The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-12-29

The great phosphate deposits dis
covered upon the public lands in Utah,
Idaho and Wyoming about six years
ago arc now known to be the largest
tonnage Of commercial phosphate rock
in the world. The fertilizer industries
Of the world are concerned primarily
with the production Of the three plaut
foods, nitrogen. potash and phosphorus
To compete with the nitrate mines of
Chile, modern electricians arc charging
common limestone with nitrogen from
tine atmosphere and agricultural col.
leges arc teaching the rotation OF crops
with nitrogen gathering lcgumcs.
To compete with the potash mines
of Germany intensive cultivation aud
rotation Of crops 10 render the great
quantities Of potash present in soils,
soluble is advocated by Agricultural
isis. Bat 10 return TO the soil the
phosphorus ;hat is taScp from ii
10y the world crops the scientist has
as vet found no important source Of
phosphorus other phosphate rock.
Were ono 10 make prediction as to
thc future Of the fertilizer industry,
the great growth Of which is obvious
ly an agricultural necessity. it would
be logical to predict that the great cen
tcrS Of that industry will he located
close to the phosphate deposits. And
as the life Of the Tennessee aud Flor
ida fields is definitely limited by the
government : geologists. il does not
seem far cry TO predict that the great
center Of the fertilizer industry of the
future Will be somewhat near the COM
mon corners of the three states of Utah.
Idaho and Wyoming, which naturally
means Salt Lake City.
widespread revolution is gathering
headway within :he fertilizer industry
in the use Of finely ground natural
phosphate rock in place of phosphate
rock that has been treated with sui
phuri. acid TO mako i. water soluble
or available as a plant food, 4 small
percentage of the finely ground raw
rock becomes available as plant food
every year: whereas in tho acid treat.
cd rock the total phosphorus content
becomes Immediately available. From
the point OF view of system Of pcrma.
nent soil fertility. the raw rock seems
TO be the logical commodity especially
as its cost per unit of phosphorus is
about onc-tcnth that of acid phosphate.
However much this conflict may dis
turb in other fields. the great invest.
ments IN acid plants and pyrites mines.
the western field need not fear the con
sequences If aci3ula;cd rock holds
its own the copper smeIters OF Utah
Will furnish a plentiful supply Of cheap
acid and If .he raw rock Sunplants the
acidulatcG rock. he enormous tonna ges
of tho west win bc but the more speed
lily developed.
Tho government has withdrawn. since
December, 1905, near the known dis
coveries, all those areas supposed 20
contain phosphate rock but has as vet
no laws for leasing or mining within
he phosphate reserves. The principal
accessible deposits, however, had been
located by several companies prior to
companies were the Sau Francisco
Chemical company, the Union Phos-
rhatc com0anv. the American Aaricul-
turai Chemical coH:rany and the United
States Phosphate company These
companies have lad considerable diff.
Guilty IN acquiring patents to their lands
owing 10 conflicts between placer and
lode titles. The courts and the land
office have however. in every instance.
held that tho lode location was the
valid ono ard all difficulty from that
source is now overcome. These com,
pauics have all been busiIv engaged in
perfecting ti.les and developing their
prorcrties ard California is proving a
fast growing mnrEet for their ship
Wents.
Among these comDanies noue has Z
greater tonnage OF phosphate rock than
the United States Phosphate company.
| This company has been five Tears ac.
| ouiripg patents to it's lands and is shi,-
| ping steadily to Los Angeles from it's
mine near Boulder, Wyoming. a station
OH the Idaho Wyoming line, and It's
stockholders are firm believers in the
great future IN store for western phos-
pbate rock.