﻿10 BULLETIN 18, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



much lower that they can be delivered in Charleston, S. C, at a 

 price but little above that of the local product. Finely ground 

 South Carolina phosphate has been tried a number of times on the 

 soils of South Carolina and Georgia. But little success has been 

 reported, although the increasing use of this form of phosphatic 

 fertilizer in the Middle West indicates the desirability of further 

 investigation. 



EXTENT OF OPERATIONS. 



The South Carolina phosphates (Land and River Rock) have been 

 extensively mined in a number of localities — on both sides of the 

 Ashley River, on the banks of the Stono River and in the stream 

 itself, south of the Ashepoo River on Chisolms and Willimans Islands, 

 and in the Coosaw and Beaufort Rivers. 



The most productive area of Land Rock has been what is known 

 as the Ashley River Beds, which lie on both sides of tne Ashley River, 

 extending more or less uniformly over an area of about 200 square 

 miles. Most of the River Rock marketed in past years was dredged 

 from the Coosaw River, but mining operations there have been dis- 

 continued, owing to the depletion of the richer beds of phosphate 

 and to the inability of the mining company to pay the royalty required 

 by the State. 



PRESENT CONDITION OF THE INDUSTRY. 



The present condition of the phosphate industry in South Carolina 

 is not good. The increased cost of mining, together with the low 

 price of the product, has forced the small operator either to abandon 

 his plant or to sell to the larger companies. 



There are at present only two concerns engaged in mining South 

 Carolina phosphate, and these are operating a total of four washer 

 plants. The largest of these washers is at Lambs, on the Ashley 

 River. Two smaller ones are located on the Stono River, about 9 

 miles west of Charleston, and the fourth is at Chisolms Island, Beau- 

 fort County. The total output of rock in 1911 was, according to the 



United States Geological Survey, 169,156 tons. 



\ 

 FUTURE OF THE INDUSTRY. 



Those interested in phosphate mining are rather discouraged at the 

 outlook in South Carolina. 



There is little indication of any immediate rise in the price of rock, 

 and the cost of preparing the phosphate for the market leaves such 

 a narrow margin of profit that mining is only made commercially 

 practicable by the use of up-to-date machinery capable of handling 

 large quantities of material. Adverse weather or labor conditions 

 decrease the margin of profit. 



