The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1916-01-11
MISSOURI MINERALS.

| Lead was discovered and mining
! begun in southwestern Missouri in
1S4S. Some zinc ores must have been
found with the lead ores from the
very first, but at that time they had
| no value as all the zinc shelters
were in the eastern part Of the Unit
ed States. In 1867 and 1863 zinc
works were established at st. Louis
and zinc mining became profitable.
The production of zinc ores soon be-
came equal to that Of lead ores and
has ever since been an active indus
try in that region and in the adjoin-
ing parts Of Kansas and Oklahoma.
fhe region, generally known as the
Joplin district, has been the subject
Of geological investigations. Geo
logical surveys of the district were
made by the state OF Missouri in
1870, 1874 and 1894, and 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 re-
gion in 1893, 1901, 1907 anu report
on q survey of the Wyandotte quad
rangle lying partly in the northeast
ern corner of Oklahoma and partly
in Missouri, is now in preparation
by C. e. Siebenthal Of the United
State geological survey. In studying
the ore deposits Of this area, Mr..
Siebenthal reached certain conclu-
sions regarding the genesis OF the
ores which are somewhat at variance
with those reached by some other in
vestigators but are in general con-
firmatory Of the findings OF the Unit
ed States geological surveys earlier
work.
In these Investigations, the original
source of the metals has generally
been the subject Of much speculation
and study. Analyses OF large guam
titles of material have shown the
general presence Of measurable guam
titles Of lead, zinc and copper In the
pre- ambrian crystalline rocks, IN
the Cambrian and Ordovicaan lime
stones, and in the Mississ1ppian lime
stones, and it is also known that the
Pennsylvania shale in few places
carries appreciate quantities OF lead
and zinc. These rocks comprise all
the geological groups that make up
the Ozark up1ift, 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 1881
and 1907 expressed the view that the
metals were derived In whole or IN
part from the Cambrian and Ordoyl-
clan OOlOIulLlC hAACSIoACo AANN
which they were brought up by an ar
tesian circulation and deposited in
openings in the Mississippian lime
stones. The present report, the re-
suit Of several years study, likewise !!
holds that the ores were deposited
by ascending artesian solutions |
which derived the metals chiefly !
from the Cambrian and Ordovician |
Among the items OF evidence citei
in support of this view is the fact
that natural waters of the type found
in the deep wells OF the Joplin dis
lead and other metals. A large num-
Der OF analyses of such wal"rs from
deep wells in the Joplin district or
from the region in Kansas and Okla
homa bordering the Ozark Uplif;.
These wells draw their supply from
the Cambrian and Ordovician lime
stones and their waters not only car
ry traces OF zinc and lead, but when
they are allowed to stand in tanks
or reservoirs for while, they de-
post sediment that shows consider
able portions OF these metals. The
sediment from a waterworks reser
voir in Kansas showed total Of
eight pounds of zinc sulphide which
had been deposited in a year.
Other evidence is afforded oy the
relation of the ore deposits to the
present distribution of the Chatta-
nooga shaIe This shale covers the
Cambrian and Ordovicfan formations
over a part of the Ozark up1ift and
acts as septum between these
rocks and the Mississippian above to
prevent the ascent OF solutions from
below. Over the area underlain by
this impervious shale there are no
ore deposits.
Much other evidence IN showing
that the ores were deposited by as
cending artesian water Is presented
in q report Just published by the
United States geological survey as
Bulletin No COG, which may be had
free on application to the director. at
Wa ellington n q