Pueblo chieftain., 1921-01-17

coast from the Amazon river on the
north nearly to Rio Janeiro on the
south. The deposit is exposed at inter
walls thruout the entire distance but
is particularly well exposed for dis
tance of 400 miles in the state OF
Allagoas where it is known to extend
for two miles back of the outcrop
Near Maceo, in Allagoas, experimental
work on retorting is now being done
The late Sir Boverton Redwood re-
ported this shale to yield 44.73 gallons
of oil to the ton. With little or no coal
or petroleum Brazil naturally looks
to oil shale as valuable natural re-
source. The rapid development of the
oil shale industry in Brazil therefore
may be confidently expected.
UNITED STATES
Little has been published about the
oil shale deposits of California yet
they are extensive and valuable. 1t
is reported that in Kern county an
area of twenty-five square miles have
been sampled and found to yield an
average of 80 gallons of oil to the ton.
At Elsinore, near Riverside, test pits
show 10 feet of shale which yield from
5S to 62 gallons of oil. At the Shunan
cut on the Southern Pacific, three miles
north of Casmala and ten miles from
Santa Maria, a $50 foot face of oi'
shale is exposed on the west side Of
the cut. On the east side a hill gCO
feet high is virtually all shale VITA 4
small overburden of soil. On the east
ern edge of this hill an oil well sunk
to 1000 feet showed a continuous body
of oil shale. Tho deposit has been
sampled from surface exposures and
by drill holes and shows an average
from so to 35 gallons of oil to the ton.
y sample tested at the Colorado school
OF Mines gave 50 gallons. The econ
cTI1lc ADVANTAGES of tlliS dpnogit-rhp3C u
open cut mining, nearness to trans
portation, and to market-gives it a
distinct advantage as a commercial
project. The United States Producers
Refining Company owns 1000 acres Of
this ground. The president, Il. w.
Hartman. has designed a retort, the
first 80 ton unit of which is now be-
ing installed and is expected to be in
operation by February /. No effort
will he made to produce by products.
skimming plant only will be erect
cd. Mr> Hartman estimates that with
a plant of 5000 tons daily capacity,
which he contemplates, he can mine
and retort the shale for 90 cents a
barrel and that the marketable pro-
duct Will be 20 gallons of gasoline, :
gallons Of distillate, and ? gallons of
coal oil to tho ton OF shalc.
In Nevada tho deposit seven miles
from Carlin has been traced for a dis
posed, two five feet thick, one 10 feet
thick, and one 90 feet thick. The dip
is 40 degrees. An inclined shaft has
been sunk on the 80 foot vein for n
distance of 10 feet. The Nevada Shalo
Oil and Fuel Company, of E.lko, Neva-
da, owns $50 acres of this ground.
At Elko. Nevada. tho Catlin plant is
on n commercially productive basis
with a daily output of 100 barrels OF
crude oil. Tho mine has been opened
by an inclined shaft 400 feet long, with
drifts 100 feet apart each approximate,
ly 400 feet long. No apparent change
in the character Of the shale has beer
noted. The cost of mining, as nearly
as can bo estimated now is s1.eJ n ton
Tho plant is complete unit with re-
tort. condensers, two SO0-barre stills
sweating. and rcfriEeratinS plant. The
marketable products are gasoline, dis
tillate, lubricating oil. and paraffir
wax Enough gas Is produced from
the raw shale in the retort, added 10
the gas made from the spent shale in
a detached gas producer, to supply
power needs OF the entire plant Elk
perimental work has been going on
for the past four years. Fifteen
thousand gallons OF crude oil have
been produced and $500 gallons put
thru the stills. Tho product will not