The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1896-02-01
Queer NIinoraIs in Utah.


sent out there a few weeks ago for the
purpose of looking up certain natural
resources, and he has returned with a
most Interesting report Among other
things, he found great deposits Of min
eral rubber enough to make gum shoes
for large part of the population OF
the United States. A piece of this sub
stance, about eight inches square and
an inch thick was laying on his desk
yesterday 1t was black, and it looked
and felt exactly like ordinary rubber.
s'You see, it is quite elastic, said Mr..
Eldridge, bending it with his fingers.
'sThere is no telling how many valuable
uses it may be put to in the future, but
l imagine that it will be employed
largely mixed with the vegetable rub
Der of commerce. For a roofing ma
terial it has already been proved excel
l9nt. In the mining towns of Utah,
mineral rubber is utilized commonly
for roofing, being prepared in sheets,
consisting of layer of burlap with the
rubber on both sides. Nothing could
be more thoroughly water proof.
Because it is so raw, not much is known
about this peculiar stuff and its posi-
bilities. Only few tons of it have
been mined near the Uintah Reserva-
ton, where it is chiefly found. Itoc-
ours in veins, but the number and size
of the latter are not reliably knowns as
yet"
Mr.. Eldridge took up from his desk
a queer looking chunk of something not
easily identified, and handed it over.
1t was something soft to the feel '.That
is another unexplored mineral said
he in explanation. "Very little is
known about it as yet It is called
mineral wax. In parts of Utah it is
found in veins, like the mineral rubber.
It's scientific name is .ozokerite.' The
mineral rubber we know as 'elaterite
Sometimes the ozokerite occurs in
pockets between layers of shale. 1t has
not been mined at all. Many uses for
it are likely to be discovered in the fu-
ture To the electricians it viii be val
liable, doubtless, inasmuch as it is one
of the best insulating materials for EN-
ployment in their business. But there
is another interesting mineral sub
stance from the same state. What
should you take it to be?" The object |
to by Mr.. Eldridge was about |
as big as his hand and looked exactly
like a piece of obsidian,or black volcan-
ic glass. 1t was hard as any rock.
@That is gum asphalt" said he. my I
chief business in Utah was to examine
5he deposits of mineral. It is won
lerful substance and represents a great
mineral resource that has hardly been
touched yet. However, it has been
mined to some extent, and two COM
1anies are at present engaged in taking
out of the ground. It is nothing
more nor less than an exceedingly pure
lind of asphalt, and its important use
illness is in the manufacture of var
fishes. You must observe that var
fishes ordinarily are given to cracking
nut not so any yarnish made from this
t1ff. Here is a sheet Of tin covered
nth such varnish. You see, I can bend
nd crumple it as much as l choose
,ithout a crack; the metal viii break
efore the varnish. That is because
be gum asphalt is elastic
"Under what conditions is the sub
tance found?" inquired your cores
ondent.
Under conditions SO extraordinary
nat nobody has been able to account
II them very satisfactorily. replied
II. Eldridge. "The deposits are found
hiefy within and in the neighborhood !,
{ the Unconpahgre Reservation. You
re walking across the country, let us
oppose, and you come across a queer :
,olcing streak that runs straight as an
rrow flies. Perhaps the streak is six :
, eight feet wide 1t goes like strip =
ribbon along the ground, over hill =
III oaIe, 50 lAdO' SuHholnS upon ~ you
IN follow it with your eye for miles. /,
his is not SO much by reason of its a
,lor as because it makes a sort Of c,
vath through the vegetation The sur b
ce sand supports a few plants, but Il
icy do not grow to advantage. You al
'ush away the sand, and beneath it Il
~ find that the streak is perfectly C
ack, Itis vein Of gum asphalt. Of
lere are many such veins near the Il
stern edge of Utah, and some ofthem II
II over into Colorado. They have Il
ndency to run parallel to each other, Il
tn trend from northwest to south q
st. They vary in width from a quar- re