Show O H jt Tr TJ Gilsonite lakes Place Utah I f z Y tai r r e Part fart of surface plant of American can Gilsonite Company south of Vernal where operations are nie f king ring expanded I Virtually a new industry ind stry has hns been born out of an nn old resource in inthe inthe inthe the desert plateau region of eastern Utah with the application of scientific scientific scientific research and mechanization of of mining operations The resource resource is first discovered in Utah in about 1885 by bv a man by the name of Samuel Gilson a prospector At first not even the Greeks had a name for the product it was new to the mineral world Finally someone suggested su ested that they call caU the black glittering stuff Gilsonite after Mr fir Gilson Gilsonite is a rarity It is found in only one area in the world and that is an area roughly rou 90 miles mileston long ton and 30 miles wide in Utah is basin a small part extend extend- extending extending extending ing across the tho state line into Western Wes Wes- Western Western tern Colorado It looks like a across cross between coal and tar but is harder and more brittle than the latter tatter and md has a aJ much hither higher melting point It is mined like coal noel and coke cok can be bc r made from the black product De De- Deposits De- De Deposits Deposits posits are found in vertical fissures and to date has not been found in beddings replacing limestone or pools pOl Development De of gilsonite was slow v. due to the lack of adequate research the hand methods em- em employed in mining minin r and the remote location of the productive region The real expansion ion in the Gilsonite market took place in 1942 12 when the Standard Oil Uil Com flam of California Cali Cali- California California fornia entered the field joining the Barber Asphalt Company rn in the formation of the American Gilson Gilson- Gilsonite ite itc Company The Standard Oil of Calif with its extensive facilities began ap- ap plying research and sales develop- develop m nt to the black bitumen As a n. result r sult production is increasing and the merican Company is still engaged en en- engaged engaged in a program of mine mechanization mech mech- mechanization and expansion The product is very versatile being water proof and acid proof and makes a perfect insulator The largest single use Ise at present is in I battery cases electrical parts and other articles It is an anin ingredient in of varnishes enamels ns 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 m pipe coverings Recently it has been used as a rub rub- rubber rubber ber bee extender and md mixed with ith ter- ter certain tain twin road oils i Bonanza where the product is I is situated about 50 GO miles of Vernal and has grown to a community of about per per- sons Last year ear nearly tons ere y were Here mined mixed from the district and anti it is estimated that American Gil- Gil Gilsonite's Gilsonite's Gilsonite's Bonanza area holdings alone contain more snore than tons Entrance of the Standard Oil Company of Calif into the develop develop- development development development ment of gilsonite 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 Lahe City with C. C F. F Hansen president representing I i Standard Oil Company of Califor i Califor California California nia and C. C E. E Morris secretary- secretary treasurer representing the Barber uber I interests I |