Show Gilsonite song e Tal Takes es Place As Important Utah Product r y r Y i d y Part of surface plant of American Gilsonite Company south of Vernal where here re operations are being bring expanded I Virtually a new industry has been born out of an old resource in inthe inthe inthe the desert plateau region of eastern Utah with the application of or scientific scientific scientific research and mechanization of of mining operations Th The resource is Gilsonite first discovered in Utah in about 1885 by a man b by the name of Samuel Gilson a prospector At first not even the Greeks had a name for the product it was as new to the mineral world Finally someone su suggested ested that they call the black glittering littering stuff Gilsonite after Mr Gilson Gilsonite is a n rarity It is found in only one area in the world and that is an area rou roughly 90 miles long and 30 mil miles s wide in Utah is basin a small part extending extending extending extend extend- ing across the state line into Western Western Wes Wes- tern Colorado It looks like a 3 cross cros between coal and tar but is harder and more brittle than the latter and has a much hi higher her melting point It is mined like coal and coke can be made from the black product Deposits Deposits Deposits De De- De- De posits are arc found in vertical fissures and to date has not been found in beddings replacing limestone or pools Development of gilsonite was slow due to tv the lack of adequate research the hand methods employed employed em em- Plo ed in mining and the remote location of the productive region The real expansion in the Gilsonite market took place in 1942 when the Standard Oil Company of California California California Cali Cali- fornia entered the field joining the Barber Asphalt Company in the formation of the American Gilsonite Gilson Gilson- ite Company The Standard Oil of Calif with its extensive facilities began ap ap- ap- ap plying research and sales development development development develop develop- ment to the black bitumen As a result production is increasing and the American Company is still engaged engaged en en- in a program of mine mechanization mechanization mechanization mech mech- and expansion The product is very versatile being water proof and acid proof and makes a perfect insulator The largest single use at present is in battery cases electrical parts and other articles It is an ingredient of varnishes enamels as plastics acid and weather resisting plaints goes into floor tile building paper and roofing It is also used in several kinds of wax in printing inks sound prof- prof ing and insulating compounds in Mastic floor and pipe coverings Recently it has been used as a rubber rubber rubber rub rub- ber extender and mixed with certain certain certain tain road oils Bonanza where the product is mined is situated about 50 miles southeast of Venial and has grown to a community of about per per- sons Last year nearly tons were mined from the district and it is estimated that American Gilsonite's Gilsonite's Gilsonite's Gil- Gil Bonanza area holdings alone contain more than tons Entrance of the Standard Oil Company of Calif into the development development development develop develop- ment of gilsonite and the degree of success that has been achieved has fused the entire gilsonite area into increased activity The Company has established offices in Salt Lake City with C. C F. F Hansen president representing Standard Oil Company of California California Califor Calior- nia and C. C E E. E Morris secretary secretary- treasurer representing the Barber interests |