Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1929-04-11
Government Issues
Bulletin on Libby
Mineral Deposit

This office is in receipt Of d bull
letin published by the u. S. geologi-
cal survey being a report on aDe-
posts OF Vermiculite and Other Min
erals IN the Rainy Greek district near
Libby, Montana and prepared by J..
l. Pardee and E. S. Larsen.
The work is highly technical re-
port OF the deposits here Of the min
eral being developed and placed on
the market by The Zonolite Company
and the Vernliculite and Asbestos
Company. The bulletin treats Of the
geology of the district and provides
much interesting reading to one
sersed in geological matters. In the
introduction, the authors say:
The deposits described hegein have
been visited by the writer's al differ
eent Tunes between 1911 and 1927. Dur
ing the earlier part of that period
quartz lodes along Rainy creek were
being developed BY B. T. Thomas,
since decreased, whom the writer's
hold in grateful recollection for aid
and courtesies extended to them in
the field. The specimens collected at
that time included several unusual
and interesting kinds of rocks and
minerals. Analyses of some of them
in the laboratory Of the United States
geological survey showed, among
other things, the presence Of consid-
cradle vanadlum, on which report
was published. After the death of Mr.
Thomas several years ago develop
ment work ceased for time. During
the World War the demand for steel
hardening metals directed the atten-
tion Of E. N. Alley, Of Libby, to the
area as possible source of vanadium.
While searching a small tunnel for
eres of that metal he observed that
the flakes of coarse micalike min
eral in the walls swclled enormously
when heated bv the flame Of his
candle The flaky mineral proved to
be vermiculite, and further exami-
nation showed it to be present in
great quantities. Since then Mr.. Alley
and others, Incorporated as The Zono-
lite Co., have developed this unique
deposit and built plant at Libby to
convert the crude vermiculite into the
product which the" call mzonolite. !"
More recently several companies have
been formed to exploit other deposits
III the same area"
While the techical name Of the prod
uct is vermiculite, The Zonolite Com
pany has placed its products on the
market under the trade name of "Zon-
olite." Speaking Of the production and
uses of this product the bulletin says
AS an economic product vermicu-
lite is comparatively new. An un-
known but probably small amount has
been mined in Colorado. In the Rainy
creek area near Libby, Mont, the
Zonolite' Co. reports 100000 pounds
mined and converted into the heat
expanded product zonolite and 100
tons sold in the crude form. Prices
range from $40 or less ton for the
crude vermiculite to $40 or more a
ton for zonolite. The most striking
features of the vermiculite from
Rainy creek are it's properties Of ex-
panding enormously when heated and
at the same time assuming golden or
silvery lusters. The expanded mate
rial floats on water and is nearly as
light as cork. 1t appears to have a
very low heat conductivity and to be
capable Of resting, high temperature.
These qualities at once suggest it to
be useful for heat and cold insula-
tion and similar purposes. Uses re-
ported by The Zonolite Co. include
fireproof roofing, plaster, and wall
board, packing for safes and refrig-
orators, acoustic and sound-deaden-
ing plasters, pipe and boiler cover
ing, electrical insulation, and wall.
paper decoration"