A salt-S-limestone deposit/mine located . Discovered by Gulf Production Company in 1924 based on a geophysical anomaly. First production was in 1930 and continued until 1938, then 1946 to ? Operated by Texas Gulf (Jefferson Lake) (1930-1982 ?). Owned by the Potash Corporation Of Saskatchewan (100%), Canada (1996). Owned by Texasgulf Incorporated (affiliate of Elf Aquitaine, Incorporated) (50%, Connecticut (1982-1996). Owned & operated by Jefferson Lake Sulphur Company, a division of Occidental Chemical Company (50%), Texas (1982-1996). MRDS database accuracy for this location is not stated. H2S was found in a water well in 1923. The dome was discovered by gravity in 1924. S was found in a 1924 oil test. The mine was shut down for an indefinite time on November 5, 1982, because of increasing production costs and declining reserves. Later the shutdown was made permanent.

Mineralization is a salt dome deposit (Mineral occurrence model information: Model code: 255; USGS model code: 35a.7 (35ag); Deposit model name: Salt-dome sulfur), hosted in Middle Jurassic Louann limestone and salt. The ore body has a depth-to-top of 518.16 meters. Local alteration includes biogenic alteration of anhydrock to limestone. Local rocks include rocks of the Beaumont Formation, areas predominantly sand.

Local geologic structures include a piercement salt dome.

Workings include the wells and surface infrastructure for the Frasch process of sulfur mining. The sulfur was mined by the Frasch mining method that used superheated hot water, steam and compressed air for melting and recovering sulfur in a liquid form from deep wells.

Production data are found in: Halbouty, Michel T. (1979). Production had been declining since 1975.

Production statistics: Year: 1967 (period = 1930-1967): 5,218,000 metric tons of S; Year: 1968: 289,000 metric tons; Year: 1969: 281,000 metric tons; Year: 1970: 295,000 metric tons; Year: 1971: 296,000 metric tons; Year: 1972: 318,000 metric tons; Year: 1973: 326,000 metric tons; Year: 1974: 324,000 metric tons; Year: 1975: 195,000 metric tons; Year: 1976: 253,000 metric tons; Year: 1977: 220,000 metric tons; Year: 1978: 192,000 metric tons; Year: 1979: 211,000 metric tons; Year: 1980: 211,000 metric tons; Year: 1981: 128,000 metric tons; Year: 1982: 112,000 metric tons.

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Commodity List

This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded at this locality.

ⓘ Limestone

ⓘ Salt

ⓘ Sulfur

Mineral List

ⓘ Halite

ⓘ Native Sulphur

2 valid minerals.

Rock Types Recorded

Note: data is currently VERY limited. Please bear with us while we work towards adding this information!

Select Rock List Type

Alphabetical List Tree Diagram

ⓘ Anhydrite-stone

ⓘ Limestone

Detailed Mineral List:

ⓘ Halite

Formula: NaCl

References:

(2005) Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS), US Geological Survey.

ⓘ Native Sulphur

Formula: S₈

References:

(2005) Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS), US Geological Survey.

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 1 - Elements
ⓘ	Native Sulphur	1.CC.05	S₈
Group 3 - Halides
ⓘ	Halite	3.AA.20	NaCl

List of minerals for each chemical element

Na	Sodium
Na	ⓘ Halite	NaCl
S	Sulfur
S	ⓘ Native Sulphur	S₈
Cl	Chlorine
Cl	ⓘ Halite	NaCl

Other Databases

Link to USGS MRDS:	10061164

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

North AmericaContinent

North America PlateTectonic Plate

Gulf of Mexico BasinBasin
Northern Gulf of Mexico MarginPassive Margin
Sabine DomainDomain

This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.

References

Haynes, W. (1942), The Stone that Burns. Van Nostrand, New York, 344 pp.

Hawkins, M. E. and C. J. Jirik (1966), Salt domes in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and offshore tidelands: a survey, U.S. Bureau of Mines Information Circular 8313.

Halbouty, Michel T. (1967) Salt Domes - Gulf Region, United States and Mexico. Gulf Publishing Company.p.140

(2005) Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS), US Geological Survey.

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