7
OZARK RESOURCES
MINERALS in the Ozarks not only helped lure the early settlers to this Elysium but also contributed greatly to their self-sufficiency in an isolated environment. Game, sustenance farming, and native timber provided most of the food, clothing, warmth, and shelter. Springs furnished much of the water, and the necessary salt could be obtained from salt springs near the northern margin and within eastern parts of the Ozarks as in Jefferson and Ste. Genevieve counties.
Gunpowder was manufactured, using saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal obtained locally. The many near-surface occurrences of lead ore solved the bullet problems, and similar shallow iron ore deposits resulted in the many scattered Ozark iron works. Caves supplied the saltpeter, and ancient sinkholes filled with mineral deposits provided much of the iron ore, pyrite for sulfur, some lead ores, and later in the area's history, the valuable fire-clay to the north and east of Rolla.
The Maramec Iron Works used ore from nearby filled sinks as did many other Ozark furnaces. Cherry Valley, southeast of Steelville, was one of the largest filled sinks in the area, sypplying ore from a pit 900 feet long, 500 feet wide, and from 60 to 150 feet deep. Cherry Valley also yielded pyrites, which may have been a source of sulfur in pioneer days, and later were shipped for sulfuric acid production. Likewise, Moselle No. 10 mine southwest of Vida is a filled sink which originally was worked for iron ore and later for pyrites.
The fire clay deposits to the north and east of Rolla extending to north of Owensville represent a late but very valuable type of sink filling. This industry exemplifies a case of geologic serendipity; pits from which the clay has been mined are now serving for sanitary land fill sites. The Lord fills the sinks, we empty them and then refill them a la twice-baked potatoes.
Some ancient sinkholes were filled with a very hard sandstone. Subsequently, erosion removed the surrounding dolomite, leaving the fill or "casting" as a resistant and scenic mass of sandstone jutting above the surface dolomite. Two of the many examples of
these sandstone fills which are now conspicuous topographic prominences are the House Rocks south of Crocker and Blossom Rock at the Lane Spring picnic and camp grounds.
“We empty them and then refill them”
Steelville Landfill near Cherry Valley; note size of truck in proportion to depth of sink.
“sandstone fills
which are now conspicuous topographic prominences”
Blossom Rock at Lane Springs near Rolla.