THE BARITE DEPOSITS OF MISSOURI 3 



tho he states (page 334) that about five years previously (1869) 

 a man named Turner had a barite mill on the Osage River, about 

 half a mile above the Bois Brale River. The product of the mill 

 was shipped to St. Louis. This would indicate that Broadhead 

 knew of the production of barite in Missouri. Bryant* gives the 

 date of operation of this mill as 1866. Turner is said to have re- 

 ceived $120 per ton for the refined product. He worked the 

 mill for fifteen years, and when the price of barite dropped to 

 $60 a ton, he sold out and left. It appears certain that active 

 mining of barite was in progress in the 70's because Missouri is 

 credited with a production of 8,000 tons in 1882. Such a large 

 production would indicate that the industry had become thoroly 

 established by that time. 



Thruout this early period Virginia was the leading producer, 

 but by 1893 Missouri was producing nearly an equal amount. 

 In later years Missouri came more and more to the front, and 

 in 1914 furnished about 65 per cent of the total product of the 

 United States. 



The history of the industry has been somewhat fitful. There 

 have been periods of temporary activity, as at the present time, 

 most of these periods following a marked increase in the price 

 of barite. Complete statistics for the production of Missouri by 

 years are not available. The following table shows the total pro- 

 duction in the United States since 1882, and such figures for 

 Missouri as are obtainable. 



MISSOURI UNITED STATES 



1882 8,000 Tons 22,400 Tons 



1883 30,240 



1884 28,000 



1885 16,800 



1886 11,200 



1887 16,800 



1888 22,400 



1889 7,558 21,460 



1890 9,882 21,911 



1891 12,000 31,069 



*Bryant, F. C, Eng. and Min. Jour., vol. 85, p. 317. 1913. 



