Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-03-04
CEMENT IN WYOMING G.


recent report entitled portland
Cement Materials in Eastern Wyu-
ming written by Mr.. Sydney " Bail
OF the United States geological sur
vey contains the statement that port
land cement can probably be made in
that district at a cost below the pres
ent local prices of eastern brands
Raw materials suitable for It's manu-
facture were located by him last sum
mer in the vicinity OF both New castle
and Cheyenne.
The raw materials used In manu-
factuTe OF Portland cement are lime
stone, which must be practically free
of magnesium carbonate. and stale
or clay The rocks sampled IN the
vicinity of Iron mountain. which IL
about 40 miles from Cheyenne In
clude limestone from the Ninbrara
formation and the Aflnnekahta lime
stone and shales from the GEaneros
formation. and the Pierre shale. Tho
area to which Portland cement
plant situated IN the neighborhood
OF Cheyenne, would ship Its product,
includes the eastern half of Wyoming,
western Nebraska. northeastern Colo
RADIO and a part OF northwestern
Kansas.
The best limestone sampled IL from
~ Hill, OF Ntobrera which lies east of
the end Of the Bradley Spur across the
narrow fiat, lies practically on
edge and could be cheaply quarried,
possibly by the use OF steam shovels,
although considerable blasting would
probably be necessary as depth was
acquired. Analysis shows that II CON-
tains GA per cent silica, /, i6 per cent
siumnis, 2.S2 per cent ferric oxide,
$500 per cent lime. and 2.65 per cent
magnesia. This is a good linlesto tone
for cement-fna king purposes, although
the relation between silica and com
bined alumina and ferrlc oxide b low
The Mnnekahta limestone, which is
found here in abundance. Is much
poorer IN quality than the Nlobrara,
as 1t is high in silica and compare
lively low in alumina and ferric oxide.
AT the end of the railroad spur at
Bradley station 140 feet of shale of
the Graneros formation Is exposed.
II runs $3.50 per cent silica, &c per
cent alumina la per cent ferric
per cent In alkalies. This Is a normal
shale of which the silica is high and
the ratio between alumlna ana fer.
ric oxide and silica is ideal. The
magnesia and the alSales are each
rather low while there is sufficient
iron present to insure a fuslble ce-
ment matrix. The Pierre shale. which
was sampled on the west side of the
railroad track three-quarters of a mile
northwest OF Bradley station, Is OF
fair quality but not so good as tho
Graneros shale.
Gypsum for use as a set retarder of
the Portland cement is reported to
occur In the red beds" TO the south
of Iron mountain
A Portland cement plant at Iron
mountain should use FOR its raw ma
terlals the Gransros shale at tho end
OF the Bradley spur and the Biobrara
shady limestone TO the east Of the
same point An extension of the
| Bradley Spur one-quarter Of a mile
| long would connect the two deposits
| Chugwater creek furnishes sufficient
water for a plant, Coal at Cheyenne
Is from 81 to SO a ton. 1t Is possible
however, that coal coming over the
Colorado and Northern Railroad from
the north would be cheaper.
Persons Interested in the subject
may learn more about It by reading
Mr. Balls report, which will be pub.
lished in the forthcoming annua
Contributions to Economic Geology
| 1906 -