The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-05-08

very small margin for profit. Us it is prin-
cipally sold in Brittany at fourteen dol
lars. The annual production of these
beds was estimated in 1872 at twenty
five thousand tons, and has increased
since then very materially. The Belle
garde phOsphates may possibly exercise
con siderable local influence, but the low
content of ph0sphoric acid in the material
found on the spot would prevent its
wide shipment.
PHOSPHORITEs.
The Russian phosphorite occurs gen.
orally in the strata Of the cretaceous for
nation; It is also, however, found in
those Of tn, Jurassic, Tertiary, and even
the Silurian. M. Yermoloff, who assis-
ted Prof. Engelhardt in the recent geo.
logical and economic survey Of Russia,
has stated: 1--WE do not think that we
exaggerate when we say that Central
Russia reposes on phosphate OF lime,
with which she is able to pave the half
Of Europe" An examination into the
commercial value of these deposits led to
the conclusion that where the phosphate
rock is accessible its quality is too poor
10 admit of It's more than local utilization;
while the richer nodules occurring, as
they do, disseminated through compact
formation, cannot be mined profitably
Only one local attempt had been made
to agriculturally utilize these vast de-
posits, and that had proved failure.
The Bordeaux pbosphates-as the
phosphorite obtained from the Depart
ments of Lot, Tarn-ot- Garonne and
Aveyron is commercially called-on the
other hand, have played an important
part in the English markets No new
deposits have been discovered in these
regions during the past six years not
withstanding continued and careful pros
pecting; and the general impression pre-
walls that the better part, both in quality
and quantity has already been sent to
market. The production has reached 20,-
600 tons per annum.
The German phosphate, which occurs
along the Lain, is attributed 10 the con-
centration in limited beds and pockets of
the small content of phospate of lime
found in the limestone of that region.
The best average price paid for Lain
phosphate, on the spot, rarely exceed
eight dollars per ton. The better quail
ties are shipped to England for the man
ufacture of superphossphates; the medi-
um qualities are similarly used in Eng
u,
to powder for direct application TO the
soil.
SPANISH pIIOsPHATES.
The existence of beds of phosphate of
lime in Spain has been long known, al
though it is only since comparatively
:ece:i: date that :hcir true composition
and value have been appreciated, and
yet later that active mining operations
have been carried on at the different 10
calties. Logrosan .anda Caceres are tho
two principal localities for phosphates
IL Spain. There are several distinct
veins of phosphorite at Logrosan. The
rock is blasted the larger pieces
are cleaned by hand aud hammer, and
then assorted into high aud low gradts.
The pieces of trimmed rock aver aoe throc
to four inches in diameter.
The shipment of this phosphate neces-
states great trouble and expense. 1t is
transported in heavy wagons, drawn by
mules or oxen, and carrying two to two
and half tons 10 the load, to the railway
at Vielanueva de la Serena. The carts
make two trips week and receive about
twenty cents per hundred weight. The
cost of transportation and handling until
the phosphates is put on shipboard at
Lisbon, amounts to almost ten dollars e
ton, and the expenses reach fifteen dol
lars by the time the rock has been Ian
ded in England. 1t is claimed that it
brings twenty-f five dollars per ton in the
English market A railway to VILLAIN
ueva would reduce the freight expenses
materially, but would itself cost one
million two hundred thousand dollars.
This line, once constructed, would permit
of the delivery of simply enormous
quantities of this high-grade rock to the
exclusion of n corresponding amount OF
the Carolina and other rocks of lower
value. The officers at the mine stated
their readiness to guarantee their pro-
duct at seventy.five to eighty-ive per
cent. bone phosphate of lime, also their
ability to raise and lay down their phos-
phate beside the mine at less than three
dollars per ton. This mine is apparently
the only great competitor in the future
~hich threatens seriously our local indus
try. Ofthe quantity and quality of the Lo-
grosan phosphate, there can be no doubt !;
happily, however, such is the tardiness of
Spanish Courts, it may be long locked
to commerce; aad even then, 30 great is
investments in the interior of Spain, it
may w SHhatty iOuS OCiOiO ioll COnUCC-
ton with the coast is made
The Caceres Mines, on the other hand,
are our present competitors in the En-
glish market, and, as such, deserve spe-
cial notice. From 1866, when mining
operaticas began, to October. 1872, the
principal company OF Caceres had fur
nished about one hundred and twenty
five thousand tons. They received
from 50 to $3.50. according to the
quality, for the rock at the mines.
The cost of transportation TO Lisbon
| amounts to about eight dollars per ton.
Chemical analysis of the rock gives from
| ifty-three To eighty-s six per cent. of
bone phosphate oflime, with an average
ofabout sixty TO sixty five per cent. The
total recent production has been about
twenty-five thousand tons annually.
Most of The Spanish phosphate goes to
England, whittier thirty. three thousand
tons were shipped in 1874. France also
consumes few thousand TINA. The
Spar'ards make no home use of their
roc'. although their lands stand in sore
nedd of such cnrichment. The Spanisi
phosphates are very difficult to grind
but nevertheless make good snperphos.
pilates, which dry readily, and do moi
lose in soluble phosphoric acid, as they
contain very little oxide og iron and
alumina. .Hi7H' 2''"h
A'' DEPOSITS OF APATITE.
Ofthe Canadian apatitic deposits little
is known beyond the fact that they con-
sist of pockets Tor bpnches) OF high grade
phosphate of lime, Of crystalline struct-
ure, imbedded in granite, gneiss and
mica-slate. 1t is claimed. that very con.
siderable quantities of. apatite exist in