Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1910-01-19
CEMENT RESOURCES
OF ROCKDR|DGE
Virginia Geological Survey Issue
Bulletin of Information
R0CKBRIDGE RICH IN DEPOSIT
Beds Near Lexington and Other Sec
tons of County


The Virginia Geological Commits
sion has issued 300 page bulletin
of the cement resources of Virginia
west of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Numerous illustrations add to the
interest of the publication. The
bulletin is an informing issue and
contains much matter of local inter
est. Rockbridge comfy is regard
ed as one of the richest counties in
cement rock in the State.
The State Geological Commission
is composed of the Governor of Vir-
ginia, as chairman; President AL
derman OF the University OF Vir-
ginia; President Barringer of Vir-
ginia Polytechnic Institute; General
Nichols ofVirginia Military Institu-
tie; Hon. a NJ. Bowman, member of
Legislature. and DR.. Thomas Leon
ard Watson of University of Virgin
ia, director.
The information from Rockbridge
was furnishe mostly by DR.. II. D.
Campbell of Washington and Lee
University.
The following quotations are taken
from the bulletin:
Rockbridge County
Proportionately, Rockbridge coun-
ty is occupied by larger amount Of
argillaceous limestones than any
other county of the State. This is
due partly to the close folding of
this limestone in the more impor-
tant area of outcrop, but mainly to
the fact that since the time of fold
ing, erosion has proceeded only to
the point of exposing these argilla-
ceous strata. Lexington is situated
approximately in the central portion
OF this folded region, while an area
in which the strata are more hori-
Zontal, and in which also the struc-
ture is less complicated, lies Just
east o, Little North mountain. The
composition of the rock in both of
these general areas is such that
theoretically the strata should yield
high grade Portland cement. How
ever, as has been pointed out by
Charles Catlett OF Staunton, analyst
it is a question whether the rel
atively high grade ratio of silica to
alumina and iron, tending to in
crease the refractory character of
the clinker, is Offset by the finely
divided condition and intimate mix
ing of the natural material. Still, in
spite of this possible objection to
the use of the rock, Ro ckbridge
county must be considered as one of
the most promising sources of &C.
ment rock in western Virginia.
Lexington
AS noted previously, Lexington
is situated in the central portion of
the eastern area of outcrop. Here
the entire section can be studied in
detail, and for this reason many of
the samples for analysis were Sc
lected from Lexington or its immed-
late vicinity. The close folds ex
hibited by the Liberty Hall limestone
in the vicinity OF Lexington are over
turned to the west so that the strata
show a fairly uniform eastward
dip. This folding likewise causes
the rocks to have apparently a great
thickness, but a careful examination
will show the repetition of similar
beds in regular order. In addition.
the core of an anticline or syncline
may be occasionally observed, and
whenever it is possible to get a con-
tinuOus section, a maximum thick.
ness not exceeding that given by
Professor Campbell is found. This
close folding also involves the un-
DERIVING Murat limestone. but be-
cause OF the few and relative uni.n-
portant exposures of this formation
at the surface, it has been differen-
tiated On the map only along the
western border of the Lexington
area"
The year 1910 will be marked by
four eclipses-two of the sun and
two of the moon. Both eclipses of