BENTONITE. 61 
Another bentonite claim is on the Sam White property, in the NW. J 
sec. 20, T. 22 N., R. 77 W., on the south slope of Como Ridge. The 
conditions here are similar to those at the other localities, except 
that the dip of the beds is steeper and a smaller area is uncovered. 
Only development work has been done. 
Chalk Bluffs. — A bentonite claim is located in the NW. \ sec. 12, 
T. 21 N., R. 75 W., near the prominent point locally known as Chalk 
Bluffs. The thickness, geologic relations, and quality of the bentonite 
at this outcrop are the same as in the occurrences already described. 
No shipments have been made. 
Hutton Lakes. — Along the bluff on the northwest shore of North 
Ilutton Lake (Creighton Lake) a bed of bentonite appears as a white 
band in the black shale of the Benton formation for a distance of 200 
yards. This bed is from 3 to 4 feet thick, dips south of west at an 
angle of about 5°, and lies a short distance above the Mo wry shale, 
which outcrops to the east. Apparently the quality of the bentonite 
is good. 
Sand Creek. — Near the middle of the north side of sec 2, T. 13 N., 
R. 75 W., in the east bank of Sand Creek, a 4-foot bed of character- 
istic bentonite is exposed, lying upon 20 feet of soft black shale and 
overlain by fossiliferous sandstone and light and dark shales. The 
relation of the bentonite to the Mowry shale is not clear, but probably 
it lies beneath them. 
Riverside. — On the Riverside ranch, in the NE. \ sec. 14, T. 13 N., 
R. 76 W., a bed of much-weathered bentonite less than 2 feet thick 
lies a few feet above the Mowry beds. The bed is reported to thicken 
to 4 feet in the SE. \ sec. 6, T. 14 N., R. 75 W. 
PRODUCTION AND PRICES. 
From 1888 to 1895, inclusive, the production of bentonite in this 
region averaged about 60 tons annually. From that time it gradually 
increased and it is reported to have been 1,200 tons in 1902. With 
the closing down of the western paper mills the production almost 
stopped, and in 1905 only a very small amount was shipped. 
In the early period, from 1888 to 1895, the price averaged $25 per 
ton f. o. b. The price then dropped to $5 per ton, but later it rose 
to $6 and $7 per ton. The total production to date is approximately 
6,000 tons, with a value of $45,000. 
SULPHATE OF SODA. 
In Albany County there are several deposits of the sulphate of soda 
in the bottoms of small lake basins. Such deposits occur in the 
Downey Lakes, 20 miles southwest of Laramie; the Union Pacific 
Soda Lakes, 13 miles southwest of Laramie; and the Rock Creek 
