Bulletin No. 223^- ' - Series A, Economic Geology, 30 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CHARLES D, WALCOTT, DIRECTOR r GYPSUM DEPOSITS IN THE UNITED STATES BY ir- G-EORG-E I. ADAMS AND OTHERS WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1904 *' XI pj ^ <^ p__ ® o 0 : 05 * o (P 0 CONTENTS. Page. L. Letter of transmittal...................................................... 9 Introduction, by George I. Adams.......................................... 11 '«, Geology, technology, and statistics of gypsum, by George I. Adams.......... 12 Properties of gypsum and theory of formation .......................... 12 .*. Character of gypsum.............................................. 12 j Varieties of gypsum .............................................. 13 .f Anhydrite....................................................... 14 Associated minerals .............................................. 14 Formation of gypsum.............................................. 15 k Deposition of gypsum............................................. 15 Origin of rock gypsum............................................ 15 ^ Origin of gypsum seams and veins................................. 16 Origin of gypsite or gypsum earth ................................. 16 ^ Origin of gypsum sands........................................... 17 Geologic age of gypsum deposits................................... 17 r Technology .......................................................... 18 Theory of cooking or burning gypsum ............................. 18 Practice of cooking or burning in manufacture...................... 18 Theory of set of plaster ........................................... 18 Use of retarders.................................................. 19 Use of accelerators...................................1............ 20 . Hardening of plaster.............................................. 20 *» Hardening of natural gypsum...............................:...... 20 Description of processes of manufacture ............................ 20 '~ Historical sketch of the gypsum industry .......................... 24 Uses of gypsum .................................................. 24 Statistics............................................................. 25 Producing localities............................................... 25 Production by classes of product.................................. 26 X Production by States............................................. 26 Imports ......................................................... 31. Gypsum deposits in New York, by Edwin C. Eckel. ....................... 33 Character and e.xtent................................................. 33 v Economic development............................................... 33 Geologic relations.................................................... 34 v Gypsum deposits in Virginia, by Edwin C. Eckel........................... 36 ^ Character and extent................................................. 36 Economic development............................................... 36 K Geologic relations ....................^............................... 37 Gypsum deposits in Ohio, by S. V. Peppel................................. 38 * Character and extent................................................. 38 Economic development..................... .............:............ 39 v Descriptions of localities.............................................. 40 Geologic relations,,,,.,.-..-...---................................... 4* . ' ' 3 CONTENTS. Gypsum deposits in Michigan, by G. P. Grimsley ..................-......._ 45 Character and extent................................................. 45 * Economic development............................................... 46 Descriptions of localities ............................................... 46 Geologic relations ............................................1....... 47 .A Gypsum deposits in Florida, by David T. Day .............................. 48 Gypsum deposits in Iowa, by Frank A. Wilder............................. 49 ^ Character and extent................................................. 49 Economic development............................................... 50 S Geologic relations.................................................... 51 Gypsum deposits in Kansas, by G. P. Grimsley.............;............... 53 A Character and extent................................ 1................ 53 Economic development............................................... 54 ^ Descriptions of localities ............................................... 54 Geologic relations .....................................1.............. 59 Gypsum deposits in Oklahoma, by C. N. Gould............................. 60 ^ Character and extent................................................. 60 Economic development................................................ 61 > Descriptions of localities .............................................. 62" Kay County ...:...-...............-......................... 62 * Main line of gypsum hills .................................... 62 Second gypsum hills.......................................... 63 * Greer County region.......................................... 65 ^ Geologic relations :................................................... 66 Gypsum deposits in Texas, by Benjamin F. Hill............................ 68 -, Character and extent................................................. 68 Economic development............................................... 69 Descriptions of localities ............................................... 70 Geologic relations ....'............ ............'........................ 73 Gypsum deposits in Montana, by Walter H. Weed.......................... 74 'Character and extent................................................. 74 * Economic development............................................... 75 Geologic relations.................................................... 75 Gypsum deposits in South Dakota, by N. H. Darton........................ 76 .^ Character and extent................................................. 76 Economic development............................................... 78 * Gypsum deposits in Wyoming, by Wilbur C. Knight....................... 79 Character and extent....'........................'..................... 79 > Economic development................................................ 79 Descriptions of localities .........-......-.------...----.......-....... 80 Laramie Mountains ..--.....--...--.........-....-.......-... 80 _t Medicine Bow Mountains..................................... 82 Rawlins uplift..............--....-......-.....-'.-..--....... 82 v .Freezeout Hills ............................................... 82 . Shirley Mountains .................-...................:...... 82 > Seminole Mountains........................................... 82 Ferris Mountains.............................. ^............... 82 " Rattlesnake Mountains ....................................... 83 Connant Creek.......-...---.....----......---...........-... 83 Grand Canyon of the Platte................................... 83 ¥ Bighorn Mountains........................................... 83 Owl Creek Mountains ..........'................... ........... 84 Absaroka Mountains- . ,..,---,.,,..,.,. ,- --.,--,- ,--»---, 84 CONTENTS. 5 Gypsum deposits in Wyoming, by Wilbur C. Knight Continued. Page. ^ Descriptions of localities Continued. Prior Mountains........................:...................... 84 \Vind Eiver Mountains....................................... 84 K Gros Ventre Mountains....................................... 84 Salt Creek Eange.....'.......................................-. 84 V Black Hills.................................................. 85 Geologic relations ...... ..................'............................. 85 *' Gypsum deposits in Colorado, by Arthur Lakes ............................ 86 Character and extent................................................. 86 /° Economic development................................................ 86 I Descriptions of localities............................................... 86 Geologic relations.................................................... 88 Gypsum deposits in New Mexico, by H. N. Herrick ........................ 89 Character and extent................................................. 89 * Geologic occurrence ....... '. .... .'. .................................... 90 Descriptions of localities.............................................. 91 * Eastern New Mexico ...i...*..................................... 91 Lower Pecos Valley .......................................... 92 f Plain west of the Upper Pecos.................................. 92 Coyote Creek ................................................ 92 * Southeast of Las Vegas........................................ 93 y Bio Grande Valley or central region............................... 94 Chama Valley.............................................'.... 94 <- Headwaters of Rio Puerco and Bio Jemez...................... 94 East of Sandia Mountains......'...........--................... 95 East of Manzana Mountains and Socorro ....................... 95 Valley of the San Jose........................................ 96 Valleys of Bio Salado and Alamosa............................. 97 Begion of the Oscuro and San Andreas Mountains.............. 98 ** . The white sands.............................................. 98 v Zuni or Western region...........................................