DOI Artikel:
Hume, William F.: The nitrate shales of Egypt
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.11321#0166
— 146 —
It should be noticed, however, that thèse are analyses of samples selected in
the first instance as containing suiïîcient Sodium Nitrate to make them worth
transport, and not average samples of the clay beds.
On 28th May, 189/1 > -^r- Floyer, in conjonction with Professor Sickenberger,
presented a report to H. E. Nubar Pasha, Président of the Council of Minis-
tère'1), on the same subject. In this report, it is stated by Professor Sicken-
berger that the ccMarogn or Nitrate-bearing shale is a horizontal bed of blue
or grey stratificd maris 3o to 5o mètres Lhick, certainly extending from Edfu
to Kawi, north of Armant, and possibly baving its nortbern limit between
Luxor and Qena. To the east, it extends to the Oasis of Farafra throngh Dakbla
and Kliarga, and also to the Dungul and Kurkur oases (tbese conclusions being
based on the observations of Zittel, Schweinfurth, Willcocks and Sickenberger
himself), and in ail cases is covered by the hard limestones of the Lower
Londinian (Lower Eocene). With regard to âge, Sickenberger differs from
Zittel, regarding it as Upper Suessonian, and not upper Cretaceous. (Foi-
discussion of this question, see later.)
The natives dépend on the taste of the shales in determining their nitrate-
yielding value, and have found by experiment that while some spots furnish
shalc worth transporting, that of other parts is useless or even harmful. They
also believe that improductive spots may in time become nitrate-bearing,
though un to the présent this important point lacks confirmation by précise data.
Capt. Lyons visited Mualla in 1895, and collected samples from three
points in the cliff, 5o kilos, of shale were taken from approximately one
quarter, one half, three quarters down the cliff face, and at the base of the
cliff. Gopy of the analyses as submitted are given in Table n° 3, p. 168. The 5o
kilo samples were pounded up and well mixed, after which a 3 kilo sample
was taken for analysis. The results were :
Maximum.................................... 1.80/0 Sodium Nitrate.
Minimum.................................... 0. h 0/0 — —
Mean....................................... o. 85 0/0 — —
Capt. Lyons concluded that for Mualla cliff this mean must be taken as a l'air
approximation of what would be obtained from working the clilf in bulk.
(1) Officiai Journal, N° 71, 3o June, i8gi.
It should be noticed, however, that thèse are analyses of samples selected in
the first instance as containing suiïîcient Sodium Nitrate to make them worth
transport, and not average samples of the clay beds.
On 28th May, 189/1 > -^r- Floyer, in conjonction with Professor Sickenberger,
presented a report to H. E. Nubar Pasha, Président of the Council of Minis-
tère'1), on the same subject. In this report, it is stated by Professor Sicken-
berger that the ccMarogn or Nitrate-bearing shale is a horizontal bed of blue
or grey stratificd maris 3o to 5o mètres Lhick, certainly extending from Edfu
to Kawi, north of Armant, and possibly baving its nortbern limit between
Luxor and Qena. To the east, it extends to the Oasis of Farafra throngh Dakbla
and Kliarga, and also to the Dungul and Kurkur oases (tbese conclusions being
based on the observations of Zittel, Schweinfurth, Willcocks and Sickenberger
himself), and in ail cases is covered by the hard limestones of the Lower
Londinian (Lower Eocene). With regard to âge, Sickenberger differs from
Zittel, regarding it as Upper Suessonian, and not upper Cretaceous. (Foi-
discussion of this question, see later.)
The natives dépend on the taste of the shales in determining their nitrate-
yielding value, and have found by experiment that while some spots furnish
shalc worth transporting, that of other parts is useless or even harmful. They
also believe that improductive spots may in time become nitrate-bearing,
though un to the présent this important point lacks confirmation by précise data.
Capt. Lyons visited Mualla in 1895, and collected samples from three
points in the cliff, 5o kilos, of shale were taken from approximately one
quarter, one half, three quarters down the cliff face, and at the base of the
cliff. Gopy of the analyses as submitted are given in Table n° 3, p. 168. The 5o
kilo samples were pounded up and well mixed, after which a 3 kilo sample
was taken for analysis. The results were :
Maximum.................................... 1.80/0 Sodium Nitrate.
Minimum.................................... 0. h 0/0 — —
Mean....................................... o. 85 0/0 — —
Capt. Lyons concluded that for Mualla cliff this mean must be taken as a l'air
approximation of what would be obtained from working the clilf in bulk.
(1) Officiai Journal, N° 71, 3o June, i8gi.