224 TRANS. ST. LOUIS ACAD. SCIENCE. 



Occurrence of Bitumen in Missouri. 



By G. C. Broadhead. 

 GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. 



In the western part of Ray county limited quantities of Bitu- 

 men are seen oozing from between thin layers of Sandstone. In 

 Lafayette, 12 miles southeast of Lexington, the Sandstones are 

 very much saturated with it. It is occasionally found in the south- 

 ern part of Cass and at several places in Bates. South of the 

 Marais des Cygnes, near the line of Bates and Vernon, we find 

 the Sandstone of the same geological age as that of Lafayette 

 county very thoroughly saturated. In Vernon it is more generally 

 diffused, and in Barton exists in nearly all the rocks. In Jasper 

 it occurs occasionally in the northern and western portions of the 

 county, and particularly abounds at Minersville and Joplin. In 

 this county it was not found any farther east than Sarcoxie. 



I have not observed the occurrence of Bitumen in paying quan- 

 tities in anv of the counties above named. It is reported to be 

 abundant at several places in Kansas, chiefly in the vicinity of 

 Paoli. From my own observations, the quantity of Bitumen 

 seems to increase in going southwardly, and is more generally 

 diffused. 



GEOLOGICAL OCCURRENCE. 



The Sandstones of Ray and Jackson which carry the Bitumen 

 belong to the Middle Coal Measures, and the first observed occur- 

 rence is about 70 feet below the top of these Measures. This was 

 at the Saunders Well, in Ray county. The rock here has a strong 

 bituminous odor, is dark or of a black color, with occasional 

 drops of viscid black tar issuing from between the layers. When 

 this is mingled with water, a beautiful iridescence is apparent on 

 the surface. 



The Bituminous Sandstone at Parkerville, Bates county, is 

 geologically of the same age as that of Ray county, but only con- 

 tains a small per cent, of bitumen. On Mulberry creek, in Bates 

 county, it was observed accompanying a Limestone of the Mid- 

 dle Coal Measures. It was here detected only by the peculiar 

 odor of the rock, which was also very hard and tough, and of a 

 dark-bluish ash color. 



