ONYX DEPOSITS IN EAST TENNESSEE 729 



ONYX DEPOSITS IN EAST TENNESSEE 

 BY C. H. GORDON 



(Al)stract) 



The existence of onyx deposits in east Tennessee has heen known for a long 

 time, and attempts have been made at recurrent intervals to utilize the ma- 

 terial. Thus far no success has attended these efforts, hut with persistent 

 frequency hopes are aroused over some new "find" and glowing announce- 

 ments are made of the possibilities of this industry. The onyx found is of 

 cave formation and for the most part represents the remnants of vanished 

 caves. The character and extent of the deposits and the possibilities of their 

 commercial development were discussed. 



SUGGESTION FOR MINERAL NOMENCLATURE 

 BY HENRY S. WASHINGTON 



{Abstract) 



The science of mineralogy is a branch of descriptive chemistry, but in its 

 classification differs from it in that the crystal fonu is as necessary as the 

 chemical composition for the definition of a mineral. The nomenclature is 

 far behind the classification, and by its general use of a single termination 

 and arbitrary name roots gives no idea of the characters or relationships of 

 minerals. It is suggested that minerals be regarded as salts of mineral acids, 

 the salts being characterized by certain crystal forms, as was first suggested 

 by Penfield in discussing tourmaline and amphibole. The proposed names 

 will be formed in analogy with those of inorganic salts, the basic portion 

 being denoted by the chemical names of the base or bases, and the acidic 

 (negative) by adjectives ending in -ate for salts of sulpho- and oxy-acids, 

 and in -ide for binary compounds (sulphides, oxides), the root of this portion 

 being derived from the present name of some well known member of the 

 group, and the root implying always a definite crystal system and adherence 

 to a given type of chemical composition. 



GLACIAL DEPOSITS OF THE CONTINENTAL TYPE IN ALASKA 

 BY R. S. TARB AND LAWRENCE MARTIN 



(Abstract) 



The glaciation of the interior of Alaska forms a striking contrast with the 

 coast, where glacial erosion forms predominate, the deposits being largely 

 under water, except for (1) 1,600 square miles east of Yakutat Bay, (2) 

 16,000 square miles in the Cook Inlet-Susitna Valley region, and smaller 

 areas. The interior, between the Coast ranges and the Endicott-Rocky Moun- 

 tain system, where the National Geographic Society's party made some studies 

 in 1911, has extensive glacial deposits of the continental type, previously 

 described in part by Russell, Brooks, and others, and similar to those of 

 United States. These include at least (a) 15,000 square miles in the Copper 

 River basin, (6) 27,000 square miles In the Tanaua and Kuskokwim valleys, 



