6 NITRATE PROSPECTS IN THE AMARGOSA VALLEY. 



The only hope of profitable utilization lies in finding an original 

 clay stratum of sufficiently high nitrate content and sufficient extent 

 to warrant the establishment of a refining plant. If, for instance, 

 it were possible to locate a large body of material similar in com- 

 position to Sample No. 266, of the above table, the property would 

 have unquestionable value. The material of this sample was almost 

 certainly original, stratified clay in place. It is possible that it had 

 been somewhat enriched in nitrate by surface concentration, but the 

 writer does not consider this very probable. 



The amount of the material, however, is entirely unknown and 

 could be determined only by systematic exploration of the deposit. 

 The value of the property will depend upon this question and upon 

 the possible existence elsewhere in the area of similarly rich clay 

 strata. 



The direct utilization of the nitrate clays as fertilizer has been 

 frequently suggested, but their association with considerable propor- 

 tions of chloride of sodium would render this at best very doubtful 

 and probably impossible. 



Approved. 



JAMES WILSON, 



Secretary of Agriculture. 



WASHINGTON, D. C., October 8, 1912. 



ADDITIONAL COPIES of this publication 

 -tX may be procured from the SUPERINTEND- 

 ENT OF DOCUMENTS, Government Printing 

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WASHINGTON : GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1912 



