Show Bonanza Gilsonite To Double Output In Next Few Years The American Gilsonite Com pany puny successor to Barber As- As Asphalt company now producing tons tong of gilsonite dally daily is planning to double its ita output within the next few years rears The company Is now the lar lar- largest largest gest shipper of gilsonite In the world A consolidation of the Bar Barber ber Asphalt company and Stand Stand- Standard Standard ard Oil company of California In 1946 resulted in the Amerl can Gilsonite company with I Clarence E Hansen as prest- prest I dent Headquarters were estabo at Salt Lake Lake- City CI and expansion of the a pro pro- production was started with im Ian i proved methods and added com com- comfort fort and conveniences for the I company's employees hydrocarbon Gilsonite a pure bon bon- boo was first discovered 00 60 years ago It was wu not until the late that Sam Gilson GUson from whom the product derives its ita name a prospector from Salt Lake City first decided that the mineral had bad commercial value With a partner by the name of Baxter he organized the St Louis Gilsonite company and began producing the mineral selling it principally as an In compound Now the product which is water and acid proof and a per per- perfect feet insulator is use used in battery cases electrical parts an Ingred tent of varnish enamels plastics acid and weather re rn alsting paints It Is also used in such building materials as floor tile building paper and roofing Other uses include its presence In waxes painting inks sound sound- soundproofing soundproofing proofing and insulating com corn pounds in mastic floor and end pipe coatings In appearance gilsonite re re- re reI resembles resembles I coal Actually it is a bitumen a pure are hydrocarbon duct is hard hard brittle and has a high h hOd melting g tilt AU in known k n deposits Od of the mineral In the world are Just east of the Utah-Colorado Utah state line In the Uintah Basin The area is approximately 90 miles long and 30 miles wide Until 1938 production of the mineral was on a small scale with mining and sacking being be bedone done by hand and lifting and local transportation by horses bones In the last few years yean however production has been mechanized with the use of shells using gas las and dynamite en en- enclosed closed In an envelope of sodium carbonate being adopted Char Char- Charges gea are set off electrically and the air Is thoroughly cleared before the miners enter re-enter the mine The Company's town of Bon Bon- Bonanza Bonanza anza situated in Uintah Coun County ty approximately 50 miles southeast of has recent recent- recently recently ly completed an extensive Im ha- provement program and ands s now nowa a modern small company town with recreational e facilities ie as aswell well as comfortable living quay here for the An explosion and fire In in in the mine on October 9 1945 caus caus- caused caus- caus caused ed a loss of nearly The company suffered a loss when its loading station at atI Craig burned in January of I 1946 1940 |