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report of investigations 7321

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SAMPLING AND COKING STUDIES OF SEVERAL

COALBEDS IN THE KOKOLIK RIVER,

KUKPOWRUK RIVER, AND CAPE BEAUFORT AREAS

OF ARCTIC NORTHWESTERN ALASKA

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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

BUREAU OF MINES

December 1969

L"-
SAMPLING AND COKING STUDIES OF SEVERAL

COALBEDS IN THE KOKOLIK RIVER,

KUKPOWRUK RIVER, AND CAPE BEAUFORT AREAS

OF ARCTIC NORTHWESTERN ALASKA

By R. S. Warfield and Charles C. Boley

4 M ~ ~ · report of investigations 7321

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Walter J. Hickel, Secretary

BUREAU OF MINES

John F. O'Leary, Director
This publication has been cataloged as follows:

Warfield, Robert S

Sampling and coking studies of several coalbeds in the

Kokolik River, Kukpowruk River, and Cape Beaufort areas of

Arctic Northwestern Alaska, by R. S. Warfield and Charles C.

Boley. [Washingtonl U. S. Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of

Mines [1969]

58 p. illus., tables. (U. S. Bureau of Mines. Report of investigations 7321)

1. Coal-Alaska. I. Boley, Charles C., jt. auth. II. Title. (Series)

TN23.U7 no. 7321 622.06173

U.S. Dept. of the Int. Library
CONTENTS

Page

Abstract ............ .......................1........................... 1

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

Acknowledgments................................................... ...... 3

Previous investigations .................. ......... ................... 3

Location and accessibility ........................................... 4

Ownership .......................................... ..................... 7

Physical features and climate ........................................... 8

Geology ................................................................. . 9

Surface samples, 1964 series ............................................. 10

Kokolik River area ................. ................................ 10

Cape Beaufort area ................................................. 10

Core drilling and samples, 1966 series ................................... 13

Coking studies ........................................................... 20

Coking studies, 1964 series ........................................ 20

Coking studies, 1966 series ......................................... 24

Conclusions from the coking studies.................................. 27

Appendix A.--Surface sample logs ......................................... 28

Appendix B.--Core drill logs ............................................. 33

Appendix C.--Coking studies ............................................... 41

ILLUSTRATIONS

1. Index and location map, Arctic Northwestern Alaska ................. 5

2. Location map, Kokolik River area samples ........................... 11

3. Sections, Kokolik River area samples 9 through 14 .................. 12

4. Location map, Cape Beaufort area samples ........................... 14

5. Sections, Cape Beaufort area samples 16 and 17, and drill hole 5... 15

6. Plans and sections, Cape Beaufort area samples 18 through 21 ....... 16

7. Plan, Kukpowruk River area drill hole samples ...................... 17

8. Section, Kukpowruk River area drill hole samples ................... 18

9. View of faulted area in Kukpowruk River bluff ...................... 18

10. Drilling equipment, northeastward view of Kukpowruk River valley... 19

11. Graphic log of sample 9, Kokolik River area ........................ 21

12. Gas-heated 50-pound carbonizing unit, with a 10-inch circular

retort ..................... ... .................................. 23

TABLES

A-1. Kokolik River area sample logs ..................................... 29

A-2. Kokolik River area sample sites .................................... 30

A-3. Cape Beaufort area sample logs ..................................... 31

A-4. Cape Beaufort area sample sites ... ................................. 32

B-1. Logs of core-drill holes, Kukpowruk River and Cape Beaufort areas.. 33

C-1. Analyses of coal samples from Kokolik River area, 1964 series...... 41

C-2. Analyses of coal samples from Cape Beaufort area, 1964 series ...... 44

C-3. Selected properties of samples obtained in 1964 field season ....... 47

C-4. Chemical analyses and plasticity data for composites prepared from

parts of sample 9, Kokolik River area ............................ 48
ii

TABLES--Continued

Page

C-5. Carbonization assays at 500° C: Composites from sample 9,

Kokolik River area............................................. 49

C-6. Coking test data for sample 9 (Kokolik River area) blended with

two medium-volatile coals, and Fontana blend, at 900° C in a

50-lb retort............................................... 50

C-7. Analyses of drill hole and surface samples: Kukpowruk River area 51

C-8. Analyses of drill hole and surface samples: Cape Beaufort area.. 54

C-9. Analyses of several U.S. commercial coking coals ................ 55

C-10. Free-swelling and Gieseler plasticity tests for Kukpowruk River

and Cape Beaufort area samples, 1966 series . .................... 56

C-ll. Free-swelling and Gieseler plasticity tests for selected commercial coking coals, 1966 series ............................. 56

C-12. 100-gram coking tests, Kukpowruk River and Cape Beaufort samples

and composites ................................................. 57

C-13. Analyses of cokes produced in 50-lb tests ........................ 58

V
SAMPLING AND COKING STUDIES OF SEVERAL COALBEDS

IN THE KOKOLIK RIVER, KUKPOWRUK RIVER, AND CAPE

BEAUFORT AREAS OF ARCTIC NORTHWESTERN ALASKA

by

R. S. Warfield 1 and Charles C. Boley 2

ABSTRACT

Several reconnaissance-type surface and drill core samples of Arctic

Northwestern Alaska coals were taken during the summer field seasons of 1964

and 1966 for coking studies. Surface samples were taken from the Kokolik

River and the Cape Beaufort areas; core samples were obtained from the

Kukpowruk River and the Cape Beaufort areas. Only one Kokolik River surface

sample possessed coking properties. This sample, representing an 11.6-ft coal

seam, made coke approaching metallurgical quality when a 30-pct portion of

selected blending coals was added. Four Kukpowruk River core samples, each

representing the same 19- to 20-ft coal seam, were all of about the same coking quality. No differences of coke quality attributable to depth of permanently frozen overburden were found, but the data confirm previously reported

information that the 19- to 20-ft coalbed is a potentially satisfactory base

coking coal. In the Cape Beaufort area, a core sample with appreciable coking

properties was taken at depth from a coalbed determined noncoking in a surface

sample.

INTRODUCTION

Coal of good quality and apparently large quantity has been known to

exist in Arctic Northwestern Alaska for many years. The earliest reported use

of these coals was during the late 1800's and early 1900's, when small-scale

mining, principally for refueling whaling ships, was done along the coast

between Cape Sabine and Cape Lisburne. Since that time, extensive geological

knowledge of Arctic Northwestern Alaska has been accumulated, mainly as the

result of numerous geological studies and drilling programs, by both Government and private companies, undertaken as part of the search for oil and gas.

However, detailed investigations of the numerous reported coalbeds have been

practically nonexistent, with the exception of some describing a small area

along the Kukpowruk River.

1Mining engineer, Alaskan Mining Research Laboratory, Bureau of Mines, Juneau,

Alaska.

SProject coordinator, carbonization, Grand Forks Coal Research Laboratory,

Bureau of Mines, Grand Forks, N. Dak.
2

Coking studies and sampling of this small area are described in detail in

Bureau of Mines Report of Investigations 6767;3 all but one of the samples

described were taken from a 20-ft-thick (approximately) coalbed during the

field seasons of 1962 and 1963. Because of the close tie-in of the earlier

work to this current investigation, some of the previous results have been

briefly summarized herein and several references have been made to the earlier

work.

During June, July, and August 1964, an attempt was made to obtain completely fresh reconnaissance-type surface samples for coking studies from coalbeds outcropping along the Kokolik River and in the Cape Beaufort area; six

samples were taken from each area.

During the same months of 1966, core drilling was used to obtain samples

for studies of possible improved coking quality at regular intervals of

increased depth from the same 20-ft-thick coalbed outcropping along the

Kukpowruk River that had been the subject of previous near-surface sampling

and coking studies. Four samples of the 20-ft bed were obtained from vertical

intervals of increased depth of about 50 ft. In the Cape Beaufort area, a

coalbed found to be noncoking in a 1964 near-surface sample was resampled at a

depth of about 200 ft by core drilling.

Surface samples from along the Kokolik River were taken at intervals

along the river bluffs over a total distance of about 6 miles; a stratigraphic

interval of at least 3,000 ft was represented. In the Cape Beaufort area,

surface samples were taken from coalbeds occurring across a stratigraphic

interval of approximately 5,000 ft. The geologic structure of the areas

sampled, including the Kukpowruk River, appears fairly simple, and the dip of

beds is gentle enough so that the coal should be amenable to either surface or

mechanized underground mining.

Both bench-scale and pilot plant, high temperature, carbonization studies

were conducted. Bench-scale work consisted of proximate and ultimate analyses,

free swelling index, low temperature carbonization assay, Gieseler plastometer,

and 100-gram coking tests. The 1964 pilot plant work consisted of carbonizing

50-lb charges in a 10-in retort at the Bureau's Denver Coal Research Laboratory. In 1966, 50-lb charges were carbonized in 8-1/4-in retorts placed

within a large (500-lb) experimental coke oven at the Bureau's Grand Forks

Coal Research Laboratory.

These high-temperature carbonization tests were followed by appropriate

testing of the physical properties of the coke produced. To measure commercial acceptability, the test data were compared with data from similar tests

on a coking blend that has been used by the Kaiser Steel Corp. at Fontana,

Calif.

3 Warfield, Robert S., W. S. Landers, and Charles C. Boley. Sampling and Coking Studies of Coal From the Kukpowruk River Area, Arctic Northwestern

Alaska. BuMines Rept. of Inv. 6767, 1966, 59 pp.
3

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

J. A. Herdlick (retired), formerly Bureau of Mines Area Director for

Alaska, gave helpful suggestions and advice both during field work and manuscript preparation. W. S. Landers (retired), formerly Chief of the Denver

Coal Research Laboratory, and J. L. Elder, Chief of the Grand Forks Coal

Research Laboratory, provided advice and guidance during the studies. The

Kaiser Steel Corp. kindly provided the blending coals used in the coking

studies.

PREVIOUS INVESTIGATIONS

The existence of coal in ArcticNorthwestern Alaska was first reported by

A. Collie who accompanied Captain Beechey of the Beechey expedition to the

Arctic Ocean in 1826-27.4 The earliest reported use of these coals was during

the late 1800's and early 1900's to replenish the fuel supply of whaling ships

and to supply local needs. About 1,000 tons were mined, shipped, and sold at

Nome in 1900-1901. This coal was produced from several different beds in the

Corwin Bluff area east of Cape Lisburne. No coal is mined now in the region

except for very small amounts used locally by Eskimos from coastal villages.

In 1904, A. J. Collier of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) headed a

party that made a detailed geologic examination that included the coastal area

of the Utukok-Corwin region between Cape Beaufort and Cape Lisburne.5 Following establishment of Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 4 in 1923, USGS field parties

investigated parts of the Utukok-Corwin region by rapid geologic reconnaissance during the field seasons of 1923-26.e This included ascending the

Kukpowruk, Kokolik, and Utukok Rivers for distances of 20 to 40 airline miles

from the coast and, after reaching the upper Kokolik River via an overland

journey by dog team from Kivalina, descending by canoe to the coast.

Reconnaissance of a number of Arctic coal deposits was made in the summer

of 1946 by Bureau of Mines engineers7 to obtain onsite information about coal

deposits known to exist near some Eskimo villages. The information was used

to plan and suggest methods of small-scale coal mine development; the coal was

to be used locally for space heating in lieu of coal and oil being imported,

generally from the State of Washington. One deposit investigated and sampled

was a 19- to 20-ft coalbed outcropping along the Kukpowruk River. This site

4 Brooks, Alfred H., and others. Report on Progress of Investigations of Mineral Resources of Alaska in 1904. U.S. Geol. Survey Bull. 259, 1905,

pp. 172-185.

5 Collier, Arthur J. Geology and Coal Resources of the Cape Lisburne Region,

Alaska. U.S. Geol. Survey Bull. 278, 1906, 54 pp.

5 Paige, Sidney, W. T. Foran, and James Gilluly. A Reconnaissance of the Point

Barrow Region, Alaska. U.S. Geol. Survey Bull. 772, 1925, 33 pp.

Smith, P. S., and J. B. Mertie, Jr. Geology and Mineral Resources of Northwestern Alaska. U.S. Geol. Survey Bull. 815, 1930, 351 pp.

7 Toenges, Albert L., and Theodore R. Jolley. Investigation of Coal Deposits

for Local Use in the Arctic Regions of Alaska and Proposed Mine Development.

BuMines Rept. of Inv. 4150, 1947, 19 pp.
4

and coalbed later became the subject of detailed investigations by both the

Bureau of Mines and private interests.

Additional field studies of the Utukok-Corwin region were undertaken in

1947 and 1949-53 as part of the USGS program of mapping and studying stratigraphy and structure, in order to evaluate the petroleum possibilities in and

near Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 4.8 Incidentally to this work, which

included traversing all the major rivers and much of the coastline, outcrop

samples of many coalbeds were collected.

Along the Kukpowruk River in 1954, J. S. Robbins and Associates, Inc., of

Seattle, Wash., for Morgan Coal Co. of Indianapolis, Ind., drove a 70-ft

S 18° E adit angling across dip to the floor of the 19- to 20-ft coal seam,

thence an inclined raise to within about 2 ft of the roof of the seam. A

fairly large sample was taken from the raise at that time, but results of test

work on the sample are unknown.

In 1961 and again in 1963, Union Carbide Ore Co. of New York obtained

large samples of the 19- to 20-ft Kukpowruk coalbed from the previously driven

inclined raise and also from freshened outcrops. The results of carbonization

tests made on these samples are held confidential.

During the field seasons of 1962-63, the Bureau of Mines attempted to

obtain completely fresh samples for coking studies from the bituminous coalbeds that outcrop along the Kukpowruk River. Eight samples from five locations were taken; most of the samples represented the same 19- to 20-ft coalbed mentioned above that had been of principal interest to previous investigators. Rather extensive carbonization studies were made on the samples by

the Bureau of Mines Denver Coal Research Laboratory. The 19- to 20-ft coalbed

was weakly coking by itself, but produced coke of or very near metallurgical

quality when blended with as little as 15 pct of selected medium- and/or lowvolatile strongly coking coals.9

LOCATION AND ACCESSIBILITY

The part of the northern Alaska coalfield of interest here lies within a

7,500-square-mile area that has been termed the Utukok-Corwin region.l 0 This

region lies north of the DeLong Mountains, the westernmost extension of the

Brooks Range, in the extreme western part of Northern Alaska, and is bounded

on the west by the Chukchi Sea (fig. 1).

The Utukok-Corwin region can be reached by air or water (during the icefree summer months) from Kotzebue or Barrow, which are about 150 miles south

and northeast, respectively. Small aircraft can be landed on a short airstrip

at Point Lay, an Eskimo village of about a dozen people, located on the bar

that forms Kasegaluk Lagoon. With special permission from the U.S. Air Force,

8 Chapman, Robert M., and Edward G. Sable. Geology of the Utukok-Corwin

Region, Northwestern Alaska. U.S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 303-C, 1960,

167 pp.

9 Work cited in footnote 3.

°1Work cited in footnote 8.
A LASKA

INDEX

CHUKCHI SEA

Ksegaluk L

FIGURE 7 A

FIGURE 4 AREA.

Cape Cape Beoufor

Lisburne

'- Corwin Bluff

Point

Hope E

5

FIGURE 1. - Index and Location Map, Arctic Northwestern Alaska. (Modified from

U.S. Geological Survey Alaska Map B.)
6

relatively large aircraft may be landed at DEW (Distant Early Warning) sites

located at Cape Lisburne and Point Lay (Liz 2). In addition, a former DEW

site near Cape Beaufort, now deactivated and unmanned, may be used with permission of the U.S. Navy; ownership of the Cape Beaufort physical plant and

airstrip was transferred from the U.S. Air Force to the U.S. Navy Arctic

Research Laboratory. During periods of low water, some gravel bars adjacent

to main rivers are sufficiently large for landings by small aircraft; in the

foothills section of the region, some ridges also are smooth and level enough

for this purpose. Numerous lakes on the coastal plain, a few in the foothills,

and some stretches of main rivers (especially during periods of high water)

will permit landings by pontoon-equipped light aircraft. During winter months,

landings with ski-equipped aircraft are possible almost anywhere. Helicopters

are ideal transportation for reconnaissance work.

Water transportation to the region is possible during the ice-free months

(July through September), but there is no regularly scheduled common carrier

ship service further north than Kotzebue. The Bureau of Indian Affairs ship

North Star III visits the Eskimo coastal villages annually, and the northern

DEW sites receive staple supplies, heavy equipment, and fuel by chartered tug

and barges.

None of the major rivers of the region can be classed as navigable, but

some river travel is possible. During high water periods, the major rivers

can be ascended considerable distances in a shallow-draft boat powered by an

outboard motor, and nonpowered downstream travel is possible even during low

water stages.

Various types of tracked vehicles can be used for all-season transportation throughout most of the region, but successful operation on swampy parts

of the coastal plain during late summer is dependent on the depth of the seasonable thaw and the characteristics of the particular vehicle used, such as

track-ground pressure and ability to cross rivers.

Bureau of Mines overland travel equipment used in the Utukok-Corwin

region consisted of a crawler tractor bulldozer, equipped with relatively wide

grouser shoes, and a wide-tracked weasel-type vehicle. In addition, each

powered vehicle pulled a trailer and/or trailers--the bulldozer pulled a heavyduty, single-axle, dual-wheeled trailer, and during 1966 in train fashion, a

second heavy-duty, single-axle trailer equipped with large aircraft tires and

on which the core drill was mounted; the weasel-type vehicle pulled a widetracked trailer. This equipment, together with fuel, hand tools, camp equipment, drill rods, casing, pump, dynamite, and other material was airlifted in

multiple flights from Anchorage and Fairbanks to the Cape Beaufort former DEW

site. From here, travel was overland to campsites along the Kokolik and

Kukpowruk Rivers. The drilling site along the Kukpowruk River is about 38

miles northeast of Cape Beaufort, in the immediate vicinity of the most eastern meander of the river. Because the Kukpowruk River flows almost parallel

to the Chukchi Sea coast over part of its course, this location is only about

15 miles inland. The area from which samples were obtained along the Kokolik

River is about 70 miles northeasterly of Cape Beaufort and is a part of the

most eastern reaches of the Kokolik. This location is about 44 miles due east

of the Chukchi Sea coast, measured along the protracted Umiat Base Line.

I
7

Construction of a railroad or highway to the Chukchi Sea coast and dredging of a harbor at a seaward terminal to enable mass movement of coal from the

region is considered feasible from an engineering standpoint. The difficulty

and cost of construction to a great extent would be dependent on location and

ease of excavation of perennially frozen, suitable borrow material. Materials

dredged from a harbor very conceivably could aid in road construction; a firm

road base for heavy hauling would probably result by placing borrow materials

directly on undisturbed tundra.

OWNERSHIP

The area investigated along the Kukpowruk River is (1968) public domain

land held under Coal Prospecting Permits issued to an officer of Morgan Coal

Co. of Indianapolis, Ind. The area along the Kokolik River is within Naval

Petroleum Reserve No. 4, and the Cape Beaufort area, with the exception of a

431-acre withdrawal for the former Cape Beaufort DEW site, is public domain

land open under the mineral leasing laws.

Lands subject to the mineral leasing laws are Government-owned lands to

which no title can be acquired. However, Coal Prospecting Permits are granted

by the Department of the Interior for a 2-year period to qualified applicants

to prospect unclaimed, undeveloped lands where prospecting or exploratory work

is necessary to determine the existence or workability of coal deposits. An

application for a permit must be filed, in duplicate, in the appropriate land

office. Each application must be accompanied by a filing fee of $10 which is

not returnable and by full payment of the first year's rental at the rate of

25 cents per acre. In addition, the applicant must furnish a corporate surety

bond or a personal bond conditional upon compliance with all the terms of the

prospecting permit.

Each permit covers a maximum of 2,560 acres, and no permit holder may

have more than four permits (16 square miles). The recipients of a permit may

remove only as much coal as is necessary to determine the commercial value of

the deposit. If coal is mined commercially, a Coal Lease must be obtained.

Leases are subject to the 25 cents per acre rental fee and to a royalty payment on a minimum annual production, the payments beginning with the sixth

year of the lease.

The above is a very brief summary of pertinent parts of the regulations.

Bureau of Land Management Circular No. 215411 is a reprint of the regulations

in entirety, current as of August 3, 1964.

Petroleum Reserve No. 4 is comprised of about 37,000 square miles with

its western boundary at approximately 161053' W longitude; it therefore

includes the area along the Kokolik River from which the 1964 series of

samples was taken. The Reserve is closed to entry under the mineral leasing

laws (petroleum, natural gas, coal, phosphate), but open to entry under the

1lRegulations Pertaining to Coal Leases, Permits, and Licenses on the Public

Land (as contained in Title 43 of the Code of Federal Regulations).

Bureau of Land Management Circular No. 2154, 1964, 11 pp.
8

mining laws, subject to Bureau of Land Management and Navy Department

concurrence.

PHYSICAL FEATURES AND CLIMATE

The Utukok-Corwin region contains two physiographic provinces, the Arctic

coastal plain and the Arctic foothills.12 The two provinces merge along an

irregular boundary extending northwestward from Cape Beaufort. Coal deposits

herein described are in the foothills province but only a short distance from

the boundary of the coastal plain.

The coastal plain is characterized by relief of less than 300 ft, many

lakes and marshes, poor drainage, and poorly defined, meandering streams, with

the few existing outcrops present only in the cutbanks of major streams. The

foothills section is an eastward-trending belt of rolling terrain 40 to 50

miles wide within which relief and altitude increase southward; the belt is

marked by prominent cuesta ridges and mesas that reflect the underlying structural features and that are commonly separated by wide lowland areas. Outcrops are numerous in river bluffs, along tributary streams, and on the ridges

where vegetal cover is thin or absent. Relief is as much as 2,200 ft and

averages about 600 ft.

The only treelike growth within the region is willows, immediately adjacent to streams. Mainly, the vegetation consists of cotton grass tussock,

sedges, lichens, mosses, dwarfed berry bushes, glandular and dwarfed birch,

mountain heather, and many wild flowers. The plants and a layer of humus and

soil, extending down to perennially frozen ground, comprise the tundra of this

treeless Arctic region and cover a high percentage of the entire area. The

cotton grass tussock is the most prevalent plant life, and because of its

closely spaced, clumplike distribution and springlike resilience, travel on

foot is slow and arduous.

Permafrostl3 is believed to underlie nearly all of northern Alaska, but

may be at considerable depth or absent beneath large rivers and deep lakes.

The permafrost, except for the shallow surface zone that is subject to summer

thawing, is known to extend to depths of 1,000 feet or more.

The climate of Arctic Northwestern Alaska is semiarid with precipitation

probably averaging less than 15 in per year; in 1965, total precipitation at

Kotzebue was 12.1 in; at Wainwright, 16.2; and at Point Barrow, 5.9 in. Average yearly temperatures are well below freezing, with Kotzebue during 1965

having an average temperature of 20.2° F; Wainwright, 10.0° F; and Point

Barrow, 9.1° F. During summer months, temperatures in the 50° and 60° F

range are fairly common, but freezing temperatures may occur during

'2 Work cited in footnote 8.

13Permafrost or perennially frozen ground is defined by Chapman and Sable (in

work cited in footnote 8) as, "...a thickness of soil or other superficial

deposit, or even bedrock, at a variable depth beneath the surface of the

earth, in which a temperature below freezing has existed continually for

a long time (two to tens of thousands of years)."
9

every month of the year. During winter months minimum temperatures in the

-40° F range are common. Strong windstorms are common with many reaching gale

velocities.

GEOLOGY

The geology of the Utukok-Corwin region has been studied extensively on a

regional basis by the USGS; the most recent published work was undertaken as a

part of the program of investigation for the U.S. Navy Department in and near

Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 4. The results of this and earlier work are

incorporated into an excellent comprehensive report entitled "Geology of the

Utukok-Corwin Region, Northwestern Alaska;"'4 only that geology believed pertinent to coal deposits of the region is herein briefly summarized.

During the summer field season of 1966 the USGS Branch of Mineral Classification began a detailed mapping program of about 250 square miles. The area

covered included the 20-ft coalbed outcropping along the Kukpowruk River discussed herein.

Coalbeds of potential economic significance are confined almost entirely

to the Corwin formation, which is believed to be partly of middle or late

Lower Cretaceous age and may be partly of Upper Cretaceous age. The formation

consists predominantly of nonmarine rocks that intertongue with and overlie

the Kukpowruk formation of late Lower Cretaceous age. Shale, siltstone, claystone, sandstone, coal, conglomerate, ironstone, clay, and bentonitic clay

constitute most of the rock types of the Corwin formation. These sediments

are believed to have been deposited everywhere in the region; only at a very

few localities has erosion apparently completely removed the formation.

The region has been divided into the eastern and western structural provinces which are approximately separated by the lower Pitmegea River. In the

eastern structural province, the major folds in the northern foothills and

coastal plain trend mainly west and northwest, the results of northwarddirected forces from the Brooks Range. These folds include prominent simple

synclines and basins separated by complex anticlines which may, in part, be

the expression of major thrust faults. Surface rocks are folded to progressively greater depths westward. The western structural province is characterized by northwest-striking thrust faults which alternate with southwestwarddipping sections or partial limbs of synclines. This structural pattern is

the result of eastward-directed forces from the Tigara uplift west of the area.

The western structural province includes the numerous coal outcrops of

the Cape Beaufort-Corwin Bluff coastal area where more than 80 coalbeds that

exceed 1 ft in thickness are known. At least 17 of these beds are between 2.5

and 9 ft thick. The structural geology of these coalbeds, however, appears

relatively more complex than that of beds of the eastern structural province.

Some coalbeds outcropping along the Corwin-Cape Beaufort coastal bluffs have

measured dips of as much as 45°, whereas beds of the eastern structural province, at least in the synclines, are generally more gently folded.

14Work cited in footnote 8.
10

Samples taken from the Cape Beaufort area were from within the eastern

structural province. The geology of the sample area appeared fairly simple,

with strike continuity probable for several miles but with dips progressively

steepening from a measured 14° to 30° as stratigraphic depth of the various

sample cuts increased.

The major rivers of the region, the Kukpowruk, Kokolik, and Utukok, are

also within the eastern structural province. Each of these rivers exposes considerable thicknesses of the Corwin formation along its cutbanks, and thus

many coalbeds have been exposed.

SURFACE SAMPLES, 1964 SERIES

Surface samples from Kokolik River and Cape Beaufort areas were taken

from coalbeds that occur at varying intervals in stratigraphic sections of

several thousand feet thickness and thus represent a fairly large geologic age

span.

Each sample face was "freshened" to the greatest degree practicable.

Methods of excavating the permanently frozen ground included blasting, bulldozing, and hand digging. Blast holes, 1-5/8 in in diameter, were drilled by

augering. The drill consisted of a gasoline-powered 2-cycle chain saw engine

equipped with a roller-chain-driven power takeoff mounted in place of the cutting bar. The drill powered continuous-flight augers of about 3-ft length

each that could be quickly coupled into various multiples of 3 ft. Bits were

tungsten carbide tipped and of a design normally used for drilling roof bolt

holes. The drill performed well in all sediments encountered except competent

abrasive sandstones which were very difficult, if not impossible, to penetrate

with this type of equipment.

Individual samples were cut by either channeling or collection of cuttings from multiple auger holes. The samples were shipped in airtight

polyethylene-lined bags to the Denver Coal Research Laboratory.

Noncoal constituents excluded from samples were assumed to be materials

that normally are separable from mined coal by such cleaning systems as washing and heavy media.

Kokolik River Area

Samples 9 through 14 were taken during 1964 from coalbeds outcropping

along the Kokolik River bluffs in T 1 N, R 39 W; T 1 S, R 39 W; and T 1 S,

R 40 W; Umiat meridian. The location of each sample is shown in figure 2; the

geographic relationship of the sample area to the region as a whole is shown

in figure 1. Sections through the opencut of each sample location are shown

in figure 3. The sample logs and sites are described in appendix A.

Cape Beaufort Area

Samples 16 through 21 were obtained from along Kahkatak Creek and Tulugak

Creek in the Cape Beaufort area; these locations are in T 5 S, R 50 W, Umiat
.__ .__ __ __

11

- I*'L -

FIGURE 2. * Location Map, Kokolik River Area Samples. (Modified from U.S. Army Map

Service Preliminary Map Sheets 1459 I and 1559 IV.)
Bedding

Strikes S 75 E

Dips 14° South

Bedding

Strikes S 72°E

Dips 8° South

Bedding

Strikes S85°E

Dips 10-14° North

12

'-1t Unconsolidated overburden

g S Claystone

= Si lts ton a

I.' Stream t grovel

II F Fine-grained sandstone

)\ Sample interval

Bedding

Strikes S 65°E

Dips 15° South

a

Dump Appaj=rT

Section S 65°E

sample y Sample 10

Bedding -

Strikes S 58°E -. Dips 6 North

Du--T___ Coalbed

.. APparen dip t ot plane of section

Section S85°E

u dip t plane of section

Sample II Sample 12

Du

Sacks 3-7

-- i=,

41

0

0

U

«

Section N67°E

Sample 13

Section N 40°W

Sample 14 t.

0 10 20 30 40 50

Scale, feet

FIGURE 3. - Sections, Kokolik River Area Samples 9 Through 14.

meridian. The airstrip for Liz A, a former DEW site, parallels the Chukchi

Sea coast between Kahkatak Creek and Tulugak Creek.

Kahkatak Creek flows northwesterly entering the Chukchi Sea about 3.5

miles southwest of Cape Beaufort, and Tulugak Creek enters the sea about 0.8
13

mile further southwest. Samples 16 through 21 were taken at intervals over a

2.6-mile distance along a line that nearly parallels the northwesterly flow of

Kahkatak Creek (fig. 4). Since Kahkatak Creek cuts the strike of the Corwin

formation at a high angle and since the dip of the beds sampled progressively

steepens inland from a measured 14° to 30°, a fairly large stratigraphic age

sequence of Corwin formation coalbeds is represented by the samples.

Dependent on the location of outcrop with respect to topography and the

difficulty of excavation, some samples were taken by collecting cuttings from

auger drill holes, and others were channel cut. Plan and section drawings of

individual samples are shown in figures 5 and 6. The sample logs and sites

are described in appendix A.

CORE DRILLING AND SAMPLES, 1966 SERIES

Core drill samples were taken along the Kukpowruk River and in the Cape

Beaufort area, as a followup of previous reconnaissance-type surface sampling,1 5 to determine if the coals' oxygen content decreased at subsurface

depths, and, if so, to determine the resulting degree of improvement in coking

quality.

The core sample site along the Kukpowruk River nearly coincides with the

river's most eastern meander. Here the strata strike almost east-west, dip

8° to 17° northerly, and represent the south limb of a shallow syncline. This

structure has been named the Howard syncline and extends at least from the

Kukpowruk River to the Utukok River, a distance of 65 miles. Plan and section

drawings of the drill hole area are shown in figures 7 and 8.

Because the 1966 core drilling along the Kukpowruk River closely ties in

with the 1962-63 near-surface sampling, a brief description of the earlier

work is presented as follows: Six samples (1 through 6) from four locations

were taken during the 1962 field season, and two samples, 7 and 8, were taken

from a single location during the 1963 field season. All samples except one

were taken from excavations into outcrops; the exception, S6 (sample 6) was

taken underground at the face of the previously driven 70-ft adit and raise.

A fault, alined about as shown in figure 7, cuts the sample area. Figure 9, a

westward view into the river bluff, shows the fault; a massive sandstone member vertically abuts silty shale beds. If this fault has a vertical displacement of about 300 ft, it is probable that all samples except S1 were from the

same coalbed. Sample 1 was cut from a 4.5-ft seam, whereas S2 through S8

represented a seam almost 20 ft thick.

In the 1966 field season, four vertical holes were spaced along a N 14° E

line at horizontal intervals of about 200 ft. Hole 1 was located about 160 ft

N 13° W from the surface outcrop from which surface samples 7 and 8 were taken

in 1963 (fig. 7). The horizontal spacing was designed to intercept the 19- to

20-ft coalbed at vertical intervals of about 50 ft and thus determine whether

coking quality increased with depth of overburden. The 19- to 20-ft coalbed,

as determined by the core drilling, has an average dip of about 14°.

iSWork cited in footnote 3.
I

14

16345W3°45'W LEGEND

DDH5 0 Diomond drill hole 5

21

0 So ample I ocation CHUKCH/ SEA

*

I-Z /(l / '- 5 ) -

.. Land lines represent unsurveyed and

,' unmarked locations, Umiot Meridian,

FIGURE 4. * Location Map, Cape Beaufort Area Samples. (Modified from U.S. Army Map

Service Preliminary Map Sheets 1259 II and 1359 III.)
9

Elevations, feet

300

-250

\%^el

150

100

50

Sample 30 0

-50

250-

100-

Approximate projection

of section. -sample 17

50-

0 2 3

200

- -I

-=--'

I I

/;5:/; -

- -

Scale, lOOteet 0-

Section N62°W through drill hole 5

150 -

--50-

Sandstone ridge, trends S20°W

Trench N 85°E, slopes 5°W

Dump

- r iAuge holes co tsceo \tW, through coalbed

Bedding

Strikes N30'E

Dips 21'W

Partings

excluded

Apporent dip at

plane of section Section N85°E

Sample 16 Section N25°W

Sample 17

Unconsolidated overburden Stream grovel __ Fine-grained sandstone

Siltstone Ctaystone \ Sample interval

0 50 100 k. · --

Scale, feet

FIGURE 5. - Sections, Cape Beaufort Area Samples 16 and 17, and Drill Hole 5.

i-l
Excluded!

16

ng

s NIO°W

°-17° W

al 21 5E--

Sample 21 -- °Sompl

Pla ocation--' n S 5 sai

e 20

cks

holes

.

from 15 auger a

Plan

O-rigj-na SUrfac

: Sarmple 19

X po \ Bedding G

° ,' 9._ Strikes K/ N35 E

A 

t

v O\M 6 

.ae , aO\ Dips 30°W

s

' Sacks 1,2, nd3

N _ . __---_S-a cks 4,5,ond 6

Porting --- '-

excluded--

North- South Section

99O Section

Samples 18 and 19

0,ro- surr

E

W

[

Unconsolidated overburden

Fine-grained sandstone

Claystone

Siltstone

Sample interval

0

East-West Profile

Sample 21

a

50 100

Scale, feet

FIGURE 6. - Plans and Sections, Cape Beaufort Area Samples 18 Through 21.

Figure 10 is a northeastward view of the Kukpowruk River valley with the core

drill operating in the foreground.

Samples 22, 24, 26, and 28, from drill holes 1 through 4, represent penetrations of the 19- to 20-ft coal seam; samples 23, 25, and 27, from drill

holes 2, 3, and 4, represent an approximately 2.5-ft seam that overlies by
A

17

about 80 ft the 19- to 20-

ft seam. One other coalbed

about 1 ft thick was intersected in holes 3 and 4.

This bed overlies the 2.5-

ft bed about 27 ft, and,

because of its thinness,

was not sampled. All coal

samples, except S24 from

hole 2, had good core recovery and were considered

excellent. Sample 24 apparently cored well, but when

the core barrel was pulled

from the hole, the core

lifter failed to function

properly, and 2.6 ft of

coal core were lost. Drillhole logs showing sample

data and core recovery are

in table B-l. Detailed

sample analyses and coking

studies data are in the

section of this report

entitled "Coking Studies,

1966 Series."

Hole 5 was drilled in

the Cape Beaufort area

along Kahkatak Creek about

2.6 miles upstream from the

Chukchi Sea coast (fig. 4).

This hole was designed to

intersect at depth the coal

seam represented by the

1964 surface S17. The coalbed intersection depth was

from 197.8 to 209.3 ft,

represented by S30 (fig. 5).

One other approximately 1.7-

ft-thick overlying seam was

intersected in hole 5; this

bed is represented by S29.

The bedrock overburden

encountered in drill holes

along tne KuKpowruK Kiver

FIGURE 7. - Plan, Kukpowruk River Area Drill Hole Samples. was predominately a silty

(Modified from U.S. Geological Survey Point Lay shale which spalled and

(B-1), Alaska quadrangle map and Plate 9 of caved into the drill hole

Geolnaicnl Sulrvev Prnfpninnnl Pnnpr n10.(-.- when thawed by the --- , -; , - -, - - - -- - -- -r-- --- -- ,
Elevations, feet

- 200

- 150

- o00

18

Elevations, feet

50

0

-50

I

FIGURE 8. - Section, Kukpowruk River Area Drill Hole Samples.

I - .; r* B*a,_ · ?"; ^ ^^AG^^**·"l"" :;" iy* ^tS^'*""'^' s^i

WW OA ^ ", Iii 

v.'\'- ^-yo ^ * J .s' ^ l*,y .- I -

as~-~r~ i~37*ft5krA# r S

*

FIGURE 9. - View of Faulted Area in Kukpowruk River Bluff.

circulating drilling water. Some of this caved material usually entered the

core barrel each time the drilling tools were replaced in the hole; this

together with a tendency for the silty shale core to fracture along joint

planes into wedgelike segments, caused short blocking of the core barrel and

made numerous short runs necessary. Drill hole 5 along Kahkatak Creek contained some silty shale material but also some rather massive sandstone beds

which drilled excellently.
19

FIGURE 10. - Drilling Equipment, Northeastward View of Kukpowruk River Valley.

Drill holes 1 through 4 were cored with a 2-3/4-in by 3-7/8-in largeseries core barrel to obtain enough sample of the 19- to 20-ft coal seam for

50-lb coking tests. Assuming 100 pct core recovery, 20 ft of coal core, and

25 cu ft per ton of coal in place, each sample should have weighed 63 lb.

Drill hole 5 was cored NX, 2-1/8-in core, for faster drilling and because the

anticipated coal intersection was not thick enough to provide a 50-lb sample.

The core drill was gasoline-engine driven and had a rated capacity of

1,000 ft of NX drill hole; it was equipped with a cathead for driving pipe

through overburden. The drill and tower were mounted on a heavy-duty twowheel trailer equipped with large aircraft tires for flotation permitting

cross-country travel on tundra (fig. 8).

The drilling procedure was to set 4-in flush-joint drive casing through

the overburden into bedrock by a combination of driving, drag bit drilling,

chopping, and water circulation. Along the Kukpowruk River, core drilling
20

followed with the 2-3/4-in by 3-7/8-in core barrel except in drill hole 4

where the section between the 2.5-ft and the 19- to 20-ft coalbeds was drilled

with a tricone roller bit. Another core section of the silty shale material

between the two coalbeds was not needed, and the tricone bit drilled much

faster eliminating the numerous trips required with the core barrel. In the

hole drilled along Kahkatak Creek, NX casing equipped with a casing-shoe diamond bit to permit reaming was installed inside the 4-in casing, and NX core

drilling then followed. Both the NX and large-series core barrels were of the

swivel-high-core-recovery type.

All drilling was done on a single shift, 6 days per week basis. Water

alone was used as a drilling fluid, and all holes were in permafrost ground

their entire length except for the active surface zone that seasonally thaws

and freezes. Therefore, some difficulty was experienced with ice forming in

the drill holes overnight. This was particularly true of drill hole 5 along

the Kahkatak Creek, where, at least in part, more rapid ice formation was

attributed to the relative lack of heat introduced into this hole by the water

circulated to remove drill cuttings. Kahkatak Creek water was several degrees

cooler than the Kukpowruk River and also, because of faster drilling, less

volume of water was introduced. The formation of ice was successfully overcome to some extent by the introduction of calcium chloride into the hole at

the end of each drilling shift. But because of the many variables--temperature of permanently frozen ground, volume of water introduced, volume of drill

hole because of spalling and caving of some materials upon thawing, temperature of circulating water--it was very difficult to judge the amount of

calcium chloride necessary to prevent freezing. Upon occasion, as much as

2 hr were consumed drilling out ice.

Complete logs of all five core-drill holes are given in appendix B.

COKING STUDIES

Coking studies on the 12 surface samples obtained during the 1964 field

season were conducted by the Denver Coal Research Laboratory. In 1965, functions of the Denver Coal Research Laboratory were transferred to the Grand

Forks Coal Research Laboratory (Grand Forks, N. Dak.), where coking studies

were made on the 1966 samples.

Coking Studies, 1964 Series

The 196 4 -series coking studies were made on 12 samples from six locations

in the Kokolik River area and six locations in the Cape Beaufort area (see

"Surface Samples, 1964 Series"). The samples were received at the laboratory

in 32 parts, representing separate, logged portions of the coal seams as

sampled at the 12 locations.

Proximate and ultimate analyses and heating values for each of the 32

sample parts are presented in appendix C (tables C-l and C-2). Table C-3 summarizes selected chemical properties that are of special interest in coking

studies--heating value, volatile matter, and oxygen content--all on a
21

Depth, feet

Grovelly soil

Fine-groined sandstone

;iltstone, gray color

:ool, sack 6

iilty porting (0.05 feet)-- excluded

:ool, sock 6

:ool, sock 7

iony cool parting (0-2 feet) - excluded

:oal, sack 7

lone, silty (0.2 feet)--excluded

:ool, sock 7

:loyey to sandy porting(12 feet)--excluded

ool, sock I

Coal, sock 2

ine-grained sandstone (0.07 feet)- -excluded

:ool, sac k 2

lony cool, sock 3

:ool, occosionoI bony streaks, sock 4

oaol, occasional bony streaks, sack 5

ilts tone

moisture- and ash-free (maf)

basis. Table C-3 also

includes free swelling

index.1 6 All samples, with

one exception, were highvolatile bituminous or subbituminous in rank, as indicated in table C-3. The

exception was S17: 2 and 3,

Cape Beaufort area, which is

indicated to be mediumvolatile bituminous.l 7

Only S9, a channel

sample from the Kokolik

River area, had coking properties. Five of the seven

parts of this sample showed

some agglomeration (free

swelling indexes ranging

from 1-1/2 to 5); two parts

were nonagglomerating. Test

work on the 11 nonagglomerating samples (10 through 14

and 16 through 21) was considered complete following

proximate and ultimate analyses and free swelling

index determinations.

The seven parts of S9

extended over a total seam

floor, within which was a

FIGURE 11. - Graphic Log of Sample 9, Kokolik River Area.

thickness of 11.6 ft, siltstone roof to siltstone

total of 9.88 ft of sampled coal and 1.72 ft of excluded partings.

nel log is shown graphically in figure 11.

The chanAlthough the top 1.55 ft and the bottom 1.65 ft of the coal seam were

nonagglomerating, they represent a substantial part of the seam and might be

considered for inclusion in possible future mining if they do not reduce the

coking strength of the rest of the seam too much. The coking properties of

six composites prepared from S9 coal were studied at bench scale:

1 6 ASTM Test Designation D720-57.

1 7 See footnote 22 in a later section of this report.
22

Recoverable coal,

Sample 9 composites ft

1, full-seam mining ..................................... 9.9

2, omitting top 1.55 ft (sack 6).......................... 8.3

3, omitting bottom 1.65 ft (sack 5)............... 8.2

4, omitting both top 1.55 ft and bottom 1.65 ft

(sacks 5 and 6) ................................... 6.7

5, omitting bottom 3.8 ft (sacks 3, 4, and 5)..... 6.1

6, omitting both bottom 3.8 ft and top 1.55 ft

(sacks 3, 4, 5, and 6) .................................4.5

To prepare the foregoing six composites, the seven parts of S9 were combined in proportion to the thicknesses they represent in the channel log.

Proximate and ultimate analyses, heating values, and plasticity data (free

swelling indexes and Gieseler plastometerl s results) for the six composites

are given in table C-4, together with ash fusion temperatures for two of the

six composites. To learn more about the behavior of the coal, carbonization

assays at 500° C were run on composites 1 and 4; assay results appear in

table C-5.

Available coal quantities permitted three 50-lb coking tests. The tests

were conducted in a 50-lb, 10-in, circular, gas-fired retort. Byproducts were

not collected but were burned in a combustion chamber during tests. The furnace and auxiliary equipment are illustrated in figure 12.

In each coking test, a 50-lb charge of 1/4 -in by 0 coal was carbonized

with 900° C maintained at the outer surface of the charge. Carbonization was

considered complete when the charge's center reached,nearly or fully,900° C,

which normally required 3 to 4 hr.

After the charge was coked, the retort was withdrawn from the furnace,

cooled, and opened. Coke yields were determined by weighing all coke produced.

The coke was then "stabilized" by one 6-ft drop in standard ASTM drop-shatter

apparatus, and screen analyses were made.

Coke strength was evaluated by use of the Columbia tumbler, a tumbler

that produces less degradation than the standard ASTM coke tumbler and is better suited to studies of the less strongly coking coals typical of Western

United States. An important further consideration is that the amount of coke

ordinarily produced in the 50-lb retort is adequate for the Columbia tumbler

but inadequate for the standard ASTM tumbler. The Columbia tumbler is 18 in

in diameter, with four internal lifters. For each test, 10 lb of plus 1-in

pieces, selected to match the observed size analysis, was tumbled 720 revolutions at 24 rpm, and the resultant was screened for size. Average resultant

particle size was computed and expressed as a percentage of average particle

size of the 10-lb charge to the tumbler. This percentage is designated as

"size stability." (Size stability as determined by the Columbia tumbler test

is not the same as ASTM "stability factor.")

18 ASTM Test Designation D1812-66.
a

23

FIGURE 12. - Gas-Heated 50-Pound Carbonizing Unit, With a 10-Inch Circular Retort.

Since some of the earlier coking studies on samples from the Kukpowruk

River area, less than 40 miles to the west,19 had been done with two mediumvolatile bituminous blending coals (Coal Basin, Pitkin County, Colo., and Red

Indian, Wyoming County, W. Va.), these blending coals were used in the three

50-lb coking tests. The blends consisted of:

"gWork cited in footnote 3.
24

50-lb test number Blend

CP-149 85 pet composite 1, plus 7.5 pct of each of the two blending coals

CP-150 70 pet composite 1, plus 15 pct of each of the two blending coals

CP-148 85 pet composite 4, plus 7.5 pet of each of the two blending coals

Salient data on the chemical and plastic properties of these blends and

of the chemical and physical properties of the resultant cokes are given in

table C-6, which also summarizes selected quality measures for these cokes

together with corresponding measures for coke produced under the same conditions from a blend of 85 pet Sunnyside (Utah) coal with 15 pet of the same two

blending coals. This blend has been used by Kaiser Steel Corp. to produce

commercially acceptable coke at its Fontana, Calif., plant.

The summarized data in table C-6 indicate that the CP-149 coke was heavy

and blocky but weak. Both CP-148 and CP-150 cokes were also heavy and blocky,

but significantly stronger (see data for size stability, tumbler resultant on

0.25-in screen, and modified coke strength index); they approached the Fontana

blend coke in overall quality. It is indicated that cokes that would probably

be only slightly less acceptable than Fontana blend coke could be produced by

using either (1) 70 pct full-seam S9 plus 30 pct blending coals, or (2) 85 pct

coking-portion-only S9 plus 15 pct blending coals. The use of 85 pct fullseam S9 does not appear to be favorable.

Cokin Studies, 1966 Series

The 1966-series coking studies were made on nine drill-core samples from

four locations along the Kukpowruk River and one location in the Cape Beaufort

area (see "Core Drilling and Samples, 1966 Series"). The samples were

received at Grand Forks Coal Research Laboratory in 14 parts, representing

separate, logged portions of the coal seams sampled.

A primary objective of the testing program for the Kukpowruk River area

samples was to determine the possible effect, if any, of varying thicknesses

of permanently frozen overburden on the coking characteristics of the

Kukpowruk River 19- to 20-ft coal seam. Therefore, upper and lower portions

of this major seam, plus composites and blends, were studied. Tests of coking

properties included the free swelling index, the Gieseler plastometer, the 100-

gram coking test, 20 and a special 50-lb coking test. The same tests, with one

exception, were made on the overlying 2.5- to 3.0-ft Kukpowruk River seam and

the two coal seams intersected in the Cape Beaufort area drill hole; not

enough coal was available in these samples for the 50-lb coking tests.

2 0 The 100-gram coking test is a rapid and useful bench-scale indicator of coking quality, although it has not been standardized industrially. It is

described on p. 36 of BuMines Rept. of Inv. 6767.
25

Proximate and ultimate analyses, heating values, and ash fusion temperatures for each of the 14 sample parts are presented in table C-7 (Kukpowruk

River area) and C-8 (Cape Beaufort area). Shown for comparison are, in

table C-7, analyses of parts of 1963 surface samples 7 and 8,21 obtained

directly up dip from the 1966-series Kukpowruk River drill holes, and, in

table C-8, analyses of parts of 1964 surface sample 17, obtained up dip from

drill hole 5 in the Cape Beaufort area (fig. 5) and described earlier in this

report.

All seams sampled in 1966 are high-volatile bituminous in rank except one,

S30-1 (Cape Beaufort area), which is indicated to be medium-volatile

bituminous.2

The comparisons of the drill hole samples with correlating surface

samples are interesting. In the excellent, low-ash, Kukpowruk thick (19- to

20-ft) seam, almost no difference was observed between the samples obtained at

depth and the 1963 surface samples. However, in the Cape Beaufort area, drill

hole S30, obtained at a depth of about 200 ft, is much higher in heating value

and lower in oxygen content than correlating surface S17.

Analyses of several commercial coking coals are shown in table C-9 for

comparison with the Alaskan coals.

Coking properties of each Alaskan sample part were studied on bench scale

by conducting Gieseler plastometer tests, free swelling tests, and 100-gram

coking tests. An improved design of the Gieseler plastometer, by which constant torque is maintained on the stirrer shaft, was used in the plastometric

tests. Where possible, sample parts were combined to represent a full seam

(the 19- to 20-ft seam in the Kukpowruk River area, and the 10.7-ft seam in

the Cape Beaufort area), and these composites were also tested. All sample

parts and composites of the drill hole samples were found to be agglomerating

to some extent.

21Work cited in footnote 3.

2 2 See footnote 17 earlier in this report. Reference to figure 5 is also

recommended. It is very unusual to find a coal seam that is of highvolatile bituminous rank in its lower half, with a 1.5-ft portion in its

upper half that is apparently medium-volatile bituminous. This anomaly in

rank appears to be real, since it is exhibited twice, in samples taken 2

years apart in time and about 1,000 ft apart in the coal seam itself (S17

in 1964 and S30 in 1966).

There is evidence, however, that the 1.5-ft portion of the seam, classified

medium-volatile bituminous by ASTM Specifications for Classification of

Coals by Rank (D388-66), is not typical. The ASTM specification is based

solely upon volatile matter content, but other chemical-analysis data for

the 1.5-ft portion are not consistent with normal medium-volatile bituminous coals. In both samples, maf heating value and carbon content are

lower, and maf oxygen content is higher than normal.
26

Results of the Gieseler plasticity and free swelling tests are given in

tables C-10 (for Alaska samples) and C-ll (for commercial coking coals),

together with the results of a 1963-series surface sample of the 19- to 20-ft

seam. Table C-12 gives the averaged results of duplicate 100-gram coking

tests run on each sample part and composite.

No progressive effect of depth of cover on coking properties is evident

from the foregoing laboratory-scale tests of the 19- to 20-ft Kukpowruk River

coal seam; this corresponds to the conclusion later reached in the 50-lb coking test. However, in line with the observation made on the chemical analyses

shown in table C-8 for Cape Beaufort samples, drill hole S30 was much superior

to surface S17. The latter gave no indication whatsoever of coking qualities

in the free swelling test (see table C-3), whereas both parts of S30--especially the lower 5.2-ft portion--showed good free swelling indexes and

Gieseler fluidities.

The overlying 2.5- to 3.0-ft seam in the Kukpowruk River area and the

overlying 1.7-ft seam in the Cape Beaufort area also show coking properties.

In the Kukpowruk River area, the overlying seam is about the same quality

as the 19- to 20-ft seam. In the Cape Beaufort area, the thin overlying seam

is high in ash content (12 pct, as received).

For the 1966 series of samples, a 50-lb coking test was used that was

somewhat different from the earlier 50-lb coking test. In the newer test,

stainless-steel cylinders 8-1/4 in in inside diameter by 38 in high are used.

The retorts are each charged with 50 lb of coal, vibrated to a charge density

of 50 lb per cubic foot, and placed into an oven preheated to and maintained

at 900° C (1,652° F). Under these conditions the center of the charge reaches

90 pet of absolute oven temperature in about 5 hr. Carbonization is considered to be complete in 6 hr, at which time the hot retorts are removed and

allowed to cool; their bases are cut off, and the coke is removed and tested.

Testing procedures are the same as used for the earlier 50-lb coking test.

An examination of possible effects of permafrost cover on the 19- to

20-ft seam was of prime importance to the testing program. As these effects,

if any, would be likely to be best exhibited in the extremes of permafrost

cover (minimum, 59 ft in drill hole 1; maximum, 191 ft in drill hole 4), the

samples obtained at these extremes--S22 and S28--were chosen for 50-lb test

work. By this test, no differences in coke quality ascribable to depth of

cover were found. Four measures of coke quality as derived from the 50-lb

coking tests are presented in table C-13.

Because, as judged by the tests on S22 and S28, depth of cover is not a

factor in the quality of coke producible from the 19- to 20-ft seam, it was

decided to use the two remaining samples, obtained from intermediate depths of

cover, to further test these Alaskan coals as a base coal in blends to produce

metallurgical-quality coke. The coal selected for blending was that from Coal

Basin mine, Pitkin County, Colo.--a medium-volatile bituminous coal that had

been used with the 1964-series samples. To provide comparative data, highvolatile A bituminous coals from the York Canyon mine, Colfax County, N. Mex.;
27

the Arkwright mine, Monongalia County, W. Va.; and the Sunnyside mines, Carbon

County, Utah, were used. (Analyses of all four coals appear in table C-9.)

Data on the blends and qualitative results of their 50-lb coking tests

appear in table C-13. The Sunnyside-York Canyon-Coal Basin blend has been

used by Kaiser Steel Corp. at Fontana for production of blast furnace coke.

When Alaskan coal was substituted for Sunnyside and York Canyon, increases

were noted in coke yield, tumbler size stability, and apparent specific gravity; average coke size was slightly reduced, but this was regarded as less

important.

Chemical analyses of cokes produced in the 50-lb tests are presented in

table C-13.

Conclusions From the Coking Studies

On the basis of laboratory and pilot-plant studies of 12 samples (32

sample parts) obtained in 1964 in the Kokolik River and Cape Beaufort areas

and of nine samples (14 sample parts) obtained in 1966 in the Kukpowruk River

and Cape Beaufort areas, several coal deposits in Arctic Northwestern Alaska

have been established to be of good quality and of possible use for coke

production.

Earlier work was confirmed that had identified a high-volatile bituminous

coal seam in the Kukpowruk River area, 19-to 20-ft thick, as being a potentially satisfactory base coking coal. The coal has low moisture and ash contents, and its sulfur content is within proposed air pollution limits of the

Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. An overlying 2.5- to 3.0-ft

seam in the same area also possesses good coking properties. The seams pitch

at an average angle of 12° to 13°. Drill hole samples obtained at several

depths up to 191 ft show no significant change in coking or chemical properties with increased depth of overlying permafrost.

In the Kokolik River area, one of the six surface samples had distinct

coking properties, possibly high enough to produce commercially acceptable

coke if 15 to 30 pct lower volatile blending coals are added. The deposit of

potential coking coal is nearly 10 ft thick (excluding 1.72 ft of partings)

and pitches at 14°. It is the lowermost of at least three coal seams sampled

in the area.

In the Cape Beaufort area, none of six surface samples showed coking properties. However, when a drill hole was sunk to intersect one of the better

coal seams at a depth of about 200 ft, the seam's lower 5.2 ft was much less

oxidized than the surface sample and had significantly higher heating value

and pronounced coking characteristics.
28

APPENDIX A.--SURFACE SAMPLE LOGS

Kokolik River

Kokolik River area sample logs are shown in table A-l; the sample sites

are described in table A-2.

Sample 9 was taken from a hand dug opencut into the eastern bluff of the

Kokolik River near the south end of a long lake; frozen coal and overburden

were broken by blasting.

Sample 10 was taken from a coalbed that outcrops in the eastern Kokolik

River bluff about 640 ft S 20° E of the S91 site. The S10 opencut was initially excavated by blasting and bulldozing; then an additional cut almost on

the strike of the bed was blasted and hand dug further into the outcrop. The

sample seemed to contain an abnormal amount of ice.

Sample 11 was cut from a 2-ft coalbed that outcrops in the eastern bluff

of the Kokolik River 1-1/2 miles to the south of S9 and S10, or just north of

the confluence of Avingak Creek and the Kokolik River. The opencut for this

sample was excavated by hand digging aided by blasting.

Sample 12 was taken from a 4-ft coalbed that outcrops in the eastern

bluff of the Kokolik River about 2-1/2 miles to the south of Sll. This location is just south of the axis of the Oxbow syncline.2 The opencut for S12

was excavated by blasting and hand digging. There seemed to be an abnormal

amount of ice contained in the coalbed at sample face depth, even though the

roof consisted of claystone that appeared impermeable.

Sample 13 was cut from a coalbed that outcrops in the eastern bluff of

the Kokolik River about 3-1/2 miles to the south of the confluence of Avingak

Creek and the Kokolik River. The opencut for S13 was excavated entirely by

hand digging aided by blasting. Sample 13 appeared to contain an unusual

amount of resinous material.

Sample 14 was obtained from a coalbed that outcrops in the western bluff

of the Kokolik River 4-1/2 miles to the south of the confluence of Avingak

Creek and the Kokolik River. This location is along the northern stretch of a

prominent oxbow meander of the Kokolik River. The opencut for S14 was excavated entirely by hand digging and blasting. Sample 14 contained an abnormal

amount of ice, which probably indirectly indicates considerable coal oxidation

at sample depth, even though the sample was cut entirely within the permafrost

zone.

1Sample 9.

2 Work cited in text footnote 8.
M

TABLE A-1. - Kokolik River area sample logs

Depth, ft Material Depth, ft Material

From I To From ] To

SAMPLE 9 SAMPLE 121

Surface 1.5 Gravelly soil. Surface 1.0 Tundra.

1.5 7.5 Fine-grained sandstone. 1.0 2.0 Gravelly overburden.

7.5 9.5 Siltstone, gray color. 2.0 5.0 Fine-grained sandstone.

9.5 9.7 Coal, sack 6. 5.0 6.3 Claystone.

9.7 9.75 Silty parting--excluded. 6.3 10.3 Coal, S12, 5 sacks.

9.75 11.1 Coal, sack 6. 10.3 ? Siltstone with coal streaks grading to fine-grained

11.1 11.3 Coal, sack 7. sandstone within a short distance.

11.3 11.5 Bony coal parting--excluded. ___SAMPLE 13

11.5 11.85 Coal, sack 7. Surface 1.0 Tundra.

11.85 12.05 Bone, silty--excluded. 1.0 2.0 Gravel and soil overburden.

12.05 13.0 Coal, sack 7. 2.0 4.5 Fine- to medium-grained sandstone.

13.0 14.2 Clayey to sandy parting--excluded. 4.5 5.1 Fine-grained sandstone grading through siltstone with

14.2 15.7 Coal, sack 1. coal streaks to coaly claystone.

15.7 16.5 Coal, sack 2. 5.1 5.2 Powdery ice saturated coal--not sampled.

16.5 16.57 Fine-grained sandstone--excluded. 5.2 6.7 Coal, S13: 1-2.2

16.57 17.3 Coal, sack 2. 6.7 8.1 Siltstone parting, occasional coal streaks and bands,

17.3 17.9 Bony coal, sack 3. lower 0.1 ft coal except 1/4-in ice band--excluded.

17.9 19.45 Coal, occasional bony streaks, sack 4. 8.1 12.45 Coal, S13: 3-7.

19.45 21.1 Coal, occasional bony streaks, sack 5. 12.45 ? Very fine-grained sandstone with coal streaks grading

21.1 ? Siltstone. to fine- to medium-grained sandstone within a short

SAMPLE 10 distance.

Surface 1.0 Tundra. SAMPLE 141

1.0 2.0 Gravel and clayey overburden. Surface 1.0 Tundra.

2.0 6.0 Interbedded fine-grained sandstone and siltstone. 1.0 5.0 Gravelly overburden.

6.0 7.0 Soft, mushy (when thawed) gray clay. 5.0 7.8 Interbedded, fine-grained sandstone and siltstone.

7.0 7.1 Coal--not sampled to prevent roof contamination 7.8 8.0 Claystone.

of sample. 8.0 11.7 Coal, S14: 1-3; 1/4-in parting included in sack 2.

7.1 8.1 Coal, sack 1. 11.7 13.5 Thinly bedded clayey bone and coal parting--excluded

8.1 9.05 Coal, sack 2. from sample.

9.05 9.85 Coal, sack 3. 13.5 13.95 Coal, sack 4.

9.85 10.8 Coal, sack 4. 13.95 14.35 Siltstone parting--excluded.

10.8 ? Claystone. 14.35 18.8 Coal, sacks 4-7.

SAMPLE 111 18.8 ? Siltstone grading to fine- and medium-grained sandSurface 1.0 Tundra, stone within a few feet.

1.0 2.0 Gravelly overburden.

2.0 10.1 Interbedded siltstone and very fine-grained sandstone, occasional coaly streaks.

10.1 10.3 Bony coal--not sampled.

10.3 11.0 Claystone, coaly lower 0.2 ft.

11.0 13.0 Coal, Sll, 5 sacks.

13.0 14.0 Coaly siltstone grading to fine-grained sandstone.

14.0 ? Fine-grained sandstone. ____ 1The log interval represents true thickness of the coalbed. 2 Sample 13, sacks 1 and 2. r3'0
TABLE A-2. - Kokolik River area sample sites, by samples

Site conditions 9 10 11 12 13 14

Channel cut, width by depth, in. 12 by 4 12 by 6 12 by 12 12 by 6 12 by 6 12 by 4

Coalbed:

Strikes ... ................... S 75° E S 65° E S 72° E S 58° E S 85° E S 80° E

Dips .......................... 14° S 15° S 8° S 6° N 10°-14° N 22° N

Thickness, ft:

Total seam .................... 11.6 3.8 2 4 7.35 10.8

As-sampled .................... 9.88 3.7 2 4 5.85 8.6

Excluded ...................... 1.72 - - - 1.5 2.2

Cape Beaufort Area

Cape Beaufort area sample logs are shown in table A-3; sample sites are

described in table A-4. Sample 16 was obtained on the northeast side of Kahkatak

Creek about 2 miles inland. The opencut was made by bulldozing a trench in the

weathered sandstone and coal to as great a downdip depth as possible without the aid

of blasting and then handpicking the frozen silty claystone immediate roof off the

top of the coal. The sample was obtained by collecting cuttings from multiple

1-5/8-in auger holes. Sacks 1 through 4 represent 8.5 ft, the entire coalbed.

Observation of cuttings indicated that the upper portion of the seam contained high

ash material. Therefore, the upper 0.6 ft of the bed was removed and sacks 5

through 7 representing 7.9 ft of the seam were collected. As nearly as possible,

all auger holes were drilled normal to the dip.

Sample 17 was taken on the northeast side of Kahkatak Creek about 2.6 miles

inland. The opencut for this sample was made with the bulldozer aided by blasting;

considerable hand digging was necessary in preparation for sampling. The sample was

cut by a combination of channel sampling and collection of auger drill hole cuttings

(This coalbed was sampled at depth by core drilling in 1966.) Several concretions

were noted up dip from the auger holes in an excavated section of the coalbed; their

stratigraphic position would be about equivalent to 28.0 ft of the log. A specimen

was identified as predominately ankerite. The channel-cut portions of the sample

represent true thickness; the auger holes as nearly as possible were drilled normal

to the dip.

Samples 18 and 19 were taken from a single location on the northeast side of

Kahkatak Creek, about 3.2 miles inland. The opencut for these samples was excavated by bulldozing and by hand digging aided by blasting. The coalbed from which

S18 was taken overlies the S19 coalbed about 25 ft. Sample 18 was taken by collecting cuttings from multiple 1-5/8-in auger holes. Sample 19 was a channel cut;

excluded partings were separated out to the best of the samplers' ability, but parts

of some partings were undoubtedly included in the sample which consisted of four

sacks.

Samples 20 and 21 were taken from a single location on the south side of

Tulugak Creek about 0.5 mile inland. Sample 20 represents the upper 9.6 ft of the

coalbed that is represented in its entirety by S21. Sample 20 was taken with the

auger previous to opencutting the coalbed for S21 and was intended as a check

against channel S21. Observation of auger cuttings indicated that S20 cut at least

one parting of fair thickness at 8 to 8.5 ft below the top of the coal (see log of

S21 for comparison). The opencut for S21 was excavated with the bulldozer aided by

blasting. Minute films of ice were noted on some cleat faces at the sample site.

30
TABLE A-3. - Cape Beaufort area sample logs

Depth, ft Material Depth, ft Material

From I To I From f To

SAMPLE 16 SAMPLES 20 AND 21

Surface 5.5 Medium-grained sandstone. Surface 2.0 Loose, gravelly sandstone.

5.5 6.0 Silty claystone. 2.0 6.0 Loose, weathered and broken medium-grained

6.0 14.5 Coal, S16: 1-4 (6.0 to 14.5) and 5-7 (6.6 to sandstone.

and 14.5). 6.0 8.0 Medium- to fine-grained buff sandstone.

6.6 8.0 9.5 Silty to clayey roof.

14.5 ? Siltstone. 9.5 26.5 Coalbed, S21, see separate log.

SAMPLE 17 26.5 ? Siltstone.

Surface 21.0 Medium- to fine-grained buff sandstone with occa- SAMPLE 21 COALBED LOG'

sional coal or coaly bands. Top of 3.35 Coal, sacks 1-3.

21.0 21.1 Bony coal--not sampled. coal

21.1 21.8 Coal, sack 1, channel cut 12 in wide by 6 in 3.35 6.45 Coal, sacks 4-6.

deep. 6.45 6.7 Silty parting--excluded, sacks 4-6.

21.8 22.9 Coaly claystone and bony coal--excluded. 6.7 7.05 Coal, sacks 4-6.

22.9 24.45 Coal, sacks 2 and 3, channel cut 12 in wide by 6 7.05 7.25 Silty parting--excluded.

in deep. 7.25 9.25 Coal, very occasional thin (1/8-in) partings--

24.45 25.70 Siltstone parting--excluded. included, sacks 7 and 8,

25.70 31.20 Coal, sacks 4-9, 30 1-5/8-in x 5.5-ft auger 9.25 9.75 Silty partings (3) and coal bands (2)--excluded,

holes. sacks 7 and 8.

31.20 ? Claystone grading to fine-grained sandstone. 9.75 10.1 Coal, sacks 7 and 8.

SAMPLE 18 10.1 10.2 Silty parting--excluded.

Surface 1.0 Medium- to fine-grained buff sandstone, 10.2 11.15 Coal, sack 9.

1.0 6.5 Interbedded coaly claystone, coal bands (to 0.3- 11.15 11.75 Silty parting--excluded.

ft thick), occasional fine-grained sandstone 11.75 11.95 Coal, not sampled.

bands, occasional siltstone bands. 11.95 12.05 Silty parting--excluded.

6.5 7.0 Very fine-grained sandstone. 12.05 12.85 Coal, sack 10.

7.0 9.5 Coal, S18, 5 sacks from approximately 75 1-5/8-in 12.85 13.05 Silty parting--excluded.

auger holes. 13.05 13.5 Coal, 1/8-in parting included, sack 10.

9.5 ? Siltstone. 13.5 13.55 Silty parting--excluded.

SAMPLE 191 13.55 13.65 Coal, not sampled.

Surface 3.0 Soil and sandstone gravel overburden. 13.65 14.1 Silty parting--excluded.

3.0 11.5 Medium- to fine-grained sandstone with occasional 14.1 14.9 Coal, 1/4-in parting included, sack 11.

silty and coaly bands. 14.9 15,35 Silty parting--excluded.

11.5 12.5 Coaly siltstone. 15.35 17.0 Coal, sacks 12 and 13.

12.5 13.9 Coal, S19 (1/4-in silty parting at 13.4 ft 17.0 ? Siltstone.

included in sample).

13.9 14.0 Silty parting--excluded.

14.0 14.6 Coal, S19.

14.6 14.8 Silty parting--excluded.

14.8 15.15 Coal, S19.

15.15 15.3 Silty parting--excluded.

15.3 15.9 Coal, S19 (1/4-in silty parting at 15.4 ft

excluded).

15.9 15.95 Silty parting--excluded.

15.95 16.65 Coal, S19.

16.65 ? Siltstone grading to fine-grained sandstone.

'Log intervals represent true thickness.
Site conditions

Channel cut,

width by depth,

in.

Auger holes.....

Coalbed:

Strikes.......

Dips..........

Thickness, ft:

Total seam....

As-sampled....

Excluded .....

16 .-

Multiple

1-5/8 in

32

TABLE A-4. - Cape Beaufort area sample sites, by samples

12 by 6

Multiple

1-5/8 in

.- t --. == .-

17 18

N 30° E

21° W

S

8.5

8.5

and 7.9

. i

28° W

24° W

10.1

7.75

2.35

Multiple

1-5/8 in

S 29° W

26° W

2.5

2.5

. . . m

12 by 4

(4.15 ft long)

S 35° W

30° W

4.15

3.65

.5

19

Multiple

1-5/8 in

17.0

9.6

120 21

N 10° W

14°-17° W

12 by 4

«

a

17.0

13.8

. . - .

3.2 . .

1Combined with sample 21, see log.

J

e
0.0

4.0

16.0

20.5

24.6

30.0

30.3

33.5

33.7

38.7

59.3

63.4

68.8

71.0

71.5

78.3

33

APPENDIX B.--CORE DRILL LOGS

TABLE B-1. - Logs .. 

of core-drill  .. -

holes - .

Kukpowruk , - - .

River.

and Cape Beaufort areas - -- -

Location

Elevation of

Dip of hole

Dates drilled

collar

: 160 ft N 13° W of outcrop S7 and S8 (1963),

Kukpowruk River

158 ft (approx.)

: Vertical

: June 29-July 7, 1966

a

Depth, ft Core

From To Material recovery, Remarks

I ______ft

HOLE 1

4.0

16.0

20.5

24.6

30.0

30.3

33.5

33.7

38.7

59.3

63.4

68.8

71.0

71.5

78.3

81.0

Tundra and soil overburden.

Gravel overburden, gravel pebbles,

mostly sandstone.

Light gray, silty shale with occasional

bands of fine-grained sandstone.

Light gray, silty shale, 0.2-ft very

fine-grained sandstone bands at 22 ft

and 24.2 ft.

Light gray, silty shale.

Very fine-grained sandstone.

Light gray, silty shale.

Very fine-grained sandstone.

Light gray, silty shale, 0.2-ft very

fine-grained sandstone band at 37.7 ft.

Light gray, silty shale, occasional

thin, very fine-grained sandstone

bands.

Coal.

Coal, very occasional thin, bony

partings.

do.

Coal.

Coal, very occasional thin, bony

partings.

Very fine-grained sandstone, occasional

carbonaceous streaks and inclusions.

0.0 v - w -

.0

.0

4.1

2.8

.3

3.0

.2

3.7

19.5

4.0

5.4

2.2

.2

6.8

2.4

Drilled with a

noncoring

drag bit.

Do.

Do.

Silty shale

material--

weathers very

readily.

Bedding angle

14°.

S22: 1.1

S22: 1. Bedding angle

12° at 64.4

ft.

S22: 1.

S22: 2. (Lost

core assumed

to be coal.)

S22: 2.

.

.

.

1Sample 22, sack 1.

'
0.0

2.0

16.0

22.0

22.5

24.5

28.1

36.3

59.0

67.0

34

TABLE B-1. - Logs of core-drill holes, Kukpowruk River

and Cape Beaufort areas--Continued

Location

Elevation of c

Dip of hole

Dates drilled

;ollar

: 213 ft N 14° E of hole 1, Kukpowruk River

: 160 ft (approx.)

: Vertical

: July 8-14, 1966

a

Depth, ft Core

From To Material recovery, Remarks

___ft

HOLE 2 4

2.0

16.0

22.0

22.5

24.5

28.1

36.3

59.0

67.0

91.7

Tundra and soil overburden. -- - --- 

Gravel unconsolidated overburden,

pebbles, mostly sandstone.

Light gray, clayey shale.

Coal.

do.

Silty shale, numerous coal streaks and

and bands, up to 1/8 in.

Silty shale, light gray color, occasional coal streaks.

Silty shale.

Silty shale, occasional very finegrained sandstone bands.

Silty shale, occasional thin, very finegrained sandstone bands, up to 0.4 ft

thick.

Silty shale, numerous fine-grained sandstone bands and streaks up to 0.2 ft

thick.

Silty shale, occasional carbonaceous

streaks.

. ! ---

0.0

.0

.0

.0

2.0

3.0

1.0

.0

7.0

23.8

11.6

1.8

Drilled with a

noncoring

drag bit.

Do.

Do.

Do.

S23, core

badly broken.

Bedding angle

9.

Drilled with a

noncoring

drag bit.

Silty shale--

weathers

readily upon

thawing and

exposure to

air.

Bedding angles

11° and 12°.

91.7

106.6

106.6

109.2

s

Do.
35

0.0 .

Depth ft Core

From To Material recovery, Remarks

-- - -- ft

HOLE 2--Continued

109.2 116.4 Coal, 1/4-in bony parting at 111.4 ft. 4.6 S24: 1.

Included in sample. Apparently

cored

well, but

lost all

except 2.5 ft

of coal core

upon pulling--recovered some but

not all core

upon reentering hole.

116.4 118.4 Coal, very occasional thin, bony 2.0 S24: 1.

partings.

118.4 127.7 Coal, very occasional very thin, bony 9.3 S24: 2. Bedstreaks. ding angle

12° to 13°.

127.7 131.9 Silty shale grading to very fine-grained 3.7 Bedding angle

sandstone, light gray color, occasional 10° to 11°.

_ _ coal streaks. _

Location : 218 ft N 14° E of hole 2, Kukpowruk River

Elevation of collar: 159 ft (approx.)

Dip of hole : Vertical

Dates drilled : July 15-23, 1966

Depth, ft Core

From To Material recovery, Remarks

__ HOLE 3 HOLE 3

2.0

18.0

42.5

43.0

43.5

44.5

TABLE B-l. - Logs of core-drill holes, Kukpowruk River

and Cape Beaufort areas--Continued

*

2.0

18.0

42.5

43.0

43.5

44.5

67.6

Tundra and soil overburden.

Gravel unconsolidated overburden,

pebbles mostly sandstone.

Silty shale, occasional very finegrained sandstone bands.

Coal.

do.

Silty shale, occasional coal streaks and

bands.

Silty shale, light gray color, occasional very fine-grained sandstone

bands--up to 0.2 ft.

0.0

.0

.0

.0

.5

1.0

22.7

Drilled with a

noncoring

drag bit.

Do.

Do.

Not sampled.
67.6

69.5

70.3

70.5

73.1

73.7

75.8

88.4

- /A

b9.5

70.3

70.5

73.1

73.7

75.8

88.4

95.4

36

TABLE B-1. - Logs of core-drill holes, Kukpowruk River

and Cape Beaufort areas--Continued

Depth, ft Core

From To Material recovery, Remarks

_____ HOLE 3-Cft

HOLE 3--Continued

Very fine-grained sandstone.

Silty shale.

Bony coal.

Coal.

Bony coal.

95.4

96.9

96.9

154.2

Silty shale, occasional coal streaks and

bands, one 0.2-ft fine-grained sandstone band at 73.7 ft.

Silty shale, occasional coal streaks and

bands to 80.5 ft, 0.4-ft fine-grained

sandstone bands at 78.0 ft and 85.8 ft.

Silty shale, light gray color, 0.2-ft,

0.3-ft, and 0.2-ft fine-grained sandstone bands at 88.4 ft, 93.0 ft, and

93.6 ft--calcite veinlets in lower two

bands, sandstone light tan color.

Very fine-grained sandstone.

Silty shale, light gray color, occasional fine-grained sandstone bands,

up to 0.2 ft.

Silty shale, occasional very thin coaly

streaks, 1/4 -in band of coal at 158.6

ft.

Coal, bright, very occasional thin,

bony partings, 1/16 in to 1/8 in.

Coal, bright, very occasional very thin,

bony partings.

Fine-grained sandstone, light gray

color.

2.0

12.0

6.9

1.5

55.6

4.2

9.7

9.7

1.3

1.7

.8

.2

2.6

.6

.- .- . . -.

I

Bedding angle

11°.

Bedding angle

at 142 ft,

18°, bedding

angle at 148

ft, 11°.

S26: 1.

S26: 2. Bedding angles

10° and 14°.

S25.

Bedding angle

20°.

4

154.2

158.7

168.4

178.1

158.7

168.4

178.1

179.4

W

ft

I
0.0

5.0

18.0

21.0

22.7

24.3

28.7

29.5

33.7

39.5

59.5

74.9

75.2

37

TABLE B-1. - Logs of core-drill holes, Kukpowruk River

and Cape Beaufort areas--Continued

Location

Elevation of i

Dip of hole

Dates drilled

collar

: 162 ft N 14° E of hole 3, Kukpowruk River

: 160 ft (approx.)

: Vertical

: July 27-August 6, 1966

I

Depth, ft -- C ore

From To Material recovery, Remarks

_______ ___ft

HOLE 4

5.0

18.0

21.0

22.7

24.3

28.7

29.5

33.7

39.5

59.5

74.9

75.2

75.8

78.3

82.6

85.2

88.9

102.3

104.6

Gravel unconsolidated overburden,

pebbles mostly sandstone.

Silty shale.

do.

do.

Fine-grained sandstone.

Silty shale with interbedded thin beds

of fine-grained sandstone.

do.

Silty shale, fine-grained sandstone

bands, occasional to numerous coal

streaks and bands.

Silty shale with interbedded thin beds

of fine-grained sandstone.

Silty shale with interbedded thin beds

of fine-grained sandstone. Some

slightly carbonaceous.

Claystone with occasional coal streaks.

Coal.

Silty shale, occasional coal streaks

and bands.

Fine-grained sandstone.

Silty shale with interbedded thin beds

of fine-grained sandstone.

Fine-grained sandstone, banded, light

gray color.

Silty shale with interbedded thin beds

of fine-grained sandstone.

Silty shale with occasional streaks and

bands of coal.

Tundra and soil overburden. 0.0

.0

.0

.8

.0

4.2

.8

3.7

4.5

19.4

14.4

.3

.5

2.5

4.3

2.6

3.6

12.5

2.3

Drilled with a

noncoring

drag bit.

Do.

Do.

Drilled with a

noncoring

drag bit.

Bedding angle

10° at 46 ft.

Not sampled;

apparently

correlates

with bed at

43 ft, hole 3.

Bedding angle

11°.

J

75.8

78.3

82.6

85.2

88.9

102.3
0.0

1.0

38

TABLE B-1. - Logs of core-drill holes, Kukpowruk River

and Cape Beaufort areas--Continued

Depth, ft Core

From To Material recovery, Remarks

I _____ft

HOLE 4--Continued

104.6 104.8 Coal, mostly dull. 0.2 S27.

104.8 107.6 Coal, bright. 2.8 Do.

107.6 108.6 Silty shale with occasional streaks and 1.0

inclusions of coal.

108.6 109.4 Coal, several bone inclusions. .8 Not sampled.

109.4 115.4 Silty shale with interbedded thin fine- 4.5

grained sandstone beds, occasional

streaks and inclusions of coal to

113.5 ft.

115.4 156.0 Silty shale with interbedded thin beds .0 Drilled with a

of fine-grained sandstone. noncoring

tricone rock

bit.

156.0 156.4 Silty shale. .3

156.4 189.2 Silty shale with interbedded thin beds .0 Drilled with a

of fine-grained sandstone. noncoring

tricone rock

bit.

189.2 189.5 Silty shale. .0

189.5 191.2 Silty shale, occasional thin coaly 1.7

streaks and bands.

191.2 200.7 Coal, mostly bright, occasional very 9.5 828: 1. Bedthin, bony streaks and partings, ding angle

1/4-in bony parting at 193.9 ft, 7°.

included in sample.

200.7 210.2 Coal, bright, occasional very thin, 9.5 S28: 2.

bony partings and streaks.

210.2 212.5 Fine-grained sandstone, small amount of 1.5

___ __ bony coal upper part.

Location : Cape Beaufort area, see figure 4

Elevation of collar: 197 ft (approx.)

Dip of hole : Vertical

Dates drilled : August 13-20, 1966

Depth, ft Core

From To Material recovery, Remarks

___ft

HOLE 5

9

J

1.0 Soil and tundra overburden.

6.0 Gravel overburden, pebbles and cobbles

mostly sandstone.

0.0 Drilled with a

noncoring

drag bit.

.0 Do.
n

a 6.0

12.0

20.5

23.7

25.7

44.5

45.0

61.9

76.0

82.5

84.5

--

39

TABLE B-1. - Logs of core-drill holes, Kukpowruk River

and Cape Beaufort areas--Continued

Depth, ft Core

From To Material recovery, Remarks

____ft_

HOLE 5--Continued

12.0

20.5

23.7

25.7

44.5

45.0

61.9

76.0

82.5

84.5

94.7

96.5

96.7

102.9

Sandstone, medium-grained.

Medium-grained sandstone--granitic

appearing, occasional coaly streaks

and thin bands.

Silty shale, occasional coal streaks

and thin bands, occasional mediumgrained sandstone bands.

Fine-grained sandstone, carbonaceous

streaks.

Silty shale with occasional interbedded

fine-grained sandstone bands--light

gray color.

Fine-grained sandstone, buff color.

Silty shale, interbedded with finegrained sandstone--silty shale predominant, two 1/2-in coal bands near 48.1

ft, light gray color.

Fine-grained sandstone interbedded with

silty shale--fine-grained sandstone

predominates, light gray color.

Silty shale interbedded with finegrained sandstone--some slightly carbonaceous, occasional coal streaks and

thin bands.

Shale--light gray color, one small coal

inclusion.

Silty shale interbedded with finegrained sandstone, some at lower 2 ft

not silty, but instead a straight clay,

occasional thin bands coal lower 0.5

ft.

Coal--some appears slightly bony.

Bony coal.

Fine-grained sandstone, very light gray

color, occasional coal streaks and

inclusions--grades to carbonaceous

silty shale lower 0.6 ft.

Coal, bright.

Bony coal.

0.0

6.2

2.5

2.0

17.7

.5

16.7

13.3

6.5

2.0

9.8

1.8

.2

6.2

.6

.3

Drilled with a

noncoring

drag bit.

Appears

weathered.

Bedding angle

25°.

Silty shale--

weathers

rapidly to

small pieces.

Silty shale--

weathers

rapidly to

small pieces.

Bedding angle

19°.

Silty shale

weathers

rapidly to

small pieces.

Bedding angle

16°.

S29.

.

94.7

96.5

96.7

102.9

103.5

103.5

103.8

Not sampled.
103.8

105.9

118.1

170.1

1

--

40

TABLE B-1. - Logs of core-drill holes, Kukpowruk River

and Cape Beaufort areas--Continued

Depthft Core

From To Material recovery, Remarks

- I -____ ftHOLE 5--Continued

10.8 

. -

77.5

182.7

197.8

105.9

118.1

170.1

177.5

182.7

197.8

198.6

Carbonaceous shale.

Silty shale interbedded with finegrained sandstone, occasional coal

streaks and bands.

Fine-grained sandstone--light gray

color, occasional coaly streaks and

banding.

Fine-grained sandstone--coaly streaks

banding and inclusions, clay

inclusions.

Silty shale interbedded with very finegrained sandstone--light gray color.

Fine- to medium-grained sandstone--

coal streaks, bands, and inclusions,

one large silty shale inclusion at

187.2 ft.

Coal.

Interbedded coal and bony coal.

Carbonaceous shale.

Bony coal.

Coal--appeared slightly high ash.

Bony coal grading to carbonaceous shale.

Shale, occasional thin coal bands

(1/16 in), and inclusions.

Bony coal.

Coal--some appeared slightly high ash,

occasional graphitic appearance.

Bony coal.

Shale and silty shale grading to very

fine-grained sandstone lower 1.5 ft,

upper 0.5 ft slightly carbonaceous.

2.1

11.8

51.8

7.4

5.2

15.0

.2

.2

.5

.1

1.5

.3

2.0

.3

5.6

.1

7.5

Bedding angles

20° at 136

ft, 30° at

147 ft, 23°

at 163 ft.

I----

a

.

Core loss

198.6

198.8

199.3

199.4

200.9

201.2

203.4

203.7

209.3

209.4

198.8

199.3

199.4

200.9

201.2

203.4

203.7

209.3

209.4

217.5

assumed to be

coal--not

sampled; see

S17 for

correlation.

S30: 1.

Bedding angle

21°.

I

S30: 2.

-- .- - -- - . .
*

Sample No.................

Sack No ..................

Basis....................

Proximate analysis, pct:

Moisture...............

Volatile matter........

Fixed carbon...........

Ash....................

Ultimate analysis, pet:

Hydrogen...............

Carbon................

Nitrogen...............

Oxygen.................

Sulfur.................

Ash....................

Heating value....Btu/lb..

Sample No................

Sack No..................

Basis....................

Proximate analysis, pct:

Moisture...............

Volatile matter........

Fixed carbon...........

Ash....................

Ultimate analysis, pct:

Hydrogen...............

Carbon.................

Nitrogen ..............

Oxygen.................

Sulfur.................

Ash....................

Heating value....Btu/lb..

Asreceived

4

7.0

31.4

56.3

5.3

5.3

73.8

1.8

13.5

.3

5.3

41

APPENDIX C.--COKING STUDIES

TABLE C-1. - Analyses of coal samples from Kokolik River area,

1964 series

9

1 2 3

As- As- Asreceived Maf received Maf received Maf

4.4 - 5.3 - 5.7 -

38.9 42.1 33.9 38.9 32.6 40.2

53.4 57.9 53.2 61.1 48.4 59.8

3.3 - 7.6 - 13.3 -

5.7 5.6 5.3 5.4 5.2 5.6

76.9 83.3 73.1 83.9 67.7 83.6

1.9 2.1 1.7 2.0 1.7 2.1

11.9 8.7 12.1 8.4 11.9 8.4

.3 .3 .2 .3 .2 .3

3.3 - 7.6 - 13.3 -

13,750 14,900 12,870 14,780 12,010 14,830

9

Maf

35.8

64.2

5.1

84.2

2.0

8.3

.4

Asreceived

8.0

31.5

58.2

2.3

5.3

73.7

1.7

16.5

.5

2.3

Maf

5

35.1

64.9

4.9

82.2

1.9

10.5

.5

Asreceived

6

12.1

28.5

54.7

4.7

5.2

63.6

1.6

24.5

.4

4.7

Maf

34.2

65.8

4.6

76.4

2.0

16.6

.4 .

12,730 14,520 12,760 14,220 11,010 13,230
Sample No................

Sack No ..................

Basis....................

Proximate analysis, pet:

Moisture...............

Volatile matter........

Fixed carbon...........

Ash....................

Ultimate analysis, pct:

Hydrogen ..............

Carbon................

Nitrogen...............

Oxygen.................

Sulfur.................

Ash....................

Heating value....Btu/lb..

Sample No................

Sack No..................

Basis....................

Proximate analysis, pct:

Moisture ..............

Volatile matter........

Fixed carbon...........

Ash....................

Ultimate analysis, pct:

Hydrogen...............

Carbon.................

Nitrogen...............

Oxygen................

Sulfur.................

Ash....................

Heating value....Btu/lb..

Asreceived

3

16.3

30.3

51.7

1.7

5.5

61.8

1.8

29.0

.2

1.7

10,430

7 1

As- Asreceived Maf received Maf

7.3 - 12.6 -

34.6 39.8 28.7 35.2

52.3 60.2 52.9 64.8

5.8 - 5.8 -

5.5 5.4 5.1 4.6

72.0 82.9 63.4 77.7

1.7 2.0 2.0 2.4

14.7 9.4 23.3 14.8

.3 .3 .4 .5

5.8 - 5.8 -

12.650 14,560 10.740 13.160

10

42

TABLE C-1. - Analyses of coal samples from Kokolik River area,

1964 series--Continued

9 10

2 -

Asreceived Maf

17.8

30.2 38.2

48.8 61.8

3.2

5.6 4.5

59.4 75.2

1.7 2.2

29.9 17.8

.2 .3

3.2

10,030 12,690

11

a

Maf

37.0

63.0

4.5

75.3

2.2

17.7

.3

12,720

Asreceived

15.0

30.7

52.4

1.9

5.4

62.8

1.8

27.8

.3

1.9

Maf

4

36.9

63.1

4.5

75.6

2.1

17.4

.4

Asreceived

14.3

30.6

48.8

6.3

5.0

59.2

2.1

26.8

.6

6.3

9,850

Maf

38.5

61.5

4.4

74.5

2.6

17.8

.7

12,400

S

10,460 12,590
Sample No................

Sack No..................

Basis ....................

Proximate analysis, pet:

Moisture...............

Volatile matter........

Fixed carbon..........

Ash....................

Ultimate analysis, pct:

Hydrogen...............

Carbon ................

Nitrogen..............

Oxygen.................

Sulfur.................

Ash....................

Heating value....Btu/lb..

Sample No................

Sack No..................

Basis.................... Asreceived

1-3

43

TABLE C-1. - Analyses of coal samples from Kokolik River area,

1964 series--Continued

Proximate analysis, pet:

Moisture ...............

Volatile matter........

Fixed carbon...........

Ash....................

Ultimate analysis, pet:

Hydrogen ..............

Carbon.................

Nitrogen...............

Oxygen.................

Sulfur.................

Ash....................

Heating value....Btu/lb..

12 13_____

1-5 1-2 3-7

As- As- AsReceived Maf received Maf received Maf

22.6 - 22.1 - 14.2 -

29.5 41.0 30.4 41.3 30.5 36.8

42.5 59.0 43.1 58.7 52.4 63.2

5.4 - 4.4 - 2.9 -

5.6 4.3 5.5 4.1 5.2 4.4

52.3 72.7 52.0 70.8 62.6 75.5

1.8 2.5 1.8 2.5 2.1 2.5

34.6 20.1 35.7 21.8 26.9 17.2

.3 .4 .6 .8 .3 .4

5.4 - 4.4 - 2.9 -

8,600 11,950 8,500 11,560 10.460 12,620

14

21.5

25.8

48.2

4.5

5.6

57.3

1.6

30.7

.3

4.5

9,560

! w w

Maf

34.9

65.1

4.3

77.5

2.1

15.7

.4

. . - - -

16.7

27.0

51.4

4.9

5.5

62.2

1.6

25.6

.2

4.9

4-7

Asreceived

.- = . . .

Maf

34.5

65.5

4.7

79.3

2.0

13.8

.2

ft

a

12,920 10,570 13,480 - . . . - - - . .
Sample No................

Sack N o..................

Basis....................

Proximate analysis, pet:

Moisture...............

Volatile matter........

Fixed carbon...........

Ash....................

Ultimate analysis, pct:

Hydrogen ..............

Carbon.................

Nitrogen...............

Oxygen.................

Sulfur.................

Ash....................

Heating value....Btu/lb..

Sample No................

Sack No..................

Basis....................

Proximate analysis, pet:

Moisture.............

Volatile matter........

Fixed carbon...........

Ash....................

Ultimate analysis, pet:

Hydrogen ..............

Carbon .................

Nitrogen.............

Oxygen.................

Sulfur.................

Ash....................

Heating value....Btu/lb..

Asreceived

2-3

16

1-4 5-7

As- Asreceived Maf received Maf

10.9 - 11.1 -

29.1 38.5 29.6 38.1

46.4 61.5 48.2 61.9

13.6 - 11.1 -

5.1 5.1 5.1 4.9

58.7 77.7 60.1 77.3

1.8 2.4 1.9 2.4

20.6 14.5 21.6 15.1

.2 .3 .2 .3

13.6 - 11.1 -

10,000 13,250 10,210 13,120

17

7.3

21.9

57.1

13.7

3.8

64.8

1.5

16.0

.2

13.7

44

TABLE C-2. - Analyses of coal samples from Cape Beaufort area,

1964 series

17

1

Asreceived Maf

12.8

25.4 32.1

53.8 67.9

8.0

4.9 4.4

63.4 80.1

1.7 2.1

21.4 12.7

.6 .7

8.0

10,550 13,320

18

1-5

i

a

Maf

27.7

72.3

3.8

82.0

1.9

12.0

.3

8.8

31.0

56.2

4.0

5.1

67.9

2.0

20.8

.2

4.0

Asreceived Maf

35.5

64.5

4.7

77.9

2.3

14.9

.2

4-9

Asreceived

19.8

26.2

48.9

5.1

5.8

58.6

1.9

28.3

.3

5.1

Maf

34.9

65.1

4.8

78.0

2.6

14.2

.4

a

10,520 13,320 11,600 13,300 10,120 13,480
nample NO................

Sack No..................

Basis....................

Proximate analysis, pct:

Moisture...............

Volatile matter........

Fixed carbon...........

Ash....................

Ultimate analysis,pct:

Hydrogen...............

Carbon.................

Nitrogen ...............

Oxygen.................

Sulfur .................

Ash....................

Heating value....Btu/lb..

Sample No................

Sack No..................

Basis ....................

Proximate analysis, pct:

Moisture...............

Volatile matter........

Fixed carbon...........

Ash....................

Ultimate analysis, pet:

Hydrogen...............

Carbon ........... ..........

Nitrogen................

Oxygen.................

Sulfur.................

Ash....................

Asreceived

4-6

15.8

29.0

46.6

8.6

4.9

56.4

1.4

28.6

.1

8.6

9,280

45

TABLE C-2. - Analyses of coal samples from Cape Beaufort area,

1964 series--Continued

'l -___ , I1 _ I I I r ^ 1

Maf

.- /Zu LI

1-4 1-5 1-3

As- As- Asreceived Maf received Maf received Maf

6.3 - 17.3 - 11.9 -

31.3 37.6 24.5 37.2 22.0 31.6

51.9 62.4 41.4 62.8 47.5 68.4

10.5 - 16.8 - 18.6 -

5.0 5.1 4.4 3.7 3.8 3.6

66.5 79.9 50.0 75.8 53.5 77.0

2.2 2.7 1.3 2.0 1.3 1.8

15.5 11.9 27.4 18.3 22.7 17.4

.3 .4 .1 .2 .1 .2

10.5 - 16.8 - 18.6 -

11,510 13.830 7,970 12,100 8.530 12,270

21

38.3

61.7

c

7-8

Asreceived

4.1

74.6

1.9

19.2

.2

12,270

15.6

28.5

43.2

12.7

4.8

53.9

1.4

27.0

.2

12.7

8,890

Maf

39.8

60.2

4.3

75.1

2.0

18.3

.3

12,400

17.0

29.3

45.0

8.7

5.2

56.0

1.6

28.3

.2

8.7

9,280

Asreceived

9

39.5

60.5

4.4

75.4

2.1

17.8

.3

Maf

Heating value ....Btu/lb.. 12,490
46

TABLE C-2. - Analyses of coal samples from Cape Beaufort area,

1964 series--Continued

Sample No ................ ____21 ___

Sack No ....................... . 10 11 12-13

Basis.................... As- As- Asreceived Maf received Maf received Maf

Proximate analysis, pct:

Moisture ............... 16.2 - 16.3 - 17.9 -

Volatile matter........ 27.6 39.9 27.2 42.6 30.9 40.3

Fixed carbon ........... 41.5 60.1 36.7 57.4 45.8 59.7

Ash .................... .. 14.7 - 19.8 - 5.4 -

Ultimate analysis, pct:

Hydrogen ............... 4.8 4.4 4.8 4.7 5.4 4.4

Carbon................. 52.6 76.1 47.3 74.0 57.0 74.3

Nitrogen ............... 1.4 2.0 1.4 2.2 1.6 2.1

Oxygen ................ 26.4 17.3 26.5 18.8 30.4 18.9

Sulfur .................. . .1 .2 .2 .3 .2 .3

Ash ......................... 14.7 - 19.8 - 5.4

Heating value....Btu/lb.. 8,720 12,620 7,930 12,410 9410 12.270

4

S
47

TABLE C-3. - Selected properties of samples obtained in 1964 field season

G

(Moisture and ash free)

Heating Volatile Oxygen Free

Sample and sack value, matter, content, swelling Rank1

_Btu/lb ct pct index_

KOKOLIK RIVER AREA SAMPLES

S9:

1 ............... 14,900 42.1 8.7 5 High-volatile bituminous.

2............... 14,780 38.9 8.4 5 Do.

3............... 14,830 40.2 8.4 2 Do.

4............... 14,520 35.8 8.3 1i Do.

5........ ...... 14,220 35.1 10.5 NA Do.

6............... 13,230 34.2 16.6 NA Do.

7................ 14,560 39.8 9.4 21⁄2 Do.

S10:

1............... 13,160 35.2 14.8 NA Subbituminous.

2............... 12,690 38.2 17.8 NA Do.

3............... 12,720 37.0 17.7 NA Do.

4............... 12,590 36.9 17.4 NA Do.

Sl: 1-5......... 12,400 38.5 17.8 NA Do.

S12: 1-5 ......... 11,950 41.0 20.1 NA Do.

S13:

1-2............. 11,560 41.3 21.8 NA Do.

3-7............. 12,620 36.8 17.2 NA Do.

S14:

1-3............. 12,920 34.9 15.7 NA Do.

4-7 ............. 13,480 34.5 13.8 NA Do.

CAPE BEAUFORT AREA SAMPLES

S16:

1-4 ............. 13,250 38.5 14.5 NA High-volatile bituminous.

5-7............. 13,120 38.1 15.1 NA Do.

S17:

1............... 13,320 32.1 12.7 NA Do.

2-3............. 13,320 227.7 12.0 NA Do.

4-9............. 13,300 35.5 14.9 NA Do.

S18: 1-5 ......... 13,480 34.9 14.2 NA Subbituminous.

S19: 1-4 ........ 13,830 37.6 11.9 NA High-volatile bituminous.

S20: 1-5......... 12,100 37.2 18.3 NA Subbituminous.

S21:

1-3............. 12,270 31.6 17.4 NA Do.

4-6............. 12,270 38.3 19.2 NA Do.

7-8............. 12,400 39.8 18.3 NA Do.

9............... 12,490 39.5 17.8 NA Do.

10.............. 12,620 39.9 17.3 NA Do.

11.............. 12,410 42.6 18.8 NA Do.

12-13........... 12.270 40.3 18.9 NA Do.

a

NA: Nonagglomerating--indic

1Rank determinations were i

Materials and are shown

D388-66 states in part:

cative of no caking

nade as prescribed b

here for comparativ

properties.

iy the American Society for Testing and

'e purposes, though ASTM Desgination

oxidized coal shall not

2See text footnotes 17 and

"Analyses of samples from outcrops or from weathered or

be used for classification by rank."

22.
Items

As received:

Proximate analysis, pet:

Moisture........................

Volatile matter.................

Fixed carbon ....................

Ash.............................

Ultimate analysis, pct:

Hydrogen........................

Carbon...........................

Nitrogen.........................

Oxygen .........................

Sulfur..........................

Ash..............................

Heating value ............. Btu/lb..

Moisture and ash free:

Proximate analysis, pet:

Volatile matter ....... ..........

Fixed carbon...................

Ultimate analysis, pet:

Hydrogen ........................

Carbon ..........................

Nitrogen...... ...................

Oxygen ..........................

Sulfur..........................

Heating value ............. Btu/lb..

Fusibility of ash, ° F:

Initial deformation temperature.

Softening temperature...........

Fluid temperature...............

Plasticity data:

Free swelling index...............

Gieseler plastometer results:

Maximum fluidity.........ddpml..

Temperature, ° C, at:

Initial movement .............

Rate of 5.0 ddpm rising.......

Maximum fluidity..............

Rate of 5.0 ddpm falling......

Solidification................

Plastic range3 . . ... . . ...... C..

Fusion range4 .............. C..

1,

sacks

1-7

6.0

34.0

54.8

5.2

5.2

73.8

1.3

14.1

.4

5.2

12,830

38.3

61.7

5.2

83.1

1.4

9.9

.4

14,440

2,310

2,360

2,520

2

1.70

384

429

463

79

2,

sacks

1-5,

and 7

4.9

34.3

55.3

5.5

5.3

74.7

1.3

12.8

.4

5.5

13,120

38.4

61.6

5.3

83.4

1.4

9.5

.4

14,650

2

1.80

387

426

466

79

48

TABLE C-4. - Chemical analyses and plasticiti data for composites prepared

from parts of sample 9, Kokolik River area

3,

sacks

1-4,

6, and 7

5.7

34.2

54.1

6.0

5.2

73.2

1.3

14.0

.3

6.0

12,770

38.7

61.3

5.2

82.9

1.4

10.1

.4

14,460

1I

2.55

387

433

462

75

Composites

4,

sacks

1-4,

and 7

4.4

35.0

54.5

6.1

5.3

74.5

1.3

12.5

.3

6.1

13,230

39.1

60.9

5.4

83.3

1.5

9.5

.3

14,780

2,260

2,310

2,390

3

4.60

384

441

468

84

5,

sacks

1, 2, 6,

and 7

6.0

34.6

54.5

4.9

5.4

73.3

1.3

14.8

.3

4.9

12,870

38.8

61.2

5.3

82.1

1.5

10.8

.3

14,430

2

2.30

387

436

463

76

6,

sacks

1, 2,

and 7

4.4

36.4

53.9

5.3

5.5

75.3

1.4

12.2

.3

5.3

13,370

40.2

59.8

5.5

83.4

1.5

9.3

.3

14,800

4

13.80

378

427

441

450

469

91

23

'Dial divisions per minute. 2 Continuous movement of 0.1 ddpm. 3 Initial movement to solidification. 4 5.0 ddpm rising to 5.0 ddpm falling.
Assays

I

Carbonization yields, maf, pet:

Char.................................

Water formed.........................

Tar, dry.............................

Light oil............................

Gas.................................

Hydrogen sulfide.....................

Total.............................

Gas composition (02- and N2 -free), pet:

CO ......... ............ .............

Illuminants..........................

CO....................................

H2.......... ..........................

CH 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . .. . . . .

C21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

49

TABLE C-5. - Carbonization assays at 500° C: Composites from

sample 9, Kokolik River area

...........

...........

...........

...........

...........

...........

...........

...........

...........

...........

...........

...........

...........

Net gas yield ................. scf/lb of maf coal..

Heat in gas.................Btu/lb of maf coal..

Heating value of gas, calculated ......... Btu/scf..

Specific gravity of gas, calculated (air = 1).....

Analysis of coal, maf:

Proximate analysis, pet:

Volatile matter ...............................

Fixed carbon .................................

Ultimate analysis, pet:

Hydrogen ......................................

Carbon ........................................

Nitrogen.......................................

Oxygen ........................................

Sulfur ........................................

Heating value ........................... Btu/lb..

Analysis of assay char, mf:1

Proximate analysis, pet:

Volatile matter................................

Fixed carbon .................................

Ash ...........................................

Heating value ...........................Btu/lb..

77.3

4.9

10.1

1.2

6.2

.2

99.9

13.6

2.3

9.1

15.0

50.2

9.8

1.119

911

814

.717

38.3

61.7

5.2

83.1

1.4

9.9

.4

14,440

13.4

79.0

7.6

13,650

Composite 1,

blend of

sacks 1-7

76.8

3.7

12.4

1.5

5.7

.1

100.2

Composite 4,

blend of

sacks 1-4, 7

9.5

2.7

8.1

14.9

54.0

10.8

1.101

964

876

.683

39.1

60.9

5.4

83.3

1.5

9.5

.3

14,780

12.7

79.3

8.0

13,580 - . . .

'Moisture-free.
Sample 9 blends

Full seam, with: Coking portion

Test data 15 pet 30 pet of seam only, Fontana

blending blending with 15 pet blend2

coalsl coals1 blending

_____ _coals 1 _

50-lb test No ............................ CP-149 CP-150 CP-148 CP-136

Coal blend data:

Free swelling index..................... 2. 31⁄2 4

Gieseler plastometer:

Maximum fluidity................ ddpm.. 1.7 2.3 7.1

Temperature at, ° C:

Initial movement (0.1 ddpm) ......... 373 384 378

Maximum fluidity .................... 433 442 438

Solidification ........... ........ 469 472 468

Oxygen, maf........................pct.. 9.4 8.2 8.6

Heating value, moist, ash-free..Btu/lb.. 13,790 14,140 14,190

Calculated coking index3 .. ... .... .... ... 1.17 1.30 1.24

Coke data:

Yield, pct:

As-carbonized ......................... 66.6 68.8 67.2 -

Moisture-free ......................... 70.8 72.3 70.5 68.0

Moisture- and ash-free ................ 68.7 70.1 67.9 -

Average size........................ in.. 1.87 1.88 1.76 1.64

Apparent specific gravity............... .77 .81 .79 .66

True specific gravity ................... 1.91 1.91 1.90 -

Cell space ......................... pct.. 59.5 57.8 58.7 -

Columbia tumbler test:

Retained on 4-in screen

(1⁄2-in index)....................pct.. 74.5 80.5 82.4 88.7

Tumbler size stability4....... ... pct.. 42.1 47.7 49.8 56.8

Modified coke strength index........... 111.4 119.2 118.3 112.4

Net resultant coke factorF ............. 0.51 0.60 0.57 -

50

TABLE C-6. - Coking test data for sample 9 (Kokolik River area) blended

with two medium-volatile coals, and Fontana blend,

at 900° C in a 50-lb retort

1Blending coals were equal parts of Coal Basin (Pitkin

(Wyoming County, W. Va.) coals.

County, Colo.) and Red Indian

2Eighty-five percent of Sunnyside seam (Sunnyside No. 1 mine, Dragerton, Carbon County,

Utah--high-volatile A bituminous rank) plus 7.5 pet each of blending coals indicated in footnote 1.

3Calculated coking index of coal is defined as: (22/02, maf basis) +

(2H2/02, maf basis) + (0.769 FC/VM) +Heating value, Btu/lb on moist, ash-free

basis)/13,600, all divided by 5.

"Tumbler size stability is calculated from tumbler data and is defined as:

100 X Average size of tumbler resultant

a

Average size of tumbler charge

(Tumbler size stability is not identical with ASTM tumbler stability factor.)

'Modified coke strength index is calculated as follows:

0.284 X (cumulative coke percentage retained on 1.50-in screen)

+ .202 x (cumulative coke percentage retained on 1.00-in screen)

+ .902 X (cumulative tumbler resultant percentage on 1.00-in screen)

+ .259 X (cumulative tumbler resultant percentage on 0.25-in screen)

+ .269 X (tumbler size stability).

"Net resultant coke factor is defined as: (Percent coke yield, ash-free) X

(average size of coke, in) X (tumbler size stability, pet) X 10-4 .
Test data

Drill hole No.............

Sample No.................

As received:

Proximate analysis, pet:

Moisture..............

Volatile matter.......

Fixed carbon..........

Ash ...................

Ultimate analysis, pet:

Hydrogen..............

Carbon ...............

Nitrogen. .............

Oxygen................

Sulfur ................

Ash...................

Heating value...Btu/lb..

Moisture and ash free:

Proximate analysis, pet:

Volatile matter.......

Fixed carbon..........

Ultimate analysis, pet:

Hydrogen..............

Carbon................

Nitrogen.............

Oxygen................

Sulfur................

Heating value...Btu/lb..

Fusibility of ash, ° F:

Initial deformation.....

Softening...............

Fluid...................

19- to 20-ft

seam

Upper

half

1

22: 1

4.4

32.3

58.4

4.9

5.0

75.4

1.2

13.3

.2

4.9

13,140

35.6

64.4

5.0

83.1

1.4

10.3

.2

14,500

2,200

2,290

2,680

51

TABLE C-7. - Analyses of drill hole and surface samples:

Kukpowruk River area

Lower

half

1

22: 2

3.8

38.6

54.6

3.0

5.6

77.0

1.4

12.8

.2

3.0

13,570

41.5

58.5

5.6

82.6

1.5

10.1

.2

14,560

2,300

2,350

2,570

2.5- to

3-ft seam

(overlying),

full

2

23

3.9

39.1

50.0

7.0

5.6

73.4

1.4

12.3

.3

7.0

13,100

43.9

56.1

5.8

82.4

1.6

9.9

.3

14,710

2,460

2,620

2,840

19- to 20-ft

seam

Upper

half

2

24: 1

4.4

32.0

58.6

5.0

5.1

75.8

1.3

12.6

.2

5.0

13,120

35.3

64.7

5.1

83.7

1.4

9.6

.2

14,480

2,300

2,350

2,640

Lower

half

2

24: 2

3.2

39.1

55.3

2.4

5.6

78.6

1.4

11.8

.2

2.4

13,830

41.4

58.6

5.6

83.2

1.5

9.5

.2

14,660

2,080

2,140

2,800

2.5- to

3-ft seam

(overlying),

full

3

25

3.5

38.4

54.4

3.7

5.6

77.2

1.4

11.7

.4

3.7

13,590

41.3

58.7

5.6

83.3

1.5

9.2

.4

14,660

2,300

2,400

2,860
Sample No .........................

As carburized:

Proximate analysis, pet:

Moisture......................

Volatile matter...............

Fixed carbon..................

Ash...........................

Ultimate analysis, pet:

Hydrogen......................

Carbon........................

Nitrogen......................

Oxygen ........................

Sulfur........................

Ash...........................

Heating value...........Btu/lb..

Moisture and ash free:

Proximate analysis, pet:

Volatile matter...............

Fixed carbon..................

Ultimate analysis, pet:

Hydrogen....... .. ..............

Carbon........................

Nitrogen......................

Oxygen ........................

Sulfur........................

Heating value ...........Btu/lb..

Fusibility of ash, ° F:

Initial deformation.............

Softening.......................

Fluid ...........................

7 and 82

7.4

37.5

52.7

2.4

5.8

75.3

1.4

14.8

.3

2.4

13,310

41.6

58.4

5.5

83.6

1.6

9.0

.3

14,760

(3)

(3)

(3)

52

TABLE C-7. - Analyses of drill hole and surface samples:

Kukpowruk River area--Continued

Test data 19- to 20-ft seam

_Upper half | Lower half I Full seam

SURFACE SAMPLES--1963 SERIES1

7 and 8

8.3

31.9

55.6

4.2

5.3

73.3

1.1

15.8

.3

4.2

12,720

36.5

63.5

5.0

83.8

1.3

9.6

.3

14,540

(3)

(3)

(3)

7 and 8

7.9

34.5

54.2

3.4

5.5

74.2

1.3

15.3

.3

3.4

13,010

39.0

61.0

5.2

83.8

1.4

9.3

.3

14,650

(3)

(3)

(3)

'See BuMines Rept. of Inv. 6767. X

2 See figure 13, p. 51, of BuMines Rept. of Inv. 6767. Parts 1-5 of S7 are considered to correlate with "upper half;" remainder to correlate with "lower

half."

3 Cannot be composited.
Test data

Drill hole No...................

Sample No.......................

As received:

Proximate analysis, pet:

Moisture ....................

Volatile matter.............

Fixed carbon................

Ash.........................

Ultimate analysis, pet:

Hydrogen...................

Carbon......................

Nitrogen....................

Oxygen......................

Sulfur......................

Ash.........................

Heating value .........Btu/lb..

Moisture and ash free:

Proximate analysis, pet:

Volatile matter.............

Fixed carbon...............

Ultimate analysis, pet:

Hydrogen....................

Carbon......................

Nitrogen....................

Oxygen......................

Sulfur......................

Heating value.........Btu/lb..

Fusibility of ash, ° F:

Initial deformation..........

* Softening.....................

Fluid.........................

Upper

3

26: 1

3.5

33.0

58.5

5.0

5.0

76.3

1.3

12.2

.2

5.0

13,230

36.0

64.0

5.0

83.4

1.4

10.0

.2

14,450

2,210

2,360

2 910+

19- to 20-ft

seam

53

TABLE C-7. - Analyses of drill hole and surface samples:

Kukpowruk River area--Continued

Lower

3

26: 2

3.3

39.6

54.7

2.4

5.6

78.6

1.4

11.8

.2

2.4

13,810

42.0

58.0

5.6

83.3

1.5

9.4

.2

14,640

2,180

2,270

2,350

2.5- to

3-ft seam

(overlying),

full

4

27

2.9

39.3

53.2

4.6

5.6

76.8

1.4

11.3

.3

4.6

13,650

42.5

57.5

5.7

83.0

1.6

9.4

.3

14,760

2,390

2,440

2,640

Upper

4

28: 1

4.2

32.1

58.7

5.0

5.0

76.0

1.3

12.5

.2

5.0

13,130

35.3

64.7

5.0

83.7

1.4

9.7

.2

14,460

2,140

2,190

2,460

19- to 20-ft

seam

Lower

4

28: 2

2.9

39.4

54.8

2.9

5.6

78.3

1.4

11.6

.2

2.9

13,820

41.9

58.1

5.6

83.1

1.5

9.6

.2

14,670

2,080

2,130

2,400
54

TABLE C-8. - Analyses of drill hole and surface samples: Cape Beaufort area

1.7-ft seam 10.7-ft seam Correlates Correlates

Test data (overlying) Upper Lower with S30:1 with S30:2

1.4 ft 5.2 ft

Sample source ................ Drill hole Drill Drill Surface Surface

5 hole 5 hole 5

Sample No .................... 29 30: 1 30: 2 17: 2, 31 17: 4-91

As received:

Proximate analysis, pct:

Moisture................. 2.0 2.6 2.7 7.3 8.8

Volatile matter .......... 33.1 27.5 37.2 21.9 31.0

Fixed carbon ............. 52.9 53.2 55.4 57.1 56.2

Ash .......................... 12.0 6.7 4.7 13.7 4.0

Ultimate analysis, pct:

Hydrogen ................. 4.8 4.4 5.3 3.8 5.1

Carbon ................... 71.9 76.8 77.7 64.8 67.9

Nitrogen ................. 1.3 1.3 1.6 1.5 2.0

Oxygen ................... 9.7 10.5 10.5 16.0 20.8

Sulfur .................... . 3 .3 .2 .2 .2

Ash ...................... 12.0 6.7 4.7 13.7 4.0

Heating value...... Btu/lb.. 12,570 13,100 13,590 10,520 11,600

Moisture and ash free:

Proximate analysis, pet:

Volatile matter .......... 38.5 30.4 40.2 27.7 35.5

Fixed carbon............. 61.5 69.6 59.8 72.3 64.5

Ultimate analysis, pct:

Hydrogen................. 5.4 4.5 5.4 3.8 4.7

Carbon................... 83.6 84.8 84.0 82.0 77.9

Nitrogen ................. 1.5 1.4 1.7 1.9 2.3

Oxygen............................ 9.2 9.0 8.7 12.0 14.9

Sulfur .................... .3 .3 .2 .3 .2

Heating value...... Btu/lb.. 14,610 14,450 14,680 13,320 13,300

Fusibility of ash, ° F:

Initial deformation ...... 2,400 2,080 2,280 - -

Softening................ 2,430 2,130 2,450

Fluid .................... 2,460 2,210 2,720 - - 1 See figure 5 and table C-2.

IU

a
Analyses

As received:

Proximate analysis, pet:

Moisture..............

Volatile matter.......

Fixed carbon..........

Ash...................

Ultimate analysis, pct:

Hydrogen..............

Carbon................

Nitrogen.............

Oxygen................

Sulfur................

Ash...................

Heating value...Btu/lb..

Moisture and ash free:

Proximate analysis, pet:

Volatile matter.......

Fixed carbon..........

Ultimate analysis, pet:

Hydrogen ..............

Carbon................

Nitrogen.............

Oxygen................

Sulfur................

Heating value...Btu/lb..

Rank......................

Free swelling index.......

Sunnyside,

Carbon County,

Utah

6.0

37.1

51.2

5.7

5.7

72.9

1.6

13.4

.7

5.7

13,110

42.0

58.0

5.7

82.5

1.8

9.2

.8

14,840

hvab

4

Coal Basin,

Pitkin County,

Colo.

0.6

22.8

69.2

7.4

4.9

81.7

2.0

3.4

.6

7.4

14,450

24.8

75.2

5.2

88.9

2.1

3.2

.6

15,700

mvb

91⁄2

I M

I

TABLE C-9. - Analyses of several U.S. commercial coking coals

Red Indian,

Wyoming County,

W. Va.

3.8

22.1

71.0

3.1

5.4

83.7

1.4

6.3

.5

7.5

14,620

23.7

76.3

5.0

89.8

1.6

3.1

.5

15,690

mvb

9

York Canyon,

Colfax County,

N. Mex.

2.9

36.0

53.6

7.5

5.4

75.9

1.7

9.1

.4

7.5

13,620

40.1

59.9

5.7

84.6

1.9

7.3

.5

15,190

hvab

71⁄2

Arkwright,

Monongalia County,

W. Va.

1.6

38.3

52.7

7.4

5.2

75.4

1.5

8.3

2.2

7.4

13,600

42.1

57.9

5.5

82.9

1.6

7.6

2.4

14,930

hvab

81⁄2

Un

(n
56

-- ~ I - 1 -L -bW- t I tI ±t40nl6 UL*LU. - ELC Lt- b - , -. IK, and Gieseler plasticity tests for Kukpowruk River and Cape Beaufort

area samples, 1966 series

2.5- to 2.5- to

19- to 20-ft 3.0-ft 19- to 20-ft 3.0-ft 19- to 20-ft

seam seam - seam___ seam seam

Test data Upper Lower Full (over- Upper Lower Full (over- Upper Lower Full

half half seam lying), half half seam lying), half half seam

full full

seam seam ___ _____

KUKPOWRUK RIVER AREA SAMPLES

Drill hole No................. I 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3

Sample No..................... 22: 1 22: 2 22 23 24: 1 24: 2 24 25 26:1 26: 2 26

Free swelling index............ 21⁄2 44 3 4 21⁄2 41⁄2 31⁄2 34 21⁄2 4 31⁄2

Gieseler plastometer results:

Maximum fluidity......ddpm.. 0.7 7.0 2.4 11.7 0.8 10.6 2.8 7.2 0.8 19.7 4.0

Temperature, ° C, at:

Initial movement.......... 402 376 384 374 400 372 385 378 399 371 382

Rate of 5.0 ddpm, rising.. - 423 - 420 - 418 - 425 - 414 -

Maximum fluidity.......... 431 428 428 432 428 429 428 432 428 428 430

Rate of 5.0 ddpm, falling. - 436 - 441 - 438 - 438 - 441

Solidification............ 452 456 453 462 451 456 458 461 450 458 456

Plastic range........... C.. 50 80 69 88 52 84 73 83 51 87 74

Fusion range............ C.. - 13 - 21 - 20 - 13 - 27 -

2.5- to 1.7-ft

3.0-ft 19- to 20-ft seam

seam b seam 19- to 20-ft (over- 10.7-ft seam

(over- Upper Lower Full seam, lying), Upper Lower

lying), half half seam composite full 1.4 ft 5.2 ft

full seam

seam ___________ ________ _____

KUKPOWRUK RIVER AREA SAMPLES CAPE BEAUFORT AREA SAMPLES

samples

Sample No..................... 27 28:1 28: 2 28 7 and 8 29 30: 1 30: 2

(1963 series)

Free swelling index........... 4 2 4I 31⁄2 5 2 11⁄2 41⁄2

Gieseler plastometer results:

Maximum fluidity......ddpm.. 10.0 0.8 14.9 3.4 14 4.7 0.2 11.0

Temperature, ° C, at:

Initial movement.......... 376 400 370 386 378 392 424 378

Rate of 5.0 ddpm, rising.. 422 - 416 - 426 - - 420

Maximum fluidity.......... 432 427 430 430 435 434 434 431

Rate of 5.0 ddpm, falling. 440 - 440 - 444 - - 442

Solidification............ 458 452 456 454 462 464 452 461

Plastic range.......... C.. 82 52 86 68 84 72 28 83

Fusion range........... C.. 18 - 24 - 18 - - 22

TABLE C-ll. - Free-swelling and Gieseler plasticity tests for selected

commercial coking coals, 1966 series

Sunnyside, Coal Basin, York Canyon, Arkwright,

Test data Carbon County, Pitkin County, Colfax County, Monongalia County,

Utah Colo. N. Mex. W. Va.

Free swelling index............... 4 91⁄2 71 81⁄2

Gieseler plastometer results:

Maximum fluidity..........ddpm.. 41 1,160 3,700 16,900

Temperature, ° C, at:

Initial movement.............. 364 388 350 329

Rate of 5.0 ddpm, rising ...... 414 422 401 391

Maximum fluidity.............. 432 463 434 419

Rate of 5.0 ddpm, falling..... 448 493 463 474

Solidification................ 462 505 474 485

Plastic range..............0 C.. 98 117 124 156

Fusion range............... C.. 34 71 ... 762 83..

I

i

w
rn

57

TABLE C-12. - 100-gram coking tests, Kukpowruk River and

Cape Beaufort samples and composites

Coke yield, Plus 1⁄4-inch material after 15 drops

Sample No. pct Number of Average weight per Percentage

_ p________ ieces piece, grams retention

KUKPOWRUK RIVER AREA

22: 12 ............ 68.1 39 1.69 96.2

22: 2 ............ .61.0 71 .85 97.1

24: 12............ 67.7 45 1.48 96.5

24: 2 ............ 61.2 64 .93 96.3

26: 12 ............. 67.5 41 1.59 96.7

26: 23............ 62.1 72 .81 95.9

28: 12............ 67.4 46 1.40 95.5

28: 23............ 61.2 67 .89 96.2

Composite 22 4 ..... 64.6 58 1.09 98.0

Composite 24 4 ..... 64.8 50 1.25 95.8

Composite 264..... 64.7 55 1.14 96.7

Composite 28 ..... 64.4 64 1.00 95.8

23 5 ................ 60.3 75 .78 96.1

255............... - 61.4 76 .79 96.1

275 ............... 60.9 71 .84 96.8

CAPE BEAUFORT AREA

29 ............... 67.7 49 1.35 96.0

30: 17............ 70.5 54 .86 66.6

30: 2 ............ 63.2 46 1.32 96.8

1As referred to coke yield.

2 Upper half of 19- to 20-ft seam.

3 Lower half of 19- to 20-ft seam.

4Entire 19- to 20-ft seam, composited.

5

Overlying 2.5- to 3.0-ft seam.

6 Overlying 1.7-ft seam.

7Upper part (1.4 ft) of 10.7-ft seam.

SLower part (5.2 ft) of 10.7-ft seam.

I-'-I-- - - .