The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1922-12-07
MINERAL WEALTH
OF WESTERN STATES
BUREAU OF MINES WILL FOSTER
Development OF VAST
MINERAL WEALTH..

Washington, November GA sub
stantial beginning of the active de
velopment of vast mineral wealth
heretofore locked up in the public
domain of the various western states
but now liberated under the genera
leasing law, was recorded by DR.. II
Foster Balm, director of the Bureau
of Mines, in his annual report sub
mitted today to the secretary of the
interior.
Oil is the foremost product of these
lands so far, but DR.. Balm said that
when coal resources of the east start
to give out, the government owned
coal fields in the western states
would be of prime Importance.
In the fiscal year ended last June,
there were produced from government
lands, other than Indian lands
18,236,36z barrels of oil, of which the
federal government received as royalty
3,616,852 barrels, worth $4,768,397, not
including bonuses. In addition, at the
end of the year $4,000 month was
being received by the government from
natural gas leases on public lands in
Wyoming.
In the Rocky Mountain field alone,
there were on government land 1886
oil wells, of which 267 were in the
Salt Creek, Wyo., field. A hundred
other wells were being drilled.
Under the terms of the develop
ment there had been issued 194 oil
and gas leases in four states and
which drilling is required, in Is states
and Alaska.
The largest number of producing
wells which belong to the government
are in the Salt Creek field, where the
government holds title to nearly all the
land Such an immense amount of
crude petroleum was produced that
the capacity of the wells was far
greater than the ripe line facilities
to transport it.
In Montana also development is pro-
ceeded rapidly and at the end of the
fiscal year there were 81 producing
wells in the Cat Creek field and nine
drilling on government land in the
newly discovered and promising Sun
field. Last June a we'll |
near the center OF the Cat Creek field |
lrilled into a second and prolific oil
sand and flowed naturally at the daily |
ate Of 1000 barrels. Another we'll |
,ame in at 2,400 barrels BY these |
developments this field became the |
bird largest producer in tn, Rocky |
fountain region
These developments are exclusive to
ctivity in naval petroleum reserves.
inal adjudication was reached in
contests on such oil lands,
eases were granted and drilling ar
A study made by the Bureau
+ Mines showed the government
ands were losing heavily by drain
ge and that approximately H2.000,000
arrels had been lost OF .his, on the
Gale now in effect, the governments
oyalty would have been worth
!, 100000. To prevent these losses,
eases were given to drill on such
lnds where drainage occurred and
le navy is receiving royalties in oil
'hich is converted to fuel oil for
avail vessels and shipped at such
)ints as necessity warrants for time
emergency.
The United States government is
lie OF the largest coal land owners
the world, and also holds import
1t reserves of phosphate, potash, and
her salts. Coal is now being mined
these lands, under lease, in Wyo-
ing, Washington, Montana, North aud
,uth Dakota, Utah, Colorado, New
exico, and Nevada Phosphate rock
being mined in Idaho. 1fl