near Maquire Shoals on the Little Cahaba River, 

at the "Sinks" on Six Mile Creek, and near Pratt's Ferry in Bibb County. 

No production was reported from these deposits in 1904.

119 Soule", J. H., 1946, Exploration of Gallinas fluorspar deposits, Lincoln

County, N. Mex., U. S. Bur. Mines Rept. Inv. 3854, p. 4-5. 

Barite is an important constituent of fluorite veins and mineralized 

breccia zones in predominantly quartzitic sandstone of Permian age of the 

the Gallinas Mountains. Some of the deposits contain as much as 37 percent barite.

120 Stern, A. G., 1941, Role of clay and other minerals in oil-well drilling fluids:

U. S. Bur. Mines Rept. Inv. 3556, 88 p.

The cost, functions, and use of drilling muds are discussed in detail. 

Tests for evaluating the properties of drilling muds also are given in detail. 

The operation of a drilling mud system for an oil well and the materials 

used for drilling muds are described. Weighting materials are used to 

maintain sufficient hydrostatic pressure in the drill hole to confine gas, oil, 

and water to the rock strata. Weighting materials should permit the 

drilling fluid to attain a low viscosity and high specific gravity without 

being corrosive or toxic. Materials which have been used or considered for 

weighting muds include barite, celestite, iron oxide, pulverized iron, silica 

flour, and lead and mercury compounds. Of these materials barite is the 

most satisfactory; it is insoluble in water, chemically inactive, and makes 

a low viscosity suspension when mixed with an equal volume of water. 

The bibliography contains references to 138 papers about drilling mud.

121 Stoddard, Carl, 1932, Metal and nonmetal occurrences in Nevada: Nev.

Univ. Bull. v. 26, no. 6, p. 93-94.

Ten occurrences of barite in Nevada are listed, but not described. Location and references are given where available.

122 Stone, R. W., 1939, Non-metallic minerals: Pa. Geol. Survey Bull. M 18 C,

p. 5-9.

In Franklin County near Waynesboro and Chambersburg, barite occurs 

in small lumps in residual clay derived from limestone, and in thin veins 

in one limestone outcrop. A few small pits remain where barite was mined 

years ago. A small amount of barite was mined about 1880 from a deposit 

near Fort Littleton, Fulton County but it was abandoned because of the 

high content of iron. A small deposit was reportedly mined near Buckmanville in Bucks County. None of these deposits appears to be of commercial 

value.

123 Stuckey, J. L., 1942, Barite deposits in North Carolina, in Newhouse, W. 

H., and others, Ore deposits as related to structural features, p. 106- 

108: Princeton, N. J., Princeton TJniv, Press.

The barite deposits and their localization along certain regional structures 

is discussed. In the Hot Springs district, barite occurs in irregular veins 

and lenses along two major thrust fault zones between the pre-Cambrian 

Max Patch granite and the Cambrian Snowbird formation. The faulting 

took place during the building of the Appalachian mountains in the late 

Paleozoic. Hydrothermal solutions emanating from granitic intrusions ascended along these fractures and deposited the barite and associated minerals. Highly metamorphosed crystalline rocks of the Kings Mountain and
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF BARITE DEPOSITS IN THE IT. S. 179

Hillsboro district have a well defined schistosity which strikes northeast 

and dips steeply northwest. Barite occurs in veins or elongated lenticular 

masses parallel to the schistosity. The deposits appear to have been formed 

by deposition from hydrothermal solutions of magmatic origin which ascended along prominent cleavage planes after the last period of regional 

metamorphism in the late Paleozoic.

124 Stuckey, J. L., and Davis, H. T., 1935, Barite deposits in North Carolina:

Am. Inst. Min. Metall. Engineers Trans., v. 115, p. 346-355. 

Deposits in the Hot Springs, Kings Mountain, and Hillsboro areas, 

North Carolina are described. The first two areas had produced about 

300,000 tons of barite by 1933 and were estimated to have fairly large 

reserves. The barite occurs in irregular veins and lenses in pre-Cambrian 

and Cambrian crystalline rocks. The mineralogy and petrography of the 

barite veins and lenses is described, and evidence indicates that 

the deposits were formed by hydrothermal solutions of magmatic origin. 

Associated minerals include quartz, fluorite, sericite, calcite, pyrite, galena, 

chalcopyrite, and sphalerite. Mining and reserves in the Hot Springs and 

Kings Mountain areas are briefly discussed.

125 Symons, H. H., and Davis, F. F., 1952, Mineral commodities in California during 1950: Calif. Jour. Mines and Geology, v. 48, no. 4, p. 

311.

Properties in Kern and Plumas Counties yielded all of the production of 

barite in California in 1950. Barite from Kern County was used in oil 

well drilling, and that from Plumas County for the manufacture of barium 

chemicals.

126 Tarr, W. A., 1918, The barite deposits of Missouri and the geology of the 

barite district: Univ. Missouri Studies, Science Series, v. 3, no. 1, 

111 p.

Barite deposits in the Washington County and Central districts of southeastern and central Missouri are listed. History, geography, geology, 

occurrence, origin, and economic importance of the deposits are reviewed. 

The more important Washington County district is discussed in detail and 

shown on a geologic map. Rocks of the Washington County district are 

largely dolomites of Cambrian age and dip gently to the north, northwest, 

and west. The nearly horizontal sedimentary rocks of the Central district 

are Cambrian, Ordoviciau, Mississippian and Pennsylvanian in age. Barite 

in the Washington County district is associated with the Potosi and overlying Proctor dolomites and in the Central district with the Gasconade, 

Roubidoux, and Jefferson City formations. Four types of deposits are 

recognized: veins, disseminated deposits, solution cave deposits, and residual deposits. The small veins are closely associated with irregular disseminations of barite in the dolomite. These deposits are not of economic 

importance. Solution caves or circle deposits are most common in the Central 

district. Residual deposits derived by weathering of primary deposits in 

the underlying dolomite are by far the most important commercially. 

They contain barite fragments associated with limonite and drusy quartz 

or chert distributed through deep red clay. The barite and associated 

minerals in the primary deposits are believed to have been deposited at 

shallow depth by ascending hot waters of magmatic origin. In 1918 all 

barite mining in Missouri was done by hand from small open pits about 4 

or 5 feet deep. Preparation of the barite for market is briefly described.
180 CONTRIBUTIONS TO BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MINERAL RESOURCES

127 Tarr, W. A., 1919, The barite deposits of Missouri: Econ. Geology, v. 14,

no. 1, p. 46-67.

The geology and origin of the barite deposits of Missouri are discussed. 

This paper summarizes material presented in detail in Missouri reference 11.

128 Tarr, W. A., 1932, A barite vein cutting granite of southeastern Missouri:

Am. Mineralogist, v. 17, no. 9, p. 443-448.

A small fissure vein in granite near Graniteville, Iron County, Missouri 

is described. The vein filling consist of barite, pyrite, and fluorite possibly 

deposited by hydrothermal solutions of magmatic origin which ascended 

along a fault plane. The discovery of this vein in granite about 20 miles 

south of the Washington County barite district indicates that the primary 

barite in the latter region also might have had a magmatic source.

129 Tillia, H. J., 1951, Scraper assembly cuts costs at open pit barite mine:

Eng. and Min. Jour., v. 152, no. 8, p. 78-79.

The slusher mining plan adopted by Barium Products, Ltd. for developing the Valley View barite claims 28 miles south of Battle Mountain, Nev., 

is reviewed. This deposit, in production for two years as of 1951, is described as an "erosional remnant of a massive replaced limestone bed, 

probably of Pennsylvanian age." The operators plan to start production 

at the larger Mound Springs deposit in the same area after the smaller 

Valley View deposit has been mined out.

130 Tucker, W. B., and Sampson, R. J., 1938, Mineral resources of Inyo County:

Calif. Jour. Mines and Geology, v. 34, no. 4, p. 481-482. 

A considerable tonnage of barite is reported to have been shipped from 

the Gunter Canyon deposit six miles northeast of Laws in 1928 and 1929. 

The barite occurs in a series of parallel veins in Cambrian slates and schists. 

At the Poso Barytes deposit, Tulare County, 15 miles west of Linnie, barite 

occurs in three parallel veins averaging 20 feet in width and traceable for 

over 4,000 feet. The veins occur along a shear zone in quartz diorite. In 

1938 this deposit was owned and developed with an adit by the Western 

Barium Corporation. A barite outcrop 6 to 8 feet wide in Warm Springs 

Canyon 45 miles west of Shoshone was discovered in 1937 and was being 

developed in 1938.

131 Uhley, R. P. and Sharon, Le Roy, 1954, Gravity surveys for residual barite 

deposits in Missouri: Am. Inst. Min. Metall. Engineers, v. 6, no. 1, 

p. 52-56.

Gravimetric surveying for barite in Washington County is discussed. 

Large commercial bodies can be outlined and the tonnages of ore computed 

with an error of 35 percent, or less.

132 Ulrich, E. O., and Smith, W. S. T., 1905, The lead, zinc, and fluorspar 

deposits of western Kentucky: U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 36, 

p. 135 and 156.

Vein deposits of western Kentucky contain fluorite and calcite with some 

barite, and smaller amounts of galena and sphalerite and other oxidation 

products. Few veins consist predominantly of barite: those with predominant barite are generally too small or too intermixed with gangue to be 

of commercial vahie.

133 Umpleby, J. B., and others, 1930, Geology and ore deposits of the Wood 

River region, Idaho with a description of the Minnie Moore and nearby mines: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 814, p. 112-113 and 160-161.
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF BARITE DEPOSITS IN THE TJ. S. 181

The Bonnie and Barium Sulphate claims (now Sun Valley barite mine), 

are described. Barite occurs in a series of lenticular masses, at one place 

over 50 feet thick, trending northwest in calcareous beds of the Wood 

River formation. [Pennsylvanian]. The barite is generally white, banded, 

and free from visible impurities except small grains of pyrite and associated 

stains of iron oxide. In 1923, workings consisted of an 840-foot adit and 

a shallow open cat from which a carload of barite was shipped in 1922. 

Barite has not been found in other ore deposits of the region. The source 

of the barium may have been emanations given off during the last stages of 

deep seated igneous activity.

134 United States Bureau of Mines, 1924-31: Mineral resources of the United

States.

These annual publications list statistics on barite production, consumption, uses, prices, imports, and exports. Domestic production is generally 

reviewed by States. Current developments in the barite industry are 

noted briefly.

135 United States Bureau of Mines, 1932-52: Minerals Yearbook.

These annual publications list statistics on barite production consumption, uses, prices, imports, and exports. Domestic production is generally 

reviewed by states. Current developments in the barite industry are noted 

briefly.

136 United States Geological Survey, 1882-1923: Mineral resources of the

United States.

These annual publications list statistics on barite production, consumption, uses, prices, imports, and exports. Domestic production is generally 

reviewed by states. Current developments in the barite industry were 

noted briefly.

137 Valentine, G. M., 1949, Inventory of Washington minerals; Part 1, nonmetallic minerals: Wash. Dept. Conserv. Dev., Div. Mines and Geology 

Bull. 37, p. 11.

Twenty-two occurrences of barite are described. Most of these are in 

Stevens County where several deposits appear to be of commercial value. 

Production was reported from three mines near Springdale in southern 

Stevens County in 1938 and 1942, Other occurrences are in Mason, 

Okanogan, Ferry, and Pend Oreille counties. Deposits are located on a 

map of the state and briefly described and evaluated.

138 Vanderburg, W. O., 1938, Reconnaissance of mining districts in Eureka

County, Nevada: U. S. Bur. Mines Inf. Circ. 7022, p. 64. 

A barite deposit in Eureka County in the NE>4 of sec. 27, T. 34 N., R. 

51E. has been worked since 1938. Massive and relatively pure barite in 

veins averaging 10 feet in width and dipping 70° east occur in shale. This 

barite is marketed on the Pacific Coast.

139 Vanderburg, W. O., 1939, Reconnaissance of mining districts in Lander

County, Nevada: U. S. Bur. Mines Inf. Circ. 7043, p. 53-54 and 79.

Four barite deposits at the northern end of the Shoshone Range and one

near Austin are described. The bedded deposit at the Nevada mine four

miles southeast of Argenta is at least 60 feet thick. This deposit is mined

from an open cut and is probably one of the largest in Nevada; about 6,000

tons were shipped during the summer of 1937. About 4,500 tons were shipped
182 CONTRIBUTIONS TO BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MINERAL RESOURCES

from the Valley View mine. In the vicinity of Lewis Canyon, barite occurs 

in a vein up to 20 feet wide. Barite is associated with silver-lead ores at 

the Starr Grove Mine. In the Reese River district, about 9J>£ miles southeast of Austin, good quality barite occurs in a series of flat dipping veins in 

decomposed monzonite. The veins average four feet in width.

140 Vanderwilt, J. W., 1947, Metals, nonmetals, and fuels, in Pt. 1 of Mineral

resources of Colorado: Colo. Min. Res. Board [Bull.] p. 255-256. 

Occurrences of barite in Colorado, most of which are not of economic 

value, are listed. Barite occurs as a common gangue mineral in many metal 

mining districts in the state. A small amount was produced from veins in 

the granite of the Wet Mountains near Use, Custer County. Occurrences 

are reported in Boulder, Custer, Grand, Gunnison, Mesa, Ouray, Park, 

Pitkin, and San Miguel counties. A bibliography is included.

141 Van Horn, E. C., 1949, New barite possibilities revealed in the Carolinas:

Eng. and Min. Jour., v. 150, no. 1, p. 76-78.

The material presented in the paper by Van Horn, Le Grand, and McMurray (1949) is reviewed briefly.

142 Van Horn, E. C., Le Grand, J. R., and McMurray, L. L., 1949, Geology 

and preliminary ore dressing studies of the Carolina barite belt: N. C. 

Dept. Conserv. Devel., Div. Mineral Res. Bull. 57, 25 p. 

The geologic occurrence, origin, history of development, and commercial 

possibilities of the barite deposits of the Kings Mountain-Gaffney area are 

discussed. Mines and prospects in the area are described and spotted on a 

map. The deposits form a narrow, irregular belt which extends northeast 

for about 24 miles from a point about five miles southeast of Gaffney, 

South Carolina to the northeast slope of Crowder's Mountain four miles 

east of the town of Kings Mountain, North Carolina. The barite is found 

only in a zone of quartz-sericite schist near the contact between the Bessemer granite and the Battleground schist and occurs in veins and small 

lenticular disseminations as much as one inch or more across which are 

sub-parallel to the foliation of the host rock. Some disseminations form 

as much as 20 percent of the rock. The barite possibly was deposited by 

ascending hydrothermal solutions as interstitial fillings along foliation 

planes and as replacements of quartz and sericite in the schist. Barite 

has been produced from the veins intermittently since the early 1880's, 

but the total production has been small. Laboratory tests indicate that the 

disseminated ore is amenable to concentration by flotation. The Carolina 

barite belt may contain reserves of commercial importance which can be 

mined by open-cut methods.

143 Watson, T. L., and Grasty, J. S., 1915, Barite of the Appalachian States: 

Am. Inst. Min. Metall. Engineers Bull. 98, p. 345-390; and 1915, 

Trans. Am. Inst. Min. Metall. Engineers, v. 51, p. 514-559. 

The barite deposits of Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, North 

Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia are 

described. The occurrence, mining, beneficiation, production, and uses of 

barite are discussed. This paper summarizes much of the information 

available in the literature up to 1914 on deposits in the Appalachian states.

144 Weigel, W. M., 1923, Barite and ocher in the Cartersville, Georgia, district:

U. S. Bur. Mines Rept. Inv. 2477, p. 1-7.

Ore deposits contain barite imbedded in clay as irregular pieces ranging 

in size from fine grains to masses weighing several hundred tons. The
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF BARITE DEPOSITS IN THE TJ. S. 183

barite is concentrated in pockets or steps on hillsides and overlies quartzite 

or partly weathered limestone from which the deposits have been derived. 

Methods of prospecting, mining, and milling are described.

145 Weigel, W. M., 1929, The barite industry in Missouri: Am. Inst. Min. 

Metall. Engineers Tech. Pub. 201, 26 p.; Trans. 1929, Year Book, p. 

256-279; Pit and Quarry, v. 18, no. 13, p. 87-96.

Production of barite in Missouri and the United States from 1913-1927 

and the economic condition of the barite industry in Missouri in 1928 is 

briefly discussed. A description of the general geology and ore deposits of 

the Washington County and Central districts is given. Mining, milling, 

and prospecting methods are also described and a short discussion on 

reserves, marketing and uses of Missouri barite is included. In Washington 

County, primary barite in veins, disseminations, and solution cavities occurs 

chiefly in the Potosi dolomite of Cambrian age. Residual deposits consisting of barite fragments embedded in clay are by far the most important 

commercially. Similar but smaller and higher grade residual deposits occur 

in the Central district. Future production of barite in Missouri is predicted 

to exceed past production which totaled 1,750,000 tons as of 1928. Hand 

mining in open pits accounted for well over half of the production in 1928. 

Power shovels and mechanical washing and concentrating methods have 

been in use for only four or five years. In 1928, most Missouri barite was 

marketed in St. Louis, Illinois and the Ohio Valley.

146 Weissenborn, A. E., 1948, Barite, in Weissenborn, A. E., and Stenzel, H. B., 

and others, Geological resources of the Trinity River tributary area in 

Oklahoma and Texas: Tex. Univ. Pub. 4824, p. 67-71. 

The uses, specifications, and prices of barite are noted. Occurrences in 

central and southwestern Oklahoma and the adjacent area in northeastern 

Texas are described. Barite occurs in thin irregular veins or in scattered 

nodules in Permian and Triassic shales. Of these deposits, possibly two 

residual occurrences, in southwestern Oklahoma might be of commercial 

value. The larger of these is about five miles south of Cache, and is estimated to contain several thousand tons of barite concentrated on gulley 

floors in Permian shale. Residual barite is found in brown clay and limonite 

derived from weathering of dolomite in the Arbuckle limestone of Cambrian 

and Lower Ordovician age of the Arbuckle Mountains. Total production 

of barite in the State to 1948 has amounted to less than 500 tons. A bibliography and a map showing the location of the deposits is included.

147 Whitlatch, G. I., 1937, Barite: Tenn. Dept. Conserv.Div. Geology, Markets

Circ. 7, 25 p.

The minerals of barium, occurrences in the United States, specification 

for market, markets, prices and uses are reviewed with emphasis on Tennessee ores. A brief description of barite deposits in Tennessee is given 

which includes the Sweetwater and Del Rio districts and the Greene County 

area in east Tennessee; the Pall Mall district in Fentress County and other 

occurrences in Davidson, De Kalb, Dickson, Smith, Trousdale, and Wilson 

Counties in middle Tennessee. The history of the barite industry in Tennessee is summarized with a table showing production in selected years 

between 1903 and 1931. A brief statement on prospecting for barite in 

Tennessee is included.
184 CONTRIBUTIONS TO BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MINERAL RESOURCES

148 Williams, F. J., 1949, Barium minerals, in Industrial minerals and rocks,

p. 77-94: Am. Inst. Min. Metall. Engineers, New York. 

A summary of general information on barite including occurrence, distribution, production, uses and markets is given. The principal deposits in 

the United States and foreign countries are briefly described. Mining, 

prospecting, and concentration methods are listed. Workable deposits 

are chiefly of two types: veins of total or partial replacement of dolomite 

and limestone; and residual concentration in clay derived by weathering 

of preexisting deposits like those of type 1. The principal deposits in the 

United States are in Arkansas, Missouri, Georgia, Tennessee, California, 

and Nevada. The principal foreign deposits are in Canada, Germany, 

Italy, Great Britain, and the U. S. S. R.

149 Wilson, E. D., 1933, Geology and mineral deposits of southern Yuma 

County, Arizona: Ariz. Bur. Mines, Geol. Ser. 7, Bull. 134, p. 42 and 152-

153.

Barite is an abundant gangue mineral in veins of the Silver, Castle 

Dome, Sheep Tanks, and Neversweat districts. Relatively pure veins of 

barite occur in the Mohawk, Neversweat, and Silver district. At the 

Renner mine northwest of Mohawk, barite has been mined from an open 

cut on the widest part of a narrow vein cutting granitic gneiss. The barite 

is enclosed in manganiferous calcite. Eighteen carloads of barite were 

shipped from this deposit in 1929 and 1930.

150 Wilson, E. D., Moore, R. T., and Roseveare, G. H., 1953, Nonmetallic

mineral map of Arizona: Ariz. Bur. Mines.

The map shows the location of barite and other nonmetallie mineral 

deposits.

151 Wilson, E. D., and Roseveare, G. H., 1949, Arizona nonmetallies; a summary of past production and present operations: Ariz. Bur. Mines, 

Mineral Technology Ser. 42, Bull. 155, p. 10-11.

Barite is a common gangue mineral in veins of metallic ores in Arizona. 

Deposits of commercial importance occur as veins in which barite is associated chiefly with calcite or fluorite and relatively few other minerals. 

Total production of barite in Arizona has been small. Figures are available only for 1931-1932 when output was 3,410 tons. Most of the production has been from the Christman property northeast of Mesa now operated by the Arizona Barite Co. A few carloads were shipped in 1929 and 

1930 from the Renner deposit and in 1938 from the Ernest Hall property. 

Both deposits are in Yuma County.

152 Winston, W. B., 1949, Barium: Calif. Jour. Mines and Geology, v. 45,

no. 1, p. 85-97.

The properties of barium, barium compounds, and barium ores are 

reviewed. General information is summarized: occurrence and location of 

deposits, prospecting, mining, preparation for market, uses, marketing, and 

preparation of barium compounds. Brief notes on barite occurrences in 

the following counties of California: Inyo, Los Angeles, Mariposa, Monterey, 

Nevada, Plumas, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, Shasta, and Tulare. 

Production of barite in the State in 1945 was from three properties, one 

each in Mariposa, Nevada, and Plumas Counties. Production during 

1944-1945 was about 68,000 tons.
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF BARITE DEPOSITS IN THE TJ. S. 185

153 Woodward, H. P., 1932, Geology and mineral resources of the Roanoke

area, Virginia: Va. Geol. Survey Bull. 34, p. 134-135. 

A barite vein in pre-Cambrian crystalline rock three miles northwest 

of Thaxton has been mined in an opencut 20 feet deep and 450 feet long. A 

barite deposit two miles northeast of Roanoke occurs as a replacement in 

the Elbrook [formation of Cambrian age] and as irregular nodules in clay 

residually derived from the limestone. The barite mined from shallow 

opencuts was shipped for use in the sugar industry.

154 Woodward, H. P., 1938, Outline of the geology and mineral resources of

Russell County, Virginia: Va. Geol. Survey Bull. 49, p. 69-72. 

Deposits in Russell and Tazewell Counties were the chief sources of 

barite in Virginia in 1906. All of the deposits examined by the writer in 

1938 appeared to be exhausted. The barite occurs as veins and replacements in the upper members of the [Ordovieian] Beekmantown dolomite 

or in residually derived clay. The Hubbard, Leonard, and Little River 

mines are briefly described.

155 Wright, L. A., and others, 1953, Mines and mineral deposits of San Bernardino County, California: Calif. Jour. Mines and Geology, v. 49, 

nos. 1 and 2, p. 155 and nos. 133-135 in tabulated list of mines and 

mineral deposits included at end of report.

Occurrences of barite, chiefly in veins in igneous and metasedimentary 

rocks, are widespread in San Bernardino County. Several deposits in the 

Grapevine, Calico, and Lavic districts, were mined during 1910 to 1912 and 

1929 to 1937. Barite has been recovered from mill tailings in the Calico 

district and interest has been shown recently in recovering barite as a byproduct from the rare earth deposit at Mountain Pass. A tabulation at the 

end of the report includes 13 barite deposits which are briefly described as 

to location, geology, development, and production. A bibliography is 

included for each deposit. The three major deposits, the Barium Queen, 

Hansen, and Lead Mountain mines, are included on a map showing the 

location of mines and mineral deposits in San Bernardino County.

156 Zapp, Alfred, 1941, Barite in northern Llano County: Tex. Univ. Bur,

Eeon. Geology Min. Res. Circ. 35, 6 p.

A small tonnage of residual barite has been mined from a deposit in 

northern Llano County. Most of the residual material has been removed, 

and the underlying primary deposits contain impure barite in a series of 

irregular thin veins in pre-Cambrian schist and gneiss. The veins are 

roughly parallel to the foliation of the country rock; they pinch and swell 

abruptly. The deposits seem to be small.

157 Anonymous, 1952, A visit to the Mountain Pass rare-earth enterprise: Eng.

and Min. Jour., v. 153, u®. W, p. 87.

The exploration, mining, and milMsfg of the rare-earth deposits at the 

Sulphide Queen near Mountain Pass, Calif., are described briefly. The 

deposit is said to cover about 20 acres. The barite forms about 20 percent 

of the lode, although barite locally constitutes more than 50 percent of some 

masses. Overburden is negligable; ore is mined in open pits. The flotation 

mill, opened in February 1952, has a capacity of 100 tons a day and is now 

daily processing 70 tons of ore containing recoverable rare-earth minerals 

and barite.
186 CONTRIBUTIONS TO BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MINERAL RESOURCES

158 Anonymous, 1947, Arizona barite: Mining World, v. 9, no. 1, p. 20-22.

The mine of the Arizona Barite Co. at Coon Bluff 22 miles northeast of 

Mesa is described. In 1946, it was producing 100 tons of ground barite 

per day. Barite occurs in fissure veins in volcanic agglomerate. Production as of January 1947 had been derived solely from the main vein about 

15 feet wide and 3,000 feet long that had been opened to a depth of 140 feet. 

The final product, which contains about 94 percent BaSO* and has a specific 

gravity of 4.0 or higher, is shipped mainly to oil fields of the Southwest 

and West Coast for use in drilling mud. Plans call for development of 

other veins in the area. The operators also plan to install flotation equipment to produce a higher grade product and permit recovery of silver, 

said to run about 3.2 ounces per ton.

159 Anonymous, 1953, Socorro County produces barite: New Mexico Miner,

v. 15, no. 1, p. 2.

Production of barite in 1952 from the Mjex-Tex Mining Co. property in 

Soeorro County is discussed. Ore is mined in open pits and trucked 35 

miles to a company-owned mill at San Antonio, New Mexico where concentrates are bagged and shipped for use in drilling muds in Texas and New 

Mexico. The management is considering expanding present operations 

because of new ore strikes on the property.

. 160 Anonymous, 1952, Southern California's rare-earth bonanza; Eng. and 

Min. Jour., v. 153, no. 1, p. 100-102.

The recent discovery and exploration of Birthday and Sulphide Queen 

deposits of rare-earth minerals near Mountain Pass are discussed. Rareearth values at the Birthday deposits are said to have diminished rapidly 

at very shallow depth. The Sulphide Queen deposit is described as a 

"massive lode, about 20 acres in area, of .barite-carbonate rock", which in 

addition to rare-earth carbonates, celestite, calcite, and silica contains 

barite which locally constitutes the bulk of the rock and averages 20 percent 

of the entire lode. Successful methods for separating rare-earth material 

from barite are described.

The Molybdenum Corporation of America, owners of the property, 

planned to start production about February 1, 1952. - : ' '

161 Anonymous, 1953, This month in mining: Eng. and Min. Jour., v. 154,

no. 6, p. 148.

As of April 1951, mining and milling are reported at a high grade barite 

deposit near Elk Creek in the vicinity of Greenough, Missoula County, 

Mont. Production is reported to be 12 to 14 cars of pulverized barijbe and 

4 to 6 cars of crushed barite per week.

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