Table Of ContentDEPARTMENTOF
CONSERVATION
Division of
Mines and Geology
I
THE RESOURCES AGENCY STATE OF CALIF DEPARTMENT OF
DOUGLAS P.WHEELER PETE WILSON CONSERVATION
SECRETARYFOR RESOURC OVERNOR MICHAEL F. BYRN
DIRECTOR
DIVISION OFMINESAND GEOLOGY
JAMES DAVIS
F.
STATE GEOLOGIST
Copyright© 1995bytheCaliforniaDepartmentofConservation,
DivisionofMinesand Geology. All rights reserved.
COVER PHOTO:
I I.S. Borax Open-piI borate mine, Boron, California.
PhotO(curtesy ofU.S. Borax.
SPECIAL PUBLICATION 110
29th Forum on the Geology of Industrial Minerals:
Proceedings
LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA
APRIL 25-30, 1993
DAVID BEEBY, CHAIRMAN
J.
Edited by
MARIALENATABILIO
and
DON L DUPRAS
1995
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION
Division of Mines and Geology
Sponsored by:
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION
Division of Mines and Geology
*
801 K Street, MS 08-38
Sacramento, CA 95814-3531
and
UNITED STATES BUREAU OF MINES UNlVERSfTY OF CALIFORNIA-
810 7th Street, N.W., MS-5209 DAVIS
Washington, DC 20241
APR 17 1995
CALIF, DEPOS.
GOVT. DOCS. LIBRARY
ANNUAL MEETINGS OF THE FORUM ON THE
GEOLOGY OF INDUSTRIAL MINERALS
1st 1965 Columbus, Ohio
2nd 1966 Bloomington, Indiana
3rd 1967 Lawrence, Kansas
4th 1968 Austin, Texas
5th 1969 Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
6th 1970 Ann Arbor, Michigan
7th 1971 Tampa, Florida
8th 1972 Iowa City, Iowa
9th 1973 Paducah, Kentucky
10th 1974 Columbus, Ohio
11th 1975 Kalispell, Montana
12th 1976 Atlanta, Georgia
13th 1977 Norman, Oklahoma
14th 1978 Albany, New York
15th 1979 Golden, Colorado
16th 1980 St. Louis, Missouri
17th 1981 Albuquerque, New Mexico
18th 1982 Bloomington, Indiana
19th 1983 Toronto, Ontario
20th 1984 Baltimore, Maryland
21st 1985 Tucson, Arizona
22nd 1986 Little Rock, Arkansas
23rd 1987 North Aurora, Illinois
24th 1988 Greenville, South Carolina
25th 1989 Portland, Oregon
26th 1990 Charlottesville, Virginia
27th 1991 Banff, Alberta
28th 1992 Martinsburg, West Virginia
29th 1993 LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA
NOTICE
These reports have been published essentially as received. They have been edited onlyto achieve consistencywithin an
individual paper. Referenceswere not checkedforcompleteness oraccuracy. Readers aredirected tothe authorsforfurther
information or clarification ofdata.
IV
CONTENTS
PAGE
PREFACE
vii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
ix
GENERAL TOPICS
Communication in Diversity
RobertL. Bates 1
Biotechnology and Industrial Minerals
Nelson R. Shaffer 5
Intravenous Geology
BobbyJ.Timmons 17
Flake Graphite and Zeolite Research Provides Potential Solutions to Domestic Problems
L.J. Nicks, L.E.Schultze, E.G. Valdez 21
EASTERN UNITED STATES
Waste Material Resources in Virginia
PalmerC. Sweet 29
WESTERN UNITED STATES
Production and MarketingofPerlite in the Western United States
George S.Austin andJamesM. Barker 39
Geology ofWestern U.S. Talc Deposits
Richard B. Berg 69
1992 Industrial Mineral Production in Californiaand Nevada
Fred V. Carrillo 81
Limestones ofNew Mexico and AdjoiningAreas Suitable forSulfur Removal in Coal-Fired Power Plants
FrankE. Kottlowski andAugustus K. Armstrong 87
CALIFORNIA
Mineral Land Classification in California
Ralph Loyd,RobertHill,and Russell Miller 101
California Mineral Education Foundation Conference Model: Changing Public Perception ofthe Mineral Industries
GregR. Wheeler 113
Pumice forStone-washed and Acid-washedTextiles: Benton Pumice Beds, Mono County, California
GreggWilkerson andJerry Hoffer 119
Geology, Genesis and MiningofHigh Brightness, High Purity Limestone Deposits in
the San Bernardino Mountains and Mojave Desert AreaofSouthern California
HowardBrown 123
Geology, and Processing Facility, CalMat Co. Reliance Plant, Irwindale, California
EdwardD. ElkinsandThomasE. Wiegert 137
The Soledad Canyon Ilmenite Mine (P.W. Gillibrand Co.) San Gabriel Mountains, Southern California
JohnC. Heter 145
Diatomaceous Earth Operation, Grefco, Inc., Lompoc, California
DavidJenkins 155
The Geology and Economic Development ofSearles Lake
Gail Moulton and Ken Santini 161
PAGE
Geology and Miningofthe Miocene Fish Creek Gypsum in Imperial County, California
RogerD. Sharpe andGregG.Cork 169
The Boron Open-Pit Mine at the Kramer Borate Deposit
JoeW.Siefke 181
Geology ofthe Hector Mine Deposit
R.D. Willette 189
The Mojave Desert Province, Southern California: Geologic Overview
M.O. Woodburne 195
OREGON
Brine Mineral Occurrence in the Diablo Mountain Study Area, Oregon, and its Possible
Significance to Pacific Rim Trade
ThomasJ. Peters,DennisS. Kostick,and Michael F. Diggles 223
CANADA
30th Forum on the Geology ofIndustrial Minerals: Nova Scotia/New Brunswick, Canada
JohnH. FowlerandTimothyC. Webb 241
Wollastonite in Quebec Province, Canada
Claude Hebertand Henri-LouisJacob 245
Diamonds In Canada: An Overview OfCurrent Developments
Robert Irvine and M. Boucher 253
Canada's Zero Effluent Potash Mine
BrianV. Roulston 261
MEXICO
MEXICO: Opportunities in Industrial Minerals
ArmandoAlatorre, PeterHarben, Hal McVey,and Ken Santini 269
APPENDIX 1: PosterAbstracts 313
APPENDIX 2: ListofRegistrants 347
VI
PREFACE
This Proceedings Volume for the 29th Forum on the Geology of Industrial Minerals is dedicated
to the memory of Bob Bates, the founder and guiding leader of the annual Forum on the Geology
of Industrial Minerals, as well as a good friend. Bob was an active participant in the 29th Forum,
though his death on June 21, 1994 prevented his seeing this volume in print.
When I attended my first forum more than a decade ago, Bob collared me on one of the field
trips, telling me how glad he was to finally see a California representative at the meeting, and
making me feel very welcome (as was always Bob's style). Not one to beat around the bush, he
then asked me when California would be willing to host the group. As the state with both the
highest annual dollar value of industrial mineral production, as well as the greatest diversity of
types of industrial minerals produced, Bob recounted, it was time that the Forum moved west to
observe some of our mineral deposits and mines. Being new to the Forum and very much in awe
of Bob for his many and varied contributions to geology and to the study of industri—al mineral
deposits, I found it difficult to say no. Bob's logic seemed to me to be impeccable California
routinely does lead the country in diversity and dollar value of industrial mineral production. Not
knowing exactly what would be involved, or what support might find upon returning home, told
I I
Bob I'd look into it. Upon my return to Sacramento, and fortunately for me, when I raised I raised
the possibility of Bob's inquiry, State Geologist Jim Davis and the management of our Department
of Conservation fully embraced the idea. This volume, then, represents the culmination of that
distant conversation with Bob.
The 29th Forum on the Geology of Industrial Minerals was held at the Long Beach Sheraton
Hotel in Long Beach, California, from April 25 through April 30, 1993. The meeting was co-hosted
by the California Department of Conservation's Division of Mines and Geology and the U.S.
Bureau of Mines. Supplemental financial and logistical support came from the Society of Eco-
nomic Geologists Foundation and 14 California mining companies, whose names are listed on the
following page. Without the productive partnership of State and Federal government, profes-
sional societies, and private enterprise, the Forum and this volume would have been impossible.
Their help and financial support are greatfully acknowledged.
The 29th Forum was attended by 151 participants from 25 U.S. states, six Canadian provinces,
six countries, and four continents, making it a true international event. Half the participants
worked for the mining industry, with 45 percent from various governmental agencies and 5 per-
cent from academic institutions. The meeting focused on field visits to major industrial mineral
producers in southern California and consisted of 2 days of technical sessions interspersed with 3
days of field trips. This proceedings volume contains papers and abstracts of presentations given
at the Forum. Editing was limited to assure conformity with the proceedings format.
Much of the 29th Forum emphasized the world-class industrial mineral deposits in southern
California, but industrial minerals in other states such as Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois,
Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennes-
see, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, and industrial minerals in Canada and Mexico were also
discussed.
Participants were able to choose among five optional field trips; three field trips were 1 day in
duration and two were 2 days in duration. The following southern California mines were included
in these field trips: the Celite Corporation and Grefco Incorporated diatomite mining operations,
Lompoc; the Mitsubishi Cement Corporation limestone mine and cement plant, Lucerne Valley;
aggregate mining at the CalMat Company and Livingston-Graham Incorporated operations,
Irwindale; the P.W. Gillibrand Company aggregate/anorthosite mining and ilmenite recovery
operation, Soledad; the North American Chemical Company Searles Lake operation (recovery of
sodium, potassium, and boron compounds from brines), Trona; the Rheox Incorporated hectorite
clay mining operation, Newberry Springs; and the U.S. Borax Inc. borate mining operation, Boron.
The cooperation and generosity of these mining companies who graciously opened their mines to
us for field trips is especially appreciated.
Vll
The host state and provincial geological surveys from previous Forums know better than
most what is involved in successfully putting on a meeting of this size. As the 1993 Forum
Chairman am greatful for the strong support not only from my Department Director and State
I
Geologist, but also by an energetic and able Minerals Program staff within the Division of
Mines and Geology. While many helped in various tasks, specific thanks a—nd
acknowledgements are due to the members of the 29th Forum Committee Ralph Loyd,
who handled logistics and organizational details of the meeting; Russ Miller, who developed
the technical sessions; Chris Higgins who organized the poster sessions: Bob Hill, who
planned and arranged the field trips; Don Dupras and Marialena Tabilio who compiled and
edited this volume; and Mike Silva who maintained the computerized registration and financial
records for the Forum. Venice Huffman, Shavonda Rhodes, and Virginia Hoskins were of
great assistance with on-site registration activities and participant assistance during the
meeting.
The field trips were highly praised by participants, and this should be directed to field trip
leaders Al Barrows, Steve Bezore, Ron Churchill, Don Dupras, Chris Higgins, Susan Kohler-
Antablin, Cindy Pridmore, Dinah Shumway, Mike Silva, and Gary Taylor. Acknowledgement is
also due to the pr—eparers of artwork and illustrations for both the Forum itself and this pro-
ceedings volume Max Flannery, Ed Foster, Ed Kiessling, Debbie Maldonado, Ross Martin,
Frances Rubish, Joy Sullivan, Jeff Tambert, Peggy Walker, Dave Wagner, Kendra West, and
Jim Williams.
And finally, special thanks are extended to all forum speakers and authors who took the time
and effort to prepare the articles presented in this proceedings volume.
David J. Beeby, Principal Geologist
California Department of Conservation,
Division of Mines and Geology
29th Forum Chairman
Vlll
