The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-01-15
Houghton Department
CLAY DEPOSITS
IN ONTONAGON
Valuable Beds Found in West End
of Peninsula

For some time a geological survey
has been conducted by the Copper
Country Commercial club in an en-
deayor TO uuearth the natural re
sources Of the copper country. Since
1850 il has been known that a valua-
! Bile deposit of kaoIiu or china clay
| which is used for moulding purposes
/ is situated in the county Of Ontona-
gon and this fact was brought 10 the
attention of the geolo2ical and bio
/ logical survey department at Lansing.
! The fact that this deposit is avail
able viii he of much value TO the
future Of the copper country Here
/ toforc manufacturers have been re-
quired 10 purchase clay from some
outside firm, the cost OF transporting
It adding TO the cost Of the finish pro-
duct.
superintendent Doollc, of the Hough-
I ton public schools, recently wrote the
/ department at Lansing requesting
that they examine the deposits
and it feasible. to follow the matter
up. The following letter was received
from f. G. Allen, director of the state
geological! survey
I'm the volume of Mineral statistics
I for the year 1850, Charles r. Wright,
commissioner of mineral statistics,
gives lhc following account of the oc-
cmr,ucc of kaolin in Ontonagou
county
a valuable deposit of this mineral
occurs iu bluff in the east bank of
The Ouionagou river. near the old
Minnesota landing. \ vessel load is
obtained each winter hauled TO on
tuuagou. and i'm the summer vessel
is sent up which takes il 10 it's des-
,natiou 1t is now owned by parties
!n Akron. O. The kaolite is dug from
the bed iu which il exists and slides
down q shutc 90 the bank OF the river
where it is loaded into sleighs which
haul Il down the ice TO the harbor
Here 10 is blTcllcd and made ready
for shipment The mineral is said TO
hc OF a superior quality. excellent for
polish and for the manufacture of fine
carthen ware. The deposit seems to
bee an extensive one, and possibly the
mining oi it may grow and become Of
greatly increased importance.
Mineral statistics for 1900 contain
a similar account and also statement
that other occurrences Of kaolin in
,he county had been reported.
"cou.eruns Tie above reports
would state that lake clay belonging
,H .Hc Wisconsin or tho last glacial
period form the surface deposits Of
most " tho county. these clays being
mainly OF the brick and slip varieties.
The slip olays have been mined 10
some extent u the vicinity of Rock
land and sold ror elaziue pottery and
reed carthouvaro, for which purposes
they are entirely satisfactory. These
clays, however, are i'm ~ sense kaolin,
cor china clay, and none Of the present
clay miners in Outonagoa county have
reported the occurrence OF kaolin, or
amy clay suitable for making white
or china ware. II is very possible
THAT the bed described is only an ex-
ccpfiuuully white calcareous slip clay.
we Viii be pleased to assist in
this work i'm any way possible and will
give any desired information which is
possible from our limited knowledge
.0r The country and situation"
Club Members Confident.
Secretary Price and members Of the
..gr arc confident that the deposits are
OF yaluc ana intend Investigating in