Preliminary Report on Phosphate-Bearing Shales in Eastern Kansas

Abstract

Phosphate-bearing bituminous shales of Pennsylvanian age were sampled from Crawford, Bourbon, Franklin, Labette, and Wyandotte counties. Complete chemical analyses of the shales were made. Special analyses included the percentage of P₂O₅ soluble in citric acid, use of the spectrograph to determine trace elements present, and tests to determine the trace elements soluble in water. These analyses suggest that the phosphate and trace elements are present in quantities sufficient for the shales to merit evaluation as a source of agricultural fertilizer.