GLASS  SAND  OF  THE  MIDDLE  MISSISSIPPI  BASIN. 
By  Ernest  F.  Burc 
INTRODUCTORY   STATEMENT. 
A  conservative  estimate  of  the  value  of  the  glass  products  manufactured  in  the  United 
States  in  1905  is  in  round  numbers  $65,000,000.  The  cost  of  material  used  approximates 
$18,000,000,  and  in  this  the  cost  of  glass  sand  was  somewhat  more  than  $1,000,000,  exclu- 
sive of  freight  charges.  Within  the  half  century  preceding  1900  the  value  of  glass  products 
showed  an  average  increase  of  70  per  cent  for  each  decade,  and  the  growth  is  still  vigorous. 
In  view  of  the  remarkable  development  of  an  industry  so  largely  dependent  for  its  raw 
materials  on  mineral  deposits,  a  brief  study  has  been  made  of  the  principal  sand-producing 
areas  of  the  middle  Mississippi  basin  and  of  their  relations  to  manufacturing  centers  in  the 
same  district.  Undeveloped  sands  in  Arkansas,  Missouri,  Kansas,  Wisconsin,  and  Iowa 
have  been  examined  in  connection  with  geologic  surveying  in  progress  in  those  States.  It 
is  hoped  that  the  information  published  in  this  and  the  preceding  paper  may  be  of  service  to 
owners  of  land  on  which  deposits  of  sand  are  found  and  to  persons  engaged  in  the  production 
or  use  of  glass  sand  who  may  wish  to  know  when1  further  supplies  of  the  material  may  be 
obtained. 
Topographic  maps  covering  the  greater  part  of  all  the  areas  mentioned  herewith  and 
geologic  maps  covering  a  small  part  of  the  same  have  been  issued  by  the  survey.  Lists  of 
these  maps  are  given  in  the  sections  devoted  to  the  respective  areas. 
In  the  paper  "Requirements  of  sand  and  limestone  for  glass  making,"  pages  452-458  of 
this  bulletin,  are  outlined  those  characteristics  which  render  a  sand  suitable  or  unsuitable 
for  making  glass,  and  in  tabular  form  data  are  presented  concerning  the  chemical  composi- 
tion and  physical  character  of  several  sands  at  present  in  successful  use.  Below  are  given 
similar  data  regarding  sands  of  hitherto  unknown  or  doubtful  value. 
To  the  producer  the  questions  of  physical  conditions  affecting  quarrying  and  mining,  of  the 
amount  of  available  sand,  and  of  location  with  respect  to  transportation  routes  and  to 
markets  are  as  important  as  that  regarding  the  quality  of  the  sand.  Some  details  are  there- 
fore given  in  the  descriptions  of  properties  which  illustrate  conditions  and  limitations  of 
successful  operation. 
GLASS-MAKING   INDUSTRY   OF  THE  REGION. 
In  connection  with  the  examination  of  sand  plants  several  representative  glass  factories 
were  visited.  Glass  of  four  general  classes — plate,  window,  green  bottle,  and  flint —  is  made 
in  the  middle  Mississippi  basin  from  materials  obtained,  for  the  most  part,  in  the  region. 
The  majority  of  the  glass  factories  are  grouped  into  two  districts — the  St.  Louis  district  and 
the  southeastern  Kansas  district.  Fuel  and  raw  materials  are  naturally  the  controlling 
factors  in  the  location  of  glass  plants,  and  of  the  two  the  proximity  of  fuel  seems  to  be 
regarded  as  the  more  important.  Where  coal  is  the  basis  of  the  fuel,  if  it  requires  1  ton  of  coal 
to  1  ton  of  glass,  nearly  as  much  coal  by  weight  as  raw  material  has  to  be  transported,  yei, 
the  freight  rates  on  sand,  lime,  and  salt  cake  are  decidedly  higher  than  on  coal  for  a  given 
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