Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-01-03
SOUTH cARoLtNAs PAospHATEs.


Mines in the Region Of the Ashley River.
Mining, washing and Drying.
The whole coast region seems to havs
once been the bed OF shallow inland sea,
and over a compact bed Of mari some
forty or more feet IN depth there lies de-
posit Of phosphate of Lime from eighteen
to thirty-ix inches thick. This is just be
low the recent soil and sand. 1t is reached
by stripping the surface till at depth OF
fifteen to twenty inches the deposit IS
found The phosphate is in the form Of
nodular concretions, from the size of ones
head down to coarse gravel, about W per
cent Of it being sand and marshy humus.
This Is loaded on to tramway ears and
hauled on an inclined road to the top OF
the washing house. From the cars 1t Is
dumped into long troughs-inverted pyra-
mids-at the bottom OF which are large re-
volving shafts armed with steel teeth,
which serve to break the large Jumps into
smaller ones and return the whole into
lower troughs, in which revolve other
shafts armed with paddles, spirally
arranged, to carry the phosphate forward
and deliver it on to q screen inclined at an
angle of forty-fiv degrees, from which 1t
falls to the floor. During all this time it
Is tEcdttu WIN sprays VI "ueOAs ohA WIZ
dirt and sand are borne of in contrary
direction by q suitable reverse slant in the
troughs.
The damp but clean phosphate rock is
then shoveled into barrows and wheeled
into the upper part of large brick kilns
about 6OxlOO feet and twenty-five feet
high. The kiln is first prepared by
spreading on the bottom layer of washed
phosphate pebbles, two feet thick. In
this are laid iron flues to give air, and
over these q pile of fire wood southern
pine) two feet thick, and then on this the
phosphate rock is tumbled from the bar
rows above until it reaches ten to twelve
feet thick, about 400 tons to n kin. The
mass then being ignited from the flues,
burns slowly. and when consumed the
moisture of the pile is driven off. and the
rock is ready for shipment and sale to the
fertilizer establishments, which, by pro-
cesses peculiar to each, treat it with sui
phuric acid to free or 10 make more solu-
Bile the phosphori acid it contains. 1t is
then ready for use by the planter.
The two establishments operated by
this company produce 125, 900 tons of the
rock annually The profit IS somewhere
about 20 per cent. on the capital invested.
The limit of production is only bounded
BY the demand. The prices range from
81 per ton to now about "a per ton. An
alysis of the washed rock shows: Dirt,
l to 8 per cent silica, in form of coarse
white sand, ~ to Is per cent; lime, A.
per cent; phosphoric acid, q to 20 per
cent. The color of this curious deposit is
from q cream yellow to coarse brown
orange, forming irregular concretions. Its
source is evidently from the marine ami
NAL life, which in former geological ages
abounded in this then shallow sea. The
fossilized vertebra and teeth of fish and
some animals abound in it. | gathered
triangular teeth of sharks measuring four
inches on each side, indicating monsters
of that period that must have been whale
like in size. These teeth are as perfect as
when shed, highly polished, with razor
like, sharp edges finely serrated
The discovery and development Of these
riches occurred soon after the war, and
afforded the impoverished people a source
OF income and wealth that proved to be
more valuable than gold mines. Negro
laborers are employed entirely, and are
found of late years tractable, industri' us,
| and work to the entire satisfac ton OF their
employers when treated justly and with
| consideration. There are seven large
mines in this region, the output o! which
| goes largely to Europe. Other drpo IS
| are under water and are dredged for, Du;
| otherwise are treated as are those Of the
dry diggings Charleston IS. c. Cor. De
rot Free Press.