Arizona republican., 1909-08-12
BARYTES DEPOSITS
 MAY PROVE VALUABLE
Several Big Ledges in Neighborhood of Phoenix. Material Finds Various Uses in Industries.

Arizona's reputation for large de-
 pOsits of mineral Is certain. There
 is no doubt but that in this territory there are probably larger deposits of copper and the precious metals than are to be found in any other state in the Union or in many other entire nations. However, there are many engaged in a se2rch for the rarer minerals who hope to add luster to the already great fame of the terri tory as a place most favored by ma ture. Reports have been numerous of the discoveries of platinum and of cobalt and of nickel and although these metals have never been found in such quantity as would warrant development, yet there is constant search for them and for other metals not usually sought by the ordinary prospector.
 Although in no sense a precious mineral deposit there are several lodges of barytes or barium sulphat. in this county which if developed might prove valuable and be the basis of founding some small manu- factories when the power from the Roosevelt dam is available. The barytes in this section is of good quality and although there is a small component of iron in the samples tested, yet the proportion of the iron is not sufficient to render the heavy spar without value for commercial purposes. Several miles east of Mesa and reached by a good wagon road is a ledge of the spar about a mile in length and varying from twelve to thirty feet in width. This ledge has been located by Mesa people for a couple of years and although the price which can now be secured for the product is not sufficient to war rant its mining it is being held in the hope of an advance or the probability of some local industry being estab- lished which may have some use for the barytes. A shaft of forty feet has been sunk in the ledge and it has been found that the iron component becomes less with depth and the value of the spar consequently in- creased
 Barytes is found native in England and in some places in Europe. The present supply in the United States AS AilliAft VI NusAl lAfh lll Ailt TAdAfT of Missouri. Tennessee, North Caro- lima and Virginia and the average value of the product, which, however. varies widely in grade. is little over three dollars a ton. By being utilized in proper industries the best grades can be made to yield a much larger return than the average price.
 The spar finds many uses. The finest grades are employed in the manufacture of delicate pigments Barium sulphate of good quality is used as a substitute or an adulterant for white lead in making the body for paints. Many of the best chem ists contend that the barytes should not be classed as an adulterant. as it 1 is superior as a paint body tO white ! lead and where it is used in con junction with the lead it makes a l much finer grade of paint than if the | barytes were not placed in the com pound. Some of the spar finds use in | the manufacture of reagents and in l pyrotechnics A coarse grade is | used by pork packers in the prepara- | tion of the canvas covers in which ! hams are placed for shipment.
 Another use not common now. but | which was once in gecnral practice | was in the making of the higher . grades of pottery For this purpose | the material finds its highest value. | In the eighteenth century the barytes | was used in the making of the fam ous Wedgwood ware which is con sidered one of the finest wares eyer produced. Josiah WedgwOod made many improvements in the art of ceramics and his jasper ware. the particular kind in which barytes was found its way at high prices to the tables of royalty The Etruscan and Greek vases of this ware are among the finest samples of Europe Of pottery ever produced in England.
 With such a wide field for a market and a continually rising price the Iedges of barytes should be investigat- ed and would probably be found to be among the foremost mining as- sets in this county.