Quarries in Missouri & Quarry Links, Photographs, and
Articles
St. Paul thru Ste. Genevieve County (General & Quarry History)
- Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri – Ste. Genevieve County Location & Area, History, Climate, & Culture (continued from Geology of Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri, by Stuart Weller and Stuart St. Clair, Vol. XXII, Second Series, Missouri Bureau of Geology and Mines, Rolla, Missouri, 1928. Used with permission.)
Economic Geology (Chapter VI), pp. 313-336.
Introduction
“The comparatively wide range of geological formations occurring in Ste. Genevieve County is reflected in its mineral resources. Present industrial developments are largely non-metallic, the chief output being marble, lime and limestone, obtained from the various horizons chiefly near railroad transportation. Formerly copper ore was mined; and lead ore was produced to some extent near Avon, where the Bonneterre formation outcrops over a considerable area. Some prospecting has been carried on in the vicinity of the granite areas for gold and silver, but neither of these metals have been found. There are possibilities for the production of glass sand and feldspar, this county being probably the most favorable one in the State for the production of the latter. Although much iron ore and barites have been produced in other areas of southeast Missouri, there seems but little evidence favorable to the occurrence of commercial deposits in this county.”
Lime Industry
“The manufacture of lime is the most important mineral industry in the county. The industry centers in the eastern part, particularly around the town of Ste. Genevieve, where there is an abundant supply of high-grade limestone. Rail connections are good to the north, south and east, where there are large markets; and with the nearby coal fields of Illinois economic conditions are quite favorable for this industry.
“Four plants with a total of 34 kilns are burning limestone at, or in the vicinity of, Ste. Genevieve; the raw material being obtained from the Spergen limestone of Mississippian age. The fifth plant is located at Brickeys, the material being obtained from the Kimmswick limestone of Ordovician age.
“The burning of lime in Ste. Genevieve County dates from 1840,* the product being hauled to Ste. Genevieve and shipped by boat to points along Mississippi River. Vertical stone kilns were in operation until 1904, when the present plant of the Western Lime Works was constructed, at Ste. Genevieve. Two kilns of stone and steel constituted the first unit; but with continued development the company has grown until now six steel kilns are in operation. The plant of the Ste. Genevieve Lime and Quarry Company (Plate XIV, B) was constructed a short time later, about two miles west of Ste. Genevieve. Seven vertical stack kilns are now in operation (circa 1928). The Peerless White Lime Company started on the site of the old Boyer Kiln about 1908. At present 9 vertical stack kilns are fired, with a 10 th kiln in process of construction. This kiln, together with Kiln No. 9, embody several features that produce a more uniform product, and a reduction in operating costs. The Bluff City plant was constructed west of the Peerless plant in 1925, and consists of 12 vertical stack kilns.
(* Page 313 footnote: Buehler, H.A., Lime and Cement Resources: Missouri Bur. of Geology and Mines, Vol. VI, 2nd Ser., p. 207, 1904.)
“The raw material for the plants at Ste. Genevieve is obtained from the Spergen limestone, previously described on page 203 of this report. As shown on the geological map of the county, it extends in a belt approximately one miles wide from the mouth of Frenchman Creek south of the faulted area on Saline Creek, a distance of 16 miles. The general easterly dip has resulted in outcrops along River aux Vases for a distance of 2 miles and along Saline Creek for a distance of 3 ½ miles. Outcrops of the formation also occur along the down-thrown side of the belt of faulting in Perry County. It is also exposed in the bluffs north and south of McBride in the same county. The formation has a maximum thickness of 160 feet in Ste. Genevieve County, the upper half of which produces a white to light gray or bluish-gray, very pure, oolitic to slightly oolitic crystalline limestone. A generalized section compiled from studies of the quarries follows:
Generalized section Spergen limestone, Ste. Genevieve, Mo., lime district.
St. Louis Limestone: Hard, compact, dense, bluish-gray or gray in color, with nodules and lenses of chert - 0 - 160 feet thick.
Spergen Limestone:
1. Limestone, light blue-gray, slightly oolitic, crystalline, fossiliferous - 40 feet.
2. Limestone, magnesian, buff-colored, fine-grained to finely crystalline - 1 -2 feet.
3. Limestone, very white, extremely oolitic, soft, sometimes marked by crystals of calcite, in cross bedded portions of this member - 15 - 20 feet.
4. Limestone, magnesian, buff-colored, dense - 1 -3 feet.
5. Limestone, light bluish-gray, crystalline, somewhat oolitic - 30+ feet.
“These major divisions are shown in the photograph of the Bluff City Lime and Manufacturing Company’s Quarry (Pl. XIII, A).
“The oolitic member, No. 3 of the above section, is valued because of the purity and color of the burned product, which makes it particularly suited for chemical lime. The magnesian limestones, of the above section, appear to be persistent over the district, although perhaps locally absent. The stone from these thin beds are not suitable for high-grade lime, and it is discarded in quarrying. The rock underlying and overlying the slightly magnesian beds is of good quality, and is quarried and burned to high-grade lime.”
Quarries and Plants.
(Please note that the following companies/quarries are listed in this section of the book. This information will be presented in the Missouri Stone Quarries section according to the location of the stone quarry and/or plant.)
Peerless White Lime Company - The plant, a subsidiary of the Hunkins, Willis Lime and Cement Company of St. Louis, is located at Mosher Station about 2 ¼ miles west of Ste. Genevieve. (See “Ste. Genevieve (west of), Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri - the Peerless White Lime Company Plant”, for information on this section.)
Ste. Genevieve Lime and Quarry Company - The quarry and plant are located in “at Mosher Station (Macy on the County Map) on the Missouri-Illinois Railroad, about two miles west of Ste. Genevieve.” (See “Ste. Genevieve (west of), Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri - the Ste. Genevieve Lime and Quarry Company Quarry and Plant” for information on this section.)
Western Lime Works - Two quarries located 2 miles west of Ste. Genevieve, and the plant is located east of the St. Louis-San Francisco railroad in the town of Ste. Genevieve. (See “Ste. Genevieve (west of), Ste. Genevieve County Missouri - the Western lime Works Quarries and Plant” section of the Missouri stone quarries section of this web site for the information in this section.)
Quarrying Industry
“Ste. Genevieve County has a wealth of stone suitable for many purposes, and the quarrying industry as a whole is second in value to the production of lime.
“Extensive quarries have been developed in various parts of the county, the production being chiefly limestone and marble, although sandstone has been quarried in the past, and there are granite deposits in the western part of the county which are at present undeveloped.
“The Kimmswick, Little Saline, Grand Tower, Spergen, St. Louis and Ste. Genevieve formations are being worked at present (circa 1928). Sandstone has been quarried from the Roubidoux formation, and was used in the church at Weingarten; the Joachim has also been quarried to some extent, and was used in the church at Zell. Stone has also been taken from the Plattin formation, and the sandstone beds in the Aux Vases formation were formerly worked south of Ste. Genevieve. It is probable that other formations have been quarried locally.
“The opening of marble quarries in recent years has been one of the important developments of the natural resources of this county. The quarries are described below.”
(Please note that the following companies/quarries are listed in this section of the book. This information will be presented in the Missouri Stone Quarries section according to the location of the stone quarry and/or plant.)
The Ozora Marble Quarries Company Quarry - The quarry is located “on the southeast bank of Saline Creek, in the east part of SE. ¼ sec. 5, T. 36 N., R. 9 E., about two miles south of Ozora.” (See “Ozora (south of)), Ste. Genevieve County Missouri - the Ozora Marble Quarries Company Quarries” section of the Missouri stone quarries section of this web site for the information in this section.)
The Consolidated Marble Quarries Company Quarry - “This quarry is located at Marlo Switch, on the Missouri-Illinois Railroad, in the SW. ¼ sec. 36, T. 38 N., R. 8 E., on the farm of Peter Weiler.” (See “Ste. Genevieve County Missouri - the Consolidated Marble Quarries Company Quarry” section of the Missouri stone quarries section of this web site for the information in this section.)
The Southeast Missouri Quarries Company Quarry - This quarry was abandoned at the time of the field work for this book prior to 1928. The quarry was located “on the river bluff about two miles above Little Rock on the north side of Lower Frenchman Hollow.” (See “Ste. Genevieve County Missouri - the Southeast Missouri Quarries Company Quarry” section of the Missouri stone quarries section of this web site for the information in this section.)
Undeveloped Prospects - “Possible marble quarry sites are reported in the E. ½ NW. ¼ SE. ¼ sec. 6, NE. ¼ sec. 7, NE. ¼ sec. 8, and NW. ¼ of sec. 5, T. 36 N., R. 9 E. These areas are underlain in part by the Little Saline and Grand Tower formations, and the limestones appear to be similar in character to those obtained at the quarries of the Ozora Marble Company.
“A diamond drill hole is reported to have penetrated 187 feet of marble beds near the house of A.J. Thomure in the NE. ¼ NW. ¼ sec. 8, T. 36 N., R. 9 E. No development has been done at these sites.”
The Bussen Quarry - “This quarry is located in the NE. ¼ sec. 12, T. 38 N., R. 9 E., on the north side of Lower Frenchman Hollow.” (See “Lower Frenchman Hollow, Ste. Genevieve County Missouri - the Bussen Quarry” section of the Missouri stone quarries section of this web site for the information in this section.)
The Arnold Stone Company Quarry - “One of the largest stone quarries in this county is operated by this company, one-fourth mile north of Little Rock.” (See “Little Rock, (north of), Ste. Genevieve County Missouri - the Southeast Missouri Quarries Company Quarry” section of the Missouri stone quarries section of this web site for the information in this section.)
The Cliffdale Quarrying and Manufacturing Company Quarry (aka Carron’s Quarry) - “This quarry, locally known as Carron’s Quarry, the name of the operator, is located one-half mile north of Brickeys in sec. 13, T. 39 N., R. 7 E.” (See “Brickeys (north of), Ste. Genevieve County Missouri - the Southeast Missouri Quarries Company Quarry” section of the Missouri stone quarries section of this web site for the information in this section.)
Sandstone Quarries
“About five miles south of Ste. Genevieve in and near the NE. ¼ sec. 11, T. 37 N., R. 9 E., there are several old sandstone quarries from which much stone was taken years ago. The formation quarried is the massive bedded Aux Vases sandstone of Mississippian age. In color it is light buff, weathering to light brown. The quarries are large, one being over 400 feet long and having been worked into the hill for a distance of 200 feet or more. The weathered face shows 12 feet of massive sandstone from the floor up. The upper part shows some seaming from weathering. It was apparently possible to get very large blocks from the face as only one vertical joint was seen. An old water tank, made of slabs of 11 feet by 5 ½ feet by 6 inches thick, and in perfect condition, shows the large sizes obtainable, and the resistance to weathering. From its appearance in the quarry the stone should resist weathering very well. This stone was used in abutments of the Eads Bridge at St. Louis, and in the old Iowa State Capitol Building. The quarry has not been worked for many years, due to the Mississippi River meandering away from the bluff line with consequent loss of cheap transportation. The stone is light buff in color, weathering to light brown.
Granite.
“The areas of Ste. Genevieve County where granite is at the surface are shown on the geologic map of the county. The deposits are confined, in the main, to the valley and tributaries of Jonca Creek from the village of Jonca east to near the Weingarten fault zone, a distance of five miles. Smaller areas are present on Pickle Creek in the central part of T. 36 N., R. 7 E. Red and gray granites are present, the former predominating. It is medium to coarse-grained, and contains in places large crystals of feldspar, which in contrast with the colorless quartz gives the rock of a spotted appearance. Pegmatite dikes of orthoclose (sic) feldspar and quartz cut the granite in several places; and dikes of dark green to gray, basic igneous rock were observed cutting the granite on Jonca Creek.
“The outcrops are usually marked by an extensive and irregular system of joints. Faults along which shearing was noted were also observed. The nearest deposits to transportation are those on Jonca Creek, 1 ½ miles from Miller’s switch, on the Missouri-Illinois Railroad. No quarries have been opened in this county, and so far as is known, no development work has been done (circa 1928).”
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