Chapter N

Assessment of the Distribution and Resources

of Coal in the Deserado Coal Area, 

Lower White River Coal Field, 

Northwest Colorado

By M.E. Brownfield,1 L.N.R. Roberts,1 E.A. Johnson,1 and T.J. Mercier2

U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1625–B*

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

National Coal

Resource

Assessment

Click here to return to Disc 1 

Volume Table of Contents

Chapter N of

Geologic Assessment of Coal in the Colorado Plateau:

Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah

Edited by M.A. Kirschbaum, L.N.R. Roberts, and L.R.H. Biewick

1

 U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, Colorado 80225

2

 U.S. Geological Survey contract employee, Denver, Colorado 80225

* This report, although in the USGS Professional Paper series,

is available only on CD-ROM and is not available separately
Contents

Abstract....................................................................................................................................................... N1

Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 1

Purpose and Scope ............................................................................................................................. 1

Location................................................................................................................................................. 2

Previous Geologic Studies and Mining Activity ............................................................................. 2

Methods ................................................................................................................................................ 4

Geologic Maps ..................................................................................................................................... 5

Geographical Boundaries .................................................................................................................. 7

Geophysical Logs................................................................................................................................. 7

Acknowledgments............................................................................................................................... 7

Geologic Setting............................................................................................................................................ 7

Stratigraphy of the Cretaceous and Tertiary Strata of the Lower White River Coal Field....... 7

Structure ............................................................................................................................................... 9

Coal Geology of the Deserado Coal Area ............................................................................................... 10

Stratigraphy ........................................................................................................................................ 10

Coal Distribution................................................................................................................................. 10

Coal Quality......................................................................................................................................... 11

Methodology................................................................................................................................................ 13

Coal Resources ........................................................................................................................................... 14

References Cited ........................................................................................................................................ 23

Appendix 1— Digital Files for Coal Exploration Drill Holes in the Lower White River 

Coal Field, Northwest Colorado, for which Data are Publicly Available

[Location, lithologic, and stratigraphic data are available in ASCII format, DBF, 

and Excel spreadsheets on disc 2 of this CD-ROM set]

Appendix 2— ArcView Project for the Geologic Assessment of Coal in the 

Deserado Coal Area, Lower White River Coal Field, Northwest Colorado

[The digital fi les used for the coal resource assessment of the Deserado coal area, 

Lower White River coal fi eld, northwest Colorado, are presented as views in the 

ArcView project. The ArcView project and the digital fi les are stored on both 

discs of this CD-ROM set—Appendix 2 of chapter N resides on both discs. Persons 

who do not have ArcView 3.1 may query the data by means of the ArcView Data 

Publisher on disc 1. Persons who do have ArcView 3.1 may utilize the full functionality 

of the software by accessing the data that reside on disc 2. An explanation of the 

ArcView project and data library—and how to get started using them—is given by 

Biewick and Mercier (chap. D, this CD-ROM). Metadata for all digital fi les are also 

accessible through the ArcView project]
Plate

 1. Assessment of the distribution and resources of coal in the Deserado 

coal area, Lower White River coal field, northwest Colorado......................................... N25

 Figure A. Generalized geologic map of the Lower White River coal field, 

Garfield, Moffat, and Rio Blanco Counties, Colorado

 Figure B. Location map showing cross section A-A’ and public drill holes 

in the Lower White River coal field

 Figure C. Coal correlations of the B and D coal zones of the coal unit 

in the Mesaverde Group, Lower White River coal field along 

cross section A-A’

Figures

 1. Location map of the Lower White River coal field............................................................... N2

 2. Location map of the Deserado coal area in the Lower White River coal field .................. 3

 3. Index map showing location of U.S. Geological Survey drill holes and 

cross sections in the Deserado coal area, Lower White River coal field, Colorado ........ 4

 4. Generalized regional cross section for part of the Upper Cretaceous and 

Tertiary rocks in the Lower White River, Danforth Hills, and Yampa 

coal fields, Colorado..................................................................................................................... 5

 5. Generalized stratigraphic column for a portion the Upper Cretaceous rocks 

for the Deserado coal area......................................................................................................... 6

 6. Structure contour map drawn on the top of the coal marker sands, coal unit 

of the Upper Cretaceous Mesaverde Group, Deserado coal area, Lower White 

River coal field, Colorado ............................................................................................................ 9

 7. Cross section B-B’ of the B and D coal zones and coal marker sands, 

Deserado coal area.................................................................................................................... 11

 8. Cross section C-C’ of the B and D coal zones and coal marker sands, 

Deserado coal area.................................................................................................................... 12

 9. Map showing total net-coal thickness and overburden-thickness categories 

for the B coal zone of the coal unit, Upper Cretaceous Mesaverde Group, 

Deserado coal area, Lower White River coal field, Colorado............................................. 13

 10. Map showing total net-coal thickness and overburden-thickness categories 

for the D coal zone of the coal unit, Upper Cretaceous Mesaverde Group, 

Deserado coal area, Lower White River coal field, Colorado............................................. 14

 11. Map showing bituminous net coal thickness categories for the B coal zone 

of the coal unit, Upper Cretaceous Mesaverde Group, Deserado coal area, 

Lower White River coal field, Colorado. ................................................................................. 15

 12. Map showing bituminous net coal thickness categories for the D coal zone 

of the coal unit, Upper Cretaceous Mesaverde Group, Deserado coal area, 

Lower White River coal field, Colorado .................................................................................. 16
 13. Map showing total net-coal thickness and overburden thickness categories 

for the coal unit, Upper Cretaceous Mesaverde Group, Deserado coal area, 

Lower White River coal field, Colorado .................................................................................. 17

Tables

 1. Locations of coal-exploration holes drilled by the U.S. Geological Survey, 

in 1976, Lower White River coal field, Colorado................................................................... N8

 2. Summary of coal quality data of coal from the Lower White coal field, Colorado.......... 17

 3. Summary of ash content and 36 elements in coal from the Lower White River 

coal field, Colorado..................................................................................................................... 18

 4. Identified total coal resources for the coal unit of the Upper Cretaceous 

Mesaverde Group, Deserado coal area, Lower White River coal field ............................ 19

 5. Identified coal resource for the B coal zone of the Upper Cretaceous 

Mesaverde Group, Deserado coal area, Lower White River coal field by 

county, coal ownership, and overburden............................................................................... 19

 6. Identified coal resources for the B coal zone of the Upper Cretaceous 

Mesaverde Group, Deserado coal area, Lower White River coal field by 

township, overburden, and net-coal thickness..................................................................... 20

 7. Identified coal resources for the B coal zone of the Upper Cretaceous 

Mesaverde Group, Deserado coal area, Lower White River coal field by 

overburden, net-coal thickness, and quadrangle................................................................. 21

 8. Identified coal resources for D coal zone of the Upper Cretaceous 

Mesaverde Group, Deserado coal area, Lower White River coal field by 

county, Federal non-Federal (State and private) ownership, and overburden ................ 21

 9. Identified coal resources for the D coal zone of the Upper Cretaceous 

Mesaverde Group, Deserado coal area, Lower White River coal field by 

overburden, net-coal thickness, and township..................................................................... 22

 10. Identified coal resources for the D coal zone Upper Cretaceous 

Mesaverde Group, Deserado coal area, Lower White River coal field by 

overburden, net-coal thickness, and quadrangle................................................................. 22

Metric Conversion Factors

[Data in this volume are reported in customary inch-pound units because the metric system is not currently 

in use by the coal industry of the United States. Readers wishing to convert measurements to the 

International System of units (SI) may use the following factors] 

U.S. customary unit SI conversion 

Acre = 4,046.87 square meters 

Acre-foot = 1,233.49 cubic meters 

British thermal unit (Btu) = 1,055.056 joules 

Btu/lb = 2,326 joules per kilogram 

Foot (ft) = 0.3048 meters 

Inch (in.) = 0.0254 meters 

Mile (mi) = 1.609 kilometers 

Pound (lb) = 0.4536 kilograms 

Short ton (ton) = 0.9072 metric tons 

Square miles (mi2) = 2.59 square kilometers 

Short ton/acre-foot = 0.7355 kilograms per cubic meter 
Abstract

The assessment of coal resources of the coal unit in the 

Lower White River coal fi eld, Moffat and Rio Blanco Counties, Colorado, is part of the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) 

“National Coal Resource Assessment” (NCRA) Project, a 

5-year program to identify and characterize coal deposits that 

could potentially provide fuel for the Nation’s coal-derived 

energy needs during the fi rst quarter of the 21st century. For 

this project, the Nation is divided into nine regions, one of 

which encompassed the Rocky Mountains and Colorado Plateau. One of the priority subareas for resource assessment 

in the Rocky Mountains and Colorado Plateau region is the 

Lower White coal fi eld that is located along the northern 

margin of the Piceance Basin.

Coal beds targeted in the Deserado coal area, Lower 

White River coal fi eld, are contained in the coal unit of the 

Upper Cretaceous Mesaverde Group. The coal beds in this unit 

are laterally discontinuous, are considered to be low sulfur 

(0.55 percent), and have an apparent rank of high-volatile 

C bituminous when compared to many other coal-bearing 

regions in the United States. The coal resources estimated for 

the Deserado area are only in the identifi ed resource category 

and represent the total net coal in beds greater than 1.2 ft 

thick.

The Deserado coal area contains an estimated coal 

resource of 440 million short tons of which more than 80 

percent of the total coal resource is contained in two coal 

zones. More than 97 percent of the total is federally owned. 

The coal resources estimated for the Deserado area do not 

include the area inside the Deserado coal leases nor do they 

refl ect economic, land-use, environmental, technological, and 

geologic constraints that may ultimately affect the availability 

and recovery of the coal. The amount of recoverable coal 

was not estimated in this study. Important factors affecting 

recoverability are (1) a signifi cant amount of the coal is found 

at depths greater than 1,000 ft and (2) many of the coal beds 

are in close proximity stratigraphically, which may restrict 

underground mining of some beds. Coal can be bypassed 

due to longwall mining methods related to reduced thickness 

from partings and splits. Currently, coal is being mined at the 

Deserado mine by longwall methods and is transported by rail 

line to the Deseret Generation and Transmission power plant 

in northeastern Utah.

Introduction

Purpose and Scope

The assessment of the distribution and resources of 

the coal in the Lower White River coal fi eld of northwest 

Colorado is part of the U.S. Geological Survey’s National 

Coal Resource Assessment (NCRA) Project, which was 

initiated in 1994. The primary goal of the NCRA project 

is to characterize the resource potential and quality of coal 

resources for areas in the United States that will be utilized 

for the next few decades. The Lower White River coal fi eld 

(fi g. 1), in Garfi eld, Moffat, and Rio Blanco Counties, is 

one of the priority areas within the Rocky Mountains and 

Colorado Plateau region. To restrict the resource assessment 

in the context of a 10- to 20-year development period, only 

coals in the northern part of the Lower White River coal 

fi eld the Upper Cretaceous Mesaverde Group were assessed 

for this study (fi gs. 2 and 3)—this area was designated the 

Deserado coal area. The coal unit of the Mesaverde Group 

contains many of the thickest and potentially economic coal 

beds in the Lower White River coal fi eld (fi gs. 4 and 5). 

Study areas were determined by analyzing current mining 

activity, coal ownership, and by discussions with the U.S. 

Bureau of Land Management (BLM). This study area was 

selected because it contains active mining, large amounts 

of federally administered lands, and has potential for future 

development. Mineral rights to more that 99 percent of coal 

within the study area are owned by the U.S. Government. 

One mine (Deserado mine) is presently operating in the study 

area and produces coal from the coal unit.

The assessment of the coal unit in the Lower White 

River coal fi eld is based largely on data derived from geologic 

Assessment of the Distribution and Resources of 

Coal in the Deserado Coal Area, Lower White River 

Coal Field, Northwest Colorado

By M.E. Brownfi eld, L.N.R. Roberts, E.A. Johnson, and T.J. Mercier

N1
mapping, outcrop measurements, and drilling conducted in the 

study area by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) since the 

early 1900’s. The coal resource data has been stored digitally 

and manipulated in a Geographic Information System to calculate coal resources within a variety of spatial parameters 

that were deemed useful for land-use planning and potential 

mining. The major coal deposits in the Lower White River coal 

fi eld are present in the coal unit of the Mesaverde Group (fi gs. 

2 and 4). Coal resources reported in this study are for total 

net coal and assessed coal zones in the coal of the Mesaverde 

Group and represent only a part of the total in-place coal for 

the Lower White River coal fi eld. The Deserado coal mine’s 

Federal and State coal leases were excluded in this study (fi g. 

3).

Location

The Lower White River coal fi eld is located in the northwest part of Colorado and occupies parts of Garfi eld, Moffat, 

and Rio Blanco counties (fi g. 1). The coal fi eld is located in the 

northern part of the Piceance Basin, which is part of the Uinta 

region of the Rocky Mountain Coal Province (Tully, 1996). In 

this study, the area of interest is restricted to the northern part 

of the Lower White River coal fi eld and is referred to as the 

Deserado coal area where there is active coal mining (fi g. 2). 

The Deserado coal area is located north of Rangely, Colo., and 

south of Dinosaur National Monument.

Previous Geologic Studies and Mining Activity

Since the early 1900’s the USGS has conducted investigations to study the geology and to assess the coal, oil and gas, 

and oil-shale resources in northwest Colorado. Gale (1910) 

was the fi rst to investigate the coal resources in northern part 

of the Lower White River coal fi eld. Cullins (1968, 1969, 

1971) conducted the fi rst detailed geologic investigations in 

the Lower White River. Detailed geologic mapping in the 

Deserado coal study area was completed by Barnum and Garrigues (1980) and Garrigues and Barnum (1980). Additional 

mapping in the Lower White River coal fi eld was conducted 

by Hail (1974), Hail and Barnum (1993), and Barnum and 

Hail (1996). 

During the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, several mines 

produced coal in the Lower White River coal fi eld for local 

Colorado

0 50 100 Miles

OURAY

MONTROSE

DELTA GUNNISON

MESA

PITKIN

EAGLE

ROUTT

GARFIELD

RIO BLANCO

MOFFAT

Piceance Basin

Yampa 

Danforth Hills

Lower White River

Dinosaur National 

Monument

Gateway Delta

Paonia

Crested Butte Somerset

Grand Junction

Grand Mesa

Marble 

Redstone

Collbran

Woody Creek

Basalt Carbondale Parachute

Rifle Glenwood Spring

New Castle Gypsum

Rio Blanco

Meeker

Rangely

Dinosaur Moffat



Figure 1. Location map for the Lower White River, Danforth Hills, and Yampa coal fi elds, northern Piceance Basin, Moffat, Rio 

Blanco, and Routt Counties, Colorado.

N2 Geologic Assessment of Coal in the Colorado Plateau: Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah
R. 101 W. R. 100 W. R. 99 W.

R. 98 W. R. 97 W.

R. 103 W. R. 102 W. R. 104 W.

T. 2 N.

T. 1 N.

T. 1 S.

T. 2 S.

T. 3 S.

T. 4 S.

T. 5 S.

T. 3 N.

T. 4 N.

T. 5 N.

Red Wash syncline

Rangely anticline

Staley Gorden mine

Rangely



Deserado

coal area

Rector mine



1 0 5 Miles

N

Alluvial deposits (Quaternary), Browns

Park, Green River, Wasatch, and Fort

Union Formations (Tertiary), and Mancos

Shale (Cretaceous)

Coal and upper units of the Mesaverde

Group, includes Williams Fork Formation

Lower unit of the Mesaverde Group,

includes Iles Formation

Includes the coal and upper units of the

Mesaverde Group, Wasatch Formation,

and Quaternary deposits

Faults - bar on downthrown side

Anticlines

Synclines

Undivided Quaternary, Tertiary, and Cretaceous

Upper Cretaceous

Deserado coal area

Coal mine

Map Explanation

Figure 2. Location map showing the Deserado coal area, Lower White River coal fi eld, Moffat, and Rio Blanco Counties, Colorado. Modifi ed 

after Barnum and Garrigues (1980), Garrigues and Barnum (1980), and Tweto (1979).

Assessment—Distribution, Resources of Coal, Deserado Coal Area, Lower White River Coal Field, Northwest Colo. N3
consumption (Gale, 1910). In addition to local heating uses, 

some of the coal was used to provide fuel for drilling wells in 

the early days of the Rangely oil fi eld. Gale (1910) sampled 

and reported analyses of coal from the Rector mine (fi g. 2), 

southwest of the Deserado coal study area. Within the study 

area, the Staley Gordon mine (fi g. 2) produced an unknown 

amount of coal from the main coal zone of the coal unit of the 

Mesaverde Group (fi g. 5).

Coal is currently mined in the Lower White River coal 

fi eld by underground methods at the Deserado mine, operated 

by Western Fuels, Inc. Coal is mined from two coal zones in 

the coal unit of the Mesaverde Group, then transported over 

a dedicated electric railroad to the Deseret Generation and 

Transmission power plant in northeastern Utah. Coal production averaged 1.44 million short tons per year from 1989 to 

1994 (Resource Data International, Inc., 1998). Future coal 

production in the Deserado mine will be limited to the coal 

unit and potential new mines in the Lower White River coal 

fi eld are expected to be located in the coal unit as well.

Methods

In order to assess the coal resources of the Lower White 

River coal fi eld, we created digital fi les for storing data on 

various geologic and other features such as outcrop lines, 

elevation data, coal thickness, faults, fold axes, and extent of 

Federal coal leases and mined-out areas within the study area. 

Drill-hole data have been stored and analyzed in a relational 

stratigraphic database and graphics software package (Stratifact, GRG Corporation, Denver, Colo., 1997). Digital fi les of 

the publicly available drill holes are provided in Appendix 1 

on disc 2 of this CD-ROM. Mean coal-zone thicknesses and 

elevation data, derived from the Stratifact drill-hole database, 

Deserado Coal Leases

Cactus Reservoir

quadrangle

Rangely NE

quadrangle

T. 3 N.

T. 3 N.

T. 2 N.

T. 2 N.

R. 102 W. R. 101 W. R. 100 W.

R. 102 W.

1 0 1 2 Miles

Moffat County

Rio Blanco County

LW-23-RN 

LW-22-RN 

County boundary

Quadrangle boundary

Map Explanation

Township boundary

Deserado coal area, includes the coal

and upper units of the Mesaverde Group,

Wasatch Formation, and Quaternary

deposits. Unit boundary drawn on the top

of the coal marker sands

U.S. Geological Survey coalexploration drill hole

C'

C

B

B'

LW-9A-RN 

LW-8-CR 

LW-7-CR 

LW-4-CR 

LW-24-CR 

LW-3-CR 

LW-2A-RN 

LW-26-RN 

LW-21-RN 

LW-1-CR 

LW-21-RN

Figure 3. Index map showing location of U.S. Geological Survey drill holes and cross sections (B, fi g. 7; C, fi g. 8) in the Deserado coal area, the 

outcrop of the coal marker sands, and the Deserado coal leases, Lower White River coal fi eld, Colorado.

N4 Geologic Assessment of Coal in the Colorado Plateau: Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah
Figure 4. Generalized regional cross section showing depositional environments for part of the Upper Cretaceous and Tertiary rocks in the 

Lower White River, Danforth Hills, and Yampa coal fi elds, northwest Colorado. Modifi ed after Brownfi eld and Johnson (1984). 

were integrated with digital elevation data to derive the B 

and D coal-zone outcrop lines (Roberts and others, chap. C, 

this CD-ROM). These outcrop lines were then used to defi ne 

assessment areas for the study. The drill-hole data were analyzed by USGS computer program (G.D. Stricker, written 

commun., 1998) to determine net-coal-bed thickness, after 

Wood and others (1983). The digital fi les were stored, analyzed, and manipulated in a Geographic Information System 

(GIS) using ARC/INFO (Environmental Systems Research 

Institute, Inc.) software. Gridding and subsequent generation 

of contour and isopach maps were done with EarthVision 

(Dynamic Graphics, Inc.) software, and the contours were 

converted to ARC/INFO coverages using custom programs 

ISMARC and Convert-ISM.AML (Roberts and others, 1998). 

This software integrated the various coverages, allowing us 

to calculate coal resources and characterize coal distribution 

within a variety of geologic and geographic parameters. The 

various digital coverages used in this report are available in 

the ArcView project in Appendix 2 of this report, and they are 

explained by Biewick and Mercier (chap. D, this CD-ROM). 

The methodology for reporting the estimated coal resources is 

from Wood and others (1983) and is described in more detail 

by Roberts and others (chap. C, this CD-ROM).

Geologic Maps

Digital geologic maps of the study area were generated 

using ARC/INFO coverages that included stratigraphic unit 

boundaries and elevations, faults, fold axes, and coal thick- Iles Fm. Iles Fm. Williams Fork Fm. Williams Fork Fm. Lewis Shale Lance Fm. Fort Union Fm. Fort Union Fm. Wasatch Fm. Wasatch Fm. Eocene Paleocene Upper Cretaceous Mancos Shale (part)

Fox Hills Sandstone

Lower White River coal field Danforth Hills coal field Western Yampa coal field 

Castlegate Ss.

of the Mesaverde Group

Mesaverde Group

coal unit

lower unit

upper unit

Upper Cretaceous Paleocene-Eocene

Fort Union Fm.

Black Diamond

coal group

Lower

coal group

Fairfield coal group

Goff coal group

Barren interval

Lion Canyon

Ss. Mbr.

Lion Canyon

coal group

Tow Creek Ss. Mbr.

Trout Creek Ss. Mbr.

Twentymile Ss. Mbr.

Mancos Shale (part)

lower coal group

middle coal group

upper coal group

marine shale

marine shale

Sego Ss.

Mancos

Sh. (part)

1000 Ft

Lewis Shale

Wasatch Fm.

(part)

? ?

West East

rimrock ss.

?

?

Lower White

River

Danforth

Hills

Yampa 

Inset

Line of

section

Alluvial, coastal plain, and mire

Upper shoreface 

and estuarine

Lower shoreface and 

offshore marine

Depositional environments

Buck Tongue of the

Mancos Shale

?

?

Assessment—Distribution, Resources of Coal, Deserado Coal Area, Lower White River Coal Field, Northwest Colo. N5
Figure 5. Generalized stratigraphic column showing depositional environments for a portion of the Upper Cretaceous 

rocks for the Deserado coal area, Lower White River coal fi eld, Colorado. Shown are the major divisions of the coal unit 

of the Mesaverde Group and the Western Fuels, Inc., coal-zone names. Coal beds and coal marker sands not drawn to 

scale. Modifi ed after Barnum and Garrigues (1980).

Sego Sandstone

Buck Tongue of the

Mancos Shale

Castlegate Sandstone

of the Mesaverde Group

Mancos Shale (part)

lower unit

coal unit

upper unit

upper coal unit

main coal zone 

lower coal unit

Mesaverde Group

Upper Cretaceous

Series Stratigraphic Units

coal marker ss

Meters

0

50

100

0

250

500

Feet

200

Alluvial, coastal plain,

and mire

Shoreface 

and estuarine

Offshore marine

Depositional environments

b

d

local

coal

a

h

e

g

i

f

N6 Geologic Assessment of Coal in the Colorado Plateau: Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah
nesses. Data from the 1:500,000-scale geologic map of Colorado (Tweto, 1979; Green, 1992) were used to generate digital regional maps of northwest Colorado (fi g. 2). The studyarea portion of Colorado geologic map was compiled from 

1:250,000-scale geologic maps (Tweto 1975, 1976; Rowley 

and others, 1979) and published at a scale of 1:500,000. The 

generalized geologic map for the Lower White River coal fi eld 

was compiled at a scale of 1:500,000 and was modifi ed using 

outcrop data from 1:24,000-scale geologic maps by Barnum 

and Garrigues (1980), Garrigues and Barnum (1980), and 

Barnum and Hail (1996). The 1:500,000-scale map was then 

reduced to the map shown on plate 1 (see fi g. A on pl. 1)

Geographical Boundaries

Geographical boundaries were imported as ARC/INFO 

coverages from existing public databases. Township boundaries were digitized from the Rangely NE and Cactus Reservoir 

7.5-minute quadrangles. Areas of surface and mineral ownership were obtained from 1:24,000-scale digital compilations 

completed by the Craig District Offi ce, BLM. County and 

State lines were obtained from 1:100,000-scale Topologically 

Interrogated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (TIGER) 

fi les produced by the U.S. Bureau of the Census in 1990. 

Surface topography was obtained from 1:24,000-scale Digital 

Elevation Model (DEM) fi les for the Rangely NE and Cactus 

Reservoir 7.5-minute quadrangles. Coal-lease boundaries and 

mine plan maps were obtained from the U.S. Bureau of Land 

Management and compiled digitally by the USGS.

Geophysical Logs

More than 225 borehole geophysical logs, supplied in part 

by the BLM, were used in this study. Table 1 lists information 

on 23 of the publicly available exploratory drill holes. Ten of 

these holes were drilled in 1976 by the U.S. Geological Survey 

in the Deserado coal area. Figure B on plate 1 shows drill 

hole locations with index numbers that are cross-referenced 

with the hole number in table 1. Data on the other drill 

holes in the Lower White River coal fi eld are proprietary 

and were obtained over a 25-year drilling period by several 

different operators and organizations, commonly at different 

scales. Coal and other lithologic units are readily identifi ed on 

the geophysical logs because good natural gamma and density 

traces are recorded on them. The log quality allowed unit 

boundaries generally to be picked to the nearest one-half foot. 

A few of the older, lower quality logs allowed interpretations 

to the nearest foot, but a few of the most recent, well-calibrated 

logs allowed unit picks to the nearest one-tenth of a foot.

As in most coal studies, the degree of certainty in establishing coal-bed correlations varies with distance between control points (the higher the drilling density, the better the correlation), local stratigraphy, presence or absence of stratigraphic 

markers, and log quality. Although correlations of individual 

coal beds should generally be regarded as indications of stratigraphic position within coal zones, the lithologic and stratigraphic log interpretations resulting from the present study 

are considered to refl ect an accurate representation of the 

stratigraphic framework of coal beds that exist within the 

Deserado coal area. 

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Janet Hook, Craig District Offi ce, 

BLM for supplying geophysical logs of coal exploration drill 

holes and maps showing active and inactive coal leases, and 

Matt McMcolm of the Colorado State Offi ce of the BLM 

for confi rming the lease maps. We want to gratefully acknowledge Bruce Barnum (Sage Discovery, Golden, Colo.) for his 

geologic data and valuable discussions on the study area. We 

also would like to thank USGS employees Ron Affolter for 

contributing coal quality data, Laura Biewick for providing 

GIS support, Dorsey Blake for computer programming support, and Gary Stricker for computer programming support. 

USGS contract employees Tim Gognat, Al Heinrich, Jon 

Haacke, and Marin Popov are acknowledged for their technical support with drill-hole databases and computer graphics. 

In addition, we would like to thank USGS employees Mark 

Kirschbaum and Edwin Landis for their peer reviews of the 

manuscript, and Rick Scott for his editorial work.

Geologic Setting

Stratigraphy of the Cretaceous and Tertiary 

Strata of the Lower White River Coal Field

A generalized geologic map of the Lower White coal 

fi eld is shown in fi gure A on plate 1. A generalized stratigraphic column for a portion of the Upper Cretaceous rocks 

of northwest Colorado including the Lower White River coal 

fi eld is shown in fi gure 4, and a columnar section for the 

Deserado coal area is shown in fi gure 5. The Lower and Upper 

Cretaceous Mancos Shale has a maximum thickness of 5,100 

ft within and adjacent to the Lower White River coal fi eld and 

outcrops north and south of the Deserado coal area and north 

and west of Rangely, Colo. (fi g. A on pl. 1 and fi g. 2). Only 

the upper part of the unit is shown in the stratigraphic columns. 

All the coal-bearing units considered in this study are included 

in the Mesaverde Group of Late Cretaceous age. Within the 

Deserado coal area, the Mesaverde Group is approximately 

5,000 ft thick and is composed of a thick succession of mostly 

nonmarine rocks that overlie the marine Mancos Shale. The 

Mesaverde Group has been divided into three informal formation-equivalent stratigraphic units (fi g. 5) by the U.S. Geological Survey (Barnum and Garrigues, 1980). These three units 

are designated the lower unit, coal unit, and upper unit (fi g. 

Assessment—Distribution, Resources of Coal, Deserado Coal Area, Lower White River Coal Field, Northwest Colo. N7
Table 1. Locations of coal-exploration holes drilled by the U.S. Geological Survey, in 1976, in the Lower 

White River coal field. 

[Also shown for the holes are surface elevations, depth drilled, and depth logged. All measurements are in feet; to 

convert feet to meters, multiply by 0.3048] 

Drill hole no. Location Surface elevation Depth drilled Depth logged 

LW-1-CR SE1/4SE1/4SE1/4 sec. 15, 

T.3 N., R. 101 W. 

5,700 300 290 

LW-3-CR NE1/4NE1/4SW1/4 sec. 33, 

T.3 N., R. 101 W. 

5,800 520 519 

LW-4-CR SW1/4SE1/4NE1/4 sec. 34, 

T.3 N., R. 101 W. 

5,710 1,120 1,115 

LW- 7-CR NW1/4SW1/4NW1/4 sec. 18, 

T.2 N., R. 100 W. 

5,630 920 918 

LW-8-CR NW1/4SE1/4NW1/4 sec. 19, 

T. 2 N., R. 100 W. 

5,830 940 925 

LW-24-CR SW1/4SE1/4NE1/4 sec. 11, 

T. 2 N., R. 101 W. 

5,330 280 279 

LW-12-GD SE1/4NW1/4SE1/4 sec. 31, 

T. 2 N., R. 100 W. 

6,150 640 614 

LW-13-GD NW1/4SE1/4NE1/4 sec. 7, 

T. 1 N., R. 100 W. 

5,900 620 610 

LW-14-GD SW1/4NE1/4SW1/4 sec. 1, 

T. 1 N., R. 101 W. 

6,530 500 500 

LW-15-GD NE1/4NW1/4NW1/4 sec. 11, 

T. 1 N., R. 101W. 

6,420 380 380 

LW-16-GD SW1/4NE1/4NW1/4 sec. 14, 

T. 1 N., R. 101 W. 

5,700 420 420 

LW-17-GD SW1/4SW1/4NW1/4 sec. 16, 

T. 1 N., R. 101 W 

5,840 260 256 

LW-18-GD NE1/4SE1/4NE1/4 sec. 20, 

T. 1 N., R. 101 W. 

5,964 460 459 

LW-18B-GD NE1/4SE1/4SW1/4 sec. 21, 

T. 1 N., R. 101 W. 

5,910 400 393 

LW-19-GD NW1/4NE1/4NE1/4 sec. 32, 

T. 1 N., R. 101 W. 

6,020 480 476 

LW-25-GD SW1/4SW1/4NW1/4 sec. 30, 

T. 2 N., R. 100 W. 

6,090 640 636 

LW-2A-RN NW1/4NW1/4NW1/4 sec. 6, 

T. 2 N., R. 101 W. 

6,365 400 400 

LW-9A-RN NW1/4NW1/4NW1/4 sec. 25, 

T. 3 N., R. 102 W. 

6,005 400 366 

LW-21-RN SW1/4SE1/4SW1/4 sec. 15, 

T. 3 N., R. 102 W 

6,051 400 400 

LW-22-RN NE1/4NW1/4NW1/4 sec. 14, 

T. 3 N., R. 102 W. 

6,073 360 350 

LW-23-RN NE1/4NW1/4NW1/4 sec. 18, 

T. 3 N., R. 101 W. 

5,815 320 318 

LW-26-RN SE1/4NE1/4NE1/4 sec. 36, 

T. 3 N., R. 102 W. 

6,174 400 397 

LW-10-DC SE1/4SE1/4SE1/4 sec. 21, 

T. 3 N. R. 100 W. 

5,950 480 445 

N8 Geologic Assessment of Coal in the Colorado Plateau: Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah
5). The lower unit is roughly equivalent to the Iles Formation 

of the Danforth Hills coal fi eld, about 60 mi to the east of the 

study area, and averages 690 ft in thickness. The top of the 

lower coal unit is marked by persistent sandstone beds mapped 

as the “coal marker sands” by Barnum and Garrigues (1980). 

The coal unit and upper unit are generally equivalent to the 

Williams Fork Formation of the Danforth Hills and average 

about 2,130 ft in thickness (fi g. 4). The coal unit was informally subdivided into the lower and upper coal units and the 

main coal zone (fi g. 5) by Barnum and Garrigues (1980).

Overlying the Cretaceous Mesaverde Group within the 

Deserado coal area is a Tertiary section of fl uvial and lacustrine rocks assigned to the Fort Union(?) and Wasatch Formations of Paleocene and Eocene age (fi g. 4). This section 

has been divided into the lower member and the main body 

of the Wasatch Formation by Barnum and Garrigues (1980). 

The lower member consists of shale; mudstone; thin, persistent, light-brown sandstone interbeds; carbonaceous shale with 

coaly lenses; and local lenses of brown clay-pebble conglomerate. Locally, a white, massive, clay-cemented basal sandstone, possibly equivalent to the Ohio Creek Formation, is 

present (Barnum and Garrigues, 1980). The lower member is 

about 360 ft thick and is probably at least partially correlative 

with the Fort Union Formation about 10 mi east of the study 

area (Hail, 1974; Hail and Barnum, 1993). Approximately 980 

ft of the main body is exposed in the study area. The main 

body consists of lacustrine shale and claystone and sandstone 

interbeds. The Eocene Green River and Miocene Browns Park 

Formations were mapped east of the Deserado coal area by 

Hail (1974) and Hail and Barnum (1993). Quaternary deposits 

consisting of alluvium, colluvium, and terrace gravels are also 

present throughout the coal fi eld. 

The Deserado coal area includes the coal marker sands, 

rocks of main coal zone, upper coal unit of the coal unit, upper 

unit of the Upper Cretaceous Mesaverde Group, the main body 

and lower member of the Wasatch Formation, and Quaternary 

deposits. The northern, southern, and western boundaries of 

the Deserado coal area were drawn on the top of the coal 

marker sands. The eastern boundary was drawn the base of 

the Tertiary rocks, and the southeastern boundary was drawn 

at the contact between the Upper Cretaceous rocks and the 

Quaternary deposits.

Structure

The Lower White River coal fi eld lies on the northern 

margin of the Piceance Basin south of Dinosaur National 

Monument (fi g. 1). The Deserado coal area lies on the northeast fl ank of the Rangely anticline (fi g. A on pl. 1 and fi g. 

1 0 1 2 Miles

County boundary

Quadrangle boundary

Map Explanation

Township boundary

Structure contour, contour

interval 200 feet, drawn on the top

of the coal marker sands

6400

Deserado coal area, includes the coal and upper

units of the Mesaverde Group, Wasatch Formation,

and Quaternary deposits. Unit boundary drawn on

the top of the coal marker sands 

R. 102 W. 

R 101 W. R 100 W. R. 102 W. T. 2 N. T. 2 N. 

T. 3 N. 

T. 3 N. 

Rangley NE

quadrangle

Cactus Reservoir

quadrangle

Rio Blanco County

Moffat County

5600

6400

6200

6000

5800

5600 5800

5400

5200

5000

4800

4600

4400

3800

4000

4200

Red Wash syncline

Figure 6. Structure contour map drawn on the top of the coal marker sands, coal unit, Upper Cretaceous Mesaverde Group, Deserado coal 

area, Lower White River coal fi eld, Colorado. Modifi ed after Barnum and Garrigues (1980) and Garrigues and Barnum (1980).

Assessment—Distribution, Resources of Coal, Deserado Coal Area, Lower White River Coal Field, Northwest Colo. N9
2). The axis of the Red Wash syncline passes through the 

northern part of the coal area (fi g. A on pl. 1 and fi g 2). 

A structure map drawn on the top of the coal marker sands 

(fi g. 6) was constructed using data from geophysical logs (Garrigues, 1976) and outcrop data from 7.5-minute quadrangle 

geologic maps (Barnum and Garrigues, 1980; Garrigues and 

Barnum, 1980). The coal-bearing units in the study area dip 

regularly to the northeast between 5 and 9 degrees through 

most of the southern part of the area (fi g. 6). At the northeastern margin of the coal area, north of the axis of the Red Wash 

syncline, the rock units dip more steeply to the south. No 

signifi cant faulting is known to occur in the study area.

Coal Geology of the 

Deserado Coal Area

Stratigraphy

The coal unit (fi g. 5) of the Mesaverde Group (Barnum 

and Garrigues, 1980) in the Lower White River coal fi eld 

(fi g. A on pl. 1) ranges in thickness from 300 to 600 ft and 

is divided into three informal subunits (B.E. Barnum, U.S. 

Bureau of Land Management, written commun., 1988). Within 

the Deserado coal area, the coal unit averages about 490 ft 

thick. The subunits are, in ascending order, the lower coal unit, 

the main coal zone, and upper coal unit. These three subunits 

were used as regional zones to help with the correlation of 

stratigraphic units obtained from geophysical logs in the study 

area.

The lower coal unit (fi g. A on pl. 1 and fi g. 5) averages 

about 150 ft thick, but the complete unit is rarely penetrated 

in the drill holes studied. The lower coal unit is predominately 

a transitional unit between the lower unit of the Mesaverde 

Group (fi g. 5), which is dominated by thick, fl uvial, channel-sandstone successions, and the overlying main coal zone, 

which was deposited in a coastal-plain environment. The lower 

coal unit consists primarily of mudstone and shale with interbedded fi ne-grained sandstone and was deposited in a coastalplain environment. Thin lenticular coals occur throughout the 

lower coal unit and are more locally persistent near the top 

of the subunit.

The uppermost part of the lower coal unit is marked by 

an interval containing from one to three thin but persistent 

ledges of white, planar-bedded, ripple-marked, fi ne-grained to 

very fi ne grained, well-sorted sandstone that contain abundant 

carbonaceous fragments. Gale (1910) fi rst mapped these persistent sandstones, which he called the “white rock unit,” and 

stated that they marked the base of the minable coals. These 

sandstone ledges were mapped as the “coal marker” sands (fi g. 

5) by Barnum and Garrigues (1980), and they can usually be 

identifi ed on geophysical logs (fi g. C on pl. 1, and fi gs. 7 and 

8). The coal marker sands are an important regional marker 

within the Lower White River coal fi eld. The sands of the 

coal-marker are interpreted to represent deposition in a lowenergy beach environment, probably a lagoonal beach behind 

an active barrier-island system. The coal marker sands range in 

thickness from 0 to 35 ft.

The main coal zone of the coal unit (fi g. C on pl. 1 and 

fi g. 5) contains all of the thicker and economically important 

coal beds in the Deserado coal area. Data from drill holes 

and geologic mapping indicate that the main coal zone averages about 160 ft thick and is predominantly composed of 

mudstone, sandstone, and coal deposited in a coastal-plain 

environment. The thicker and more persistent coal beds occur 

in the lower part of the zone. The coals present in the upper 

part of the zone tend to be thin and lenticular. The lower part 

of the main coal zone contains two thin units consisting of 

altered ash-fall tuff. When exposed on the surface or observed 

in drill core, the unit is a white to grayish white, structureless, 

claystone. In the subsurface, these tonstein units were used as 

marker beds when correlating drill hole geophysical logs. The 

main coal zone appears to represent one period of nearshore 

deposition favorable to coal formation. The environment of 

deposition became progressively less favorable for coal formation as the shoreline retreated eastward. The main coal zone 

is equivalent to the lower part of the Fairfi eld coal group 

of the Williams Fork Formation in the Danforth Hills coal fi eld 

(Hancock and Eby, 1930; Brownfi eld and others, chap. M, this 

CD-ROM). It is correlated to the Cameo-Wheeler coal zone 

in the southern part of the Piceance Basin, to the WheelerFairfi eld coal zone along the southern part of the Grand Hogback (Hettinger and others, chap. O, this CD-ROM), and to the 

Fairfi eld coal group of Collins (1976) along the northern part 

of the Grand Hogback.

The upper coal unit averages about 180 ft thick in the 

study-area drill holes, although the thickness varies considerably. This unit represents a transition from coastal to a fl uvial 

environment of deposition similar to the lower coal unit. Coal 

is present throughout the upper coal unit, but the coals are 

generally thin and lenticular. One persistent coal bed, which 

is as thick as 5 ft, occurs near the top of the unit and may 

represent the landward vestige of a second period of nearshore 

coal deposition. If so, this part of the stratigraphic section 

could be expected to contain a second major coal zone a few 

miles east of the study area.

Coal Distribution

In the Deserado coal area, the coal unit of the Mesaverde 

Group has been subdivided into nine coal zones, eight of which 

are shown in fi gure 5. Western Fuels, Inc. has named these coal 

zones A, lower B, upper B (includes C), D, E, F, G, H, and I in 

ascending order within the Deserado mine area (B.E. Barnum, 

U.S. Bureau of Land Management, written commun., 1988). 

Coal zone A is below and coal zones lower B through I are 

above the coal marker sands. For this report, lower B, upper B, 

and C were combined as the B coal zone (fi g. 5).

Although nine coal zones have been recognized in the 

N10 Geologic Assessment of Coal in the Colorado Plateau: Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah
coal unit, most coal resources in the Deserado coal area are 

contained within two coal zones, the B and D, respectively. 

The B and D zones occur in the lower part of the main coal 

zone just above the coal marker sands (fi g. C on pl. 1 and fi gs. 

5, 7, and 8). The B coal zone rests directly on the coal marker 

sands, contains one to three coal beds, and averages about 55 ft 

thick. The top of the B coal zone contains a volcanic-ash unit 

that can be traced throughout the study area and was used to 

correlate the major coal zones. The base of the D coal zone is 

approximately 55 ft above the coal marker sands. The D zone 

contains as many as two beds and averages about 30 ft thick. 

The net-coal thickness and overburden (fi g. 9) and the 

coal-thickness-categories (fi g. 11) maps of the B coal zone 

display a thinning of the total coal to the east, with a thickening to the west within the Deserado coal area. The thickest net 

coal in the B zone is found in the center of the study area south 

of the axis of the Red Wash syncline and in the western part 

of the study area. The net-coal thickness and overburden (fi g. 

10) and the net-coal-thickness-categories (fi g. 12) maps of the 

D coal zone display a thinning of the total coal to the north 

and a thickening to the east and west. The variability in coalzone thickness within the study area is due in part to the 

lenticularity and number of beds within each coal zone.

Coal Quality

Gale (1910) reported coal-analysis data from the Rector 

mine in the southeastern part of the Deserado coal area. The 

calorifi c value ranged from 11,080 to 11,490 Btu/lb, sulfur 

content from 0.4 to 0.46 percent, and ash yield from 5.53 to 

8.06 percent on an as-received basis. The apparent rank of the 

LW-22-RN LW-21-RN LW-9A-RN LW-26-RN LW-2A-RN

B (North) B' (South)

Depth 79.5 ft. Depth 126 ft

0.9 miles

Depth 100 ft.

1.2 miles 2.1 miles

Depth 110 ft.

NG Density

D zone

D zone

A zone

B zone

B zone

1.4 miles

NG Density

TD 360 TD 400 TD 400 TD 400 TD 400

20 ft.

0

2.5

3.5

5.5

3.0

3.0

5.0

5.5

3.0

6.5

3.0

2.0

2.5

3.0

11.0

4.0

8.5

coal marker sands

2.0

Depth 120

Figure 7. Cross section B-B’ (fi g. 3) showing a portion of selected geophysical log traces (natural gamma (NG) and gamma-gamma density) and 

lithologic units of B and D coal zones and the coal marker sands for selected exploratory bore holes, Deserado coal area, Lower White River 

coal fi eld, Colorado. Location of cross section shown in fi gure 3. Coal beds shown in black; coal marker sands in stippled yellow. Total depth (TD) 

shown at bottom of column (in feet), depth of upper limit of selection shown at top of the column. Thickness of coal beds shown in feet.

Assessment—Distribution, Resources of Coal, Deserado Coal Area, Lower White River Coal Field, Northwest Colo. N11
coal was determined to be high-volatile C bituminous. Hildebrand and Garrigues (1981) reported proximate and ultimate 

data on nine coal samples from the Lower White River coal 

fi eld. The coal has a average heat of combustion of 10,490 

Btu/lb, moisture content of 10.4 percent, a sulfur content of 

0.5 percent, and an ash yield of 13.0 percent on an as-received 

basis. The apparent rank for nine samples from the Lower 

White River coal fi eld was determined to be high-volatile C 

bituminous, and the calculated mean calorifi c value (moist, 

mineral-matter-free basis) is 12,210 Btu/lb. The apparent rank 

was calculated using the Parr formula (American Society for 

Testing and Materials, 1997, D388).

In the present study, the 13 coal samples listed (table 

2) from the Deserado coal area of the Lower White River 

20 ft.

0

2.0

3.5

2.0

6.0

3.0

4.0

3.5

7.0

9.5

4.0

4.0

2.5

7.0

7.5

2.5

4.5

6.0

3.0

3.5

1.5

2.5

2.0

2.0

C (North)

LW-1-CR

LW-4-CR LW-24-CR LW-7-CR

C' (South)

LW-8-CR

2.5 Miles 2.1 miles 1.7 miles

1.1 miles

A zone

B zone

D zone

D zone

B zone

coal marker sands

TD 300 TD 1,220 TD 280 TD 920 TD 940

2.0

A zone

Depth 69.5 ft.

Depth 723 ft.

Depth 61 ft.

Depth 732 ft.

Depth 667.5 ft.

NG Density

NG Density

Figure 8. Cross section C-C’ (fi g. 3) showing a portion of selected geophysical log traces (natural gamma (NG) and gamma-gamma 

density) and lithologic units of B and D coal zones and the coal marker sands for selected exploratory bore holes, Deserado coal area, 

Lower White River coal fi eld, Colorado. Location of cross section shown in fi gure 3. Coal beds shown in black; coal marker sands in 

stippled yellow. Total depth (TD) shown at bottom of column (in feet), depth of upper limit of selection shown at top of the column. 

Thickness of coal beds shown in feet.

N12 Geologic Assessment of Coal in the Colorado Plateau: Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah
coal fi eld were determined to be high-volatile C bituminous in 

apparent rank. Two samples were collected at outcrops and the 

rest were from drill cores within the Lower White River coal 

fi eld and the B and D zones in the Deserado coal area. The 

coal has a average calorifi c value of 10,090 Btu/lb, a sulfur 

content of 0.55 percent, and an ash yield of 11.6 percent on an 

as-received basis. Ranges in values for proximate and ultimate 

analyses are given in table 2. Means and ranges of selected 

trace-element data for 17 coal samples from the Lower White 

River coal fi eld and the B and D zones of the Deserado coal 

area are given in table 3 on a whole-coal basis. The methods 

for sampling and inorganic analysis of coal used to determine 

the element contents listed are discussed in Golightly and 

Simon (1989).

Methodology

Digital fi les or coverages of various geologic and other 

features such as outcrop lines, elevation data, coal thickness, 

faults, fold axes, Federal coal leases, and mined-out areas were 

created within the study area. The coal benches and parting 

thicknesses were determined from geophysical logs using the 

natural gamma and density traces. Coal-bed thicknesses from 

the log traces are calculated using a USGS program (G.D. 

Stricker, written commun., 1998) that follows the methodology 

of Wood and others (1983) and excludes bituminous coal beds 

less than 1.2 ft thick. The total net-coal thickness values for 

each zone were used in the resource calculations (see Roberts 

and others, chap. C, this CD-ROM).

Coal resources for the Deserado coal area are reported 

in the identifi ed resource category (Wood and others, 1979). 

Identifi ed resources are located within a 3-mile radius of a 

data point and include the reliability categories of measured, 

indicated, and inferred. The measured resource category has 

the highest degree of geologic assurance and is located within 

a 0.25-mile radius of a data point. The indicated resource 

category has a more moderate degree of geologic assurance 

and is located within an area bounded by a 0.25- to 0.75-mile 

radius from a data point. The inferred resource category has 

a lower degree of geologic assurance and is located within 

an area bounded by a 0.75- to 3-mile radius from a data 

point. Coal resources estimated in this study do not include 

1000

1000

500

500

500

15

15

10

10

5

10

10

10 5

5

5

5

10

10

10

5

5

5

5

10 10

10

15

5

15 15

10

5

10

Deserado Coal Leases

T. 2 N.

T. 3 N. T. 2 N.

R. 102 W. R. 101 W.

R. 102 W.

R. 100 W.

1 0 1 2 Miles

County boundary

Quadrangle boundary

Map Explanation

Township boundary

0 to 500 feet

500 to 1000 feet

Greater than 1000 feet

Overburden categories

10 Total net-coal thickness,

 contour interval 5 feet

Rangley NE

quadrangle

Cactus Reservoir

quadrangle

Rio Blanco County

Moffat County

Figure 9. Map showing total net-coal thickness and overburden thickness categories for the B coal zone, Upper Cretaceous Mesaverde Group, 

Deserado coal area, Lower White River coal fi eld, Colorado. Data not shown for Deserado coal leases.

Assessment—Distribution, Resources of Coal, Deserado Coal Area, Lower White River Coal Field, Northwest Colo. N13
the area inside the Deserado mine Federal and State coal 

leases. Estimated coal resource tonnages were rounded to two 

signifi cant fi gures. Therefore, totals may not equal the sum of 

individual categories because of independent rounding.

Estimates of coal resource tonnages for the B and D 

coal zones are based on the methodology of Wood and others 

(1983), which uses a mean density of 1.32 g/cm3 or 1,800 

short tons/acre-ft for bituminous coal. Also, following this 

methodology (1) calculations were made for the 0–500 ft, 

500–1,000 ft, and > 1,000 ft overburden categories by integrating the overburden maps, net-coal isopach maps, and the areal 

extent of each zone (fi gs. 9 and 10)and (2) isopach maps that 

show total net coal in the thickness categories of 1.2–2.3, 

2.3–3.5, 3.5–7.0, 7.0–14.0, and greater than 14.0 ft were constructed for each of the two coal zones in the coal unit (fi gs. 

11 and 12).

The maximum overburden for the B and D coal zones 

was determined by integrating structure contours drawn on 

the top of the coal marker sands of coal unit (fi g. 5), basal 

elevations for each coal zone, and surface elevations imported 

from 1:24,000 Digital Elevation Models for the quadrangles 

within the Deserado coal area (fi g. 3). The areal extent of 

each zone was determined by integrating structure contours 

drawn on top of the coal marker sands, the mean base elevation 

for each zone above the coal marker sands, and the Digital 

Elevation Models for the quadrangles to determine a zero 

overburden line. The zero overburden line is equivalent to a 

basal crop line for the coal zone (see Roberts and others, chap. 

C, this CD-ROM).

Coal Resources

Landis (1959) reported an estimated original coal 

resource on an individual bed basis of 7.0 billion short tons 

to an overburden depth of 3,000 ft for the Lower White River 

coal fi eld (553 mi2). Hornbaker and others (1976) reported an 

estimated original coal resource of 11.8 billion short tons to 

an overburden depth of 6,000 ft for the Lower White River 

coal fi eld.

Based on data derived from the present study, coal 

resources of about 440 million short tons (table 4) in the identifi ed resource reliability category (Wood and others, 1983) are 

1000

500

500

1000

5

5

10

10

10

15

15

10

5

5

5

5 5

5

5

5

10

5

10

10

10

5

10

T. 3 N. T. 2 N.

T. 3 N.

T. 3 N.

Rangley NE

Quadrangle

Cactus Reservoir

Quadrangle

Rio Blanco County

Moffat County

1 0 1 2 Miles

R. 102 W. 

R. 102 W. 

R. 101 W. R. 100 W.

County boundary

Quadrangle boundary

Map Explanation

Township boundary

0 to 500 feet

500 to 1000 feet

Greater than 1000 feet

Overburden categories

Total net-coal thickness,

contou interval 5 feet

Deserado Coal Leases

Figure 10. Map showing total net-coal thickness and overburden thickness categories for the D coal zone, Upper Cretaceous Mesaverde 

Group, Deserado coal area, Lower White River coal fi eld, Colorado. Data not shown for Deserado coal leases.

N14 Geologic Assessment of Coal in the Colorado Plateau: Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah
estimated for the coal unit in the Deserado coal area. This 

estimate includes all coal beds greater than 1.2 ft thick to an 

overburden depth of more than 1,500 ft. The total net-coal 

thickness map (fi g. 13) and cross sections (fi g. C on pl. 1 and 

fi gs. 7 and 8) demonstrate the variability in coal accumulation 

within the coal unit of the Mesaverde Group in the Deserado 

coal area. The total net-coal thicknesses range from less than 

5 ft to more than 35 ft thick, and the number of coal beds 

varies from 1 to 10. The calculated total coal resources are 

shown for various categories (coal and overburden thickness; 

resource type, county, township, and quadrangle location; coal 

ownership) in table 4, and coal resources for the B and D coal 

zones are shown in tables 5–10. More than 97 percent of the 

coal in the coal unit in the Deserado coal area is federally 

owned, with more than 90 percent administrated by the U.S. 

Bureau of Land Management. More than 77 percent of the 

total coal is found within the 1,000-ft overburden category 

(250 million short tons), with more than 57 percent within the 

500-ft overburden category (250 million short tons). More than 

84 percent of the total coal resource is contained in the B and 

D coal zones in the main coal zone, 220 and 150 million short 

tons, respectively. The coal resources estimated for this study 

do not include the area inside the Deserado coal leases.

Although the Deserado coal area contains estimated 

original resources of 440 million short tons of coal, this 

resource fi gure does not refl ect economic, land-use, environmental, technological, and geologic constraints that may affect 

coal availability and recoverability (T.J. Rohrbacher, written 

commun., 1998). Some of the economic constraints involve 

costs to build or move infrastructures such as railroads, highways, and primary electrical transmission lines. Environmental 

restrictions include river valleys, towns and communities, 

wildlife habitat, and air-quality issues. Geologic constraints 

include faulting, coal-bed thickness, and the dip of the strata. 

Any combination of these constraints and (or) restrictions can 

reduce the amount of coal that is available and recoverable 

to 10 to 20 percent of the original resource (Rohrbacher and 

others, 1994).

Within the Deserado coal area, the recoverable coal will 

be restricted because the two assessed coal zones (B and 

1.2-2.3

2.3-3.5

3.5-7.0

7.0-14.0

>14.0

Net-coal thickness categories

1012 Miles

County boundary

Quadrangle boundary

Map Explanation

Township boundary

Deserado Coal Leases

Cactus Reservoir

quadrangle

Rangely NE

quadrangle

T. 2 N. T. 3 N.

T. 3 N.

T. 2 N.

R. 102 W. R. 100 W.

R. 102 W.

R. 101 W.

Moffat County

Rio Blanco County

Figure 11. Map showing bituminous net-coal thickness categories for the B coal zone, Deserado coal area, Upper Cretaceous Mesaverde 

Group, Lower White River coal fi eld, Colorado. Thickness categories from Wood and other (1983). Data not shown for Deserado coal leases.

Assessment—Distribution, Resources of Coal, Deserado Coal Area, Lower White River Coal Field, Northwest Colo. N15
D) are too close together. Longwall mining methods causes 

controlled collapsing of overburden, including coal beds, thus 

reducing the amount of recoverable coal. The thickness of the 

partings and splits can also limit the recovery of the coal being 

mined. Mining techniques can reduce the original resource: for 

example, longwall methods can restrict the recovery of thick 

beds where mining equipment is engineered for a limited range 

of coal-bed thicknesses, normally less than 14 ft. Currently the 

Deserado mine is producing coal by longwall methods from 

Deserado Coal Leases

Cactus Reservoir

quadrangle

Rangely NE

quadrangle

T. 3 N.

T. 2 N.

T. 3 N. T. 2 N.

R. 102 W. R. 100 W.

R. 102 W.

R. 101 W.

Moffat County

Rio Blanco County

1 0 1 2 Miles

1.2-2.3

2.3-3.5

3.5-7.0

7.0-14.0

Net-coal thickness categories

County boundary

Quadrangle boundary

Map Explanation

Township boundary

Figure 12. Map showing bituminous net-coal thickness categories for the D coal zone, Deserado coal area, Upper Cretaceous Mesaverde 

Group, Lower White River coal fi eld, Colorado. Thickness categories from Wood and other (1983). Data not shown for Deserado coal leases.

both B and D zones within the mine property at different 

times. Once the coal is produced from either the B or D zone, 

the other zone is removed from the resource base because 

of the current mining process. Future mining in the Lower 

White River coal fi eld will most likely be restricted to the areas 

adjacent to the Deserado mine and its rail line. Although the 

factors just discussed will reduce the amount of coal that can 

ultimately be recovered, we did not estimate the tonnages that 

might be affected.

References Cited begins on page 23

N16 Geologic Assessment of Coal in the Colorado Plateau: Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah
1 0 1 2 Miles

1000

1000

500

500

500

0 to 500 feet

500 to 1000 feet

Greater than 1000 feet

Overburden categories

15

20

10

5

15

15

15 10

10

20

25

20

20

15

15

15

10

20 25 30

30 30

25

30 35

15

20

25

30

15

15

20 10 15 10

10

Deserado Coal Leases

T. 2 N.

R. 101 W. R. 100 W.

T. 2 N.

T. 3 N.

T. 3 N.

Rangley NE

quadrangle

Cactus Reservoir

quadrangle

R. 102 W.

R. 102 W.

Rio Blanco County

Moffat County

County boundary

Quadrangle boundary

Map Explanation

Township boundary

10 Total net-coal thickness,

contour interval 5 feet

Figure 13. Map showing total net-coal thickness and overburden thickness categories for the coal unit, Upper 

Cretaceous Mesaverde Group, Deserado coal area, Lower White River coal fi eld, Colorado. Data not shown for 

Deserado coal leases.

Table 2. Number of samples, range, arithmetic mean, and standard deviation of proximate and ultimate analyses, 

calorific value, forms of sulfur, and ash-fusion temperatures of coal from the Lower White coal field, Colorado. 

[All values are in percent except Btu/lb and ash-fusion temperatures, and are reported on the as-received basis] 

 Number of Range Arithmetic Standard 

 samples Minimum Maximum mean deviation 

Proximate and ultimate analyses 

Moisture 13 6.7 22.3 12.02 5.17 

Volatile matter 13 29.6 36.8 33.39 2.2 

Fixed carbon 13 35.6 51.13 42.95 5.69 

Ash 13 4.08 23.9 11.64 5.31 

Hydrogen 13 4.5 5.6 5.28 0.28 

Carbon 13 44.8 66.9 58.22 7.39 

Nitrogen 13 1 1.4 1.27 0.12 

Oxygen 13 17.7 36.6 23.04 6.34 

Sulfur 13 0.4 1.11 0.55 0.19 

Calorific value, Btu/lb 

Btu/lb 13 7,240 11,720 10,090 1,490 

Forms of sulfur 

Sulfate 12 0.01 0.05 0.02 0.01 

Pyritic 13 0.01 0.43 0.18 0.13 

Organic 13 0.11 0.63 0.34 0.15 

Ash-fusion temperatures, °F 

Initial deformation 13 2,215 2,855 2,595 235 

Softening temperature 13 2,305 2,910 2,660 200 

Fluid temperature 13 2,415 2,910 2,710 170 

Assessment—Distribution, Resources of Coal, Deserado Coal Area, Lower White River Coal Field, Northwest Colo. N17
Table 3. Number of samples, range, arithmetic mean, and standard deviation of ash and 39 elements in coal from 

the Lower White River coal field, Colorado. 

[All analyses are in percent or parts per million and are reported on a whole coal basis. L, less than value shown] 

 Number of Range Arithmetic Standard 

 samples Minimum Maximum mean deviation 

Percent 

Ash 17 4.8 25 13 5.7 

Si 17 0.19 7.1 3.3 1.9 

Al 17 0.34 2.6 1.5 0.62 

Ca 17 0.17 1.4 0.56 0.37 

Mg 17 0.046 0.23 0.12 0.061 

Na 17 0.077 0.17 0.12 0.023 

K 17 0.005 0.21 0.069 0.065 

Fe 17 0.094 1.9 0.38 0.42 

Ti 17 0.006 0.13 0.079 0.03 

Parts per million 

As 16 0.25 0.93 0.47 0.22 

B 17 30 84 53 14 

Ba 17 110 680 360 170 

Be 17 0.26L 1.2 0.66 0.32 

Co 17 0.58 4.9 1.6 1 

Cr 14 1.4 21 7.5 5.4 

Cu 17 2 16 7.2 3.3 

F 17 50 210 110 42 

Ga 17 0.72 7.7 3.7 1.8 

Hg 17 0.01 0.1 0.038 0.026 

La 16 6.8L 17 9 3.9 

Li 17 1.7 26 11 5.7 

Mn 17 2.2 540 40 130 

Mo 14 0.48 2.3 1.1 0.6 

Nb 17 0.72 13 5 2.7 

Ni 17 1.3 11 4.2 2.9 

Pb 17 1.4 41 7.5 9.1 

Sb 16 0.043 0.63 0.32 0.19 

Sc 17 0.58 3.8 2 0.87 

Se 17 0.35 2.3 1.1 0.44 

Sr 17 30 270 170 67 

Th 17 0.24 7.7 3.3 2.2 

U 17 0.26L 3.4 1.6 0.99 

V 17 2.1 34 15 8 

Y 17 4.3 18 8.6 3.8 

Yb 17 0.21 1.8 0.78 0.43 

Zn 17 2.9 30 13 8.5 

Zr 17 3.7 50 27 11 

N18 Geologic Assessment of Coal in the Colorado Plateau: Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah
Table 4. Identified total coal resources in millions of short tons, for the coal unit of the Upper Cretaceous 

Mesaverde Group, Deserado coal area, Lower White River coal field. 

[Resources are shown by overburden, county, township, quadrangle, and Federal and non-Federal (State and private) 

ownership categories. Resources do not include area inside the Deserado coal lease boundaries. Coal resources 

rounded to 2 significant figures] 

 Overburden categories, in feet Total 

 0-500 500-1000 >1000 

By county 

Moffat 93 1.8 0 95 

Rio Blanco 160 89 95 340 

Total 250 91 95 440 

By township 

T2N R100W 0 0 19 19 

T2N R101W 33 0 1.1 34 

T2N R102W 5.6 0 0 5.6 

T3N R100W 0 0 3.2 3.2 

T3N R101W 46 91 72 210 

T3N R102W 170 .41 0 170 

Total 250 91 95 440 

By 7.5’ quadrangle 

Cactus Reservoir 49 64 95 210 

Rangely NE 200 27 0 230 

Total 250 91 95 440 

By coal-ownership category 

Federal 240 91 95 430 

Non-Federal 8.1 .28 0 8.4 

Total 250 91 95 440 

Table 5. Identified coal resource in millions of short tons for the B coal zone of 

the Upper Cretaceous Mesaverde Group, Deserado coal area, Lower White River 

coal field by county, coal ownership, and overburden categories. 

[Resources do not include area inside the the Deserado coal lease boundaries. Coal 

resources rounded to 2 significant figures] 

 Overburden categories, in feet Total 

 0-500 500-1000 >1000 

By county 

Moffat 58 1.1 0 59 

Rio Blanco 72 44 42 160 

Total 130 45 42 220 

By coal-ownership category 

Federal 120 45 42 210 

Non-Federal 5.9 .15 0 6.1 

Total 130 45 42 220 

Assessment—Distribution, Resources of Coal, Deserado Coal Area, Lower White River Coal Field, Northwest Colo. N19
Table 6. Identified coal resources in millions of short tons for the B coal zone of the Upper Cretaceous Mesaverde Group, Deserado coal area, Lower White 

overburden, and net-coal thickness categories. [Resources do not include area inside the The Deserado coal lease boundaries. Resources rounded to 2 significant figures] 

Township 0-500 feet overburden 

net-coal thickness categories, in feet 

0-500 

total 

500-1000 feet overburden 

net-coal thickness categories, in feet 

500-1000 

total 

>1000 feet overburde

net-coal thickness categorie

 1.2-2.3 2.3-3.5 3.5-7.0 7.0-14.0 >14.0 1.2-2.3 2.3-3.5 3.5-7.0 7.0-14.0 >14.0 1.2-2.3 2.3-3.5 3.5-7.0 7.0-

T2N R100W 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.4 4T2N R101W 0 .38 6.1 8.2 0 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 T2N R102W .46 .34 0 0 0 .80 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 T3N R100W 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .042 .077 .51 T3N R101W .18 .35 2.8 20 0 23 .12 .23 6.0 31 7.6 45 .18 .39 3.3 23 T3N R102W .17 1.9 10.4 62 16 91 0 0 0 .20 0 .20 0 0 0 0 Total .81 3.0 19 91 16 130 .12 .23 6.0 31 7.6 45 .22 .47 5.2 28 
Table 7. Identified coal resources in millions of short tons for the B coal zone of the Upper Cretaceous Mesaverde Group, Deserado coal area, 

Lower White River coal field by overburden, net-coal thickness, and quadrangle categories. 

[Resources do not include area inside the The Deserado coal lease boundaries. Coal resources rounded to 2 significant figures]

Quadrangle 0-500 feet overburden 

net-coal thickness categories, in feet 

0-500 

total 

500-1000 feet overburden 

net-coal thickness categories, in feet 

500-1000 total 

 1.2-2.3 2.3-3.5 3.5-7.0 7.0-14.0 >14.0 1.2-2.3 2.3-3.5 3.5-7.0 7.0-14.0 >14.0 

Cactus Reservoir .18 .35 4.9 15 0 20 .12 .23 2.2 21 7.6 31 

Rangely NE .63 2.6 14 76 16 110 0 0 3.8 10 0 14 

Total .80 3.0 19 91 16 130 .12 .23 6 31 7.6 45 

Quadrangle >1000 feet overburden 

net-coal thickness categories, in feet 

>1000 total Total 

 1.2-2.3 2.3-3.5 3.5-7.0 7.0-14.0 >14.0 

Cactus Reservoir .22 .47 5.2 28 7.6 42 94 

Rangely NE 0 0 0 0 0 0 124 

Total .22 .47 5.2 28 7.6 42 220 

Table 8. Identified coal resources in millions of short tons for D coal zone of the Upper 

Cretaceous Mesaverde Group, Deserado coal area, Lower White River coal field by 

county, Federal nonfederal (State and private) ownership, and overburden categories. 

[Resources do not include area inside the The Deserado coal lease boundaries. Coal resources 

rounded to 2 significant figures] 

 Overburden categories, in feet Total 

 0-500 500-1000 >1000 

By county 

Moffat 21 .09 0 21 

Rio Blanco 64 31 33 130 

Total 85 31 33 150 

By coal-ownership category 

Federal 84 31 33 150 

Non-Federal 1 .02 0 1 

Total 85 31 33 150 

Assessment—Distribution, Resources of Coal, Deserado Coal Area, Lower White River Coal Field, Northwest Colo. N21
Table 9. Identified coal resources in millions of short tons for the D coal zone of the Upper Cretaceous Mesaverde Group, Deserado coal area, Lower W

overburden, net-coal thickness, and township categories. [Resources do not include area inside the The Deserado coal lease boundaries. Coal resources rounded to 2 significant figures]

Township 0-500 feet overburden 

net-coal thickness categories, in feet 

0-500 

total 

500-1000 feet overburden 

net-coal thickness categories, in feet 

500-1000 

total 

>1000 feet overburden 

net coal thickness categories, in feet 

 1.2-2.3 2.3-3.5 3.5-7.0 7.0-14.0 1.2-2.3 2.3-3.5 3.5-7.0 7.0-14.0 1.2-2.3 2.3-3.5 3.5-7.0 7.0-14.0 

T2N R100W 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .21 1.3 4 T2N R101W .10 .23 9.6 3.2 13 0 0 0 0 0 0 .04 .11 .03 T2N R102W 0 0 0 4.1 4.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 T3N R100W 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .01 .93 .2 T3N R101W .58 3.7 6.5 8.2 19 .63 2.2 11 17 31 .15 .98 2 23 T3N R102W 3.5 4.7 13.7 27 49 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total 4.2 8.6 30 42 85 .63 2.2 11 17 31 .15 1.2 4.3 27 

Table 10. Identified coal resources in millions of short tons for the D coal zone Upper Cretaceous Mesaverde Group, Deserado coal area, Lower Whit

overburden, net-coal thickness, and quadrangle categories. 

[Resources do not include area inside the The Deserado coal lease boundaries. Coal resources rounded to 2 significant figures]

Quadrangle 0-500 feet overburden 

net-coal thickness categories, in feet 

0-500 

total 

500-1000 feet overburden 

net-coal thickness categories, in feet 

500-1000 

total 

>1000 feet overburden 

net-coal thickness categories, in fe

 1.2-2.3 2.3-3.5 3.5-7.0 7.0-14.0 1.2-2.3 2.3-3.5 3.5-7.0 7.0-14.0 1.2-2.3 2.3-3.5 3.5-7.0 7.0-14

Cactus Reservoir .089 .97 9.6 10 21 .55 1.2 7 16 25 .15 1.2 4.3 28 Rangely NE 4.1 7.7 20 32 64 0.077 1 4.4 .81 6.3 0 0 0 0 Total 4.2 8.7 30 42 85 .63 2.2 11 17 31 .15 1.2 4.3 28 
References Cited

Barnum, B.E., and Garrigues, R.S., 1980, Geologic map and coal sections of the Cactus Reservoir quadrangle, Rio Blanco and Moffat 

Counties, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field 

Studies Map MF-1179, scale 1:24,000.

Barnum, B.E., Garrigues, R.S., and Dyer, L.E., 1977, Coal sections of 

holes drilled in 1976 in the Lower White River coal fi eld, Moffat and 

Rio Blanco Counties, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File 

Report 77-378.

Barnum, B.E., and Hail, W.J., Jr., 1996, Geologic map of the Gillam 

Draw quadrangle, Rio Blanco County, Colorado: U.S. Geological 

Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-2314, scale 1:24,000.

Brownfi eld, M.E., and Johnson, E.A., 1984, Selected references 

on the geology of the Danforth Hills coal fi eld, Moffat and 

Rio Blanco Counties, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File 

Report 84-768, 28 p.

Collins, B.A., 1976, Coal deposits of the Carbondale, Grand Hogback, 

and southern Danforth Hills coal fi elds, eastern Piceance Basin, 

Colorado: Quarterly of the Colorado School of Mines, v. 71, no. 1, 

138 p.

Cullins, H.L., 1968, Geologic map of the Banty Point quadrangle, Rio 

Blanco County, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Quadrangle Map GQ-703, scale 1:24,000.

Cullins, H.L., 1969, Geologic map of the Mellen Hill quadrangle, Rio 

Blanco County, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Quadrangle Map GQ-835, scale 1:24,000.

Cullins, H.L., 1971, Geologic map of the Rangely quadrangle, Rio 

Blanco County, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Quadrangle Map GQ-812, scale 1:24,000.

Gale, H.S., 1910, Coal fi elds of northwestern Colorado and northeastern Utah: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 415, p. 179–203.

Garrigues, R.S., 1976, Geophysical logs of holes drilled in 1976 in the 

Lower White River coal fi eld, Moffat and Rio Blanco Counties, 

Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 76-871, 11 p. and 

33 logs.

Garrigues, R.S., and Barnum, B.E., 1980, Geologic map and coal sections of the Rangely NE quadrangle, Rio Blanco and Moffat Counties, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report OF-80-274, 

scale 1:24,000.

Golightly, D.W., and Simon, F.O., eds., 1989, Methods for sampling and 

inorganic analysis of coal: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1823, 

72 p.

Green, G.N., 1992, Digital geologic map of Colorado: U.S. Geological 

Survey Open-File Report OF-92-0425, scale 1:500,000.

Hail, W.J., Jr., 1974, Geologic map of the Rough Gulch quadrangle, 

Rio Blanco and Moffat counties, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey 

Geologic Quadrangle Map GQ-1195, scale 1:24,000.

Hail, W.J., Jr., and Barnum, B.E., 1993, Geologic map of the Divide 

Creek quadrangle, Rio Blanco and Moffat counties, Colorado: 

U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-2232, 

scale 1:24,000.

Hildebrand, R.T., and Garrigues, R.S., 1981, Geology and chemical 

analyses of coal, Mesaverde Group (Cretaceous), Lower White 

River coal fi eld, Moffat and Rio Blanco Counties, Colorado: U.S. 

Geological Survey Open-Report 81-597, 26 p.

Hornbaker, A.L, Holt, R.D., and Murray, D.K., 1976, 1975 summary of 

coal resources in Colorado: Colorado Geological Survey Special 

Publication No. 9, 17 p.

Landis, E.R., 1959, Coal resources of Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey 

Bulletin 1072-C, p. 131–232.

Resource Data International, Inc., 1998, COALdat database: Boulder, 

Colorado, Resource Data International, Inc. [database available 

from Resource Data International, Inc., 1320 Pearl Street, Suite 300, 

Boulder, CO 80302]. 

Rohrbacher, T.J., Teeters, D.D., Osmonson, L.M., and Phis, M.N., 1994, 

Coal Recoverability and the defi nition of coal reserves, Central 

Appalachian Region, 1993: U.S Bureau of Mines Coal Recoverability 

Series Report 10-94, 36 p.

Rowley, P.D, Tweto, Ogden, Hanson, W.R., and Carrara, P.E., 1979, 

Geologic map of the Vernal 1°×2° quadrangle, Colorado, Utah, 

and Wyoming: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Map I-1526, scale 1:250,000.

Tully, John, 1996, Coal fi elds of the conterminous United States: U.S. 

Geological Survey Open-File Report 96-92, 1 plate, scale 1:5,000,000.

Tweto, Ogden, 1975, Preliminary geologic map of the east half of the 

Vernal 1°×2° quadrangle, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey OpenFile Report 75-788, scale 1:250,000.

Tweto, Ogden, 1976, Geologic map of the Craig 1°×2° quadrangle, 

northwestern Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous 

Investigations Map I-972, scale 1:250,000.

Tweto, Ogden, 1979, Geologic Map of Colorado: U.S. Geological 

Survey, scale 1:500,000.

Wood, G.H., Kehn, T.M., Carter, M.D., and Culbertson, W.C., 1983, Coal 

resource classifi cation system of the U. S. Geological Survey: U.S. 

Geological Survey Circular 891, 65 p.

Assessment—Distribution, Resources of Coal, Deserado Coal Area, Lower White River Coal Field, Northwest Colo. N23
Appendix 1—Digital Files for Coal Exploration Drill Holes in the Lower White 

River Coal Field, Northwest Colorado, for which Data are Publicly Available

Appendix 1 contains the publicly available drill-hole database (14 holes—shown in table 1) used to asses coal resources in 

the Deserado coal area of the Lower White River coal fi eld, northwest Colorado. The location, lithologic, and stratigraphic data 

are available in ASCII format, DBF, and Excel spreadsheet fi les on disc 2 of this CD-ROM.

Appendix 2—ArcView Project for the Geologic Assessment of Coal in the 

Deserado Coal Area, Lower White River Coal Field, Northwest Colorado

The digital fi les used for the coal resource assessment of the Deserado coal area, Lower Whiter River coal fi eld, northwest 

Colorado, are presented as views in the ArcView project.

The ArcView project and the digital fi les are stored on both discs of this CD-ROM set—Appendix 2 of chapter N resides 

on both discs. Persons who do not have ArcView 3.1 may query the data by means of the ArcView Data Publisher on disc 1. 

Persons who do have ArcView 3.1 may utilize the full functionality of the software by accessing the data that reside on disc 2. An 

explanation of the ArcView project and data library—and how to get started using them—is given by Biewick and Mercier (chap. 

D, this CD-ROM). Metadata for all digital fi les are also accessible through the ArcView project.

N24 Geologic Assessment of Coal in the Colorado Plateau: Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah
Click on image below to bring up high-resolution image of plate 1.

Plate 1. Assessment of the distribution and resources of coal in the Deserado coal area, Lower White River 

coal fi eld, northwest Colorado.

National Coal

Resource

Assessment

Click here to return to Disc 1 

Volume Table of Contents

Assessment—Distribution, Resources of Coal, Deserado Coal Area, Lower White River Coal Field, Northwest Colo. N25