The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-10-05
Prof. Lovewell Finds a Use For
TregO Shale.
Discovers That 1t Makes an Ex-
ceIlent Paint.
THIS WILL SURELY PAY
Less Uncertainty Than I'm Try
ing to Get Gold.
Product Will Sell From SIS to
$50 Per Ton.
Trego Shale Owners May Yet
Realize Dreams of Wealth.

1t has been discovered that the TregO
county gold slales can be made into
very good paint-not gold paint, but
the red mineral paint which is used III
vast quantities for painting freight
cars, railroad buildings. bridges. and
such structures.
This discovery may be of considerable
value in the successful extraction Of
gold from the Trego and Ellis county
shales, for it gives a by-product worth
SIS ton for all the refuse from the
gold mills. Shale which has been
worked over for gold by either the
Gage chemical process or the various
electrical processes, is thereby prepared
for an additional process which con-
verts it into paint
Specimens If the Trego shale paint
are now being tested by the mechanical
departments of the Santa Fe railroad,
and other roads.
The discovery that the shale contains
all the elements for mineral paint was
made by J. T. 1ovewell, of this CITY,
who has been assaying and testing the
Trego shales for some years past He
said today, in speaking of the discov-
cry:
Il have known for some time that by
burning Trego shale it could be turned
to rich red color Recently L tried
adding little copperas to the shale.
This, with certain other manipulations,
forms the body for as good mineral
paint as I ever saw. 1t can be made
in various shades of red, varying from
a yellowish red to Venetian red
Mineral paint must contain three
elements: aluminium, silica and iron
All of these are present in the TreSo
shales.s 1 think that the process of
making the paint will not cost over $40
a ton. Paint sells at from SIS to $40
a ton There is a good market for good
mineral paint.
q believe that small values of gold
and silver can be extracted from Trego
county s4lales by either the Gage pro-
cess or the electrical processes. If the
CNe,r~ ton
will probably be the best, because it is
very expensive If we can take the
refuse from the Gage process and man
ufacture it into by-product which will
net So a ton, it will add very materially
to the profits in a Trego county gold
mill Extracting the gold from the
shales converts the dirt into a fine
powder. which is the principal step In
preparing the shale for the manufac-
ture of paint The gold extracting
process is ther efore accomplishing
double purpose.
1t is pretty well demonstrated now
that the Trego county sha1es bear both
gold and silver in small quantities.
Tests which have been made by Prof.
Iovewell and others seem to indicate
that some shale has more gold and sill
yer than other. The amount has varied
in a most mysterious and elusive man.
ner, and has done much to encourage
the belief that the shales under test
have some times been "salted."~
Now comes a man with a new theory.
1t is Prof. Ernest Fahrig, of Philadel-
phia, chem ist for the Philadelphia
Commercial Museum, who arrived in
Topeka Thursday night. and left for
Trego county at noon today
Mr.. Fahrig says that he believes that
gold and silver exist in the Trego coun
ty shaleS very much as they exist in
quartz mines; namely, in seams, ribs
and pockets. He thinks that by locat-
ing a seam of gold bearing shale, it can
be followed very much as a seam in
quartz mine is followed.
Mr.. Fahrig is a chemist of considera-
BILE repute in Philadelphia. He has done
work for John Wanamaker, and other
capitalists. He is brought here by w.
H. Gushing, brother-in-law of Charles
Lantry. The Lantry syndicate is en-
ploying Mr.. FahrIg to visit the shaie
fields, and conduct some experiments
with an electrical process which he has
invented. Mr.. Fahrig will explore tue
Trego shale fields, and take some spec
linens back to Philadelphia for assay.