THE WHITE PHOSPHATES OF DECATUR COUNTY, TENN. 
By E. C. Eckel. 
In several papers, one of which will be found on pages 418 to 423 of 
the present bulletin, Dr. C. W. Hayes has discussed the origin, geologic 
relations, and development of the white phosphates of Perry County, 
Tenn., and has pointed out the areas in which careful prospecting 
might reveal extensions of the producing field. The present paper 
is a description of an outlying field of very promising character so 
discovered. 
Most of the prospecting work prosecuted after the discovery of the 
Perry County white phosphate deposits was carried on in the vicinity 
of the original discoveries and on the east side of the Tennessee River. 
Within the last few years, however, considerable exploratory work 
has been carried on in Decatur County and adjoining areas on the 
west side of the river. At first, prospecting in this district was 
attended with little success; but during 19()1 phosphate was discov- 
ered in quantity, and the new field is rapidly becoming of importance. 
The Decatur County phosphate field was visited in August, 1901, 
by the writer, acting under inst met ions from Dr. Hayes. The present 
paper is partly based upon the results of that examination, which was 
made very soon after the first discovery of phosphate in the region. 
The progress of the industry in that field during 1901 and 1902 has 
been rapid, and notes on that progress have been inserted in order to 
bring the present account up to date as nearly as possible. 
The earliest discoveries of workable white phosphate west of the 
Tennessee River were those made in 1901 by Mr. L. 11. Burke, of 
Parsons, Tenn. After the discovery careful exploratory work was 
carried on at other points in Decatur County, and control was secured 
of all the land showing workable phosphate. The holdings of Mr. 
Burke and his partner, Mr. Hughes, were transferred to the Beech 
River Phosphate Company, and active work on the development of 
the deposits was commenced by that company early in 1902. During 
1902 about 2,000 long tons of phosphate rock were shipped from this 
district to various fertilizer factories; and it seems probable that the 
output of 1903 will be much larger, as machinery is now being installed 
which will permit more ready handling of the rock. 
The phosphates of Decatur County, so far as at present known, can 
be grouped in three well-separated areas, within each of which the 
phosphate occurs in isolated deposits. A small area occurs on Cub 
Creek several miles north of Parsons; the second and largest area 
includes deposits lying along the tributaries of Beech River between 
Parsons and Decaturville, while the third area is located along Whites 
424 
