A PRELIMINARY REPORT ON CLAYS OE FLORIDA 
251 
CHAPTER XI 
METHODS OE PROSPECTING FOR CLAYS 
It has been pointed out that this report does not attempt to include 
the clay deposits of Florida that are not within a reasonable distance 
from transportation, and as general development continues within the 
State, it is very probable that many deposits of clays in close proximity 
to transportation will be found, that are not known at the present time. 
It is considered expedient, therefore, to include a few general sugges¬ 
tions here for those who may be interested in locating new clay deposits 
and determining whether or not the clay is of sufficient quantity and 
proper quality to warrant commercial development. The same sug¬ 
gestions may be followed by those desiring to determine the available 
supply or the clay reserves in deposits already known or worked. These 
suggestions are designed to fit geologic and physiographic conditions 
in Florida, and while in general the principles of clay prospecting are 
the same for any type of deposit, or in any geologic region, different 
criteria are to be observed and conclusions drawn in a region of sedi¬ 
mentary rocks and of low. relief, as is the case in Florida, from those 
which are most important in crystalline rocks or in a mountainous area. 
The presence of clay deposits may be detected in wells, in road or 
railway cuts, in excavations for buildings, along streams, in canals, and 
in cliffs or banks of lakes, or along the sea shore. It often happens that 
clay exposures are concealed under a mantle of sand or soil or a dense 
growth of underbrush. In many places the presence of the clay bed is 
often revealed by springs or a seepage of water, particularly where the 
clay stratum is overlain by a porous material, as sand or soil. In some 
cases clay beds may be determined by the character of the vegetation 
growing on the surface. In the absence of natural outcrops or expos¬ 
ures in wells, etc., the presence of clay beds must be determined by 
borings, which can be done best with a small auger, described on 
page. 253. 
A few preliminary tests should be made upon the clay to de¬ 
termine whether or not it is even worth while to prospect the deposit 
in detail. Tests of this character are of little importance in indicating 
the real value of the clay, but, at the same time, the results may be nega¬ 
tive and show the clay is not suited for use in manufactured products. 
