The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1918-12-28
DOLOMITE PLANT
BUSY INDUSTRY
OVER $50 TONS OF CALCINED
PRODUCT PRODUCED
MONTHLY
Use IL Cords of Wood Per Day
at the Plant-Empl0y Average
of 25 Men

Some facts about the dolomite
plant three miles east of Colville
are of interest, as many residents
of the county know little Of this in
dustry or the use of the dolomite
which is being quarried so near
home.
The Tulare mining company ac-
quired this property nearly two years
ago, after long and exhaustive ex-
animation Of the quality of material.
Of the quantity, there was never
any question, as the cliffs extend in
line for nearly a mile, and rise to
a height of 180 feet above the state
highway at the plant.
Dolomite is used for its chemical
properties, in the manufacture of
what is known as sulphite fibre
paper, process which is now very
general. The Tulare mining COM
pany is subsidiary corporations of
the Crown Willamette Paper COM
pany, the latter being the owner of
the majority of the paper mills on
the Pacific coast. The Tulare min
ing company has magnesite mines
and kilns near Porterville, Californi,
and has for years furnished magne-
site to these paper mills. In the use
of the magnesite, lime was added in
the paper mill digesters, the compo-
sition being practically a dolomite.
The discovery of the Colville depos-
it's, the result Of the examination of
which showed that the magnesia
and lime in the material were very
evenly distributed throughout,
brought about change in the source
of supply from Porterville to Colville,
The magnesite mines are still spels
ated, the material being used for
other purposes 4---
The two kilns now in use were
finished about year ago, and have
been in operation since. The pro-
duction is about $50 tons of calcined
dolomite per month, which is shipped
to and used at three of the Crown
Willamette paper company's mills
in Oregon and Washington. The
plant has been erected with the view
of saving of labor, and the comfort
Of employees while at work. 1t is
operated during the winter months,
and no weather that would be apt to
occur in the Colville district, will
stop or even retard its production.
The quarry and plant employs about
rs men, in addition to woodcutters
and teamsters. The present use of
wood is about IL cords a day, which
will be increased as subsequent units
are added to the plant.
Dolomite makes a better mortar
for building purposes than ordinary
lime, and supersedes lime altogether
in any locality in which it is intro
duced. The dolomite kilns of east
ern Wisconsin have driven all lime
from the building trade in Milwau-
kee, and largely in Chicago. The
dolomite when Stacked, works far
more freely under trowel than does
lime mortar, and much less of it is
required. Where it is used, those
in the trade state there is a saving
of nearly $3.50 in expense, by the
use of dolomite instead of lime,
while the former gives better and
stronger binding of the masonry.
The Tulare mining company has not
yet placed any of its dolomite upon
the market for this use, but will
probably do so during the coming
year. When ready for this market,
a third kiln will be built to take care
of that trade.
The wood used in the kilns is
mostly from the company's owned
and leased timber lands, or is pur-
chased from the farmers having
burned-over lands, or who are clear
ing their farms. 1t will be the pol
icy of the company, whenever piece
of level land suitable for agriculture
is cleared of the timber, to sell it
to farmer who will put it under
cultivation. The rough lands will
be maintained with a growth of
wood, it being the object of the
company to have the wood grow on
their properties as rapidly as it is
used.
Mrs. F. S. Oaks has been called