Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1921-02-12
MARL BEDS GREAT
New Jersey Has Much Wealth in
Its Possession.
Formed Ages Ago When the Atlantic
Coast Was Marsh and Swarmed
With Gigantic Reptiles.

The cretaceous period may seem re-
mote from the present and in point
Of time 1t is. 1t was a good many ages
ago when the Atlantic coastal plain
was under water and when gigantic
saurlans swarmed in ocean and marsh.
But natural processes that were I'M
der way during this period are af-
feeling our present civilization very VI
tally. They touch our food, our
clothing, our industries-in fact, every
phase Of life, Herschol Bickell tells the
Brooklyn Eagle For 1t was during
the cretaceous period that Mother Ma
ture was storing up coal and lignites,
petroleum and marls, especially
greersand mari which has recently
been brought prominently to the atten-
ton Of Americans by the discovery
that 1t is rich In potash.
The chief constituent Of greensand
is a mineral called gIauconlte. which,
in technical terms, is dull green
amorphous silicate of iron and pOtas-
sum. Glauconite contains from 6 to 3
per cent of potash. This is removed
by treating the mineral with milk of
lime under pressure, the result being
pure caustic potash, which Is the base
for all the many potash chemicals used
in industry and also-eyen more impor-
tant at the present. time-fOr the best
commercial fertilizers
The exact origin Of glauconlte is not
yet known although scientists have es-
tablished the fact that its formation
is continuing today at the bottom of
the sea, in some places from 200 to
1000 fathoms deep. although 1t seems
to be especially favored by shallower
water of about 100 fath0ms.
The fact that it occurs in rounded
humps, surrounded in many instances
by shells of the foraminifera, minute
organisms Of the bottom of the ocean,
has given rise to the theory that in
some little understood way the decom-
position OF the bodies of these ami
mails brought about the chemical re-
action that resulted in glauconite.
II Is crystalline in form but IS rare
ly found In anything like perfect crys-
tails, usually occurring In minute par
ticles, which react feebly with polarized
light. OIt12 free glauconite is found
without traces Of the shells mentioned,
and 1t Is believed that this occurs be-
cause ocean currents have washed
away the heavier minerals from its
surrounding calcareous formation. The
shells tend to become very friable, and
the whole mass of glauconite and
shells may easily be crushed between
the fingers.
The mari beds of New Jersey have
been known and used as sources of
fertilizers for as many years as the
state has been settled Until recently,
however, it was for the phosphoric
acid and carbonate Of lime, both of
Which they contain. that the marIs
ere used. Their richness in potash
content, while known vaguely, had new
er been regarded as of first import
ance, because no satisfactory process
fer separating the potash had been
found.
These beds cover large area which
stretches obliquely across the state
from Rarltan bay and the Atlantic on
the southwest, a distance of 100 miles.
They vary from nine to nineteen miles
Ia width and the average depth of the
deposit is 80 feet.
According to figures compiled by the
geological survey. square mile of
greensand-there are approximately
go square miles of It in New Jer-
scy-will yield. from thickness Of one
foot, $4,000 tons of potash, and a 20
foot bed that covers an area of a
square mile will yield 100000 tons.
New Jersey is not the only state.
however, that has rich greensand de.
posts. The mari beds run through
Delaware, across the District Of Co.
lun,bia and down into Virginia, taper
ing - point short distance south
Of Petersburg They are slightly wider
in their southern reaches.
Experts estimate that there is suhl-
cicot raw material in the New Jersey
and Delaware beds TO furnish potash
FOR the United States these next 5000
to 1000 years.