Our mineral reserves

Bibliographic data

Monograph

Identifikator:: 867029366

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-93011

Document type:: Monograph

Author:: Smith, George Otis http://d-nb.info/gnd/117634530

Title:: Our mineral reserves

Place of publication:: Washington, DC

Publisher:: Gov. Print. Off.

Year of publication:: 1914

Scope:: 1 Online-Ressource (48 Seiten)

Collection:: Economics Books

Usage license:: Get license information via the feedback formular.

36 OUR MINERAL RESERVES. New York to California and from Michigan to Louisiana and has covered all branches of investigation where results might be ex pected exclusive of the study of kelp. Its investigations have been carried out along several lines: (1) Deep drilling for saline residues has been done at Fallon and in Columbus Marsh and Black Rock Desert, Nev., and will be continued in Black Rock Desert this year; (2) natural and artificial brines and bitterns have been collected at all the salt-making establishments in the United States and a great many other localities and examined; (3) deposits of alunite and other minerals containing potassium have been investigated in Utah and other States; (4) certain occurrences of igneous rock known to contain considerable quantities of potash salts have been examined. Much work has also been done by private initiative along practically all the lines mentioned above. The Bureau of Soils of the Depart ment of Agriculture has investigated the kelps. The work is not yet finished and will be pushed with increased vigor, provided the necessary funds are supplied. NITRATE. The third mineral fertilizer is sodium nitrate, which is imported from Chile in large quantities, 612,861 tons, valued at $21,630,811, coming in 1913. Deposits of sodium and potassium nitrate are known in Utah, Nevada, California, Oregon, Montana, and New Mexico and have been described in publications of the Geological Survey and Bureau of Soils, but thus far no material of this kind has been found in sufficient quantity to promise commercial value. The latest report that has come to the Geological Survey relates to a deposit in Arizona. One important domestic source of combined nitrogen is the gas works and by-product coke ovens, which in 1912 reported a recovery of ammoniacal liquor, ammonia, and ammonium sulphate valued at $9,519,268. This output of by-product ammonium sulphate in creased in 10 years from 17,643,507 pounds to 99,070,777 pounds, and as it is linked with the great coking industry further increases can be expected. Another domestic supply of nitrogen compounds lies in the fixa tion of atmospheric nitrogen by electricity. Cheap hydroelectric development is necessary to establish this industry, which would make our large agricultural and industrial interests free from the uncertainties of the foreign supply. It is hoped that the water- power legislation now before the United States Senate may pro mote hydroelectric development in large units and thus utilize some of the great water powers in the West in obtaining nitrogen from the air.

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