SOUTH DAKOTA SCHOOL OP MINES 



The fossil bones found in the badland deposits, like the 

 bones of present day animals, generally contain much 

 phosphate. There is little reason, however, to believe that 

 the phosphate can be utilized commercially. Men speak of 

 the abundance of the fossil bones, but it should be stated 

 that this is more particularly from the viewpoint of the 

 scientist interested in their educational value rather than 

 that of the manufacturer of commercial bone products. 

 There seems never to have been any very great tendency for 

 the phosphate to leach out from the bones and concentrate 

 into beds. 



For those interested in the chemical nature of the bones, 

 I give the following analyses made many years ago by Dr. 

 Francis V. Greene from material collected by the Owen 

 Survey and published in the American Journal of Science, 

 1853, also analyses made recently in the State School of 

 Mines laboratories by Mr. George Enos. 



Analyses of Badland Fossils (Greene) 



Constituent 



1 



2 



3 



4 



Phosphoric Acid (P o O ) 



Silica (Si0 2 ) 



Ferric Oxide (Fe ) 



Fluorine (F) 



Magnesia (MgO) 



Lime (CaO) 



Potash (K 2 0) 



Soda (Na 6) 



Per cent 

 33.98 

 0.09 

 1.77 

 0.40 

 0.33 

 49.77 

 0.31 

 1.13 

 0.36 



Per cent 



39.15 



0.48 



Per cent 

 35.97 



0.79 



Per cent 



31.19 



0.26 



0.04 

 0.22 

 51.80 

 0.24 

 1.28 



1.42 

 0.53 

 51.23 

 0.23 

 0.75 



2.46 

 1.14 

 50..83 

 0.28 

 1.57 



Baryta (BaO) 



Chlorine (CI) 



1.10 







0.02 



Sulphuric Anhydride 



(SO ) 



0.88 

 4.08 

 2.04 

 5.67 



1.01 

 3.17 

 0.62 

 2.54 



1.51 

 2.83 

 2.10 

 2.66 



2.19 



Carbonic Acid (C0 2 ) . . 



Water (H 2 0) . ... 



Organic Matter 



2.77 

 1.97 

 4.09 



Total 



100.81 



100.55 



100.02 



99.87 







In the above anaylses, No. 1 is that of a Titanothere 

 bone, No. 2 of a Titanothere tooth (enamel), No. 3 of a 

 Titanothere tooth (dentine), No. 4 of an Archaeotherium 

 (Elotherium) bone. 



