The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1916-01-13
Origin OF Joplin Zinc And Lead Deposits

Some zinc ores must have Oeen lounu
with the lead ores from the very first,
but at that time they had no value as
all the zinc Smelters were in the east
ern part OF the United States. In 1867
and 1869 zinc works were established
at St. Louis and zinc mining became
profitable. The production Of zinc
ores soon became equal TO that Of lead
ores and has ever since been an active
industry in that region and in the ad-
joining parts Of Kansas and Oklahoma
The region, generally known as the
Joplin district, has been the subject
Of number Of geological Investigations.
Geologic surveys Of the district were
made by the State Of Missouri in
1870, 1874, and 1894, and a survey
Of the Cranky area was made in 1907
Surveys were made by Kansas in 1907
and by Oklahoma in 1912. The
Federal Government surveyed the
legion in 1898, 1901, 1907, and re
port on a survey Of the Wyandotte
quadrangle lying partly in the north
eastern corner o!'Oklahoma and partly
in Missouri, is now in preparation BY
c. Z. Siebenthal OF the United States
Geological Survey. In studying the
ore deposits Of this area, Mr.. Siebenthal
reached certain conclusions regarding
the genesis Of the ores which are some
what at variance with those reached
BY some other investigators but are in
general confrmatory Of the findings OF
the United States Geological Surveys
earlier work.
In these Investigations, the o,iginal
source Of the metals has generally been
the subject Of much speculation and
study. Analyses Of large quantities ol
material have shown the general pres
ence Of measurable quantities Of lead,
zinc, and copper in the pre-Cambrian
crystalline rocks, in the Cambrian and
Orfovician limestones, and in the
Mississippian limestones, and it is also
known that the Pennsylvania shale in
a few carries appreciable quantities OF
lead and zinc. These rocks comprises
all the geologic groups that make
up the Ozark Upliit, and each group
has been considered the immediate
source Of the metals by one or more
writer's on the geology OF the ores.
The Government reports Of 1901
and 1907 expressed the view that the
metals were derived in whole or in
part from the Cambrian and Ordovician
dolomitil limestones from which they
were brought up by an artesian circu
lation and deposited in openings in
the Mississippian limestones. The
present report, the result Of severa
years study, likewise holds that th'
ores were deposited by ascending ar
= tesian solutions which derived the met
ais chiefly from the Cambrian and Or
dovician limestones.
Among the items Of evidence cite'
in support Of this view is the fact tha
natural waters Of the type found in tn
deep wells OF the Joplin district com
molly carry zinc as we'll as lead ant
other metals. A large number Of an
y alyses Of such waters are given, anon
> several anlyses OF waters from dee
wells in the Joplin district or from tn
region in Kansas and Oklahoma bort
ering the Ozark Upliit. These vel
draw their supply from the Cambria
and Ordovician limestones and he
waters not only carry traces OF zin
and lead, but when they are allowed
stand in tanks or reservoirs Tor a viii
IS they deposit sediment that show
10 considerable proportions Of these me
at ais. The sediment from waterworl
reservoir in Kansas showed total OF
pounds zinc sulphide which had bee
D. deposited in year.
or DOther evidence is afforded by the r
It, lation Of the ore deposits TO the pr
a sent distribution Of the ChattanooI
,. shale. This shale covers the Cambri
and Ordovician formations over a p'
II Of the Ozark Uplilt and acts as a Sc
ck tum between these rocks and the M
d, sissippian above to prevent the t
of ascen, OF solution from below. Ov
the area underlain by this impervio
shale there are no ore deposits.
Much other evidence in showi
far that the ores were deposited BY ascer