142 W. F. Ilillebrand — Vanadium Sulphide, Patronite. 



furnished by Mr. Hewett, and a portion of the chemical data 

 published by him were based on incomplete preliminary tests 

 by myself. The reason for examining them in detail in the 

 laboratory of the U. S. Geological Survey is not only that they 

 represent an occurrence and association so unique, but chiefly 

 that an as yet undescribed association of vanadium and carbon- 

 aceous matter in eastern Utah presents some points of similar- 

 ity with that of Peru, and by reason of the higher concentration 

 in the latter they seem to offer a convenient stepping-stone to 

 future research upon the North American occurrence. 



As to the source of the materials composing this vein deposit, 

 nothing can at present be said, nor is a satisfactory explanation 

 at hand for the comparatively sharp separation, in what would 

 seem to be one vein, of such unlike materials. Mr. Hewett 

 remarks that " the appearance of the materials as well as their 

 occurrence strongly suggests that they were forced into the 

 shales in a plastic or even liquid condition. Subsequent meta- 

 morphism has altered the composition of the asphaltite and the 

 condition of the sulphur in the sulphide material." It is con- 

 ceivable that the injected material was originally homogeneous 

 and that segregation took place after injection. Possible 

 evidence in favor of this view is afforded by the fact that the 

 rich vanadiferous ore contains several per cent of carbonaceous 

 matter similar in composition to the quisqueite, that the carbon- 

 aceous matter is itself vanadiferous, and that both are extremely 

 rich in sulphur. In order to account for the coked matter 

 between the two, it would seemingly be necessary to assume 

 that the requisite heat came from the side of the vanadium 

 sulphide ore. The adjacent dike undoubtedly played the chief 

 role in this connection. 



This is not the only known association of vanadium with 

 carbonaceous matter, an association which is undoubtedly sig- 

 nificant though we are as yet unable to explain it. Aside from 

 the above mentioned occurrence in Utah, vanadium has been 

 reported in numerous coals, in grahamite that probably came 

 from West Virginia, and Mr. Hewett tells me that it is a constit- 

 uent of the grahamite from Oklahoma. The enormously high 

 proportion of vanadium in the Peruvian occurrence is of special 

 interest, not only on that account but because it offers an oppor- 

 tunity to determine its state of combination in at least this 

 particular case. It is possible that in some instances such 

 sources may have furnished the vanadium of deposits of sec- 

 ondary minerals like those of the western United States. 



Quisqueite. 



This material, the asphaltite of Hewett and Bravo, though 

 rich in carbon, is worthless as a combustible because of its 



