WorldWide Drilling Resource

54 MARCH 2014 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® comes from the Ozark Plateau region in the northeast and the Arbuckle and Wichita Mountains of the south. The Arbuckle and Wichita Mountains also contain the state’s commercially quarried granite deposits. The array of colors found in Oklahoma granite make it a sought-after product for use as dimen- sion and monument stones. Deposits of sand and gravel are found near the many rivers and streams of the state. Silica sands of the Arbuckle Mountain region are used in chemical and industrial activities, and to manu- facture different grades of glass. Sand and gravel resources from most coun- ties in Oklahoma are used for railroad ballast and mixing concrete for high- way building and other construction projects. Over one billion tons of bituminous coal reserves remain in the state, the most significant deposits west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains. Consumption of Oklahoma coal was mainly by out-of-state utilities until recent years saw major in-state use by the cement and lime industry. In Blaine, Jackson, Caddo, Major, and Comanche Counties, gypsum is Mining in the USA cont’d from page 53. found in large quantities. The mineral is an important commodity used as a plaster for interior walls and wallboard; as a special plaster for medical and other uses; and as a retarder in cement manufacture, fillers, and soil condition- ers. Weather-related disasters over the past few years have driven demand and made Oklahoma the leading crude gypsum producer in the U.S. Beneath most of northwestern Oklahoma, vast reserves of salt can be found. Geologists estimate 20 trillion tons lie within the state’s borders. Salt brine is brought to the surface either as natural springs or by pumping, and solar evaporation of the brine recovers salt as a residue. It is a relatively un- tapped resource in the state, and the salt produced at the one small opera- tion in Woods County is mainly used for stock feeds, recharging water sof- teners, and road de-icing. Iodine extracted from brine is an important industry to Oklahoma, the only place in the country with commer- cial quality and quantities of this valu- able resource. The state joins Chile and Japan as one of the world’s major sources. The Woodward Trench in northwest Oklahoma is the best place in the U.S. to get large amounts of brine with high concentrations of iodine. Human bodies depend on iodine for cell reproduction. The chemical is also required in medical imaging, some cancer-screening pharmaceuticals, and LCD screens. Oklahoma has the capac- ity to manufacture more than 2 million pounds of iodine per year, and with so few areas producing so much of the world’s iodine, the industry is booming in The Sooner State. Oklahoma )' ) % ) ' # *# $ ' : &4)1*4 *18*4 : : &4)1*4 *18*4 : : &4)1*4 *18*4 : : &4)1*4 *18*4 % ( ) ' ) '%# : &4)1*4 *18*4 : : &4)1*4 *18*4 : : &4)1*4 *18*4 : &4)1*4 *18*4 : &4)1*4 *18*4 ' $ + *#&( $ )% ! &4)1*4 *18*4 : # #4-3/*: ! ! &4)1*4 *18*4 : # #4-3/*: ! ! &4)1*4 *18*4 : 24 : 73/*: ! ! &4)1*4 *18*4 : 73/*: ! ! &4)1*4 *18*4 : -4 4-8* 73/*: ! ! &4)1*4 *18*4 : 73/*: ! ! &4)1*4 *18*4 : 73/*: ! ! &4)1*4 *18*4 : 73/*: ! ! &4)1*4 *18*4 : 73/*: ! ! &4)1*4 *18*4 : # #4-3/*:>> ! ! &4)1*4 *18*4 : #4-3/*:>> > ! ! ;)4&7/-( 4276 703 ? ;)4&7/-( 4276 703 ? ;)4&7/-( 4276 703 ? '%*) *#& '#()'%$ $ % $ "% 6, "64**6 2(&,216&5 $" < 2745 &;5 & %**. = &: %&665 $" &1&)& 62 21)&; 4-)&; "** 274 %*' &+* 999 &4056421+0&(,-1* (20 0&-/ ))4*55 &0(- &4056421+0&(,-1* (20 * ") * *#&( : &52 73/*: ! ! : -/9*// 73/*: ! ! &4)1*4 *18*4 : #4-3/*: ! ! &4)1*4 *18*4 : 73/*: ! ! &4)1*4 *18*4 : 73/*: ! ! &52 : 73/*: ! ! IT’S ALMOST TIME! Reserve your space early for the WWDR Jubilee Pinpointer Map. Call (850) 547-0102 for details.