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By Sidney Powers

SINCE the opening of the Wheeler oil and gas field in Carter County and the discovery of oil near Lawton, Comanche County, Okla., in 1904, interest has been aroused regarding the origin of the oil in the Permian "Red Bed" region which lies between the Wichita and Arbuckle Mountains on the north and the Red River on. the south. . The later development of the Healdton, Loco, Duncan, Fox, and Graham fields south and west of the Arbuckle Mountains has brought the region into prominence. Recent discoveries of Ordovician and of Pennsylvanian fossils in wells in the Healdton field and of Pennsylvanian fossils in the Fox and Graham fields are of such importance from a scientific and a commercial standpoint that the occurrences and the problems arising therefrom are here briefly described. Producing oil and gas sands in the southern Oklahoma fields, with the exception -of those in the Cretaceous and underlying rocks in the vicinity of Madill, Marshall. County, are associated with the Permian "Red Beds" or with the underlying Paleozoic strata. I n the two fields farthest south of the Arbuckle Mountains, Healdton and Loco, production has been entirely confined to sands at depths of 700 to 1400 ft. (213 to 416 m.) and only recently has a producing sand as deep as 1860. ft. (567 m.) L been encountered. These sands are found near and below the base of the red rocks and were supposed by Wegemann and Heald 2 to belong in large part to the basal Permian,. Wichita formation, or to the immediately underlying formations. Fossils in the blue shales and in the limestones associated with the deeper sands' now prove them to be Pennsylvanian and all-the producing sands at Healdton are found to be of this age. In the fields nearest the Arbuckle Mountains, the Wheeler sands at a depth of about 700 ft. (213 m.) appear to be of Permian age,

Jan 11, 1917

By Wilbur A. Nelson

In 1839, Gerard Troost,1 the first State Geologist of Tennessee, reported the occurrence of zinc ores in east Tennessee, in connection with the iron ores at Embreeville; in 1844,2 he refers to the zinc deposits of east Tennessee, especially the apparently rich deposits occurring in Jefferson and Claiborne Counties, while his ninth annual report 3 s a description of the zinc deposits of Jefferson County and a description of the most improved processes by which zinc is extracted from its ores. Yet, only during the last few years have these ores been successfully worked. As far as can be learned, prior to the systematic development of the Mascot district in 1911, no large-scale or successful operation of any of the zinc deposits was carried on. But in that year, after several companies had made considerable progress in developing the Mascot area and had proved a relatively extensive body of low-grade sulfide ore, the American Zinc Co. entered the field. It introduced modern methods of prospecting and mining and from the first was successful. Too great credit cannot be given this company for its pioneer work in a previously unimportant field. Throughout the history of its operations, the American Zinc Co. has confined its efforts to underground mining of the sulfide ore, sphalerite. This company has found that successful results in zinc mining in east Tennessee can be achieved only by expending large sums in prospecting and blocking out bodies of pay ore in sufficient magnitude for large-scale operations. At Mascot are located the mines of the American Zinc Co. of Tennessee, the mines being situated along the Southern Railway in the Ilolston River Valley, Knox County, about 13 miles northeast of Knox-ville. At first only open pits, which were worked for oxidized ores, were operated and the production was small. In 1900, the Roseberry Zinc Co. was organized and sank to a depth of 187 ft. what is now known as No. 3 shaft of the American Zinc Co. The upper 30 ft. was in residual clay,

Jan 1, 1925

By J. A. Bownocker

THE EXISTENCE of petroleum in the rocks of Ohio and Indiana seems to have been first shown by wells dug for salt. The fuel, however, was objectionable owing to its odor and inflammability. Not until the brake well was drilled in 1859 did the people appreciate the value of rock oil, and then they at once began plans to secure the coveted fuel.. The first successful well in these two states was near . Macksburg, in southeast .Ohio, where at a depth of 59 ft. (17 m.) :oil was found in commercial quantity (1860). A year later this fuel was secured on Cow Run, in the same county, and at about the same time in Noble, Morgan and perhaps other counties in that part of Ohio. The second great step in the production of oil in Ohio and Indiana was taken in 1884 when the reservoir of natural gas in the Trenton limestone of northwest Ohio was tapped, and where a year later oil was secured in the same formation. Petroleum in this limestone was obtained in Indiana in 1889.1 The third step in the production of oil' in Ohio and Indiana is associated with the Clinton sand of Ohio. Natural gas in large volume was discovered in that rock at Lancaster, in 1887, and the area has been extended until it has become the largest individual producer in the world. The presence of natural gas in such great volume all but demonstrated to the driller that-oil lay hidden near by. Soon the search for it was started but not until 1899 was petroleum in commercial quantity found in the Clinton sand, and a large pool was not located in it until 1907. The fourth step in the development of the industry was taken in 1913, when the pool in Sullivan County, in western Indiana, was opened. The producing rock is the Huron sandstone, which is the topmost member of the Mississippian system.2

Jan 2, 1920

By W. G. Wender

The North Central Texas district, as known to the oil fraternity, is the area producing from sands and limes of Pennsylvanian age, roughly embracing the territory lying between Fort Worth and Abilene in an east-west line, and between the Red River and the Llano Mountains in a north-south line. The history of oil development in North Central Texas during the year 1927 is briefly reviewed in the following paragraphs. Brown County New discoveries and development in Brown County centered mainly around the Fry pool, located in the west central portion of the county. Important discoveries for the year were: Shoupe No. 1 John Byler, discovery well of the Byler pool, located 2 miles south of the Fry pool which camc in early in February, 1927, at 1262 ft. for 90 bbl. in the Fry sand of upper Strawn (Pennsylvanian) age. Rosenfield No. 1 P. Davis, discovery well of the Smith-Ellis pool located 1 1/2 miles northeast of the Fry pool, came in March 7, in the Fry sand from 1277 to 1279 ft. for 30 bbl. initial. Pandem Oil Corpn. No. 1 Mrs. T. Hutton, located 1 mile east of the Smith-Ellis pool, came in in December in the Fry sand from 1119 to 1130 ft. for 45 barrels. The Fry pool passed its daily production peak of 25,000 bbl. during the first part of June, and declined to a daily production of 5100 hhl. by the close of the year. The oil recovery from the Fry pool up to Jan. 1, 1928, slightly exceeded 4,000,000 bbl., averaging 4700 bbl. to the acre. over the entire pool. The Smith-Ellis pool passed its daily production peak of 5300 bbl. in Octohcr, 1927, and dropped to 3600 bbl. by the close of the year. The possibilities of the Byler pool will be unknown until the area is fully drilled up. In the Blake pool, production passed 2,500,-000 bbl. for the year. The per acre recovery in this pool up to lkc. 31, averaged slightly over 5000 barrels.

Jan 1, 1928

By Wallace Ralston

DuRing the year of 1937, the East Texas district produced 211,194,467 hbl. of oil and marketed more than 22,329 million cu. ft. of gas; 3377 oil and gas wells were completed. During this same period 106 exploratory wells were drilled, discovering three new oil fields and one gas-distillate field. Fields East Texas Field.—The East Texas field again led the district as to production and number of wells completed. During the year, 2420 oil wells were completed, making a total of 24,382 producing wells, which produced 171,336,854 bbl. of oil, for a total of 1,156,352,834 bbl. since the beginning. During the year the average bottom-hole pressure dropped 49 lb., making the average bottom-hole pressure 1119 lb. Approximately 3500 wells are making salt water, 20 per cent of them making over 80 per cent of the water. During the month of December, the daily average production of salt water was 119,000 barrels. Talco Field, Titus and Franklin Counties.—The Talco field produced 9,780,948 bbl. of oil during the year, from 637 wells. During the year 472 wells were completed. All of the wells are pumping and 241 are making salt water. This field has followed a normal development and did not exceed the estimated number of acres reported last year. Rodessa Field, Cuss and Marion Counties.—The Rodessa field was extended about 13 miles southwest into Marion County, which added approximately 4000 acres to the field. During the year 260 wells were completed, making a total of 416 producing wells, which produced 12,646,-970 bbl. of oil. The author was unable to obtain figures for the amount of gas produced. The field has two gasoline plants, which had a daily average of 16,558,000 cu. ft. of gas during December, averaging 0.83 gal. per M cu. ft. As of Jan. 1, 31 wells were making salt water. The bottom-hole pressure varies greatly, depending upon the pay from which the well is producing. The average bottom-hole pressure from the Young

Jan 1, 1938

By Alfred H. Bell

Drilling activity in the eastern interior coal basin, which includes Illinois, southwestern Indiana and western Kentucky, decreased greatly in 1931. Only 521 wells were drilled as compared with 1438 in 1930.' The decline in oil production (Fig. 1) was due partly to the failure of new production to make up for the natural decline of the old wells and partly to artificial curtailment of production to meet a decreased demand. During the year prices trended sharply downward until July, after which they made a partial recovery (Fig. 2). The average price of Illinois crude, which is the same as that for southwestern Indiana, was $0.852 per barrel in 1931 as compared with $1.616 in 1930, or slightly more than one-half. The cost of drilling has declined only slightly. The 25 per cent curtailment of production which was adopted by agreement of the southeastern Illinois operators on Sept. 1, 1930, ended on June 3, 1931. It was effective for five months in 1931 as compared with four months in 1930. The outlook for 1932 is for drilling activity in the whole area to continue at about the same rate or to decrease somewhat unless it is stimulated by a substantial rise in crude oil prices or by the discovery of extensive new productive territory. Discoveries of new productive areas and new sands during the year were few. A new gas area was discovered early in the year in Busseron township, Knox County, Indiana, in which the producing sand is in the Pennsylvanian at depths of 630 to 730 ft. The wells had a total initial open-flow capacity of 7 or 8 million cubic feet per day but are shut in for lack of marketing facilities. An exceptionally large gas well which was drilled in Gibson County between Oakland City and Francisco reached a total depth of 1490 ft. and produced from the Brown sand of Chester age. The initial open-flow capacity was reported as 13 million cubic feet per day. In western Kentucky a number of extensions to oil and gas-producing areas are reported. The most active drilling campaign was in Hart County, where 124 wells were drilled, most of them in the

Jan 1, 1932

By U. N. Bhrany, N. Arbiter

Over the last one hundred years the problem of assessing the efficiency of energy consumption in producing rock breakage has been studied by many investigators from a variety of viewpoints. Their contributions fall into three main categories: (1) those characterized by a priori assumptions of a relation between the energy required for fracture and the degree of fragmentation produced (e.g. Rittinged(l), Kick(2) Bond(3)); (2) those studying simple systems with controlled energy applications (Gross(4)?(5) ); (3) those treating operating data to develop practical relative measures of efficiency (Coghill(6), Taggart(7)). Closely involved in the efficiency problem is the characterization of size distributions produced by comminution. Unless an experimental size distribution can be approximated by a distribution function and its constants, it becomes difficult if not impossible to develop quantitative energy-particle size relationships. While many such functions have been proposed, none are both completely adequate and convenient. The simpler fonns usually describe only a part of the sizing data, while those which apply to a greater extent are cumbersome(8). The thesis underlying the study here reported can be stated as follows: Size reduction in a tumbling mill subjects ore particles to a relatively constant fracture-producing environment. The intensity of the forces is determined by such factors as the mass of the breaking bodies (rods, balls, rock), and the speed and dimensions of the shell. For a particular ore the extent of size reduction will depend both on the intensity and on the duration of exposure. The latter is the residence time in a batch mill, or is determined by the effective volume and the flow rate in a continuous mill. Size reduction can thus be regarded as a rate process in which the weight of material in size intervals varies as a function of grinding time. Although both the rates of disappearance of coarser sizes and

Jan 1, 1961

By J. A. Bownocker

The existence of petroleum in the rocks of Ohio and Indiana seems to have been first shown by wells dug for salt. The fuel, however, was objectionable owing to its odor and inflammability. Not until the Drake well was drilled in 1859 did the people appreciate the value of rock oil, and then they at once began plans to secure the coveted fuel. The first successful well in these two states was near Macksburg, in southeast Ohio, where at a depth of 59 ft. (17 m.) oil was found in commercial quantity (1860). A year later this fuel was secured on Cow Run, in the same county, and at about the same time in Noble, Morgan and perhaps other counties in that part of Ohio. The second great step in the production of oil in Ohio and Indiana was taken in 1884 when the reservoir of natural gas in the Trenton limestone of northwest Ohio was tapped, and where a year later oil was secured in the same formation. Petroleum in this limestone was obtained in Indiana in 1889.' The third step in the production of oil in Ohio and Indiana is associated with the Clinton sand of Ohio. Natural gas in large volume was discovered in that rock at Lancaster, in 1887, and the area has been extended until it has become the largest individual producer in the world. The presence of natural gas in such great volume all but demonstrated to the driller that oil lay hidden near by. Soon the search for it was started but not until 1899 was petroleum in commercial quantity found in the Clinton sand, and a large pool was not located in it until 1907. The fourth step in the developrllrnt of the industry was taken in 1913, when the pool in Sullivan County, in western Indiana, was opened. The producing rock is the Huron sandstone, which is the topmost member of the Mississippian system.²

Jan 1, 1921

By E. V. Foran

The repressuring of oil-producing formations during the flush stage of production, although requiring primarily the same procedure as operations on formations where the gas pressure has been depleted, offers several advantages of major importance, the value of which has not heretofore been demonstrated. It is the purpose of this paper to present an account of some recent operations of this character and the economic effects on the properties where they were applied. The principal objective in all repressuring operations is to secure an effective diffusion of the input energy to all parts of the producing sand. If this can be accomplished, success is assured during the remainder of the life of the property; if not, it will be temporary only and will be followed by difficulties, .and the maximum possible recovery will not be obtained. During the past year in Texas, the Cook pool in Shackelford County, and the Turbeville pool in Archer County, while still in their flush stage of production, have been subjected to repressuring operations to observe their reaction to this process during the early stage of their productive periods. The repressuring operations carried on in each of these pools will be discussed separately in this paper in order to show peculiarities which were present in one pool but were not observed in the other. Turbeville Pool The Turbeville pool is in Archer County, about 30 rniles south of Wichita Falls. The productive sand varies in thickness from 10 to 30 ft., the average being about 16 ft. The depth of the sand varies from 1450 to 1530 ft. The developed productive area to date is approximately 200 acres, but the limits of the pool have not yet been proved. The sand varies considerably in different parts of the pool with respect to both porosity and permeability. The gravity of the oil varies from 39 to 41° A. P. I. There were some wells which flowed for a few days after completion but during 1927 all production was secured by pumping. The

Jan 1, 1928

By A. Andreas, E.H. Wells

The oil and gas industry of New Mexico recorded notable progress ill 1935. More wells were brought in than in any previous year, and important new discoveries were made. The total number of completions was 340, of which 260 were oil wells, 8 were gas wells and 72 were dry holes. The total oil production was 20,228,947 bbl., an appreciable increase over the 1934 production of 16,636,804 barrels. Many of the wells completed in southeastern New Mexico were acidized. This treatment proved highly effective in increasing the capacity of the wells, the resulting potentials usually being two to ten times as large as before acid treatment. In the Lea County fields in which proration was entirely on an acreage basis, the tendency of many of the operators was to complete their wells according to best conservation practice rather than to obtain the largest possible potential. Much remedial work was done in the Hobbs, Cooper, Jal and Eunice fields, and with excellent results. At many of the wells high gas-oil ratios were greatly reduced and encroaching waters shut off by setting packers. Several companies carried on pretentious geophysical campaigns in the southeastern part of the state. The location of the Amerada discovery well in the Monument field was based on geophysical surveys. The New Mexico Oil Conservation Commission, established by the 1935 Legislature and consisting of the Governor, the Commissioner of Public Lands and the State Geologist, began to function in May. Production in the state thereafter was based on orders issued by the Commission. Proration in the Hobbs field, which had been provided for since July, 1930, by successive proration agreements signed by all operators in the field and approved by the State Geologist, was continued by the Commission by giving approval to the current proration agreement,. A plan of proration for the other Lea County fields that had been in offect since early ill 1934 was adopted. 111 September, 1935, the Commission approved a. proration agreement for the Artesia-Jackson-Maljarnar area in Eddy and Lea counties that had been agreed upon by

Jan 1, 1936

By E. H. Wells, A. Andreas

The oil and gas industry of New Mexico recorded notable progress ill 1935. More wells were brought in than in any previous year, and important new discoveries were made. The total number of completions was 340, of which 260 were oil wells, 8 were gas wells and 72 were dry holes. The total oil production was 20,228,947 bbl., an appreciable increase over the 1934 production of 16,636,804 barrels. Many of the wells completed in southeastern New Mexico were acidized. This treatment proved highly effective in increasing the capacity of the wells, the resulting potentials usually being two to ten times as large as before acid treatment. In the Lea County fields in which proration was entirely on an acreage basis, the tendency of many of the operators was to complete their wells according to best conservation practice rather than to obtain the largest possible potential. Much remedial work was done in the Hobbs, Cooper, Jal and Eunice fields, and with excellent results. At many of the wells high gas-oil ratios were greatly reduced and encroaching waters shut off by setting packers. Several companies carried on pretentious geophysical campaigns in the southeastern part of the state. The location of the Amerada discovery well in the Monument field was based on geophysical surveys. The New Mexico Oil Conservation Commission, established by the 1935 Legislature and consisting of the Governor, the Commissioner of Public Lands and the State Geologist, began to function in May. Production in the state thereafter was based on orders issued by the Commission. Proration in the Hobbs field, which had been provided for since July, 1930, by successive proration agreements signed by all operators in the field and approved by the State Geologist, was continued by the Commission by giving approval to the current proration agreement,. A plan of proration for the other Lea County fields that had been in offect since early ill 1934 was adopted. 111 September, 1935, the Commission approved a. proration agreement for the Artesia-Jackson-Maljarnar area in Eddy and Lea counties that had been agreed upon by

Jan 1, 1936

By Charles M. Rolker

The Allouez Mine is situated in section 31, town 57, north of range 32 west, Michigan. The mine is being worked in a conglomerate bed, which conglomerate is generally conceded to be the continuation of the Albany and Boston conglomerate of Honghton County. Besides the well-known Calumet and Hecla with the adjoining Osceola, both working on the same bed, and the new location, the Seneca, now being tried on the Kearsarge conglomerate, the Allouez Mine is the only one working on a conglomerate bed. The Albany and Boston, in Houghton County, of which, as said before, the Allouez is supposed to be the continuation, shares with all the remaining conglomerate beds, near and around Portage Lake, the property of being non-quartziferous, while the conglomerates of Keweenaw County are all highly quartziferons in character. This change takes place, according to Professor Pumpelly, about six miles northeast of Portage Lake. The Allouez conglomerate, with a dip of 38" 15' and a general course of about 36' east of north, is overlaid by a trap, and has as its footwall an amygdaloid. The trap is followed by a series of amygdaloidal melaphyres and true amygdaloids, further on by the greenstone and ashbed; towards the lake shore alternating traps and conglomerates are found. At the footwall of the Allouez conglomerate, an amygdaloid lies, the thickness of which is not known, which is also the case with the other formations, accurate surveys and geologiwl researches of this district having, as I was informed, never been made. About 198 meters (650 feet), horizontally measured, from the Allouez conglomerate another amygdaloid bed can be traced, on which the present rockhouse stands, further on a melaphyre is exposed, and then follow the diverse conglomerates, the Calumet, the Kearsarge, and Kingston, which, according to the last geological report, are at about the re-

By Sidney Powers

Since the opening of the Wheeler oil and gas field in Carter County and the discovery of oil near Lawton, Comanche County, Okla., in 1904, interest has been aroused regarding the origin of the oil in the Permian "Red Bed" region which lies between the Wichita and Arbuckle Mountains on the north and the Red River on the south. The later development of the Healdton, Loco, Duncan, Fox, and Graham fields south and west of the Arbuckle Mountains has brought the region into prominence. Recent discoveries of Ordovician and of Pennsylvanian fossils in wells in the Healdton field and of Pennsylvanian fossils in the Fox and Graham fields are of such importance from a scientific and a commercial standpoint that the occurrences and the problems arising therefrom are here briefly described. Producing oil and gas sands in the southern Oklahoma fields, with the exception of those in the Cretaceous and underlying rocks in the vicinity of Madill, Marshall County, are associated with the Permian "Red Beds" or with the underlying Paleozoic strata. In the two fields farthest south of the Arbuckle Mountains, Healdton and Loco, production has been entirely confined to sands at depths of 700 to 1400 ft. (213 to 416 m.) and only recently has a producing sand as deep as 1860 ft. (567 m.)l been encountered. These sands are found near and below the base of the red rocks and were supposed by Wegemann and Heald2 to belong in large part to the basal Permian, Wichita formation, or to the immediately underlying formations. Fossils in the blue shales and in the limestones associated with the deeper sands now prove them to be Pennsylvanian and all the producing sands at Healdton are found to be of this age. In the fields nearest the Arbuckle Mountains, the Wheeler sands at a depth of about 700 ft. (213 m.) appear to be of Permian age,

Jan 1, 1918

By Beverley S. Randolph

The coal-measures of George's Creek coal-region, in Maryland, lie in a comparatively flat synclinal basin, about 4 miles wide. The dip of the measures is, in places near the edge of the basin, as much as 20 feet in 100. The Pittsburgh seam, known locally as the " Big Vein," is the only seam worked at the present time. Ocean No. 3, one of the large mines of the Consolidation Coal Company, has its opening on the outcrop of the Pittsburgh seam, in a ravine which cuts into this seam to such an extent as to bring this opening to within a mile of the axis of the basin. After working all the coal to the rise of this point, the mine was further developed by extending a slope down the dip of the seam, making such an angle with the line of greatest dip as to give a grade varying from 1 to 10 per cent., down which the empty cars carry a rope from a single-drum winding-engine. The coal was worked from each side of this slope in successive Iifts during its progress. From the top of the slope, for a distance of 4000 feet to the fourth lift, the " make " of water is drained by gravity through a heading into the adjoining mine. Below this point the water was pumped into this same heading, at the fourth lift, from which point, as before mentioned, it flowed by gravity.

Jan 1, 1895

By David B. Reger

Extensive drilling for gas and increased pipe-line building were the major petroleum activities in West Virginia during 1937. According to the West Virginia Department of Mines, 1034 permits to drill were issued. A running account of operations from trade journals and other reports shows that 1041 wells were drilled, resulting in 193 oil wells with 1238 bbl. of daily production; 680 gas wells with 1,048,057,000 cu. ft. of daily open flow; and 168 dry holes. The new oil-well average is 6.4 bbl. per well per day; the gas-well average is 1,541,260 cu. ft. per well per day; the ratio of dry holes to completions is 16.13 per cent. Very little attempt was made to develop new supplies of oil. Because of the continued low price, operators evidently considered it good business to leave oil in the ground rather than to produce it at a loss or on a small profit basis. The principal oil wells completed, by counties, are: Calhoun, 16; Clay, 10; Pleasants, 17; Ritchie, 42; Roane, 16; Tyler, 13; Wetzel, 11; Wirt, 14; Wood, 13. The leading counties in gas, with the number of successful wells in each, are: Boone, 54; Braxton, 31; Cabell, 48; Calhoun, 46; Gilmer, 82; Kanawha, 134; Lincoln, 44; Ritchie, 56; and Wayne, 26. General State of the Industry In Table 1 will be found an approximate summary of oil and gas territory and reserves, oil and gas production and number of oil and gas wells. The amount of land under lease is an approximation, because the exact figures are not available through any public or private agency. The proved land and reserves represent the opinion of the writer. The oil production for 1937 is subject to revision, and the gas production for the same year is only an estimate, based on demand and supply. The number of oil and gas wells now active is also an approximation, based on previous studies, and revised for completions and abandonments. Principal, Areas of Activity In Boone County, 62 wells were drilled in various localities, resulting in 4 oil wells and 54 gas wells with 18,170,000 cu. ft. of new production.

Jan 1, 1938

By Wilbur Nelson

IN 1839,1 Gerard, Troost, the first, State Geologist of Tennessee, reported the occurrence of zinc ores in East Tennessee, in connection with the iron ores at Embreeville; in 1844,2 he refers to the zinc deposits of East Tennessee, especially the apparently rich deposits occurring, in Jefferson and Claiborne Counties, while his ninth annual report is a ,description of the zinc deposits of Jefferson County and a description of the most improved processes by which zinc is extracted from its ores. Although. Tennessee has long known of the occurrence of its zinc deposits and has recognized their value, only during the last few years have these ores been successfully worked. As far as can be learned, prior to the systematic development of the Mascot district in 1911, no large-scale or successful operation of any of the zinc deposits was carried on. But in that year, after several companies had made considerable progress in developing the Mascot area and had proved. a relatively extensive body of low-grade sulfide ore, the American Zinc Co. entered the field. It introduced modern methods of prospecting and mining the ore and from the first was successful. Too great credit cannot be given this company for its pioneer work in a previously unimportant field. Throughout the history of its operations, the American Zinc Co. has confined its efforts to underground mining of the sulfide ore, sphalerite. This company has found that successful results in zinc mining in East Tennessee can be achieved only by expending large sums in prospecting and blocking out bodies of pay ore in sufficient magnitude for large-scale operations. At Mascot are located the mines of the American Zinc Co. of Tennessee, the mines being situated along the Southern Railway in the Holston River Valley, Knox County, about 13 miles northeast of Knoxville. Considerable mining and prospecting had been done by several companies prior to the acquisition of this property by the, American Zinc Co. Previous to 1900 only open pits, which were worked for oxidized ores, were operated. and the production was small. In 1900 the

Jan 10, 1924

By Jerry B. Newby

The outstanding features in Pennsylvania and New York during the past year were the buying of acreage for water-flooding in other Pennsylyania fields than the Bradford and Allegany districts, the wide adoption and use of the five-spot plan of development and water-flooding in the Bradford and Allegany districts, the discovery of gas production in the Onondaga lime in southwestern New York and the opening of the T. W. Phillips Gas & Oil Co. Fifth Sand pool in Butler County, Pennsylvania. Water-flooding has occurred in many other fields than the Bradford, Pa., and Allegany, N. Y., fields. In some the flood was a natural encroachment of edge water, in others the water was introduced into the productive sand through wells either accidentally or intentionally. Most of these floods have not been commercially successful. There has been some interest aroused in the Clarendon field, Warren County, Pennsylvania, by a new and apparently successful flood and other floods have been begun. Five-spotting in the Bradford and Allegany fields is the plan of water-flood development under which the area to be drilled is laid off in a grid of equal-sized squares with water intakes located at each corner of the squares and oil wells located in the centers of the squares. So far there are two five-spot water floods that are, beyond doubt,, commercial successes. There were 600 acres under five-spot flooding at the end of 1928, as against 150 at the end of 1927. By the end of 1929 there will be a total of between 1200 and 1500 acres five-spotted unless a low market for Pennsylvania grade crude oil develops. An increase of 6000 bbl. in average daily production is expected to accompany this development in 1929. The Belmont-Quadrangle Drilling Corpn. found the Onondaga lime or a higher strata at 3995 ft. north of Bolivar, Cattaraugus Country, N. Y., and a number of miles from any other important gas production. When drilled to 4006 ft. the well yielded 3,500,000 cu. ft. of gas and when shut in 1700 Ib. rock pressure. The one oil pool opened in 1928 was in Buffalo township, Butler County, Pa., in October, when the T. W. Phillips Gas & Oil Co. completed a wildcat well in the Fifth sand at 700 bbl. a day, which by the end of

Jan 1, 1929

By Persifor Frazer

The section along the left bank of the Susquehanna, in Lancaster County, from Falmouth to the Maryland line, which the writer made in 1877 to accompany his report on that county, was redrawn by Professor Lesley, as stated in the prefatory'letter to Vol. CCC. (p. x.).* As then stated, neither the numerous data, nor the general features of the structure obtained by the writer, were changed ; but enough was done to make a discrepancy between the text and the section as given; and some important points were made less clear in the published section than they were in the MS. map. Amongst other portions of the section, that between the railroad stations, 1190 to 1224, gives the impression on the published maps of a much too definite superposition. A few words will be devoted to this region in the following communication. There is absolutely no room to doubt the structure for about four miles on .each side of the Tocquan axis. The dips are gentle, and in opposite directions, and the lithological characters constant within ordinary limits of variation, nor do these characters resemble those of the rocks which flank these gneisses and mica schists to the northwest and the southeast. For the same reasons it is evident that the rocks which occur within these eight miles or so, represent an horizon below the basement of the fossiliferous or palaezoic series. Not only have no fossils been found, but their lithologieal characters are unmistakably eozeic. But on the upper and lower margins of this

Jan 1, 1884

By Charles M. Rolker

THE Allouez Mine is situated in section 31, town 57, north of range 32 west, Michigan. The mine is being worked in a conglomerate bed, which conglomerate is generally conceded to be the continuation of the Albany and Boston conglomerate of Houghton County. Besides the well-known Calumet and Hecla with the adjoining Osceola, both working on the same bed, and the new location, the Seneca, now being tried on the Kearsarge conglomerate, the Allouez Mine is the only one working on a conglomerate bed. The Albany and Boston, in Houghton County, of which, as said before, the Allouez is supposed to be the continuation, shares with all the remaining conglomerate beds, near and around Portage Lake, the property of being non-quartziferous, while the conglomerates of Keweenaw County are all highly quartziferous in character. This change takes place, according to Professor Pumpelly, about six miles northeast of Portage Lake. The Allouez conglomerate, with a dip of 38° 15' and a general course of about 36° east of north, is overlaid by a trap, and has as its footwall an amygdaloid. The trap is followed by a series of amygdaloidal melaphyres and true amygdaloids, further on by the greenstone and ashbed ; towards the lake shore alternating traps and conglomerates are found. At the footwall of the Allouez conglomerate, an amygdaloid lies, the thickness of which is not known, which is also the case with the other formations, accurate surveys and geological researches of this district having, as I was informed, never been made. About 198 meters (650 feet), horizontally measured, from the Allouez conglomerate another amygdaloid bed can be traced, on which the present rockhouse stands, further on a melaphyre is exposed, and then follow the diverse conglomerates, the Calumet, the Kearsarge, and Kingston, which, according to the last geological report, are at about the re-

Jan 1, 1877

By W. S. Keyes

(Read at the Amenia Meeting, October, 1877.) EASTERN NEVADA. THE State of Nevada, known par excellence as "the Silver State," occupies the major portion of the wide plateau, or so-called Great Basin, lying between the Sierra Nevada range on the west and the Wahsatch range of the Rocky Mountains on the east. It extends from the 114th degree to the 120th degree of longitude, west of Greenwich. It is limited, on the north, by the 42d degree of latitude, and on the extreme south by the 35th degree of latitude. Its general shape is that of an irregular parallelogram, from which the lower or southwestern portion has been cut off by a diagonal southeasterly line; the missing portion forms a part of the State of California on the west. The Great Basin is made up of a succession of low hills, or minor mountain ranges, running very nearly north and south, with long valleys between them. All of these mountains are more or less metalliferous. On the western rim, marking the eastern flank or foothills of the Sierra, we find granites, porphyries, and propylites. Here we note the great Comstock lode, with its free-milling gold and silver ores, and still further south the once prominent and the now reviving gold and silver-bearing districts of Esmeralda County, Nevada, and of Morro County, California. Next, at some distance to the east, we find the mining districts at and near Unionville, in Humboldt County. Still further to the east we find the Battle Mountain copper-silver district, north from the railroad, and southerly therefrom the Austin or Reese River, Belmont, and other districts. Still further east and north of the railroad, we find the Tuscarora, a new district of very

Jan 1, 1878