Show SOURCES AND USES OF FULLERS EARTH fullers earths ear this used mainly y as a filtering 6 medium in clarifying or bleaching fats greases and mineral and vee ve vegetable e oils according to the united states bureau of mines its original use was in fulling woolen cloth and from that it derived its name but such use at least in this country has almost been abandoned fullers earth is also said to be used in the manufacture of pigments for printing in wall paper in detecting certain coloring matters in some food products as a substitute for talcum powder and in medicine as a poultice and as an antidote for alkaloid poisons another suggested use is in liming delimina de hides in the manufacture of leather it has been stated that the fullers earth cake from oil mills can be used in the manufacture of hand soaps concrete waterproofing and asphalt preparations fullers earth was first discovered in the united states in 1891 near alexander ark by john olsen the mineral was used for a time by the southern cotton oil co at little rock ark but its use was finally filially abandoned the real beginning of the industry in this country however was in 1893 near quincy fla when quite by accident in an all unsuccessful effort to burn brick on the property of the owl cigar 6 co an employed called attention to the close resemblance between the clay used and the german fullers earth this discovery in florida caused considerable excitement ci cit ement and deposits of fullers earth were vere reported from a number of states but the material in most of these deposits was found to have no value as fullers earth production beo began an in florida almost immediately after the discovery and irom 1897 to 1899 fullers earth was produced in florida colorado new york and utah florida maintained its rank as the leading producer continuously until 1924 in 1901 arkansas again became a producer from 1904 to 1907 arkansas was the second largest producer but no production of fullers earth has been reported from arkansas since 1922 fullers earth was found in georgia soon after the discovery in florida but georgia did not become a producer until 1907 when it ranked third as a producing state it ranked second from 1909 to 1923 except in 1918 and 1919 when texas was second and since 1924 it has ranked first in 1904 alabama and massachusetts in 1907 south carolina and texas in 1909 california in 1918 nevada and in 1922 illinois and pennsylvania first appeared as producers pennsylvania has reported no production sill since 1922 |