Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1912-09-06
GREAT WESTERN
PHOSPHATE FIELDS
GEOLOGICAL WORK HAS ADDED
MILLIONS or TONS TO RE
sEiRE or THIS MINERAL.


ain region in the states Of Idaho
Montana, Utah, and Wyoming. and
most Of the deposits belong to
the United States, being on public
land. Phosphate rock, as is we'll
known. is the principal source Of
/ phosphorus, one of the three nee
essary plant foods. The exact
boundary Of TINS phosphate bear
ing area is still undetermined, but
each year an investigation has been
pushed by the United States GeOl-
Ogical Survey, its limits have been
more accurately defined by extern
sion in some directions and relract-
ion in others. Phosphate in this
general region was first discover
cd IN northeastern Utah and south
eastern Idaho in the vicinity of the
ldaho-U tah-W Wyoming State Line.
From this locality the deposits have
been traced north, south east, and
west half way across the states of
Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming, and
nOrtiward to the vicinity Of Helena
IN west central Montana, until now
the phosphate beds are known over
an area extending approximately |
22O miles in an east-west direction |
and 40 miles from north TO south. /
Only a small part of this territory,
of course. is underlain by phos-
phate deposits that are cOmmerciallyl
valuable. I'm many places the
phosphate beds, although present,
occur at such great depths below
the surface that they will prob
ably never be mined; and in other
paris of this completely folded area
tl'c phosphate beds have been en-
tIrelS removed by erosion. How
ever. the tonnage of high grade
rock in this region is .
he estimates running up
mic The billions of tons.
The rock phosphate itself can
usually be- recognized in the field
by its Colictic texture-that is, by
The fact that it is a mass of grains
Ike mass Of shot cemented together
The rock varies in color from a
.oal black in some places it was
originally mistaken for coal to
iull gray or iron stained. Most of
he phosphate rock emits, when
'roken or struck, fetid odor, and
: supposed 10 be characteristic of
hese minerals. Its Float is
haraclerisiicalIy marked with a
hin film of blush white bonelike
Dating. resembling chalcedony. |
his coating is useful in tracing the
oncealed outcrop in the field by
leans of scattered fragments to be
lund in The everything soil. IL
rompt Restoration OF Land Found
to he \onphOsphate.
The first phosphate Withdrawal
lsiiIaled by the United States Ge-
logical Survey was made Deem
Pr .. 1908. and covered i.5ii.3OO
res in Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah
J making this Withdrawal the
was adopted as a unit
nj consequently considerable non
losphatc land was included in
e Withdrawal. As further field
ork gave more detailed inform /
ion regarding the location of the |
losphate beds, the nonphosphate |
cas- We're restored as rapidly as
'ssible. Detailed field examin-
ion OF the phosphate area was
ldertakcn by h.e Survey in 1909
ii has been cOutinud every sum
Pr since that time. The original =
Iosphate reserve has thus been II
cred by The restoration of the
tracts and by addit-
nal Withdrawals of phosphate II
Ids made from time 10 time. 50
at on September ist. 1919. the
tstanding land withdrawn IN this
neral region amounted TO 2.2il. S67
res.
Detailed and reconnaissance eN-
linaiious made N 1911 in east
d Idaho and southwestern Wye III
ng resulted in restoring to entry II
l606 acres
Because Of lack of law Separat-
the surface and mineral rights II
phosphate iands. the phosphate
ded IN them from agricultural
ry As we'll ~ from entry under
laws applicable to phosphate
,osils The Government wish
io minimum Interference with II
agricultural progress of the
ST. is endeNoring, in addition 10
lining the possible eXtenlion of II
phosphate areas in fields Where
t.ttnnral - ttap.s ft,n.tt,, "a III