832 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc 



VIRGINIA PHOSPHATES. 



The Virginia deposits are attracting more or less attention at 

 this time, but thej' have not been extensively developed. They are 

 not unlike those of South Carolina in general composition, though 

 they contain rather more iron and less phosphoric acid. 



APATITE. 



Apatite is the name given to a mineral phosphate of lime found 

 in numerous localities. It occurs in the State of New York and 

 in very large masses in different parts of Canada. But, as usually 

 found, it is exceedingly hard and difficult to grind, besides being 

 badly mixed with other and worthless minerals. These objections 

 have prevented apatite from being extensively used in the manufac- 

 ture of fertilizers, although it is rich in phosphoric acid, sometimes 

 containing as much as 40 per cent. 



CAPROLITES. 



Caprolites, or coprolites, resemble, in most respects, the nodules 

 of the American phosphate deposits, but average smaller and 

 more even in size, ranging from one to four inches in diameter. 

 They are not common to this country, but are found in England 

 and France in quantity and are there used for making commercial 

 fertilizers by the thousands of tons. They are believed to be the 

 dung of extinct animals, clianged into a mineral form and worn 

 by water into their usual kidney shape. They also contain other 

 animal remains, such as teeth, scales and fish bones. They show, 

 by analysis, 25 to 30 per cent, of phosphoric acid. 



PHOSPHORITES. 



Phosphorites are another form of mineral phosphates closely 

 allied to apatites, and found in France, Germany and Spain, where 

 they are of commercial importance as fertilizer material. 



There are extensive deposits of phosphatic substances in Eng- 

 land, France, Belguim and Russia, not especially described, because 

 having little effect upon the supplies of phosphates for America. 



SLAG PHOSPHATE. 



Slag phosphate^ Basic iron slag or Thomas slag-meal — ^to these names 

 may be added Thomas Scoria and Odorless phosjjhate^ all given to 

 a waste material or slag, which is a by-product in the preparation 

 of steel, by what is known as the "basic process." The object of 

 this process is the extraction of phosphorus from pig iron, by means 

 of a basic lining of the converter invented by Jacob Reese. The 



