The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-02-12
INTERESTING FACTS IN
REGARD TO BENTON|TE
Clay From Which Antiphlogis-
tine Is Made Receives Atten-
ton of Government.

Mr. c. r. Siebenthal of the United
States geological survey spent part OF last
summer In the Laramie basin Wyoming,
where he made some interesting observa-
! tions concerning the variety of clay known
as bcntonlte which occurs In many local.
ties In that State. When freshly exposed
1t varies In color from light yellow To a
light olive green with puNy luster. on
exposure II assumes a duh cream color
In freshly uncovered outcrops II appears
as bcdded Joint clay. the blocks varying
from roughly rectangular or concholdal
shape to long, slender pieces The Joints
are more OF less open and occasionally
contain crystals and plates OF gypsum and
sulphato of soda In texture the clay Is
very fne grained. II develops no grit to
the touch and very little when ground be-
tween the teeth. The microscope shows
that II Is made up OF extremely minute
moro or less rounded particles OF fairly
uniform size and apparently OF the same
mineral nature. with here and there par
ticles of uniecomposed labradorite
Properties of Bentonitc.
The clay has soft, unctuous, or soapy
feeling. but 1t is brittle and is easily quar-
ried 1t clings strongly to the tongue In
Weathcring II absorbs great amount of
water and Increases much In volume,
forming network mantle an inch thick.
but later melting down. under the effects
OF rainfall and frost. 10 a white powder.
Mixed with the proper amount of water 1t
is exceedingly plastic. and with the addi-
ton Of more water becomes perfect
paste, Tests show that II completely ab-
serbs over three times It's weight, or seven
times its volume. OF water and twice
much Slycerine as di7tomaceous earth will
absorb.
Makes Paper and Medicine.
The chief use OF the clay so far devcl-
oped is as q material to give body and
weight In the manufacture Of paper Prac-
ticallY The whole output uf the clay for the
last few years has been taken by a paper
IA y "A n hp
manufacture of "antiphloSistinc. a pro-
prietary remedial dressing and as an
adulterant in the manufacture Of candies
and drugs. Its first use was as n material
for hoof-packlng. a dressing or poulticC
for the lnfamed hoofs OF horses Though
highly plastic. IL is unsuitable. on account
OF fire clay products. III mixed with ground
feldspar, IL could possibly be used in tho
manufacture Of pottery. II is good re-
tarder for use with the hard cement
plasters. Its high absorption Of glyccrine.
as compared with dlalomaccous earth,
suggests Its substitution for that material
In the manufacture OF dynamite.
Deposits Are Described.
After discussing the geological occur
rorce of the bentonite beas, Mr.. Siebenthal
describes briefly the deposits found at
Taylor's pit, LinScotts pit. on the claim Of
The Cassn Mining company. on Sam
Whites claim and on CosGriGs These are
the only occurrences OF this clay which
haNc assumed commercial Importance In
the Rock river region. the typo locality
for the clay They are strung along the
cGtcrop of the Benton formation for a
distance Of twenty miles The bed of clay
is probably persistent throughout that dis
tGncc, though it's outcUop is not always APP
parent.
Annual Output of Clay.
Bentonite has been noted at few other
localities In the Laramie basin along Hut
ton lake, on Sand creek and on the River
side ranch From 1sSS TO 1895 inclusive,
the production of bentonite averaged
about sixty tons annually. From that time
1t gradually increased until, In 1902, 1t is
TO have been 100 tons With the
closing down of the Western paper mills
the production almost stopped and I'm 1905
the amount shipped was very small. From
lSS 10 1879 the price averaged S25 ton
I. o. b. cars. The price then dropped TO
s. ton. later rising TO S5 and 81 a ton
The tolnl production To dntn Is annrnrl-