The Pascagoula democrat-star., 1911-09-08

rs PROSECUTING Searches
IS TO MINERAL DEPOSITS
Cooperation OF The People Re-
quested, And Samples Arc
Asked To Be- Sent For
Analysis.

The field force Of the United States
Geological Survey Is prosecuting
searches for deposits OF minerals
which shall furnish the three neces-
sary elements OF plant food that are
contained 10 complete fertilizer, F"
namely, phosphate rock, nitrate salts,
and potash salts. The Survey has
already discovered and surveyed enor-
nous deposits Of phosphate rock, and
2,3oS, 800 acres OF public land contain.
Ing phosphate, withdrawn at the rec.
ommendation OF the Geological Sur.
vey, are now waiting legislation by
congress to enable their development.
In order, however, to insure an "all.
American" fertilizer. regardless Of
importations from other countries, 1t
remains to discover deposits OF nitrate
Of soda and potash salts. As both OF
these minerals are readily soluble and
are not to be found as "outcrops" like
ordinary rocks, the mission OF the
Survey is not an easy one. Neverthe.
less, 1t Is believed that the geologic
conditions prevailing throughout a
large portion Of the arid West favored
the accumulation, during earlier Pc
Rods Of the earth's history, Of both OF
these salts, and that II these still
exist In concentrated deposits IL fs
only question OF search to discover
them. Hardly anything could be sug.
gested which would be of greater
assistance to the American farmer
than the discovery of commercial de
posits Of either of these necessary fer.
tilizlnR minerals.
POTASH DEPOSITS.
The investigation into possible
sources Of potash salts 10 the United
States is being made this year BY the
United States Geological Survey
under an appropriation by congress
OF s20,0 900 for the current year.
One OF the possible sources from
which potash may be derived is 10
association with saline deposits left
by the drying up OF large bodies Of
salty waters, such as are known to
have existed at one time 10 many ol
the now desert areas Of southwest
Oregon, Nevada, southeast California,
Utah, and elsewhere 1t is hoped
that by testing these saline deposits
some may be found sulficlently rich ID
potash to have commercial value
and that there may even bc located
some large and important deposits. \
FREE ANALYSES.
Az a part Of this work the Surve,
will soon nt up temporary labora
tory at Fallon, New, for the purpos,
Of testing samples Of saIines from th'
Great Basin or desert areas.
| Samples OF such alkaline salts vii
be tested at this laboratory free o
charge II definite statement Of th,
locality from which they we're Oh
tained be sent with the samples. Th,
location should bs given by section
tnwnship. and range, II possible, other
wise by distance and direction from
the nearest postoiiice or settlement
| Samples should be addressed to Hoy
s. Gale, United States Geological Sur
vey, Fallou, New. Upon receipt Of
request small sample sacks for send
Ing the material BY mail viii be FOL
warded from the above address.
Il II go requested at the time that
sample Is submitted for test, the az
, companyIng information concernin
, the locality Of the deposit viii b
, treated "a confidential; and the ev
, dence thus obtained ID not for III
purpose Of making land withdrawal