2

3

No.

It

The Rocky Comfort or Foreman deposit covers an area of about 1,500 acres. The true chalk is at least 100 feet thick and may be considerably thicker and it is estimated that the quantity of true chalk available in this area is approximately 500,000,000 tons. extends southwest from Rocky Comfort, including portions of Sections 21, 27, 28, 29, 32 and 33, all in Township 12 south, Range 32 west. This area has a gently rolling topography and consequently there are no thick outcrops of chalk. The bed has a gentle dip to the southeast, as have the other chalk deposits of Arkansas. The following are three analyses of chalk from the Rocky Comfort area:*

The White Cliffs deposit covers an area of approximately 600 acres and the thickness of the true chalk is probably about sixty feet, lying in Sections 25, 26, 35 and 36, Township 11 south, Range 29 west, and Sections 30 and 31 in Township 11 south, Range 28

*J. H. Taff, "Chalk of Southwestern Arkansas."-U. S. Geological Survey, Twentysecond Annual Report, Part III.

Carbonate of Lime.

CaCO 3

Carbonate of Mag

nesia, MgCO3

west.

The total section of the chalk, chalky marl and marl there is 135 feet and is as follows:*

1. "Massive creamy white chalk, in beds from one to ten feet thick, separated by thin partitions of very slightly laminated chalk * * *

2. "Massive, dull bluish, white siliceous chalk, slightly harder than the pure chalk of 1. This chalk is practically without indication of bedding, and because of its hardness projects in a steep bench overhanging the less chalky and friable beds below * * *

.60 feet

.35 feet

3. "Massive, very siliceous, dull blue argillaceous chalk marl ***

8 feet

4. "Bluish sandy chalky marl containing great numbers of fossil shells * * *

7 feet

5. "Bluish sandy chalky marl gradually increasing in sandiness from the top downward to the level of the river. This bed contains fossils, but not so abundant as in 4....35 feet" The following is a series of analyses of the White Cliffs chalk according to Krippendorf-Tuttle White Cliffs Products Company:

The analyses, in order shown, represent the various strata of rock present in the quarry running upwards, with the exception of the analysis of No. 8, which covers a deposit of almost white rock about half way up one of the hills:

*J. H. Taff, "Chalk of Southwestern Arkansas."-Twenty-second Annual Report of the U. S. Geological Survey, Part III.

Composite Samples Nos. 11, 12, 13 and 14 (60-foot vertical section)

11.50%

5.14%

1.69%

79.11%

1.48%

Moisture Free

0.00%

3.02%

2.54%

0.89%

92.47%

1.09%

2.000

1.966

Apparent specific gravity of chalk sample No. 3
Apparent specific gravity of chalk sample No. 8

It is estimated that the quantity of true chalk available in this area is approximately 120,000,000 tons.

The Saline Landing area covers an area of about 1,100 acres in Sections 14, 23, 22, 21, 28, 29, 30, in Township 11 south, Range 27 west, and in Sections 25, 36 and 35 to the Saline River in Township 11 south, Range 28 west. The thickness of the true chalk has not been definitely determined in this area, although the chalky beds are probably between 110 and 140 feet thick, and it is probable that the true chalk in this area is less than sixty feet.

No.

The following are five analyses of the Saline Landing chalk :*

Magnesia, MgO

Production. No Federal or State figures are available concerning the output of chalk products from any of the chalk areas of the State. A brief history of the development at White Cliffs is as follows:

In 1895 a company from Holland, managed by Dutch people, attempted the development of a Portland cement industry at White Cliffs. This company operated about five years, when litigation held up the operations. No detailed history of this enterprise is immediately available. In 1901 a reorganization of the company took place and operations were resumed under the name of the Southwestern Portland Cement Company. This company's operations were not successful. Their failure has been attributed, in part at least, to the use of silty clays from the river instead of a more suitable clay that could readily be shipped from Tertiary areas a short distance south of White Cliffs.

Some years later the Krippendorf-Tuttle Company of Cincinnati, Ohio, again started the development of the chalk for the manufacture of whiting, asphalt filler and agricultural lime. This company constructed a large plant and entailed heavy overhead expenses, and returns from the project were not sufficient to enable the operators to continue. In October, 1925, the White Cliffs Corporation and the Arkansas Cement Corporation took over the KrippenTuttle holdings, including 900 acres of land. These firms were succeeded in 1926 by the Lime Products Corporation, which is operating the property at present. The present plant does no calcining, but turns out ground and dried chalk for the rubber trade and agricultural purposes. The capactiy of the plant is about 250 tons per day. The product for the rubber trade is worth $18.00 to $27.00 per ton and other grades from $5.00 to $25.00 per ton.

Producers. Lime Products Corporation, White Cliffs, Ark. H. D. Shields, manager.

*J. H. Taff, "Chalk of Southwestern Arkansas."-Twenty-second Annual Report of the U. S. Geological Survey, Part III.