The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1913-02-13
PHOSPHATE LANDS IN
GEM STATE DESCRIBED
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY REPORT
GIVES INTERESTING FACTS
GOLD AND COAL FOUND.

WASHINGTON, Feb. "a repor
just issued by the geological survey
conveying an examination in south.
eastern Idaho by Messrs Schultz ant
Richards, discloses some valuable in.
formation.
A preliminary examination of the
part OF southeastern Idaho WAS I'M
dertaken in 1911 with The purpose ol
collecting data for the elimination Of
non phosphate lands from the phos-
, phate reserves The report says:
After the close of the detailed field
work In southeastern Idaho, the writ
ers spent three weeks In the region
south of Snak river, and north of the
areas examined in detail by Richards
and Mansfield In 1910 and 1911. AS q
result of this examination 249,04e
has been restored to agricultural en-
try. The data collected during the
examination indicate that not all 81
the phosphate land was included in
the phosphate reserves as originally
constituted by the Withdrawals Of De-
cember 1908, and December, 1909 The
old phosphate reserve boundary has
been so modified and extended as t.
include all the known phosphate areas
Some of the land in the Caribou
range lying between Lineup and Car
den creeks is probably underlain by
phosphate beds at depths OF less than
5000 feet Theae lands have not yet
been included IN the phosphate re-
serve because it was found to be i'm
possible during the short preliminary
ness of the everything beds and to work
out the necessary detailed structure
to determine in what places the phos-
phate beds occur at depths Of less
than 5000 feet
1.-THE area examined includes about
1000 square miles, all lying within the
Snake river basin. a large portion
of the area is included within the Car
ibou national forest and is mainly
used for cattle and sheep grazing dur
ing the summer. few ranchers con-
troll the greater part Of the remainder
Of the area. Gray and Henry are the
main trading points Postofiices are
maintained at Alpine, Blowout, Glen
Henry Herman, Irwin. Wayan ant
Williamsburg,
White Quartzito Found.
IN the extreme southwestern por-
ton Of the area examined a white
quartzite was found overthrust upon
limestones of Mississippian age. The
ouartzite is lithologically similar to ii
ouartzite seen in 1910 in the vicinit!
of Soc,a Springs. and there interpret
ed to be of Ordovcian age II here oc-
curs in a similar discordant relation
with carboniferous rocks. Associated
with the Ordovician rocks is series
of Iimestones and quar,ztes of Cam
brian age. but no attempt was madt
TO man the separate formational units
"In the southern part of the region
examined the area occupied by n
Permian and Triassic formations prae
tically represents the extent OF the
lands which are regarded as contain
ing phosphate In such quantities as
will eventually be suitable for eco
homie development The beds over
lying the phosphate deposits become
much thinner toward the north, and In
the northern part of the region the
area that contains phosphate deposits
susceptible of economic development
should probably include the Twin
Creek limestone and the basal member
of the Reckwith formation.
IT. w. Stanton examined the fossils
which is included in this report. and
saws. 4 have examined the small lot
of fresh water fossils which YOU re-
Gently handed me from locality north
east of John Grays lake on the west
slope of the Caribou range, about two
miles east of Herman. Idaho. II has
not been found practicable to develop
the fossils by etching or otherwise.
and the preservation of the specimens
IN weathered surfaces Is not satisfact
,ry. Fragments of Unto and casts OF
Viviparl,s or Campeloma are recog-
,iyed and Goniobasis and possibly
,tber genera of f. Ssh water CASTRO
,ods may be represented. In my opin-
on. this fauna is CretacenuS, but, on
recount of the absence of definitely
forms, | am unable to
determine whether 1t belongs to the
bear river formation. Similar lnper-