Arizona republican., 1915-02-28
EuIIers Earth

We have large quantities oi tlllf material in Arizona Of varying quality It's adoption for use entirely depends upon its cutting the users. The only way to determine this is to send sam ples and if they meet the requirements for the different purposes, probably the product can be introduced. However the following statement includes the most important facts in connection with it's use.
 The United States produces all of the fullers earth used for refining pe- tholeum within it's borders. On the other hand, most of the fuller's earth used in bleaching edible oils has been imported from England. Recently q few of thc refiners of cottonseed oil nave begun 10 utilize domestic fuller's earth, whereas others have been un- able to substitute it successfully for English earth in their practice. Many samples of American earth distinctly English earth have come to the atten- tion of the Bureau of Mines. For these reasons an investigation of the mining, preparation, and use of fuller's earth in this country. especially in its application to edibile oils. was con- ducted in order to ascertain why our own raw material has been deemed in- applicable to our needs.
 During the calendar year 1912, ac- cording to figures of the United States Geological Survey. there were imported
 into the United States 1870 tons of un- ground fullers earth valued at s11,- 619, and 17,97O tons of ground fuller's earth. valued at $133,71S, these values being based on the wholesale market price at the port of origin. The addi- tiOn Of transportation charges, com missions, etc. make the price of the American refiner $14.50 to $500 per ton. According to the latest figures compiled by the United States Geolo- gical Survey, the United States in 1912 produced 32.715 tons of fullers earth: : valued at S302,522. or $9.34 per ton. at the mine. Most of this domestic pro- duction was from three plants in Flori- da and one in southwestern Georgia, and was used almost wholly for decol- orizing petroleum. A small amount from otner localities was used in the refining of edible oils. No figures de- finiteiy differentiating fuller's earth from other clays are kept in regard to our exports, but it is certain that several thousand tons of domestic earth was exported to Germany. and it is also true that German refiners of ed ible oils have used and are using large quantities of American fuller's earth and have higher appreciation of it's merits than our own refiners.
 As a result of the investigations
 made. the Bureau of Mines believes earth far better suited for refining edible oils than any imported, and that to assure the almost universal use of this earth by American re- liners there is required only careful and intelligent technical control of the preparation of the output and it's ap- plication to the bleaching of oils.
 History of the FuIIer's Earth Industry In the United States
 Fullers earth was first used for "fulling" or removing grease from wooden goods and takes its name from the process At present this use, ow- ing to the cheapness of good soap, has almos: wholly ceased. Figures as to imports from 1867 to 1899 may be found in an article by David T. Day, and since 1899 in the reports of the United States geological survey. Full lers' earth seems to have been first used in this country for refining adihz