Bulletin No. 218 Series A, Economic Geology, 26

DEPARTMENT OF TPIE INTERIOR

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

CHARLES D. WALCOTT, DIRECTOR

THE

BY

ARTI-IUR J. COLLIERWASHINGTON

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1903
UJ <" tf 

0(£l r
CONTENTS.

_ Page.

Letter of transmittalT^ .................................................... 7

Introduction.......... ................................................... . 9

Geography. ...... .^...................................................... 11

Sketch of geology ........................................................ 13

The coal..............................................................:... 19

Geographic distribution and.character................................. 19

Descriptions of localities .............................................. 20

Introduction..................................................... 20

Circle province..............................................'..... 20

Coul in Canadian territory .................................... 21

Mission Creek.............................. J................. 26

Seve'ntymile River............................................ 28

Washington Creek............................................ 28

Bonanza Creek............................................... 32

Coal Creek................................................... 32

Nation River mine............................................ 33

Rampart province......:......................................... 36

Drew mine ..............................................\... 37

Minook Creek................................................ 41

Dall River ...... ............................................ 43

Salt Creek .................................................... 43

Palisade lignite beds.......................................... 43

Cantvvell River............................................... 44

Nulato province.................................................. 46

Nahoclatilten coal bed......................................... 47

Upper Koyukuk.............................................. 48

Pickart coal mine ............................................ 49

Nulato coal bed .............................................. 52

Bush mine...................'.... ............................ 52

Blatchford coal mine... .1..................................... 53

Williams mine ............................................... 55

Coal mine No. 1......:....................................... 57

Halls Rapids.............................'.................... 57

Anvik River................................................. 58

Classification of Yukon coals .............................. .....^...... 58

Summary............................................................ 64

Character and Aralue of Yukon coals................................ 64

Present development and methods of mining....................... 66

Future development ............................................s. . 67

Index ................................................................... 69

3

ILLUSTRATIONS.

Page. 

PLATE I. Outline map of Alaska, showing area covered by economic map.... 9

II. Economic map of Yukon River .................................. 10

III. A, Characteristic view of the banks of the Yukon, showing fuel

resources; 7.?, Eagle, on Yukon River........................... 12

IV. A, Steamer loading wood on upper Yukon; B, Wood-burning

steamer on Yukon below Eagle................................ 14

V. A, Drew coal mine; B, Williams coal mine ....................... 36

VI. A, Barge loading coal at Williams mine; B, Nulato, Indian village,

showing woodpiles on river beach.............................. 56

FIG. 1. Sketch map, showing geologic relations of the Washington Creek coal

basin........................................................... 29

2. Geologic sketch map of the vicinity of the Nation River mine........ 33

3. Geologic sketch map of the vicinity of the Drew mine................. 38

5

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, 

. UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY,

Washington,}). C., June 13, 1903.

SIR: I have the honor to submit herewith a report entitled "The 

Coal Resources of the Yukon," by Mr. Arthur J. Collier, and to, recommend its publication as a bulletin. This report deals entirely with 

the economic results of Mr. Collier's investigations during the last 

field season. His studies of the Yukon section developed some very 

important stratigraphic results regarding the Mesozoic and Tertiary 

succession, but the limited time made it impossible for him to solve 

the many interesting problems that arose in the course of the work. 

It has therefore seemed best to include in this report only the barest 

outline sketch of the geolog}^, the more complete discussion of the 

stratigraphy being deferred until the results of further studies, already 

begun, shall be available. 

Very respectfully,

ALFRED H. BROOKS,

Geologist in Charge of Geologic Work in Alaska. 

Hon. CHARLES D. WALCOTT,

Director United States Geological Survey.

.S.GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN N0.2I8 PL. I

170" 160° 182" 158° 154° )5O° 140" 142° 138° 134° 13O°

MAP OF

ALAS KA

s h o w .1 n g area c o v e r e d 

by economic m ap

Scale

10 so o 10 so 120 iGomiles

JULIUS BIEN fitCO.LITH. N.Y.
THE COAL RESOURCES OF THE YOKON, ALASKA.

By ARTHUR J. COLLIER.

INTRODUCTION.

Durino- C5 the summer of 1902 the writer was detailed to make an

examination of the coal deposits along Yukon River, in Alaska. His 

instructions were, in part, as follows:

You are hereby assigned to the work of making a geologic reconnaissance of the 

Yukon River from the international boundary to the delta.

The most important economic problem is the investigation of the coal deposits. 

You are expected to make a careful study of all the coal seams which have been 

exploited adjacent to your route of travel. It is important to obtain paleontologic 

data in regard to the age of the coal. You are also expected to visit such placer 

deposits as may be easily accessible from the river. You will devote special attention to the problems of stratigraphy of Yukon River section, and are expected to 

visit the various localities at which fossils have been found and make extensive 

collections.

In compliance with these instructions, a small party, consisting of 

Sidney Paige and Charles Krouholm, camp hands, and the writer, 

geologist in charge, left Seattle early in June and went by steamer 

and railway to Davvson, Yukon Territory. There a canoe and a rowboat were purchased.

The party left Dawson June 15, and the following three months 

were spent in a study of the geology and coal resources along the 

Yukon for 1,200 miles. The greater part of the investigation was confined to the actual river bank, yet the work was extended away from 

the stream when time and circumstances would permit. The work 

was continued until the close of the season, about the middle of September, which found the party at Pimute, a small native settlement 

near the head of the delta. At this point the party embarked, September 17, on the river steamer John J. Healy for St. Michael, and 

thence returned to Seattle.

In the prosecution of the work the writer received much assistance 

from residents of- Alaska along the route. The investigation was 

greatly expedited by many favors received from agents and officials 

of the Northern Commercial Company. Much valuable information
10 COAL RESOURCES OF THE YUKON. [NO. 218.

was also obtained from E. J. Chamberlain, United States deputy 

mineral surveyor at Eagle, and from W. E. Williams, a mining engi- 

.neer, who has had the management of a number of Yukon coal mines.

Nearly all the known coal beds accessible from the Yukon were 

examined, though the limited time in some cases made it necessary to 

do the work very hastily. Collections of fossils were made from 53 

localities, .many of which were entirely new. In numerous instances 

these collections were sufficient to determine the age of the coal beds, 

yet some remain in doubt. These studies and collections have thrown 

much light on some of the vexed problems of Yukon stratigraphy,'but 

important questions still remain to be settled by further investigations. The paleontologic and paleobotanic collections have been 

studied by Drs. T. W. Stanton and F. H. Knowlton, of the Survey, 

and by Mr. Charles Schuchert, of the United States National Museum. 

Though the results of these studies are of far-reaching importance, 

their publication is deferred until further paleontologic and stratigraphic field studies have been made and more definite evidence for 

correlations has been secured.

The study of the structural and stratigraphic geolog}^ of the terranes exposed along the river was rendered more difficult by the lack 

of an accurate base map, for up to the present time no complete 

instrumental survey of the Yukon has been made. Sketches of a 

portion of the stream were made by Dall and other members of the 

Western Union Telegraph survey in 18)64-65 and in 1866. Captain 

Raymond ft made latitude determinations at and below Fort Yukon in 

1869.. Lieut. Frederick Schwatka & made a military reconnaissance of 

the Yukon in 1883, and a topographic sketch of the river from its 

source to its mouth was made at this time by Charles Homan, topographer of the party. The position of the river at the international 

boundary, at Fort Yukon, and at Nulato has been determined by 

astronomic observations made by parties of the Coast Survey, and 

the positions of Fort Hamlin, Rampart, Tanana, and the mouth of 

the Koyukuk have been determined by parties of the United States 

Geological Survey, who have also surveyed some short stretches of 

the river. For the details of the stream, between these points all map 

makers have ultimately depended on Lieutenant Schwatka's map as 

modified by supplementary sketches made by various travelers and 

explorers. During the last season Mr. Sidney Paige, under the 

writer's direction, carried a canoe traverse from Eagle, near the 

international boundary, to Pimute. This sketch survey was carried on 

by estimated distances and compass azimuths. The map of the Yukon 

submitted with this report (PI. II) is taken from a map of Alaska

a Raymond, Charles P., Reconnaissance of the Yukon River: Narratives of Explorations in Alaska. 

Washington, D. C., 1900, p. 19 et seq.

bSchwatka, Frederick, Military reconnaissance in Alaska in 1883: Senate Ex. Doc. No. 2, 48th Congress, 2d session.
U.S.GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN NO. 218 PL.II

f

Y " \

-_-_ ^/ c m_c L

LEGEND

SEDIMENTS

z I s l

° J Alluvium

en]

Yukon silts

Known areas of eoall^earing rocks,chiefly 

UpperP^oceiw and 

Upper Cretaceous

Non coal-bearing 

sediments including 

. ^ , some igneous rocks

Cool prospects

JULIUS 6IEN &.CC.UTH. N.Y.

ECONOMIC MAP OF THE YUKON RIVE R.ALASKA

SHOWING DISTRIBUTION OF THE COAL,-BEARING ROCKS

BY ARTHUR J. COLMER 

Scale

) 2O 4O 6O 80 loomiles
11

compiled in 1902 and 1903 by E. C. Barnard," of the United States 

Geological Surve}7 , but has some minor corrections and additions from 

data obtained by Mr. Paige and the writer.

References to coal outcrops are not uncommon in some of the earlier 

writings on travel and exploration in Alaska, but up to 1895 no systematic attempt had been made to gather this information together. 

In that year Dall visited many of the localities where coal occurs in 

the Pacific coast province of Alaska, and in the report 6 based on this 

investigation included a summary of all the available data in regard to 

the coal in the interior. In the following year Spurr visited a number 

of the coal prospects on the Yukon and embodied descriptions of them 

in his report." During the years from 1898 to 1902 information in 

regard to coal in Alaska was gathered by the various parties of the 

United States Geological Surrey working in the,district, and also by

members of the Canadian survey in the adjacent parts of the Yukon 

Territory. Brooks summarized all this information in a report'' 

which also contained a provisional table of correlation of the .coalbearing horizons.

It will be the purpose of the following report to summarize the 

economic results of the present investigation of the coals of the Yukon 

and to consider briefly their commercial bearing, Avhile the discussion 

of the more purely scientific problems will be left for another report. 

It is hoped that this report, in spite of its incompleteness, may aid 

the development of coal mining on the Yukon, which must be of 

importance in connection with the exploitation of the other resources

of this northern region.

GEOGRAPHY.

The Yukon is the largest river of Alaska and one of the largest on 

the continent. It has a length, from its mouth to the source of its 

longest tributary, of. about 2,400 miles, of which l,300 e miles are in 

Alaska (see map, PI. I). It empties into Bering Sea, and its headwaters lie far to the southeast, in British Columbia. Its drainage 

basin includes a large, iiTegularly shaped area, roughly blocked out 

by the Rocky Mountain system on the north and east and by ranges 

of the Pacific-^ mountain s}rstem on the south and west. To the south-

« Brooks, Alfred H., The geography of Alaska: Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. (not yet 

published).

''Dall, William H., Report on coal and lignite of Alaska: Seventeenth Ann. Kept. U. S. Geol. Survey, 

pt. 1, 1896, pp. 769-908.

cSptirr, J. E., Geology of the Yukon gold district: Eighteenth Ann. Kept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 3, 

1898, pp, 101-391. . -

d Brooks, Alfred H., Coal resources of Alaska: Twenty-second Ann. Kept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 3, 

1902, pp. 515-571.

eThe U. S. Coast Survey (see Route Map of Yukon River, Chart No. 3098) estimates the distance hy 

river from St. Michael to Dawson at 1,313 miles. River pilots and steamboat men estimate the same 

distance at above 1,900 miles. The actual distance probably falls between these estimates.

/Brooks, Alfred H., Geography of Alaska: Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. .
12 COAL RESOURCES OF THM YUKON. [NO. 218.

east the basin is not outlined by any mountain chain, and the tributaries of the Yukon interlock irregularly with those of the Liard, which 

is confluent to the Mackenzie, and with the Stikine, flowing into the 

Pacific. The chief of the Yukon tributaries are. the Kx^ukuk, the 

Tanana, the Porcupine, the White, the Pelly, and the Lewes. The 

last two rivers named unite to form the Yukon proper. The general 

trend of the upper drainage channels of the basin is to the north and 

northwest to the point where the Yukon touches the Arctic Circle; 

at this point the river makes a right-angled bend to the southwest and 

continues to hold this general course to the head of the delta.

The catchment basin of the Yukon, which includes about one-quarter 

of the area of Alaska, lies for the most part in what has been called 

the Central" Plateau region that great dissected upland area lying 

between the Rocky Mountain system on one hand and the Pacific 

mountain system on the other. In its upper course the Yukon Valley 

is incised to a depth varying from 2,000 to 3,000 feet, and has a width 

of from 2 to 3 miles. Near the international boundary the valley 

contracts to a width ranging from one-half mile to a mile, and 150 

miles below it broadens out again and merges into that extensive lowland known as the Yukon Flats. Through this lowland the Yukon 

finds its waj7 by many intricate channels, which in places spread out 

to a width of 10 or even 15 miles. Below the flats the river flows 

through a constricted part of its valley, known as the Ramparts, from 

which it emerges near the mouth of the Tanana. For about 600 miles 

below the Ramparts the valley is broad, and the river meanders over a 

wide flood plain. At the head of the delta the Yukon separates into 

a number of widely diverging distributaries.

Since the Yukon is one of the great rivers of the world and is navigable by steamer for over 2,000 miles, and in both winter ar'.;l summer

is the great natural highway of travel through the interior of Alaska, 

development has been more rapid and exploration has been made more 

complete along it than in most other parts of Alaska.

By the middle of the nineteenth century the Russian and Hudson 

Bay fur traders had already established themselves on the Yukon, 

and up to the time of discovery of gold, in the early eighties,,this 

trade was the only thing that brought white men into the country. 

After the discovery of gold many prospectors made their way into the 

region, and at the time of the finding of the Klondike placers, in 1896, 

mining was carried on at several points on and near the Yukon, and 

camps were established at Rampart and Circle in Alaska and at Fortymile on the Canadian side.. At that time one or two small steamers 

brought all the supplies from St. Michael for the mining camps and 

trading posts. The influx of population brought about by the Klondike discoveries led to a phenomenal development of the transportaa Brooks, Alfred H., Geography of Alaska: Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. .
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN NO. 218 PL. Ill

A. CHARACTERISTIC VIEW OF THE BANKS OF THE YUKON, SHOWING FUEL

RESOURCES.

B. EAGLE, ON YUKON RIVER. SEAT OF U. S. DISTRICT COURT, U. S. CUSTOMHOUSE, AND FORT EGBERT U. S. MILITARY POST.
COLUEB.] GEOGBAPHY. 13

tion facilities, so that in 1898 and 1899 there were nearly 100 steamers 

on the Yukon and its tributaries. At present probably 25 steamers 

furnish all the transportation required. At this time the principal 

Alaskan settlements on the river are Koserefski, Anvik, and Nulato, 

Indian villages, and Tanana, Rampart, Circle; and Eagle, mining towns. 

United States military posts are maintained at Tanana and Eagle, 

known as Fort Gibbon and Fort Egbert, respectively. Pis. Ill, B 

and VI, B show vieAvs of two characteristic toAvns Eagle, a settlement 

of Avhite men, and Nulato, an Indian village.

The city of DaAvson", in Canadian territory, is the most important 

settlement on the Yukon, and the traffic of the river consists largely 

of freight to this point. The White Pass and Yukon Railroad competes Avith the river steamers for the Dawson freight. All perishable 

goods for Dawson and points below go by this route. The greater part 

of the freight, however, still comes by the longer and slower river 

route. The steamers plying on the Yukon up to the present time 

have, in the majority of cases, depended for fuel on Avood cut and 

piled on the riA7er banks. PI. IV shoAvs the character of the steamers 

and the nature of the fuel used. In the earlier days of steamboat 

navigation it was customary for steamboats to tie up to the river 

bank Avhile their crews cut Avood and carried it on board. A few of 

the river steamers IIOAV burn coal altogether; others burn both coal 

and Avood. Up to the present time \vood has been easily obtained 

near the river banks, but since the timber of the Yukon is small and 

of slow growth, the supply is limited, and woodcutters are obliged 

to bring it a greater distance every year. PI. Ill, A shows the general 

character of the timber which has afforded fuel for river steamers.

Coal mines have been operated at a number of points, the (oldest 

being the DreAV mine, first known as the Miller mine, 25 miles above 

Rampart. Mines in operation during 1902 are located at Five Finger 

Rapids and Cliff Creek, both in Canadian territory, and at several 

points near Nulato, in American territory.

This coal has been burned Avith varying success by Yukon River 

steamers. The results obtained depend on a number of factors, among 

them being the character of the coal, the appliances for burning coal 

on the steamers, and the experience of the firemen. It is planned 

to use petroleum from the California fields as fuel on some of the 

steamers of the Northern Commercial Company during the season of 

1903.

SKETCH OF GEOLOGY, a

The first notes on the geology of the basin of the Yukon were 

those made by Ball, 6 who ascended the river to Fort Yukon in 

1866. Subsequent travelers occasionally referred to the geology and

"This sketch of the geology was prepared with the collaboration of Mr. Alfred H. Brooks. 

?>Dall, AV. H., Am. Jour. Sci., 2d ser., vol. 45, 1868, pp. 97-98; also Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey No. 84, 

p. 247.
14 COAL RESOURCES OF THE YUKON. [NO. 218.

mineral resources of the region, but no investigations were made 

by a geologist until 1888, when Dawson" visited the upper basin. In 

the following }^ear McConnelP extended the observations of Dawson 

as far as Fort Yukon by his trip down the Porcupine. Further 

information was obtained by Russell c in 1890, who ascended the full 

length of Yukon and Lewes rivers, and by Hayes, (l who entered the 

basin by way of the Hootalinqua and left it by the White liiver 

Valley, in 1891. Somewhat more systematic work was begun by a 

trip made by Spurr, Goodrich, and Schrader, e who in 1896 made a 

rapid reconnaissance of the river from Chilkoot Pass to Nulato. The 

result of their work led to the publication of the first geologic map of 

a section of the Yukon, together with suggestions for the correlation 

of the work of all the previous investigators of the region. Spurr's 

report contains the first attempt at a determination of the stratigraphic succession in the basin of the Yukon, and in the accornpan}^- 

ing table his nomenclature has been accepted as far as possible. In 

1898 Spurr /" made a reconnaissance in southwestern Alaska, and in the 

map accompanying his report embodied the results of his previous 

investigations on the lower Yukon. In the same year Brooks-'7 made 

a reconnaissance of White and Tanana rivers. In 1899 Schrader h 

studied "the geology of Chandlar and Ko}^ukuk rivers, and thus 

extended the knowledge of the stratigraphy from the Yukon northward, while Brooks* made a reconnaissance which extended to the 

Yukon at Eagle. In 1901 MendenhalP' made a trip from Fort 

Hamlin to Kotzebue Sound, and the result of his work throws f urther 

light on the geology north of the Yukon. In 1902 Brooks ^.briefly 

summarized all of the available information regarding the stratigraphy of the Mesozoic and Tertiary terranes of the Yukon. During 

the last few years the Canadian geologists have been actively at work

«Dawson, George M., Report on an exploration in the Yukon district, N. W. T., and adjacent 

northern portion' of British Columbia: Geol. and Nat. Hist. Surv. Canada, Ann. Kept., new series, vol. 

3, pp. 1B-277B.

6 McConnell, R. G., Report on an exploration in the Yukon and Mackenzie river basins, N. W. T.; 

Geol. and Nat. Hist. Surv. Canada, new series, vol. 4,1888-89, pp. 134D-145D.

c Russell, I. C., Notes on the surface geology of Alaska: Bull. Geol. Soc. America, vol. 1, 1889, 

pp. 99-162.

d Hayes, C. Willard, An expedition through the Yukon district: Nat. Geog. Mag., vol. 4, 1892, 

pp. 117-159.

e Geology of the Yukon gold district: Eighteenth Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 3, 1898, pp. 

87-392.

/Spurr, J. E., A reconnaissance in southwestern Alaska in 1898: Twentieth Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. 

Survey, pt. 7,1899, pp. 31-264 and maps 4-14.

(/Brooks, Alfred H., A reconnaissance in the Tanana and White river basins, Alaska, in 1898: 

Twentieth Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 7, 1899, pp. 425-494.

'»Schrader, F. C., Preliminary report on a reconnaissance along the Chandlar and Koyukuk rivers, 

Alaska, in 1899: Twenty-first Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 2, 1900, pp. 441^86.

"I Brooks, Alfred H., A reconnaissance from Pyramid Harbor to Eagle City, Alaska: Twenty-first 

Ann. Rept, U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 2,1900, pp. 331-391. ""'

' JMendenhall, W. C., Reconnaissance from Fort Hamlin to Kotzebue Sound, Alaska: Prof. Paper 

U. S. Geol. Survey No. 10,1902.

* Brooks, Alfred H., Coal resources of Alaska: Twenty-second Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 3. 

1902, pp. 515-571.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN NO. 218 PL. IV

A. STEAMER LOADING WOOD ON UPPER YUKON.

B. WOOD-BURNING STEAMER ON YUKON, BELOW EAGLE.
COLLIER.] SKETCH OF GEOLOGY. 15

studying the stratigraphy and mineral resources of the Yukon Territory. Notable among these is R. G. McConnell.'"

The following table is intended to present in.a concise form the present state of knowledge of the stratigraphic column of the Yukon below 

the international boundary. The table is based on the results of all 

previous investigations of the region, modified by the field studies of 

the writer and the studies by various paleontologists of the collections 

made. Though a number of horizons were found which up to the 

time of the present investigation were unknown in the region, it 

has been, thought best not to introduce any new formation names in 

this publication nor to attempt any far-reaching correlations. The 

formation names already current in- geologic literature have been 

retained as far as they were borne out by the studies of the last season.

Provisional tabular statement of Yukon stratigraphy.

AKG.

Pleistocene? ....

Post-Eocene 

Tertiary.

Upper Eocene...

ceous.

ceous. 

Do.........

Permian........

erous. 

Devonian? ......

Older than Devonian.

Do .........

Undetermined . .

Formation name.

Yukon silts ....

Tw el ve mile 

beds. 

Palisade conglomerate.

Kenai series . . .

Rampart series.

Fortymile series 

Birch Creek

series. 

Pelly gneisses..

Contact relations.

Unconformity .

(?) 

(?)

(?)

(?)

Unconformity .

......do ........

 (?)

Unconformity . 

Conformity ....

Unconformity .

Lithologic character.

Fresh-water silts, sands, and 

gravels.

Sands, clays, and gravels.

Fresh-water sandstones, shales, 

and conglomerates.

stones, shales, arkoses, and 

conglomerates.

stones. 

Marine black, slaty shales, and

thin-bedded limestones. 

Marine, massive, white limestones, heavy conglomerates, 

and gray shales.

bedded limestones. 

Volcanic material, interbedded

with limestone, slate, etc.

Schists and interbedded limestones.

Quartzites and schists.

Gneissoid and schistose granites.

The section along the Yukon between the international boundary 

and the delta includes terranes widely separated in the geologic column,

aMcConnell, R. G., Yukon district; Summary report of the Geological Survey Dept. for the year. 

1900, Ottawa, 1901, pp. 37-52..
16 COAL BESOTTROES OF THE YUKON. [NO. 218.

and in some instances having very intricate stratigraphic relations. 

This succession contains some horizons which have been fairly well 

established by stratigraphic and paleontolpgic studies, but also others 

whose position in the geologic column is veiy much in doubt.

An examination of the table will show that the oldest rocks in the 

region are of a gneissoid character, and for these the name Pelly 

gneisses has been suggested by Brooks and accepted by McConnell. These Pelly gneisses are an intricate series of crystalline 

rocks whose genesis is doubtful. A part of the rocks grouped with 

these gneisses are altered intrusives, and closer investigation will 

undoubtedly show that some of them are younger than the sediments 

they are supposed to underlie. ' One belt of the Pelly gneisses occurs 

in the Fortymile, along the axis of an anticlinal uplift, as described 

by Spurr, and another was seen by the writer between the Melozi a and 

the Yukon. The gneissic series everywhere shows evidence of having 

been subjected to profound metamorphism. The Pelly gneisses are 

succeeded unconformably by a great thickness of quartz-schists and 

quartzites, called hy Spurr the Birch Creek series. These pass above 

into a white crystalline limestone formation named the Fortymile 

series by Spurr. Both of these series find extensive development in 

the upper part of the region under discussion. The Rampart series, 

characterized by rocks of greenish color and preponderance of volcanic 

matarial, overlies these unconformably, and is probably of Devonian 

age. The two older formations are more altered than the younger, 

but all have undergone considerable deformation and igneous intrusions are abundant.

Near Seventymile River the writer found a series of black slates 

and shales interbedded with thin bands of semicrystalline limestones, 

in which Lower Carboniferous fossils were found. These beds are 

intensely crumpled.

The next succeeding horizon is the so-called Tahkandit series of 

Spurr, which is made up of conglomerates, sandstones, and shales 

overlain by a heavy bed of semicrystalline limestones, which has 

yielded abundant fossils near Nation River. These fossils are 

regarded as Permian. Spurr's Tahkandit group is not included in 

the accompanying table, because he gave to this name a broader 

significance than can be accepted in the present investigation. This 

sandstone, conglomerate, and limestone series is closely folded and 

much metamorphosed.

Below Nation River the Permian beds are overlain by a great thickness of black, slaty shale containing some intercalated beds of limestones and calcareous sandstones. In these beds the writer found 

fossils which were determined by Dr. Stanton to be Aucellse, of Lower

<*This river is known in Alaska as the Melozikakat. Melozi is here used in conformity with the 

decision of TJ. S, Board on Geographic Names, "kakaf being merely a native term for river
COLLIER.] SKETCH OF GEOLOGY. 17

Cretaceous age. These beds would belong with Spurr's Mission Creek 

group. This name has, however, not been retained in the present 

stratigraphic classification, because it was found that under it Spurr 

had included beds as widely separated in the geologic column as the 

Eocene and Carboniferous. The Lower Cretaceous beds outcrop for 

about 80 miles along the Yukon. The beds are rather closely folded 

and somewhat faulted.

On the lower portion of the river, near Nulato, some fresh-water 

cycad-bearing beds have been found which are also probably assignable 

to the Lower Cretaceous. These beds are chiefly calcareous sandstones, with some shales. They differ from the Lower Cretaceous of 

the upper river in that they are apparently of fresh-water origin. 

Their relation to the Upper Cretaceous which outcrops in the vicinity 

has not been determined.

The Upper Cretaceous is represented near Nulato by sandstones, 

conglomerates, and dark-colored shales, which outcrop along the river 

at intervals for about 100 miles. These have in part yielded a marine 

invertebrate fauna of Upper Cretaceous age, as determined by Stanton. Fossil plants were found in the same general horizon and were 

assigned by Dr. Knowlton to the Upper Cretaceous. It is evident, 

therefore, that these beds include both marine and fresh-water deposits. 

The fresh-water beds carry coals of commercial importance. The 

Cretaceous beds have undergone considerable deformation, but are not 

metamorphosed, and, in fact, are only slightly indurated.

The succeeding'horizon is made up chiefly of sandstone and conglomerate, with some shale. It is called the Kenai series, and is of 

Upper Eocene age. These beds usually carry abundant plant remains, 

which show them to be of fresh-water origin. The Kenai series has 

been named from its typical occurrence on Kenai Peninsula and has 

been identified in various other parts of Alaska. It occurs in isolated 

areas on the Yukon near the boundary and near Rampart, and is more 

extensively developed near Nulato. On the upper river it unconformably overlies various horizons below the Upper Cretaceous, but near 

Nulato its relation to the Upper Cretaceous seems to be one of 

conformity. The Kenai beds are, as a rule, little disturbed, but in 

some localities they have suffered considerable deformation. The 

Kenai is the great coal-bearing horizon of Alaska. Its coals are usually characterized by the presence of fossil resin, or amber.

Tertiary horizons younger than the Kenai have as }r et been only 

locally differentiated in the province, but the evidence points to considerable development of Miocene or Pliocene beds. Spurr a described 

some lignite-bearing sands and clays on Mission Creek near the Yukon, 

under the name "Twelvemile beds," and some cross-bedded gravels

"Geology of the Yukon gold district: Eighteenth Ann. Kept. Q. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 3,1898, pp. 197 

.and 199.

Bull. 218 03 2
18 . COAL RESOURCES OF THE YUKON. [NO.218.

and sands at the Palisades, which he called the ''Palisade conglomerate." These two occurrences he regards as probably of Miocene or 

Pliocene age.

Fine silt deposits are widely distributed along the Yukon and many 

of, its tributaries. These occur as terraces along the valley walls, and 

the bluffs formed by the undercutting by the river of these terraces 

are conspicuous features of the landscape of the Yukon. Within the 

limit of glaciation these silts are found mantling the till. The silt has 

a thickness of from 50 to 200 feet or more.

These beds have been described by various writers, but more especially by Spurr, a who named them the Yukon silts. Typically, the terrane is made of buff-colored silts, often resting on basal gravel beds, 

which may or may not be of the same age. The Yukon silts are for 

the most part of Pleistocene age, & as is shown by both vertebrate and 

invertebrate fossils. The silts are found resting unconformably on all 

of the older formations, except possibly some gravels which may be 

of Pliocene and Miocene age. They are separated by an unconformity 

from the Kenai series. The silts, though entirety unconsolidated, are 

in places thrown up into broad, open folds, and at one locality faulting 

was observed. This deformation usually makes it easy to separate 

them from the recent alluvium deposits, but in some cas"es the recent 

and older silts are entirely conformable and can not be differentiated. 

It is probable that more detailed studies will show that a part of what 

is now regarded as Yukon silt will be found to belong to one of the 

later Tertiary horizons. Some impure lignite beds have been found 

in these silts.

The youngest water-laid deposits here to be considered are the 

alluviums of the river and stream valleys. These are often very similar to the Pleistocene silts, but are usually of a darker color. They 

are found in the flood plains of the river and form extensive deposits 

in the broad lowland known as the Yukon Flats. In places where 

the Yukon silts have been warped down below the present level of 

the "river the alluviums rest conformably upon theui, but usually the 

relation is one of unconformity.

Some areas of volcanic rocks are found on the Yukon below the 

mouth of the Koyukuk. These are lavas and tuffs of andesitic and. 

basaltic nature. Basaltic or andesitic dikes are not uncommon in the; 

p re-Miocene sediments. Spurr c has discussed similar occurrences in 

the Yukon Basin at some length, and suggested the early Miocene or 

late Pliocene age of these extrusives. Local deposits of lignite,

"Geology of the Yukon gold district: Eighteenth Ann. Kept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 3, 1898, pp. 

200-221.

6 Spurr, op. cit., p. 199; Brooks, A reconnaissance in the Tanana and White River basins: Twentieth 

Ann. Kept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 7, 1899, p. 475.

c Geology of the Yukon gold district: Eighteenth Ann. Kept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 3, 1898, pp. 

242-250.
COLL. EJL] DISTRIBUTION AND OHAEACTEE OF THE COAL. 19

usually of poor quality and of no economic value, are common in these 

tuffs. At a point about 50 miles above Kaltag an attempt has been 

made to exploit them.

THE COAL.

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION AND CHARACTER.

Coal of commercial importance is found in two different geologic 

horizons along the Yukon, namely, in the Upper Cretaceous and in the 

Kenai series. The Yukon silts contain some impure lignites, but they 

have no value. It will be shown below that coal seams which have 

been opened up near Nation River may be of Permian age, but these 

appear to be of little future importance. From the standpoint of the 

coal miner, therefore, all of the Yukon coal can be said to be of either 

Cretaceous or Tertiary age. On the map (PL II) the areal distribution of the coal-bearing series along the Yukon is given as far as it 

has been determined, but it has not been found feasible, from the data 

at hand, to differentiate the Cretaceous coals from those of Tertiary 

age. The map also shows the areas of non coal-bearing rocks as far 

as known. These are divided into four classes, the first comprising 

the metamorphosed sediments, the second the Yukon silts, and the 

third the recent alluvium, while the areas occupied by igneous rocks 

comprise a fourth class. The coal prospector should confine his 

search for merchantable coals to the areas occupied by coal-bearing 

rocks.

It has been noted that the Kenai series occurs in small, isolated areas 

along the Yukon above the mouth of the Tanana. These in some 

cases represent remnants of larger areas, which are now infolded with 

the older beds; in other cases they probably represent separate basins 

of deposition. Outside the region under consideration the Kenai 

series, occurring in small basins, has been found to be one of the most 

widely distributed formations in Alaska. These coal-bearing beds rest 

unconformably on nearly all the older formations that have been 

identified in Alaska, and their conglomerates contain pebbles derived 

from them. The coal beds are not confined to any one definite horizon in the Kenai. In some instances they are known to be near the 

bottom of the formation; in others they lie near the top. This 

irregularity is what may reasonably be expected, for if the Kenai 

sandstones were deposited in fresh-water basins that were usually not 

connected, the formation of coal beds would probably not occur in all 

the basins at the same time, nor would the coal beds hold the same 

position in the series in all cases. All the coals examined in the Kenai 

basins along the Yukon above Tanana are lignites, or at least are 

ligniticjin character.

The Upper Cretaceous, which is the lower coal-bearing horizon, is 

extensively developed on the lower Yukon. It outcrops along the
20 COAL EESOURCES OF THE YUKON. [NO. 218.

north bank for about 200 miles below the mouth of Melozi River, being 

interrupted only here and there by silt deposits or by narrow belts of 

extrusive rocks. It is intimately associated with Kenai beds in this 

region. This area probably extends westward to Norton Sound, where 

coal-bearing beds have been found.

In the Upper Cretaceous coal occurs in the lowest as well as the 

highest beds, as indicated b}^ the fossil plants. The Upper Cretaceous 

coals have higher fuel ratios than the Eocene coals and are of somewhat 

better qualitjr.

DESCRIPTIONS OF LOCALITIES. 

INTRODUCTION. .

The region under discussion falls naturally into an upper division, 

extending along the river from the boundary to the Yukon Flats; a 

middle division, extending from the lower end of the flats to Melozi 

River^ and .a lower division, extending from the Melozi to the mouth 

of the Yukon. These divisions can be conveniently described under 

the headings Circle province, Rampart province, and Nulato province.

Under Circle province will be considered all the known coal-bearing 

areas along the Yukon between Circle and Fortymile. With one 

exception these coals resemble one another both in character and in 

mode of occurrence. This province includes the coal beds at Cliff 

Creek and Coal Creek, in Canadian territory near Fortymile, and for ' 

the sake of comparison a brief note regarding these Canadian localities will here be included.

The Rampart province will be made to embrace the scattered coalbearing areas between the Yukon Flats and the Melozi, including 

the lignite beds of the Yukon silt formation which occur at the 

Palisades. The coals of this province resemble those of the Circle 

province.

The coal deposits along the Yukon from Melozi River to the delta 

will be discussed under the caption Nulato province. These coals have 

common characteristics in composition and mode of occurrence, differing from those of the Circle and Rampart provinces.

Some compiled information showing the extent of the coal-bearing 

formation within the Yukon Basin in regions not examined by the 

writer will be presented in connection with the descriptions of contiguous divisions of Yukon River.

CIRCLE PROVINCE.

The greater part of this province is in Alaska, though the only coal 

mine at present in operation is within Canadian territory. From the 

international boundary to Circle, a distance of about 150 miles, the 

Yukon flows with a swift current, and receives several tributaries of
COLLIER.] CIECLE PEOVINCE. 21

considerable size. Forty mile River, Seventymile River, and Charlie 

River, tributaries entering from the south, are navigable for small 

boats and canoes. Sheep Creek (Tatandu River), Nation River 

(Tahkandit River), and Charlie Creek (Kandik River) are the larger 

tributaries from the north.

The two important towns in the province are Circle, the supply 

point for the Birch Creek mines, and Eagle, at which place Fort 

Egbert, a United States military post, the United States custom-house, 

and the United States district court are located. Eagle is also the 

supply point for a number of placer mines located on the tributaries 

of Mission Creek and Seventymile River. It is also the Yukon terminus of the Valdes mail route. A view of the town is given in PI. 

Ill, B. A .number of small settlements, depending for their support 

on small placer mining camps, are scattered along the river between 

these points. Dawson, in Canadian territory, is about 100 miles up 

the river from Eagle; Fort Yukon, an important fur-trading post, and 

the point of departure for the Koyukuk winter trail, is 80 miles below 

Circle, at the mouth of Porcupine River.

Below Circle the Yukon flows for 300 miles through the Yukon 

Flats. Here the river spreads out in many channels and navigation is 

difficult. A characteristic view in the flats is given in PL III, A.

An examination of the map (PI. II) will show that a belt of coalbearing beds stretches from Klondike River northwestward nearly to 

the Yukon. This belt seems to be extended to the northwest by several 

isolated areas, which probably at one time formed a continuous belt. 

These Kenai terranes for these beds all belong to that horizon carry 

workable coal beds, which have been exploited at several localities.

Coal beds have been opened, or partially opened, by prospectors on 

two "Coal" creeks in Canadian territory and on American Creek, 

Wolf Creek, and Washington Creek in American territory. Coal is 

known to occur, but has not been opened to any extent, on Coal Creek, 

a small tributary of the Yukon 60 miles above Circle; on Bonanza 

Creek, a tributary of Charlie River; and on a tributary of Seventymile River known as Washington Creek. The more important of 

these localities were visited by the writer and will be described in 

detail. Coal has also been reported from the upper Fortymile region, 

from Seventymile, and from the Porcupine, but the information is 

too vague to make it worthy of inclusion in this report.

Coal in Canadian twritory. A coal seam was opened up near Five 

Finger Rapids on Lewes River many }^ears ago. This seam has been 

recently developed under the name Five Finger mine," and is now 

supplying the Dawson market. As this coal is used in competition 

with the Yukon coals, it seems best to include some notes on it, though

"Brooks, A. H., Coal resources of Alaska: Twenty-second Ann. Kept. U.S. Geol. Survey,pt.3,1902, 

p. 559.
22 COAL RESOUKCES OF THE YTTKOtf. [NO. 21S.

the locality was not visited by the writer. This mine is about 200 

miles above Dawson, on the north bank of the Lewes. Cretaceous 

fossils have been found in the vicinity, though their relation to the 

coal formation is not known to have been definitely determined. The 

coal seam mined is reported to be slightly less than 2 feet in thickness. The following anatysis was made from a sample taken by the 

writer from a large pile of this coal on the electric light company's 

dock at Dawson:

Analysis of coal (sample No. 811} from Five Finger mine.

[Analyst; E. T. Alien, U. S. Geol. Survey.]

Per cent.

Water . r ............. .................................................. 3.58

Volatile combustible matter............................................... 41, 05

Fixed carbon ........................................................... 43.11

Ash.................................................................... 12.26

1.00. 00 

Sulphur ................................................................ .38

Fuel ratio. . ........-.........:.......................................... 1. 05

The sample of coal taken shows many check seams containing small, 

light, knife-edge vein lets, both parallel to the bedding and across it, 

and these probably account for the high percentage of ash. Coal from 

this mine is burned on river steamers, and a considerable amount is 

shipped to the Dawson market, where it seems to be preferred to Cliff 

Creek coal.

Coal of anthracite nature is reported from the vicinity of White 

Horse Rapids/* and lignite is found on Nordenskiold River, 6 near the 

railway.

The most important coal mine on the Yukon within the Circle 

province is at Cliff Creek, which enters the Yukon from the north, 

about 9 miles below the town of Portj^mile and 30 miles above the 

international boundary.

The following is quoted 'from the Canadian geological survey 

reports c regarding the coal basin:

Lignite-bearing beds outcrop on Klondike Eiver, 6 miles below Flat Creek, and 

extend in a north-northwesterly direction in a long, narrow basin or series of basins to 

Cliff Creek, a distance of 60 miles, and probably for some miles beyond. They follow 

in a general way the course of the Yukon Valley, from which they are separated by 

a narrow strip of the older rocks. Wide valleys are cat across them by all the streams 

entering this portion of the Yukon from the northeast, but owing to their soft character exposures are infrequent. In their normal condition the beds consist of soft, 

slightly coherent sandstones and conglomerates, alternating with light and darkcolored clays and shales. In places where the beds have been strongly folded the 

clays and sands are altered into sandstones and shales. The age of the lignite beds 

is uncertain, as no fossils were found in them, but they probably belong to the 

Tertiary.

(i Brooks, A. H., Coal resources of Alaska: Twenty-second Ann. Kept. U. S. Geol. Survey, p.t. 3, p. 559.

cMcConnell, K. G., A summary report of the Geol. Survey Dept. for the year 1900, Ottawa, No. 26, 

p. 45.
COLMER.] CQAL IN CAttADlAtf TERRITORY. 23

A lignite horizon, with one or more seams, occurs in this formation at a number 

of widely separated points, and apparently accompanies it throughout its whole 

extent. Lignite seams outcrop on Rock Creek and its tributary Coal Creek, at the 

northern end of the area, on Cliff Creek at the southern end, and on Twelvemile 

Creek, Fifteenmile Creek and Coal Creek at intermediate points, and are reported 

from a number of other localities. The total area underlain by lignite is estimated to 

considerably exceed 200 square miles.

The Alaska Exploration Company has taken up a block of coal lands on Coal 

Creek, and has commenced mining operations at a point a little over 7 miles from 

Klondike River, following Coal Creek and Rock Creek valleys, and about 20 miles 

from Dawson. * * * The workings of the mine consist of an incline about 400 

feet in length, descending in a southeasterly direction at an average angle of about 

25° for the first 200 feet, beyond which the angle gradually decreases to about 4°. 

A short drift has been driven in a northeasterly direction, following the seam, at 

a point 225 feet from the mouth of the incline. The seam dips to the northeast 

in a drift at angles of from 3° to 10°.

The strata in the upper part of the incline have been disturbed and faulted to 

some extent, and the lignite beds occur in a broken condition. In 'the lower part 

of the incline and in the drifts the beds are continuous, although the dips are still 

irregular. * * * Two seams of lignite are present in the lower part of the incline 

and in the drifts. The upper seam shows 3 feet of hard lignite and the lower from 

2 to 3 feet. The two seams are separated by a clay parting about a foot thick and 

are roofed and floored with clay. The lignite is hard and compact and shows no 

traces of the woody fiber so common in lignites. * * * It is of good quality, 

burns freely, and can be used both for heating and steam purposes.

The following analyses of the two seams have been furnished by Dr. Hoffmann:

Lignite from upper seam, Coal Creek mine. per cent 

Hygroscopic water ...................................................... 18. 31

Volatile combustible matter.............................................. 34. 96

Fixed carbon ........................................................... 40. 88

Ash.................................................................... 5.85

100.00 

Coke, percentage (noncoherent) .......................................... 46. 73

Lignite from lower seam, Coal Creek mine. Percent 

Hygroscopic water ...................................................... 19.37

Volatile combustible matter.............................................. 33. 85

Fixed carbon ............................................................ 37.45

Ash.................................................................... 9.33

100. 00 

Coke, percentage (noncoherent).......................................... 46. 78

* * * # * *

The North American Trading and Transportation Company has opened up a group 

of lignite seams at Cliff Creek, a small stream which enters the Yukon from the 

right 55 miles below Dawson. The workings are situated about a mile and threequarters from the mouth of the creek and consist of two long tunnels with a number 

of drifts and upraises. The lower tunnel is on the right side of the creek and the 

upper a short distance farther up the creek on the left side. The distance along the 

zone from the mouth of the first tunnel to the end of the second is 2,800 feet, and the 

seams appear to be continuous for this distance and probably extend much farther.

The* tunnel at the. upper workings has been driven mostly along the lignite zone 

for a distance of 800 feet. At one point, 225 feet from the mouth of the tunnel- the
24 COAL BESOUKCES OF THE YUKON. [NO. 218.

coal seams are bent to one side and probably faulted. The lignite zone, consisting 

of alternating beds of lignite, clay, and carbaceous shale, measures over 40 feet in 

thickness in places. The included lignite seams vary in thickness from a few inches 

up to 5 feet. 'A section 300 feet from the mouth of the tunnel showed over 11 feet of

coal in seams separated by clay partings and beds, as follows:

Ft. in.

Lignite..........-.-...............-.....'...........'..................... 1 6

Thin parting..............................................................

Lignite.................................................................. 0 5

Carbonaceous shale....... . :.......................,...................... 0 3

Lignite.................................................................. 0 6

Shale.................................................................... 0 1

Lignite ............'...................................................... 2 0

Clay ..........................,...................................:..... 1 3

Lignite................................................................... 1 3

Clay ................................................................... 3 0

Lignite .................................................................. 1 0

11 3

The beds have a nearly east and west strike, and dip in a southerly direction at 

angles of from 50° to 75°.

A section in the lower workings showed:

Ft. in.

Shales.............:..........................:..........................

Lignite, one thin parting.................................................. 9 0

Shales................................................................... 2 0

White clay......................................:........................ 2 9

Alternating clays and shales ........................... ........... ....._. 3 0

Grayish clay. ............................................................ 13 0

Carbonaceous clay........................................................ 3 3

Lignite, one parting ...........'........................................... 3 0

Carbonaceous shales and clays............................................. 6 0

Soft sandstone with layers of grit........................................... 10 0

52 0

The dip of the beds in the lower workings is much less than in the upper, and in 

places they are almost horizontal.

The Cliff Creek lignite is very similar in appearance to the Rock Creek variety. 

It is dark in color, compact, and probably somewhat harder than the latter, as the 

inclosing rocks are more indurated. Dr. Hoffmann describes it as a lignite of superior 

quality closely approaching to a lignite coal. The following analyses were made in 

the laboratory of the Survey:

Lignite from upper and Lower working, C/.ifl' Creek.

Hygroscopic water .........

Volatile combustible matter 

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

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

Coke.

Upper 

working.

Per cent.

8.57 

42.04 

45.77

3. 62

100.00

49. 39

Lower " 

working.

Per cciit.

10.58

40.10

46.74

2.58

100. 00

49.32
COAl IN CANADIAN1 TEMltORY. 25

Analysis by fast coking.

Coke of lignite from upper working, feebly coherent, tender.

Coke of lignite from lower working, noncoherent.

A considerable quantity of coal from Cliff Creek mines was shipped to Dawson 

during the past season for heating purposes, and it is also used by a number of the 

river steamers with satisfactory results. The coal is sold on the wharf at the mouth 

of Cliff Creek for $10 a ton, and in Dawson for $20 a ton and upward. A narrowgauge railway has been built from the workings to the river, and the mine is now in 

a condition to supply a large demand.

The Avriter visited Coal'Creek in the course of the present investigation. This stream joins the Yukon from the right, about 4 miles 

above the mouth of Cliff Creek. It flows nearly west, and forks about 

6 miles from the Yukon. Coal has been located on both forks. The 

localities visited by the writer are on the main or east fork about 10 to 

12 miles from the Yukon.

The coal-bearing sandstones lie unconformabby on the edges of older. 

schistose rocks which are exposed occasionally along the trail from the 

river up to within a mile of the coal croppings.

The main creek, where it cuts the coal-bearing beds, flows approximate^ west and probably follows the axis of an anticline.

Coal seams were examined in three places. In the upper opening a 

tunnel 100 feet long runs into the hill south of the creek on a coal bed 

which has been crushed and broken either by a local surface slide or 

by a fault. About one-fourth of a mile west of this point a slope 

tunnel (dip 33° S., strike N. 60° E.) was being driven into the south 

bank of the creek, in which the following section was exposed:

Section on south lank of Coal Creek.

Ft. in.

Coal..........'................................;'........................... 0 6

Clay parting ....___......................:.............._................. 0 2

Coal...................................................................... 4 6

Above the coal is a soft, slippery shale, which the miners called 

"soapstone." The floor of the coal bed is a similar "soapstone," 

below which there is harder sandstone containing fossil leaves.

One-half mile west nearly 20 feet of coal outcrops in the north bank 

of the creek, with the following section:

Section on north bank of Coal Creek.

Ft. in.

Coal with 5 mining partings, all under 1 inch ............................. H 0

Bony coal...... ....:.................................._..._..........._. 2 0

Clay ................................................................... 1 0

Coal.................................................................... 0 18

A comparison with these two sections suggests that there are two 

workable coal seams in this locality.

The soft sandstone undertying this bed and the claj^ seam included 

in it carried abundant fossil leaves, the most common .species being 

conifers, referred by Knowlton to the Upper Eocene. The coal can,
26" tfOAL RESOUKCES OF THE YUKON. . [NO. 218.

therefore, be considered Kenai. The coal contains much amber or 

fossil resin. Some specimens were almost one-half amber in grains 

distributed through the mass. In this respect the}'- resemble the 

coals found on Washington Creek, in American territory.

Analyses made of the samples from the 5-foot seam above described 

were made by E. T. Alien. They are as follows:

Analysis of coal (sample No. 86} from Coal Creek, near foot wall of seam.

Per cent. 

Water....................................:........-..................... 10.58

Volatile combustible matter....................'.......................... 38.42

Fixed carbon ....................................................:....... 31.54

Ash .................................................................... 19.46

100.00 

Sulphur ................................................................ .80

Fuel ratio............................................................... .82

Analysis of coal (sample No. 25) from Coal Greek, middle of seam.

Per cent.

Water.................................................................. 12.57

Volatile combustible matter.............................................. 39.54

Fixed carbon ................................................. 1......... 41. 98

Ash.................................,..............;................... 5.91

100.00 

Fuel ratio............................................................... 1. 06

No coal has yet been mined on a commercial scale on Coal Creek. 

On the main fork of the creek the openings into the coal are low, and 

the dip will no doubt throw the coal below water level. Exploitation 

of the seams will therefore require hoisting and pumping, and a railroad not less than 10 miles in length to carry the coal to the landing 

on the river.

In working the Cliff Creek mine it is found that the frost in the 

coal extends to a depth of 150 feet below the surface. The unfrozen 

is of better quality than the frozen coal.

Mission Creek. Mission Creek enters Yukon River from the west 

at the town of Eagle, 12 miles below the international boundary. 

The creek flows eastward and has a'length of about 15 miles. An 

area of coal-bearing rocks from 3 to 4 miles wide extends back from 

the Yukon for a distance of 6 or 7 miles on the south side of this 

creek. The northern and southern limits of this basin are fairly well 

known, but whether its western end is connected with the similar coalbearing rocks reported to occur on Seventymile River could not be 

determined in the brief time at the writer's disposal. Attempts have 

been made to open coal mines within this field on American Creek and 

Wolf Creek, southern tributaries of Mission Creek.

The coal seams of the Mission Creek field are contained in gray shales 

associated with conglomerates varying from incoherent gravel to hard
COLLIE*.] MISSION1 CREEK. 27

conglomerate, in which the pebbles break before the cement. Lumps 

of coal and knife-edge seams of lignite were found in this conglomerate. A few specimens of fossil plants were obtained from the shales, 

showing that they probably belong to the Kenai series and are certainly 

not older than the middle of the Cretaceous.-

The coal-bearing formation rests unconformably on an older series 

of rocks made up of green slates, cherts, tuffs, and limestones, tentatively correlated by the writer with the Rampart series and believed 

to be of Devonian age. These are well exposed in the bluff immediately below Eagle, which extends along the north side of Mission 

Creek in an almost straight east-west line, suggesting a fault scarp. 

The coal-bearing rocks seem to end abruptly at the foot of this bluff, 

but they overlap the older rocks to the south and are found forming 

the hilltops, but have been removed by erosion in the Talleys. The 

structure seems to consist of low open folds.

The coal of this belt is black, has a conchoidal fracture, and shows 

no traces of woody structure. In 1897 E. C. Barnard collected a sample from American Creek which had the following composition:

Analysis of coal from American Creek, S miles from Eagle. a

[Analyst, W. F. Hillebrancl, U. S. Geol. Survey.]

Per cent.

Water................................................................... 6.75

Volatile combustible matter............................................... 39.13

Fixed carbon ............................................................ 37. 59

Ash...................................................................... 16.53

100. 00 

Sulphur................................................................. 3.40

Fuel ratio................................................................ .96

This coal was noncoking.

Attempts have been made to open coal veins on American Creek and 

also on Wolf Creek, but during the summer of 1902 nothing was 

being done at either place and no definite information could be 

obtained regarding the coal seams.

It is reported that a coal bed outcropping a short distance below the 

crossing of the Eagle-Valdes trail has been opened up and abandoned 

twice. About 4 miles up Wolf Creek, in the material thrown out of 

a prospect hole near the creek, there were pieces of coal probably 

having a high percentage of ash, and some soft sandstone. A coal 

seam is reported to have been located on a small western tributary of 

Wolf Creek near this locality.

At the present time these coal deposits are unopened and are 

of no economic importance except as indicating the extent of the 

coal-bearing rocks in Alaska. The United States military post at

.a Brooks, Coal Resources of Alaska, p. 6G5.
2 COAL "RESOURCES OF THE YUKON, [NO. 218.

Eagle would afford a market fora limited amount of coal,'and it is 

not probable that workable beds would be neglected if they had been 

found.

Sevenfymile JRiv&r. This river enters the Yukon 25 miles below' 

Eagle and 37 miles below the international boundary. It has a length 

of about 75 miles and flows nearly due east to its junction with the 

.Yukon. Coal is reported to have been found on this river and its 

tributaries several miles from the Yukon, but the writer was unable 

to obtain definite information regarding the occurrence. A great 

thickness of Kenai sandstone, not known to be coal bearing, is exposed 

at the mouth of Seventymile River. These coals of Sevent3rnrile 

River, if there be airy, are undeveloped and are not known to be of 

economic importance.

Washington Creek. This stream, which is about 40 miles long, 

enters the Yukon about 80 miles below the international boundary. 

Its headwaters oppose those of Seventjmiile River.

The accompanjdng sketch map (fig. 1) shows the geologic relations 

of the three formations exposed along the creek. Near the Yukon is 

a broad belt of black slates of Lower Cretaceous age. These rocks 

overlie (see fig. 1) an intricate succession of limestones and tuffs 

belonging to the Rampart series, which occupy a belt about 2 miles 

wide, through which the creek has cut a narrow gorge. Both series 

are closely folded, the axes of the folds running about east and west. 

To the south is an area of coal-bearing sandstones, conglomerates, and 

shales, whose southern limits were not determined. These beds are 

thrown up into broad, open folds, with dips of less than 45°, and 

overlie the older rocks unconformably. No fossils were found in 

this arenaceous series, but on lithologic and' structural grounds it 

is correlated with the Kenai. This view is substantiated \>y both 

the character and the mode of occurrence of the coal. These coalbearing rocks first outcrop about 9 miles from the Yukon, in a great 

bluff of slightly consolidated conglomerate, rising about 100 feet 

from the creek bed. The strike here is to the northeast, and the dip 

at a low angle to the southeast. This is believed to be the base of the 

coal formation, since, if the dips are continuous, it underlies the area 

of coal-bearing rocks. Above this point the valley of Washington 

Creek broadens out into a wide, flat basin, with little relief, within 

which the creek meanders through long, quiet pools, with small ripples between. Few exposures of bed rock occur, although there is a 

great quantity of float coal on the gravel bars for a distance of 5 or 6 

miles above, which is as far as the writer traversed the creek. The 

prospect holes have caved in, so that for details of the coal sections 

the writer has been obliged to depend on the measurements made by 

prospectors. Their reports show a series of coal seams interbedded 

with soft sandstone and shale in several, places, resembling, in a general
COI.LTKK.] WASHINGTON OEEEK. 29

way, the coal seams at Cliff Creek and Coal Creek, in Canadian territory, which have been described. 

At a point H miles above the beginning of the coal-bearing forma-

|a||ia:| Yukon silts (Pleistocene)

[ ;-;-x-;5xi Kenai sandstones, coal formation (Eocene)

k Lower Cretaceous 

^j Rampart series (Devonian?)

FIG. 1. Sketch map showing geologic relations of the Washington Creek coal basin.

tion Messrs. Walter Stanford, J. W. Pratt, W. S. Layman, and F. L. 

Jewett opened a coal bed on .the right bank of the creek and took out 

5 tons of coal, which were hauled by dog teams to the river bank for 

the purpose of a steaming test on the river. The work was done
30 COAL RESOURCES OF THE YUKON. [NO. 218.

in the winter, without timbering, so that the opening caved in with 

the summer thaw. The beds dip southeast at 35°, and the following 

section is reported:

Section on Washington Greek.

Ft. in.

Coal..................................................................... 1 0

Clay..................................................................... 0 1

Coal...................................................-..........:...... 1 6

Clay. .......................... I.......;.............................'.... 0 1

Coal..................................................................... 4 0

Fire clay................................................................. 0 .1

Coal..................................................................... 1 6

Carbonaceous shale.......--...........---..-.....,...--.............--... 12 0

Clean coal 7.............................................................. 4 0

About 2 miles above this point, on the left bank of the creek, the 

Alaska Coal and Coke Company has opened coal beds in a hill rising 

from 100 to 300 feet above the creek, where the following section is 

reported:

Section at coal mine of Alaska Coal and Coke Company on Washington Creek.

Feet. 

Sandstone ..................................................................

Coal........................................................................ 5

Thin bands of shale and coal................................................. 20

Coal......................... .................................... ........... 4

The coal outcrops for 700 feet along the strike, and the dip is about 

45° SE.

Between these two points outcrops of coal were seen by the writer 

in the creek bank, which is about 15 feet high and capped with gravel 

covered by a deep tundra growth. The coal seemed to lie nearly horizontal in the cropping.

Mr. N. B. La Brie, of the Alaska Coal and Coke Company, reported 

a section on the creek showing about 30 feet of coaly shale, in the 

middle of which there are two seams of clean coal with 2 feet of 

"dirt" between, ^he lower seam, is 4 feet thick and the upper from 

2 to 3 feet. There is no apparent difference in the character of the 

coal of the two seams. The coal dips to the east at an angle of 40°.

On the right bank of the creek, some distance above the workings 

of the Alaska Coal and Coke Company, a section is reported to have 

shown 30 feet of coal and shale, but only 12 feet were exposed at the 

time of the writer's visit. The rocks dip 45° SW. and show the following section:

Section on right bank oj Washington Creek above Alaska Coal and Coke Company's mine.

Ft. in. 

Clean coal, with several small streaks of clay............................... 5 6

Dirty coal ....................................._..._..._..............._. 2 6

Sandstone ............................................................... 2 0

Shale.................................................................... 0 2

Coal..................................................................... 2 0
COLLIBR.] WASHINGTON CEEEK. 31

The coal beds where examined showed no signs of crushing- or fault* 

ing. The evidence in hand points to the conclusion that there is a 

large area of coal-bearing sandstone on Washington Creek containing 

one or more thick zones of coaly material, in which there are several 

seams of clean coal that are not injured by faulting or crushing. The 

greater part of this coal, however, lies below the level of the drainage of the region, arid in its development pumping and hoisting plants 

will probably be necessary.

Samples of the coal were taken at several places, both from the 

prospect pits and from the float in the creek gravel. These samples 

show a general similarity. The coal, though black and glossy and 

exhibiting a conchoidal fracture, has a lignitic appearance, often showing a wood}r structure. It is characterized throughout by grains and 

streaks of amber, or fossil resin. Large pieces of float coal, some 

weighing. 50 pounds, were found on the gravel bars of the creek and 

showed little tendency'to check or slack.

Analyses were made by Dr. E. T. Alien, United States Geological Survey, of one sample, taken by the writer from a 5-ton lot mined 

by Messrs. Stanford, Pratt, Layman, and Jewett, and hauled to the 

Yukon to be tested on a river steamer; and of another collected by 

Kasper Ellingen from one of the prospects of the Alaska Coal and 

Coke Company, on Washington Creek, about H miles above the 

localit}^ where the first sample was taken.

Analysis of coal (No. 75) from Washington Creek, 10 miles from Yukon River.

[Sample taken by the writer from a 5-ton sample mined for steam test.]

Per cent.

Water.................................................................. 13.48

Volatile combustible matter.............................................. 43. 74

Fixed carbon ........................................................... 39. 68

Ash.................................................................... 3.20

100.00 

Sulphur ................................................................ .24

Fuel ratio............................................................... .91

Analysis of coal (No. 818} from Washington Creek, 12 miles from Yukon River.

[Sample taken by Kasper Ellingen, of Alaska Coal and Coke Company.]

Per cent.

Water.................................................................. 11.13

Volatile combustible matter.............................................. 42.57

Fixed carbon ........................................................... 44. 20

Ash.................................................................... 2.10

100.00 

Sulphur ...............................................^................ .26

Fuel ratio................................................................ 1,04

Neither of these samples was sealed up immediately on being taken 

from the mines, and it is probable that the percentage of moisture in 

freshly mined coal would be somewhat higher than is here shown.
32 COAL BESOUKCES OF THE YUKON. [NO. 218.

The 5-ton sample, above referred to, was tested on the Northern 

Commercial Company's steamer Sarah, and is reported to have given 

entire satisfaction, as compared with the other Yukon River coals.

Coal was discovered on Washington Creek by Mr. N. B. La Brie 

in 1897, and soon after coal claims were staked along the west side of 

the creek. Later these locations were turned over to the Alaska Coal 

and Coke Company, of which Mr. La Brie is manager. Several years 

later claims were staked on the east side of the creek by Messrs. 

Stanford, Layman, Pratt, and Jewett.

Developments are as follows: The Alaska Coal and Coke Company 

has a drift tunnel 60 feet long and a slope tunnel 106 feet on the coal 

bed at a point about 12 miles from the Yukon. Five tons of coal have 

been mined from workings that have since caved in at a point about 

10 miles from the Yukon. A good winter trail has been opened from 

the landing on the Yukon, near the mouth of the creek, to0 the coal 

beds, a distance of 10 to 12 miles, along which coal can be sledded with 

horses or dog teams during the winter. Should the demand for coal 

on the Yukon justify it, a railroad can easily be built into the coal 

basin.

Bonanza Greek. This stream, which parallels the Yukon at a distance of about 6 miles from it, is an eastern tributary-of Charlie 

River. The coal field reported on it is probably within 6 miles in a 

direct line from the Yukon, but by way of Charlie River the distance 

is much greater. The position of the creek on the accompanying 

map (PL II) is taken from a map by E. J. Chamberlain.

The bed rock along the Yukon consists of dark slates (Lower Cretaceous), which probably extend southward for some distance, but in 

the divide between the Yukon and Bonanza Creek there are some 

rough hills, suggesting the rocks of the Rampart series. The coalbearing rocks probably overlie these harder rocks, making the geologic relations on Bonanza Creek similar to those found on Washington 

Creek.

The writer has been informed by many prospectors who have visited 

this region that extensive beds of coal are exposed, but owing to their 

distance from the Yukon no attempt has been made to exploit them.

Coal Greek. This stream is a tributary of the Yukon, entering 

from the south side about 45 vmiles above Circle and 105 miles below 

the international boundary. The coal reported is 6 miles from the 

Yukon, and was not visited by the writer. Coal Creek probably has 

a length of about 30 miles. For some distance up from the mouth of 

the creek the bed rock is slate, resembling that along the lower part 

of Washington Creek, and is believed to be of Lower Cretaceous age.- 

The coal is probably contained in Kenai sandstones and conglomerates 

which overlie this slate.

Specimens of float coal were picked up on the gravel bars of Coal
COLLIER.] NATION EIVEE MINE. 33

Creek, which show the character of the coal to be similar to that of 

Washing-ton and Cliff creeks, in that it contains fossil resin, or amber. 

The coal on Coal Creek is not known to be of economic importance, 

and attempts to exploit it have been abandoned.

Nation River mine. Tahkandit or Nation River enters the Yukon 

from the north about 52 miles below the international boundary. On 

the published maps of the Yukon this river has been called Tahkandit. 

It is more generally known at the present time as Nation River, and 

the coal mine formerly operated there is known as Nation River 

mine. It is located 'on the 

left bank, about 1 mile from 

the Yukon. Coal has been 

found at one locality only, 

though a formation probably 

identical with that which carries the coal extends down 

the Yukon for a distance of 

at least 10 miles, and it is 

probable that coal will be 

found at other places.

The coal at Nation River 

occurs in gray shales interbedded with heavy conglomerates. Both the coal and 

the inclosing rocks show the 

effects of intense crushing. 

In the conglomerate this is 

evinced by a cleavage developed in the quartz and chert 

pebbles of which it is composed. The geologic relations, as far as they are known, 

are shown on the accompanying sketch map and section (fig. 2). The coal-bearing 

rocks outcrop in the face of a bluff which rises about 200 feet from the 

creek bed. The strike here is approximately N. 60° E., and the dip 

is southeast, at an angle of 40°. About half a mile south of this point 

massive limestones outcrop, striding N. 70° E., and dipping southeast 

at an angle of 60°. These limestones form a belt of broad, open folds 

that lie south of the coal-bearing rocks and carry fossils of Permian 

age. Unless there has been faulting, of which there is some evidence, 

the Permian limestones overlie the coal-bearing formation. There is 

no direct paleontologic evidence as to the age of the coal-bearing 

rocks, as no fossils were found in them. In similar sandstones, howBull. 218 03 3

Yukon silts (Pleistocene)

Conglomerate and shale 

(coal-bearing formation)

Limestone (Permian)

FIG. 2. Geologic sketch map of the vicinity of the 

Nation River mine.
34 COAL RESOURCES OF THE YUKON. [NO. 218.

ever, several miles up the river from this place, plant fossils, possibly 

Paleozoic, were found.

The weight of the evidence seems to point toward a Permian age of 

the coal, though it is possible that the beds are of later age, infolded 

and overthrust by the Permian limestone. The following facts point 

to the latter conclusion:

First. The Eocene coals of this region generally are found in shales 

interbedded with conglomerates which are similar to these, except for 

the extreme crushing here shown.

Second. There is a great deal of heavy conglomerate and interbedded 

shale along the Yukon in this vicinity, varying greatly in the degree 

of consolidation, but showing a general lithologic similarity, and fossil 

plants from some of these rocks have been determined definitely to 

belong to the Kenai formation.

Third. Both above and below Nation River the sandstones and conglomerates are intensely folded and faulted, and the formations are 

often overturned. A few miles above Nation River, conglomerates 

which are younger than the Carboniferous are overlain by belts of 

Carboniferous age. This relation has, been brought about by a thrust 

fault. In this vicinity the conglomerate sandstone series shows an 

overturned fold, which has brought slates believed to be Paleozoic 

above them. A similar explanation may account for the relations of 

the conglomerate and Permian beds at Nation River.

Fourth. Mr. W. E. Williams, who was manager of the Nation River 

coal mine while it was in operation, reports that in following the coal 

downward the dip became vertical and afterwards overturned, so that 

the dip, which at the surface was to the southeast became northwestward.

More extended and more detailed work in this vicinity is required

to determine definitely the age of this coal. Should it be found to be 

of Carboniferous or Permian age, which seems doubtful, it would be 

important as indicating the possible presence on the Yukon of deposits 

of the older coals. In 1899 Brooks found a series of Carboniferous 

strata about 240 miles southwest of this locality that contained beds 

of impure coal, which he described as follows:"

Coal has been reported from the region of the upper White and Tanana rivers, 

but during our reconnaissance of the past season we saw no beds of coal which would 

be of commercial value. At a number of places carbonaceous shales of Carboniferous 

age were found, but none of these were sufficiently pure to use for fuel. One of 

these was about 10 miles west of Kershaw River, near our route of travel. At this 

locality beds of carbonaceous material some 20 or 30 feet, in thickness were exposed. 

Much of it had been altered to graphite by dynamic metarnorphism. Near the 

upper end of Lake Kluane similar beds were found. On Kletsan Creek carbonaceous 

shales containing a little bituminous coal were found, but the coal was too impure to 

have any fuel value.

a Reconnaissance from Pyramid Harbor to Eagle City, Alaska: Twenty-first Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. 

Survey, pt. 2, 1900, p. 382.
COLLIER.] NATION EIVEE MINE. 35

The fossils collected by Brooks at this time were of a fauna similar 

to that of the Nation River limestones, and Schuchert, who examined 

them, and who has also examined the larger collections made on the 

Yukon by the writer and the collection made in the Copper River 

Basin by W. C. Mendenhall, is now of the opinion that these beds 

should be correlated with the limestones at Nation River.

Only one bed of coal has been found at Nation River. The mine workings are abandoned, and, having caved in, could not be examined. The 

face of the bluff on which they are located is subject to local slides, 

by which the outcrops of coal are covered. A recent prospect hole 

near the top of the bluff showed about 2 feet of crushed coal and shale 

standing nearly vertical.

W. E. Williams, who was superintendent of the mine, informed the 

writer that the coal bed here was never well defined. The coal was 

found in pockets and kidne.ys often as large as 8 feet thick and 13 feet n 

long. When the mine was abandoned a large body of this kind that 

had been located was left unmined. Large pieces of this coal were 

found in the creek bed before the coal body was located.

The coal mined at Nation River is distinct in character from any 

other coal mined on the Yukon. It is a bituminous coal, containing a 

low percentage of water, and showing no traces of woody structure. 

If these coals prove to be of Kenai age, the differences in their composition may be accounted for by the greater degree of deformation 

which they have suffered. An analysis was made of a sample taken 

from a large pile, probably 100 tons, mined in 1898. It had been 

exposed to the weather on the river bank since that time, but apparently was not greatly altered. It had the-following composition:

Analysis of coal (sample No. 6S) from Nation River mine.

' [Analyst, E. T. Alien, U. S. Geol. Survey.] per cent

Water.................................................................. l. 39

Volatile combustible matter.............................................. 40.02

Fixed carbon ........................................ ........".......... 55. 55

Ash .............................I...................................... 3.04

100.00 

Sulphur ............'.......................1............................ 2. 98

Fuel ratio .............................................................. 1.39

This coal makes a good coke in the laboratory. A large part of the 

coal was dry and unfrozen and of good quality, while a smaller part 

was frozen and almost worthless as fuel. The distribution of the frost 

was probably due to the-circulation of water through the bodies of 

coal.

In 1897 the Alaska Commercial Company attempted to open a coal 

mine at this place, and about 2,000 tons" of coal were mined and

a For estimates of the amounts of coal produced at points along the Yukon the writer is indebted to 

Mr. W. E. Williams, a mining engineer, who has operated coal mines on the Yukon since 1897.
. 36 COAL RESOURCES OF THE YUKON. [NO. 218.

sledded to the Yukon, to be-'burned on river steamers or transported 

to the Dawson market. Owing to the irregularity of the coal deposit 

and the consequent uncertainty of the supply, and to the expense of 

mining, it was abandoned several years ago. During the summer of 

1902 one man was prospecting and attempting to relocate the coal bed. 

This coal is of better quality than that of any other mine of the region, 

except for the large percentage of sulphur, but the disturbed condition 

of the seam makes it doubtful whether it can be worked at a profit.

RAMPART PROVINCE.

Under this heading the coal deposits of the Yukon between the flats 

and the mouth of the Melozi a will be considered.

Below Circle the Yukon for 200 miles meanders by numerous channels through a broad lowland known as the Yukon Flats. It then 

^enters a more constricted portion of its valley, known as the Ramparts, 

which it leaves again at the mouth of the Tanana. __ Below the mouth 

of theTanana the Yukon Valley broadens out. Within the flats the 

Yukon receives, from the north and east, Porcupine, Chandlar, and 

Dall rivers, and from the south, Birch Creek and Beaver Creek, besides 

many small streams. Below the flats, Ray River, Salt Creek, Sheflin 

Creek, Tozi (Tozikakat) River, and Melozi River are tributary to the 

Yukon from the north, and Hess Creek, Minook Creek, and Tanana 

River from the south.

The important settlements within this province are Rampart, the 

distributing point for a large placer-mining region, and Tanana, where 

the United States military post, Fort Gibbon, is located. During the 

summer of 1902 the United 'States Arm}'- maintained a telegraph line 

from St. Michael to Rampart. Telegraph stations were distributed 

along the river between these points at intervals of 40 miles.

One of the first attempts to mine coal on the Yukon was made about 

25 miles above the present town of Rampart, on the site of what is 

now known as the Drew mine. Attempts to open coal mines have 

been made on Minook Creek near Rampart, on the Yukon 2 miles 

below Rampart, and on the Yukon 30 miles below Tanana.

Coal has been found on Dall River, which enters the Yukon at 

the lower end of the flats, and is reported by prospectors from Sal't 

Creek, which enters the Yukon 20 miles below Dal-l River. Extensive 

coal beds also occur on Cantwell River, a southern tributary of the 

Tanana, about 100 miles south of Rampart. Several areas of sand- 

. stone correlated with the Kenai occur along the Yukon in this province 

in which coal has not yet been discovered.

The coal which has been developed in the Rampart province occurs

a This river is known in Alaska as the Melozikakat. Melozi is here used in. accordance with the 

decision of U. S. National Board on Geographic Names, "kakat" being merely a native name for 

river.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN NO. 218 PL. V

A. DREW COAL MINE, 25 MILES ABOVE RAMPART, ON YUKON RIVER.

IS. WILLIAMS COoL ,Vii,'< t, ,-OW NULATO, ON YUKON RIVER.
COLLIER.] KAMPAET PKOVINCE, DEEW MINE. 37

in a sandstone series which, from its fossil plant remains, has been 

assigned to the Kenai. These beds are found in a small area near the 

town of Rampart, where they are over 5,000 feet thick and rest 

unconformably on indurated cherts and tuffs belonging to the Rampart (Devonian) series. Some of the beds, are compact sandstones and 

conglomerates, while others are almost unconsolidated. Several other 

small areas of Kenai beds have been found in this part of the Yukon 

Valley, as is indicated on the map, PI. II., An unsuccessful attempt 

has been made at mining a lignite seam which occurs in unconsolidated 

beds that contain Pleistocene fossils.

Drew mine. The Drew mine is situated on the left bank of the 

Yukon, 25 miles above Rampart and opposite the mouth of Hess 

Creek. It is probably the oldest coal mine on the Yukon, and has 

been known, at different times, as the Miller mine and the Pioneer 

mine. It is the only coal mine that has been operated in the Rampart 

province, and there are no promising deposits of coal known along the 

main river within 300 miles either above or below it, so that it is 

probably the most important point for coal mining on the Yukon. A 

view of this mine, as it is seen from the river, is shown in PI. V, A.

The coal-bearing formation at this place is confined to a great bend 

of the Yukon, and its known extent is not over 4 square miles. (See 

fig. 3.) Opposite the Drew mine the banks of the Yukon are low, 

and a broad flood plain extends for several miles up the valley of Hess 

Creek. The coal-bearing sandstones are probably continued beneath 

these flood-plain deposits, and may be connected with the coal-bearing 

formations exposed near Rampart, which have been described.

From Fort Harnlin to within a mile of this mine the Yukon flows 

in a canyon cut in a system of diabases and tuffs interbedded with 

the more or less cherty slates of the Rampart series. One mile above 

the Drew mine the rocks of the Rampart series are succeeded by a 

great thickness of sandstones, carrying fossil plants which have been 

referred to the Kenai series. Near the point of contact of these formations the Rampart rocks are hard, siliceous slates, with interbedded 

tuffs, striking N. 30° E. and dipping southeast at an angle of 70°, but 

the immediate contact is not exposed. The strike and dip of the sandstones appear to agree with those of the slates. Sandstone beds stand 

at a high angle, dipping away from the underlying rocks. From this 

point to the coal mine, a distance of 1 mile, there are frequent though 

not continuous exposures of sandstone standing at high angles. At 

the coal mine the sandstones are nearly vertical. If there is no close 

folding or faulting, with consequent repetition of these beds, their 

thickness should exceed 5,000 feet. The areal distribution and stratigraphic relations are shown in the sketch map and section, fig. 3.

In the lower 4,000 feet of this section no coal seams have yet been 

found. This portion is made up of fine-grained sandstones and shales
38 COAL RESOURCES OF THE YUKON. [NO. 218.

and a small amount of conglomerate. Fossil leaves, mostly of dicotyledonous plants, are distributed through it. In the upper part of the 

section coal seams are abundant and outcrop along the river bank. The 

coal is interbedded with fire clay and fine-grained sandstone. If there 

is no folding and consequent duplication, of these beds, of which no 

evidence was observed, there are at least seven such coal seams disYukon River

Coal beds

Rampart series ' [ffi$£vvl (c^f-'be^iririe) fc'^O-Jl Pleistocene 

FIG. 3. Geologic sketch map of the vicinity of the Drew mine.

tributed through less than 1,000 feet of sediments. Above these coal 

measures there are some heavy beds of coarse sandstone and conglomerate, aggregating in thickness 200 or 300 feet.

Although the outcroppings indicate that there are probably seven 

seams of coal at this place, only one of them has been exploited. The 

croppings of this seam in the river bank showed solid coal above the 

water line at the high stage of the river that prevailed at the time of
COLLIER.] EAMPABT PROVINCE, DKEW MINE. 39

the writer's visit. The other seams were indicated only by broken 

coal or coal smut mixed with fire clay, although it is reported that at 

low stages of water several of these seams present measurable exposures at the water's edge.

The bed that has been opened is believed by the writer to be the 

sixth one from the bottom of the coal series. Within the mine this 

bed was found to consist of two seams, aggregating 38 inches of clean 

coal, contained in about 19 feet of coaly material. The section was as 

follows:

Section at Drew mine.

Ft. in.

Yellow, shaly'sandstone................................................. ..

Bone and black shale. ................................................... 1 8

Coal........................'............................................. 2 1

Black shale and bone. ................................................... 4 0

Coal ................................................................... 1 1

Black shale or bone coal..................'.-.:........................... 2 0

Coal...........................................-..........-......'..'...... 0 2

Black shale............................................................. 4 0

Bony coal ......................-.....................................:. 4 0

Analyses by Dr. E. T. Alien of samples from each of the two seams 

of clear coal are as follows:

Analysis of coal (No. 187} from 18-inch seam, Drew mine.

Per cent.

Water.................................................................. 9.58

Volatile combustible matter............................................... 36.87

Fixed carbon ........................................................... 39.83

Ash.....................!.............................................. 13.72

100.00 

Sulphur ................................................................ 0.33

Fuel ratio..........................-..........'.......................... 1.08

Analysis of coal (No. 188} from upper 85-inch seam, Drew mine. 

* Per cent.

Water.................................................................. 9.54

Volatile combustible matter.............................................. 40. 09

Fixed carbon ............................................................ 37. 35

Ash..................................................................... 13. 02

100.00 

Fuel ratio .............................................................. 0. 93

v These analyses show a rather high percentage of ash, otherwise the 

coal compares well with that mined on the upper Yukon. The samples 

show some small specks of fossil resin, or amber.

About 100 yards north of the main workings of the Drew mine 

prospect holes have been sunk on another coal seam, probably the 

fifth of the series here exposed. About 7 feet of crushed coal is 

exposed in the pit, which tapers at the bottom to 4 feet of coal, also 

crushed and yielding no solid pieces., Grains of fossil resin, or amber,
40 COAL EESOUECES OF THE YUKON. [NO. 218.

are common in this seam. A sample of this weathered coal was 

analyzed and showed the following- composition:

Analysis of sample (No. 312} of croppings of lower coal bed, Dreiv mine.

[Analyst, E. T. Alien, U. S. Geol. Survey.]

Per cent.

Water....................................................'..... .......... 14.44

Volatile combustible matter.............................................. 47.15

Fixed carbon ............'.........................-..................-.. 33.77

Ash............................................................:....... 4.64

100.00 

Fuel ratio................................................................ 0.72

This analysis shows a lower percentage of ash than the coal from the 

seam which has been worked. The higher percentage of water is in 

all probability partly the result of weathering of the coal at the outcrop.

Coal was first discovered at the Drew mine and developed by Oliver 

Miller in 1897. Spurr reports that in that year a tunnel 40 feet in 

length had been driven into the hill on a 2-foot seam, probably the 

2-foot seam of the present mine/' Drew worked the mine several 

years since that time, but it is now closed under an attachment suit 

instituted,by the Northern Commercial Company.

The equipment of this mine consists of a shaft 75 feet deep, cribbed, 

housed, and provided with steam hoisting gear. Bunkers of 80 tons 

capacity are conveniently situated with chutes to reach the decks of 

steamers moored at the river's bank. The shaft was found to be in 

good condition and the mine free from water and of ice except for 6 

inches at the bottom. A gangway about 20 feet long from the bottom 

of the shaft crosscuts the sandstone to the coal bed, and then turns and 

follows the coal for several hundred feet. The writer was prevented 

from reaching the end of this gangway by a cave-in in the old workings,

about 40 feet from the turn. The coal from the 2-foot seain has been 

stoped out aJbove this gangway. An air duct which has been driven 

along the 13-inch seam represents all the work on this smaller seam. 

About 1,200 tons of coal have been taken out of the Drew mine, the 

greater part of which was used on river steamers. The coal has not 

given entire satisfaction for this purpose. This dissatisfaction was 

due, in part, no doubt, to the inexperience of the firemen and the 

unsuitable grates which were used. It is also reported that the coal 

was carelessly mined, so that as supplied at the bunkers it contained a, 

great deal of unnecessary dirt, but it nevertheless sold readily at 

$15 per ton. The following statement regarding it, by Mr. H. N. 

Wood, assistant engineer, United States Revenue-Cutter Service, is 

taken from Mr. Brooks's paper on Coal Resources of Alaska (p. 564):

My experience with Yukon coal was limited to a trial of the coal of but one of the 

Yukon River mines. This was that from the one known as Drew's mine, which is

a Spurr, J. E., Geology of the Yukon gold district: Eighteenth Ann. Kept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 3, 

1898, p. 381.
COLLIER.] MINOOK CREEK. 41

located on the bank of the Yukon directly opposite the mouth of Hess Creek. An 

attempt was made to steam the boilers of the United States steamer Nunivak, using 

this coal alone, but without success. Used mixed with Cornox coal in the proportion of two parts of Yukon to one part Comox, moderate steaming could be done. 

Used with wood, it served fairly well, about 400 pounds being used with one cord of 

wood. Used to maintain low-banked fires when the engine was stopped, it seemed 

to be fully as good as Comox coal. If, however, a fire was wanted to furnish steam 

for running a 10-kilowatt dynamo, the Yukon coal was inferior, due chiefly to 

the waste caused by the sifting of the coal through the grates when the fires were 

disturbed with fresh coal or fire tools. Although the attempt to steam.with this 

coal was a failure, I am of the opinion that with some experimenting to determine the best kind of grates, amount of grate surface and draft most suitable, 

and the proper way to handle the coal in the furnace, good results could be 

obtained. Judging by my limited experience, the 'Yukon coal will compare with 

Cotnox coal and with wood about as follows, using the average hourly consumption 

of the Nunivak as a basis: 1,200 to 1,500 pounds Comox coal equal 2,0"00 to 2,500 

pounds of Yukon coal, equal 1J to 1$ cords of spruce wood. Comox coal was on 

the market in St. Michael in 1899 at $15 per long ton. The same price was charged 

per short ton for the Yukon coal at the mine. The cost of wood is from $6 to $10 

per cord.

At the point where this mine was opened a low hill rises about 200 

feet above the river, affording a considerable amount of coal above the 

river level that could be stoped down into a main gangway driven in 

directly from the river bank. Behind this hill there is a broad 

depression, nearly one-fourth mile wide, cutting off the greater part 

of this coal seam. Beyond this depression there is'again high ground, 

reaching an elevation of from 400 to 600 feet above the river. The 

greater part of the coal above water level in the hill near the river has 

probably been mined. In extending the mine along the strike of the 

bed there will be a limited amount of coal to be mined above the gangway at the present level until the higher hill is reached. Here, if this 

bed holds its thickness and is not displaced by faulting or folding, a 

large amount of coal will be found that can be readily stoped down 

into a gangway at the present level. It is also probable that further 

prospecting may show some of the other coal beds here exposed to be 

of economic importance. Most of these beds are well situated topographically for yielding a continuous supply of coal.

Minook Creek. This creek enters Yukon River from the south 

side, about 1 mile above the town of Rampart. It has a length of 

about 20 miles, heading in the Yukon-Tanana divide, opposite the head 

of Baker Greek, which Hows to the Tanana. Sandstones carrying some 

coal seams outcrop along the left bank of the Yukon for 3 or 4 miles 

above Minook Creek and also about 2 miles below the town of Rampart. 

The}r form the floor of Minook Creek Valley for 2 miles above its junction with the Yukon. They are best exposed in a bluff along the left 

bank of the Yukon for several miles above the mouth of Minook Creek. 

The strike of the beds at this place is constant, N. 70° E., while the 

dip increases from 20° near the northern end of the outcrop to 50°
42 COAL EESOUECES OF THE YUKON. [NO. 218.

near the southern end. They consist of almost incoherent sands and 

gravels.

Fossil leaves collected in the bluff along the Yukon above the mouth 

of Minook Creek were assigned by Knowlton to the Kenai series represented at the Drew mine, and. the rocks are, therefore, probably 

continuous between the two points, though this connection has not 

been established by actual observation. The lithologic character of 

the Minook beds differs widely from that of the sandstone at the Drew 

mine, arid without the fossil evidence would suggest that they belong to 

a younger horizon. At both localities the coal-bearing sandstones rest 

unconforrnably on rocks belonging to the Rampart series. Impure 

lignites occur in these sandstones at several points above Rampart. 

On Minook Creek about 2 miles from the town of Rampart these 

lignite beds are reported to have occasionally been on tire. Attempts 

have been made to open a coal mine at the latter place, but Mr. Paige, 

of the Geological Survey party, who visited the locality, reported that 

the workings had caved in, so that the thickness of the bed could not 

be determined. A sample of the coal was taken for analysis from 

the dump of the old prospect hole.

The coal is a glossy lignite which tends to break up into small cubical grains on drying. The analysis is as follows:

Analysis of coal (No. 310) from junction of Hunter and Minook creeks.

[Analyst, E. T. Alien, U. S. Geol. Survey.]

Per cent.

Water.................................................................. 11.21

Volatile combustible matter............................................... 44. 32

Fixed carbon .................................'.......................... 38. 64

Ash.................................................................... 5.83

100.00 

Fuel ratio............................................................... .87

The percentage of water in freshly mined coal from this locality 

would probably be considerably higher than the analysis shows, since 

the sample analyzed had lain out on the dump all summer and was very 

much checked up by drying. Samples of coal from this locality have 

been tested for heating purposes by the miners at Rampart, and are 

reported to have been rather unsatisfactory in that the coal needed 

a certain amount of wood mixed with it to make it burn well.

Two miles below Rampart, on the left bank of the Yukon, a similar 

coal outcrops. This has been prospected to some extent, but the 

workings are at present abandoned and the tunnel has caved in. A 

sample taken from the dump of the old tunnel showed physical characters similar to that from Minook Creek.
COLLIER.] BALL RIVER AND SALT CREEK. 43 

The analysis is as follows:

Analysis of coal (sample No. ICO) from left bank of Yukon S miles below Rampart.

[Analyst, E. T. Alien, U. S. Geol. Survey.]

Per cent. 

Water.................................................................. 16.43

Volatile curnbustible matter ...I.............'..........-.................. 41. 09

Fixed carbon .........................................................I.. 35. 22

Ash.................................................................... 7.26

100.00 

Fuel ratio.............................................................. .86

Coke noncoherent.

Between Rampart and the mouth of the Tanana, on the north side 

of the Yukon, there are two large areas of sandstones and conglomerates that have been correlated with the Kenai, which have been 

reported to carry beds of coal, but no coal of economic importance has 

yet been found in them.

Dall River. On Dall River, about 70 miles from its junction with 

the Yukon, coal occurs which resembles the Rampart coal. The following description is quoted from Mendenhall's report:*

In the bed of Coal Creek, about 1 mile above its confluence with Dall River, there 

is an outcrop of lignite with irregular clay streaks, which measures, as far as can be 

determined from the imperfect exposures, approximately 11 feet in thickness. At 

the base of the exposure are 4 or 5 feet of firm, bright lignite, while the remainder is 

soft, dirty, and of poor quality. Blocks of the coal have been washed down the creek 

and some distance down Dall River without breaking up; but certain portions of the 

seam slake rapidly when exposed to the atmosphere. Although no opportunity was 

afforded for making practical tests, the lower 4 or 5 feet of this seam are believed to 

be lignite of good quality7 while the remainder is probably of no value. This coal is 

contained in soft, gray, buff, or black shales, which are supposed to be Tertiary 

(Kenai series).

Salt Creek. Coal has been reported on Salt Creek by prospectors. 

Little definite information was obtained regarding it. These seams are 

said to be about 25 miles from the Yukon and may occur in an extension of the same area of coal-bearing rocks as those of Dall River 

described by Mendenhall.

Palisade lignite beds. On the left bank of the Yukon 35 miles below 

Tanana bluffs of buff-colored silt and gravel rise to a height of 150 

feet above the river. This locality has been named the Palisades, but 

on account of the occurrence in the silts of abundant bones of the 

mammoth and other large mammals it is more popularly known as 

the Bone Yard. Silts of practically the same age occur in many places 

along the river. They are not known to carry lignite beds except at 

the Palisades. b These silts contain not only bones of the mammoth

a Mendenhall, W. C., Reconnaissance from Fort Hamlin to Kotzebue Sound: Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. 

Survey, No. 10, 1902. See also Brooks, A. H., Coal resources of Alaska: Twenty-second Ann. Kept. 

U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 3,1902, p. 558.

&Spurr, J. E., Geology of the Yukon gold district: Eighteenth Ann. Kept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 3, 

1898, pp. 199 and 207.
44 COAL KESOUKCES OF THE YUKON. [NO. 218.

and other mammals, but shells of fresh water and land gasteropods, 

represented by species now living, and cones of Picea resembling the 

present spruce of the Yukon Valley, which show that the silts are 

of Pleistocene or late Pliocene age. The material in these bluffs is 

mostly extremely fine silt, greenish gray in color, forming when wet a 

fine sticky clay and showing scarcely any traces of stratification. At 

intervals in this deposit there are thick beds of vegetable material 

containing wood in all stages of change from pliable sticks to brittle 

brown lignite. These beds vary in thickness and also in the nature of 

their material; usually, however, they contain trees, some of considerable size.

Near the upper end of the Palisade Cliffs a tunnel has been run on 

one of the lignite beds. In the summer of 1902, however, this tunnel 

liad caved in, and the bed could not be examined underground. Mr. 

N. H. Wood/' assistant engineer, U. S. Revenue-Cutter Service, is 

authority for the statement that a vein 20 feet thick was reported here.

The lignite from this locality is of inferior quality, scarcely changed 

from wood or peat. Where examined by the writer this peat is mixed 

with red sand. Samples were taken, but no analyses of them have 

been thought necessary, as in the present stage of Alaskan development these beds have no value.

Cantwell ~River. b This river is tributary to the Tanana from the 

south, about 130 miles from the Yukon. The Cantwell has its source 

well within the Alaskan Range, which it leaves through a narrow valley 

cut into metamorphic rocks. The front of the range is about 40 miles 

from the Tanana. At the northern flank of the mountains these metamorphic rocks are mantled over by coal-bearing, friable sandstones, 

which find topographic expression in a series of low hills running 

parallel to the front of the range. Lithologically the rock is chiefly 

soft, friable sandstone, often of an almost snow-white color, with some 

intercalated conglomerate and shale strata. The basal beds are usually 

conglomeratic. The entire series probably measures several hundred 

feet in thickness. Lithologically it closely resembles the Kenai beds 

exposed near Rampart on the Yukon. The series is either entirely 

undisturbed or is thrown up into broad, open folds. Faulting was 

observed at several localities.

The coal-bearing beds outcrop for about 15 miles along the river, 

and were traced about 4 miles to the east. The area of this coal 

field can be safely estimated at 60 square miles at least, and may 

be many times that. The beds are seldom exposed except along the 

river and stream valleys, for elsewhere they are usually deeply buried 

under Pleistocene gravels. These coal-bearing terranes were proba--

a Brooks, Coal resources of Alaska: Twenty-second Ann. Kept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 3,1902, p. 557. 

£>This note was furnished by Mr. Alfred H. Brooks, in advance of the publication of his report to be 

entitled, "A Kecounaissance in the Mount McKinley Region, Alaska."
COLLIBK.] CANT WELL EIVEE. 45

bly deposited in an isolated fresh-water basin. No fossils have been 

obtained from these rocks, but they are believed to belong to the 

upper-part of the Kenai series or to a younger Tertiary horizon.

What promises to be workable coal beds were .found at two localities 

during the hasty reconnaissance on which these notes are based. The 

most important of these are on Healy Fork, an easterty tributary of 

Cantwell River, which it joins from the east about 40 miles from the 

Tanana. The coal beds are well exposed in precipitous bluffs along 

the north valley wall of this stream. The strong contrast between 

the white sandstone and the black coal seams makes them very conspicuous features even from a distance. While the beds are largely 

made up of sandstone, yet the layers lying immediately adjacent to 

the coal are most often clay and sandy shales. One bluff about 2 

miles from the Cantwell was examined in some detail. In this section 

200 feet of sandstone and conglomerates formed the basement member, 

and rested unconformably on the phyllites of the metamorphic series. 

This bed was overlain by about 250 feet of soft sandstone shales and 

coal. In the entire section the coal aggregated about 125 feet in 

thickness, contained in about fifteen seams. Of this 125 feet probably 

60 feet were of a fairly good grade of lignite. The largest seams 

were 20 feet in total thickness, but included considerable bone and 

shale. In character the coal varied from a fibrous, impure lignite, 

.which is entirely worthless, to lignites which may have commercial 

value. The lignite of better grade is of a lustrous black color, and 

has a conchoidal fracture. The seams were accessible only along the 

outcrop, where they were made up of noncoherent lignite. A sample 

taken almost at random from one of the larger seams was analyzed 

by Dr. E. T. Alien, of the United States Geological Survey, with the 

following result:

Analysis of coal from Healy Fork of Cantwell River.

Per cent.

Moisture................................................................. 13. 02

Volatile matter.......................................................... 48. 81

Fixed carbon ........................................................... 32.40

Ash.................................................................... 5.77

100. 00 

Fuel ratio............................................................... 0.66

This analysis shows that the coal is a fairly good lignite. In considering it, it should be borne in mind that the short time given to the 

study of the locality makes it quite possible that seams of better grade 

were overlooked.

The second locality where lignites were found is on Lignite Creek, 

so-called, a few miles north of Healy Fork. At this place the croppings show fewer seams and these are of less thickness. These lignites, 

as far as determined, were of no higher grade than those of Healy
, 46 COAL EESOUECES OF THE YUKON. [NO. 218.

Fork. North of Lignite Creek, and apparently higher in the series, 

seams of fibrous impure lignites and carbonaceous shales are not uncommonly interbedded with the sandstones. It is not likety that an}7 of 

these ha*ve any prospective commercial value. In the opinion of the 

writer the best coals in the basin are near the base of the sandstone 

series.

Topographically these coal seams are exceptionally well located for 

mining. Though they have been known since 1898, the isolation of 

the locality has precluded any possibility of their development. Should 

a railway ever be built through Caribou Pass from Cook Inlet, as has 

been proposed, it is quite possible that this coal field might receive 

development.

NULATO PROVINCE.

Under this heading the coal beds included in the large area of sandstone and shale extending from the Melozi to the mouth of the Yukon 

will be described. Within this province the Yukon flows with a slow 

current and is often divided into several channels. Along the right 

bank there is a series of bluffs and hills, rising generally to a bench 

from 100 to 400 feet above the river. On the left bank the flood 

plains extend back for a distance of from,5 to 20 miles, and the hills 

are usually not visible from the river. The writer does not know of 

any outcrops of bed rock along the left bank of the Yukon within 

this province. The most important tributaries from the north side 

are the Koyukuk, which is the largest, Nulato, Kaltag, Anvik, and 

Clear (or Andreafski) rivers. Yuka, Kai}^uh, and Innoko rivers are 

important southern tributaries. Nulato, the largest Indian village in 

the interior of Alaska, and the principal town in the province, is 

about 25 miles below the mouth of the Koyukuk. A trading post 

has been maintained here for many years. There is also a mission 

maintained by the Roman Catholic Church. A view of this village is 

shown in PL VI, B.

At Kaltag, a small trading post and post-office about 40 miles below 

Nulato, the telegraph line and winter mail route leave the Yukon and 

follow Kaltag River nearly to its head, then cross the divide to Unalaklik River, and extend down that river to Norton Sound. At Koserefski the Holy Cross Catholic mission is the chief institution. Below 

Koserefski, Pimute, and Russian Mission are Eskimo villages, and 

Andreafski furnishes winter quarters for a large part of the fleet of 

Yukon steamers.

In this field coal beds are found along the Yukon for a distance of 200 

miles. These coal beds resemble one another both in the character of 

the coal and in its mode of occurrence, and in these particulars they 

differ from the upper Yukon coals. The coal-bearing sandstones 

outcrop along the right bank of the Yukon, which forms the south-
COLLIER.] KAHOCLATILTEN COAL BED.- 47

eastern boundary of this field, while south of the Yukon low flats 

extend for several miles to the foothills, which are composed of rocks 

believed to be older. Northward the field extends up Koyukuk River 

for a distance of at least 35 miles, and it extends westward probably 

to Norton Sound. At its northern and western boundaries it is overlain by younger effusives and sediments.

The coal occurs in beds which are not known to have great extension. These will be described under the headings Nahoclatilten coal 

bed, Pickart coal mine, Nulato coal bed, Bush niine, Blatchford mine, 

Williams (Clemens Thein) mine, Coal mine No. 1, and Halls Rapids 

coal. Reported coal pro'spects not visited by the writer will be mentioned under the headings upper Koyukuk and Anvik River.

Nahoclatilten coal led. Bluffs of sandstone extend up the west 

bank of the Yukon from Nahoclatilten 01 for about 20 miles, nearly to 

the mouth of Melozi River, and are coal bearing about 5 miles above 

the village. These coal seams were examined at only one locality 

by the writer. Coal has probably also been found at a number of 

places in this vicinity, which is roughly located about 50 miles above 

Nulato and on the right bank of the Yukon.

The geologic relations of these coals are of exceeding interest, 

though at the present time only imperfectly known. The coal seams 

were found about one-fourth of a mile from the river in sandstones 

and shales carrying Kenai fossils, and hence of Eocene age. This 

sandstone stands nearly vertical, and from it an ancient slide extends 

to the river. From the foot of this slide on the river bank fossil 

plants referable to the Middle or Lower Cretaceous were collected, as 

well as fossils referable to the Kenai. About one-fourth of a mile up 

the river from this point there is a high bluff composed in part of calcareous sandstone and in part of intrusive basalt. From the sandstone 

abundant marine fossils referable to the Upper Cretaceous have been 

collected.

Two beds of coal were seen by the writer at this place, and two 

more are reported to have been uncovered in prospecting. The 

largest observed seam has a thickness of 1 foot. Below this seam 

there are about 5 feet of bony coal or coaly shale with stringers of 

coal. There are reported to be three smaller beds in the foot wall, 

each having a thickness of 10 inches. Owing to the apparent rather 

intense folding of these beds it is impossible to place much reliance 

on these statements.

The coal in the 1-foot seam is not crushed, although the beds are 

much disturbed in position. The following analysis shows it to be a 

bituminous coal of good qualitj^. It is reported to have given satisfactory results in a blacksmith's forge.

ft The United States military telegraph post here located was officially known by this name in 1902, 

but in 1903 the name was changed to Louden,
48 COAL EESOUROES OF THE YUKON. [NO. 218.

Aiialysis of coal (No. 241} from 1-foot seam 5 miles above Nahodatilten.

[Analyst, E. T. Alien, TJ. S. Geol. Survey.]

Per cent.

Water.............................................................:....' 6.88

Volatile combustible matter...... ........................................ 41. 82

Fixed carbon ........................................................... 48. 93

Ash.................................................................... 2.37

100. 00 

Sulphur .....................I........................................... .65

Fuel ratio. .............. ......................:.......................... 1.17

Coke slightly coherent.

These coal beds have been known for several years, and various 

attempts have been made to open here coal beds of commercial 

importance, but thus far no seams thicker than 12 inches have been 

found.

Upper Koyukuk. Near Tramway Bar, on the upper Koyukuk, a 

large coal bed has been reported by Schrader a and others. Tramway 

Bar is on the Middle Fork, 569 miles by river from the junction of 

the Koyukuk with the Yukon. It is 130 miles above Bergman and 

50 miles above Bettles, and about 20 miles from the seat of placermining operations near Cold Foot. The following description of the 

geologic relations and extent of the coal-bearing formation is quoted 

from Schrader's report:

On the Middle Fork of the Koyukuk, about 5 miles above Tramway Bar, the metarnorphic rocks give way to a younger rock series composed of impure sandstone, 

arkose, grit, and conglomerate, indiscriminately carrying more or less lignite and 

remains of fossil plants. On account of its fossil contents and its resemblance to the 

Kenai found elsewhere in the Yukon district this formation is provisionally referred 

to the Kenai, which is regarded by Dr. Dall as Upper Eocene. In some localities 

the beds are quite firmly consolidated, especially the sandstones, while in others 

they are sufficiently soft to be readily plucked away with a pick or hammer. In 

nearly all localities the beds show more or less disturbance and. some faulting and 

folding. Above Tramway Bar they have a southerly dip. At Tramway Bar they 

consist of a belt of firmly consolidated conglomerates, 3 or 4 miles wide, through 

which the river has cut a canyon about 80 feet deep.

From Tramway Bar to below the Arctic Circle frequent exposures of sandstone, 

soft shale, and mud rock, carrying more or less imperfect plant remains, are met 

with. * * * Their attitude often varies, and they nearly always show more or 

less disturbance.

»From this description it will be seen that coal-bearing rocks are 

exposed along the Koyukuk here for a distance of about 130 miles, 

though cOal has been found at only one locality. In 1901 Schrader 

found that this series of sandstones extends up John River northward 

from the Koyukuk for 20 miles, and in the gravels of that stream he 

found pieces of coal of good quality.^

a Schrader, F. C., Reconnaissance along Chandlar and Koyukuk rivers, Alaska: Twenty-first Ann. 

Kept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 2, pp. 441-486.

?> Schrader, F. C., A reconnaissance in northern Alaska: Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 20 (in 

press).
COLUEB.] NULATO PROVINCE, PICKAET MINE. 49

From comparison with similar sandstones seen in the Colville River 

drainage that year, Schrader came to the conclusion that the sandstones of the upper Koyukuk are probably of Upper Cretaceous age. a

The coal bed at Tramway Bar is described as having a thickness of 

nearly 12 feet, the middle 9 feet being comparatively pure lignite.

The following analysis was made of a sample collected by Schrader 

at this time: 6 - '

Analysis of coal from bed at Tramway Bar.

[Analyst, George Steiger, U. S. Geol. Survey.]

Per cent.

Moisture................................................................ 4.47

Volatile matter.......................................................... 34.32

Fixed carbon ........................................................... 48. 26

Ash.................................................................... 12.95

100.00 

Fuel ratio............................................................... 1. 40

The coal does not make a coherent coke. From this analysis it will 

be seen that this coal should be grouped with the bituminous coals of 

the lower Yukon. The coal bed is practically undeveloped, but the 

coal has been locally used to some extent for blacksmithing purposes.

Pickart coal mine. This mine, one of the oldest on Yukon River, is 

located 10 miles above Nulato, on the right bank, and 12 miles below 

Ko}^ukuk River. Below the Koyukuk the Yukon flows nearly west to 

within a mile of the coal mine; then it turns abruptly to the south and 

follows along the foot of a series of sandstone bluffs, in which the coal 

is contained, and which are almost continuous to Nulato.

These sandstones carry plant fossils which have been referred to the 

Upper Cretaceous. At the coal mine these are probably fresh-water 

deposits, but they rest conformably on marine sandstones carrying 

abundant fossils, also referable to the Upper Cretaceous. The coal 

bed at the Pickart mine is stratigraphically about 75 feet above the 

contact of the marine and fresh-water beds. The sandstones between 

the coal beds and the marine beds are continuously exposed and show 

considerable cross bedding, but no evidence of unconformity or faulting. Above the Pickart coal there is a great thickness of sandstone 

carrying fossil plants, and one small coal seam. About 1 mile up 

the river fragments of sandstone carrying marine fossils of Upper 

Cretaceous age were found, Avhich probably came from the sandstone 

overlying the coal bed, though they were not traced to their bed-rock 

source. These sandstones are exposed continuously along the river 

for 1 mile above the coal mine. In this distance the strike and dip 

frequently change, and there is probably some faulting as well as folding. Along this stretch the cliff face rises about 100 feet above the

a Schrader, F. C., A reconnaissance in northern Alaska: Prof. Paper U. S. Geol. Survey No. 20 

(in press), 

b Coal Resources of Alaska, p. 565.

Bull. 218 03 i
50 COAL.EESOUECES OF THE YUKON. [NO.218.

river, and from the cliff the hill slopes back more gently to an elevation of about 600 feet above the river, as shown by Gerdine's map of 

the mouth of the Koyukuk. a

At the Pickart mine one coal seam has been exploited, which strikes 

N. 75° E. and dips N. 35°. Two rolls, or horsebacks, are reported to 

occur in the floor of the coal bed. Whether these are in the nature 

of faults, due to movement of strata along the coal bed, or irregularities in deposition of the sediments constituting the floor, the writer 

was unable to determine. Near these rolls the coal shows considerable crushing, which suggests that the roll is caused by deformation. 

The Pickart coal bed has a thickness of 30 inches at a distance of 300 

feet from the entrance to the mine, but at the end of the main gangway, 600 feet from the entrance, near one of the rolls above referred 

to, the seam measured only 18 inches. Mr. W. E. Williams, manager of the Pickart mine, reports that in mining this coal a roll was 

encountered in the workings above the main gangway, in which the 

floor of the bed was raised up, pinching the coal down to a knife-edge 

thickness. This roll extended in a nearly straight line and approached 

the gangway at the rate of about 1 foot in 20. On cutting through 

this roll good coal was found, having a thickness of 3 feet, which continued for about 20 feet, when another roll parallel to the first was 

encountered. The second roll has not been passed through in the 

workings of the mine. The coal near these rolls is crushed and impure 

and the bed pinches down to a knife-edge thickness. It is probable 

that coal will be found beyond the second roll in the floor, so that the 

commercial extent of the seam in this territory has not been determined, nor has it been traced below the river level.

The Pickart coal makes a good coke and must be classed as dis- 

.tinctty bituminous. Samples were taken from the main gangway 

300 feet from the surface and from the end of the gangway 600 feet 

from the surface, and these were analyzed by Alien, of the United 

States Geological Survey. The second sample is interesting as showing the character of the coal in the vicinity of the rolls in the floor, 

which led to the abandonment of the mine.

Analysis of coal (No. 252) from Pickart mine, 200 feet from, entrance.

Per cent. 

Water.................................................................. 1.02

Volatile combustible matter........................ ;..................... 27.33

Fixed carbon ...'........................................................ 65.03

Ash .................................................................... 6.62

100. 00 

Sulphur ................................................................ 0. 60

Fuel ratio............................................................... 2. 38

Coke compact.

a Twenty-first Ann. Kept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 2,1900, pi. Ix.
COLLIE*.] . NULATO PROVINCE, PICKABT MINE. 51

Analysis of coal (No. 253) from Pickart mine, 600 feet from entrance.

Per cent. 

Water.............:...............-..--..---.-.--...-:..-.............. 1.64

Volatile combustible matter.............................................. 24.98

Fixed carbon ........................................................... 58.18

Ash.................................................................... 15.20

100. 00 

Fuel ratio..................-............--..---..---.---.-....-......... 2.33

Coke compact.

. This coal has been used for steaming purposes on the river boats 

for the .last five years, but the reports regarding its steam-producing 

capacities vary greatly. Some engineers speak-highly of it; others 

were dissatisfied with it. It should be borne in mind that, wherever 

coals have been tried for steaming purposes on the Yukon, they have 

been burned in grates designed primarily for wood, and that the firemen 

have, as a rule, been inexperienced with coal. Further, much of the 

coal bus been mined within a few feet of the surface, where it was 

frozen when extracted, and after thawing it tended to break up into 

small pieces. In very few instances has the development of the mines 

gone far enough to obtain coal unaffected by atmospheric influences. 

The entire product of this mine was sold readily at from $10 to $15 a 

ton. The coal in the small 1-foot seam mentioned as occurring above 

the Pickart bed is similar in quality to the Pickart coal. It has no 

commercial importance. The analysis is as follows:

Analysis of coal (No. 251) from small vein above Pickart coal.

Per cent. 

Water.................................................................. 2.22

Volatile combustible matter.............................................. 24. 76

Fixed carbon ........................................................... 50.38

Ash.......................-..........----.-.-.--....---..--..--......-. 22.64

100. 00 

Sulphur................................................................ 0.56

Fuel ratio...............................................................o 2.03

Coke slightly coherent.

Mining was begun at this locality by the Pickart brothers a in 1898. 

A drift tunnel was first started from the river bank at such a level 

that it was flooded during high-water stages. Later the present 

tunnel Avas driven above high-water mark." About two years ago this 

mine passed into the hands of the Alaskan Commercial Company, and 

was worked by them under the management of W. E. Williams up to 

the middle of the summer of 1902, when it was abandoned on account 

of the difficulty caused by rolls in the floor of the coal bed. The 

development and equipment consist of the two tunnels mentioned

«Schnuler, P. C., Preliminary report on a reconnaissance along Chandlar and Koyukuk rivers, 

Alaska, in 1899: Twenty-first Ann. Kept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 2,1900, p. 485.
52 COAL KESOURCES OF THE YUKON. [NO. 218. //

above, a powder house, and an office building at the mouth of the mine. 

No bunkers were used. The coal was piled on the river beach at the 

mouth of the mine and loaded on steamboats and barges with wheelbarrows. During one season the high water which comes at the breaking up of the ice is reported to have carried away a large amount of 

coal mined during the winter. The dwellings and other buildings 

of the miners were of a temporary nature, and have nearly all been 

removed with the abandonment of the mine. These buildings were 

located about one-fourth of a mile up the river from the mine. The 

main gangway has a length of 600 feet. Above this nearly all the coal 

available in the present state of development of the mine has been 

taken out.

Nulato coal bed. Between the Pickart mine and Nulato it is reported 

that attempts have been made to open coal beds in several places," only 

one of which was examined by the writer. This seam is about a mile 

above the village of Nulato, and is contained in sandstones carrying 

fragmentary fossil leaves. The sandstone strikes N. 10° E. and dips 

40° NW., and about 1 mile to the southwest there are marine beds 

probably overlying it, from which a few fossils were collected, which 

seem to be of the same age as the marine beds stratigraphically below 

the Pickart coal. The stratigraphic section between this coal bed and 

the marine sandstone has not been minutely examined. If there are 

no faults or unexposed folds between these points, this coal bed is of 

Upper Cretaceous age. As far as the writer could determine, the 

marine sandstone rests on the fresh-water leaf- and coal-bearing beds. 

These observations are in accordance with those of Dr. Dall, 6 who 

spent the winter of 1865-66 at Nulato, and thus had opportunity to 

study the section in detail. The coal seam is contained between sandstone floor and roof, and has a thickness of 2£ feet. The seam contains only about 6 inches of clean coal, the rest being made up of bone 

coal and some clay partings. No analysis of coal from this bed has 

been niade. The writer saw some of the coal from the more impure 

part of the bed in use in a blacksmith's forge at Nulato. Except for 

the high percentage of ash, the coal seemed to be of good quality, 

comparing well with the coals along the Yukon.

Bush mine. This mine is situated on the right bank of the Yukon 

4 miles below Nulato. The mine opens on the slough behind the first 

island below Nulato. At this place there .is a small bench about 50 

feet high, which has probably been formed by a slide from the main 

hill. Back of the bench is a well-marked escarpment, rising to a flattopped hill about 30 feet above. When the locality was visited the

aSchrader, F. C., Reconnaissance along Chandlar and Koyukuk rivers, Alaska, in 1899: Twentyfirst Ann. Kept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 2,1900, p. 485.

bDall, W. H., and Harris, G. D., Correlation papers, Neocene: Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey No. 84,1892, 

p. 247.
COLLIER.] NULATO PKOVIlSrCE, BUSH MINE. 58.

development consisted of a tunnel about 30 feet long driven into this 

slide.

The coal is contained in sandstones carrying fossil leaves determined 

as Upper Cretaceous. The coal was broken and very much weathered, 

so that it was difficult to obtain any large pieces which did not crumble to fine dirt on exposure to the air. It was impossible to determine 

the thickness of the bed, although the crushed material was often over 

4 feet in thickness. A sample of .the coal from the end of the tunnel 

yielded the following analysis:

Analysis of coal (sample No. 254} from Bush mine, 4- miles belov) Nulato.

[Analyst, E. T. Alien, U. S. Geol. Survey.]

Per cent.

Water.................................................................. 11.17

Volatile combustible matter.............................................. 29.48

Fixed carbon. .......................................................... 52.02

Ash.................................................................... 7.33

100.00 

Sulphur ................................................................ .44

Fuel ratio............................................................... 1.76

Coke, noncoherent.

A blacksmith at Nulato, who was attempting to use this coal for 

welding, reported that it was inferior to the coal from the prospect a 

mile above Nulato, or from the Blatchford mine, 9 miles below. This 

inferior quality is no doubt in part due to the weathered condition of 

the coal.

The owners of this prospect reported to the writer that they had 

contracted to deliver 400 tons of this coal on the river bank for use by 

river steamers next summer. The coal will be mined and sledded over 

the ice to a suitable landing on the main channel of the river.

JBlatckford a coal mine. This mine is located on the right bank of 

the Yukon 9 miles below Nulato. The Yukon banks are low for 

about 2 miles above the mine, where the flats are extended up a small 

creek. Below the mouth of this creek a cliff of Pleistocene silt 50 

feet high extends along the river for about a quarter of a mile, below 

which sandstone cliffs rise to a height of about 100 feet.

The coal bed of the Blatchford mine outcrops at the water's edge, 

near the upper end of this sandstone bluff. The strike throws the 

outcrop of the seams below the silt cliffs on the one hand and below 

the river bed on the other, and no other exposure of it is known.

The sandstones at the Blatchford mine dip to the northwest at a 

high angle. Immediately above the coal bed they are dark and shaly, 

containing rather abundant fossil plants, which are probably Upper 

Cretaceous, and above these shaly sandstones are hard gray sandstones,

a This name is also sometimes spelled Blatsford. The writer does not know which spelling is 

correct.
54 COAL EESOUECES OF THE YUKON. [NO. 218.

forming the greater part of .the cliff. In this sandstone there is considerable evidence of crushing and shearing along bedding planes. Two 

small seams of coal, which' vary in thickness, but nowhere exceed 6 

inches, occur in this harder sandstone. The variation in thickness is 

probabty due to shearing.

The one coal seam which has here been worked outcrops below 

water level. When the locality was examined the opening to workings was under water and the coal was not seen in place. On the 

river bank, above high-water mark, there was a large pile of coal, 

mined last winter, but not yet used by steamers on account of the 

poor landing. This coal is very much crushed, so that from a pile of 

several hundred tons no large pieces could be obtained. The coal 

seam is reported to be irregular. Large masses, 8 feet in diameter, 

have been found and quickly mined out. Its irregularity is believed 

by the writer to be due to the shearing of the inclosing sandstones 

along the coal bed.

This coal has been pronounced by some engineers of river steamers 

to be the best on the Yukon. In the blacksmith's forge it gives good 

satisfaction. A sample for analysis was taken from a pile containing 

40 to 50 tons mined during the winter.

Analyses of coal (sample No. 258) from Blatchford mine, 9 miles below Nulalo.

[Analyst, E. T. Alien, U. S. Geol. Survey.]

Per cent.

Water .................................................................. 1.36

Volatile combustible matter. ............................................. 22.44

Fixed carbon ........................................................... 73.98

Ash .................................................................... 2.22

100.00 

Sulphur ................................................................ .52

Fuel ratio................................................................ 3. 30

It will be seen from this analysis that the coal is a high-grade bituminous, approaching semibituminous. The fuel ratio, 3.3, and the 

low percentage of water and ash make it by proximate analysis the 

best coal seen by the writer on the Yukon.

In 1866 Dall examined a coal cropping below Nulato in this immediate vicinity, if not this identical bed. His description is as follows:

About 7 miles from Nulato, on the south side of a level space or flat, a small bluff 

appears, at the extreme end of which the sandstones are nearly vertical. Here, 

between two contorted layers of shaly rock, a small coal seam was examined in 

December, 1866. It has been squeezed Out above and below, forming a mere pocket 

about 2 feet thick and not over 20 feet long on the exposed face. The shales contained obscure vegetable remains, but were much altered, probably by the heat 

evolved at the time they were folded. The average dip is north 45°. The coal is 

good, but there are apparently only a few tons of it. The shales are conformable 

with the brown sandstone, which, however, is a marine formation in which this 

deposit of lignite is a very exceptional incident.«

"Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey No. 84, 1892, p. 247.
COLLIER.] NULATO PROVINCE, WILLIAMS MINE. 55

The Blatchford mine has no visible development or equipment. 

The workings lie below the level of the river, and the opening is covered with water during the summer months. The coal that has been 

mined has been taken after the river was frozen. The ice filling the 

upper part of the workings is first mined out, after which the coal is 

reached. The excavations probably do not exceed 40 feet in depth. 

The "mine" is controlled by some employees of the Northern Commercial Company. It is leased, usually for the season, by one or two 

miners, who are satisfied if they can produce 100 tons of coal during 

the winter. Probably not over 300 tons have been mined since this 

coal was discovered.

Williams mine. This mine is located on the right bank of the 

Yukon 50 miles below Kaltag and about 100 miles below Nulato. 

About 5 miles above the mine the river, after dividing into a number 

of channels, comes together at the foot of a series of bluffs, chiefly of 

sandstone, but also containing conglomeratic and shaly beds, which 

extend approximately north and south and continue for a mile below 

the coal mine. The sandstone bluffs rise from the river to an elevation of 150 feet, which elevation extends back from the river to the 

limit of vision.

The sandstones in which the coal occurs carry fossil plants, which 

have been determined as Eocene (Kenai), and show the coal to be 

undoubtedly younger than the coal beds near Nulato. A mile or more 

above the mine there is an abundant fresh-water fauna in some of the 

sandstone beds. Some evidence of faulting appears in the bluffs about 

one-half mile above the coal mine and renders it difficult to estimate the 

thickness of the section. A study of the exposures indicates that the 

coal bed is overlain by at least 2,000 feet of sandstones, conglomerates, 

and'black shales. At the coal bed the strike is N. 70° W. and the dip 

is 45° N. At the upper end of the bluffs the strike is about N. 30° W. 

and the dip is variable, but less than at the mine.

One coal bed of workable thickness has been found at this place, but 

below this bed there are probabty other seams of possible commercial 

importance. The coal seam which is being worked has a thickness of 

39 inches and is divided into two nearly equal benches by a clay parting about three-fourths of an inch thick. The quality of the coal in 

the two benches is very similar. In the upper bench the coal appears 

dry and carries streaks of "mineral charcoal." In the bottom of the 

lower bench a small amount of fossil resin, or amber, occurs.

This bed has been followed 400 feet into the hill by the mine workings, and shows no variation in strike or thickness.
56 COAL EESOUECES OF. THE YUKON. [NO. 218.

Samples of the coal from the upper and lower benches were analyzed, 

with the following- results:

' . Analyses of coals (samples Nos. 883 and 884) from Williams mine. 

[Analyst, E*. T. Alien, U. S. Geol. Survey.]

,

Water.... ........................ ..................... .\.

Volatile combustible matter. .'...............................

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

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

Sulphur ..................................................

Fuel ratio- . ................................................

Upper 

bench.

Per cent. 

7.17

33.05

 51.15

8.63

100. 00 

.40

1.54

Lower 

bench.

Per cent. 

6.15

40. 46

49.86

3.53

100. 00 

.53

1.23

Coke, noncoherent.

The analysis shows the coal to be bituminous. Since the coal mined 

is all from near the croppings and subject to surface influences, it 

varies very greatly in quality as it is supplied at the mouth of the 

mine. Probably much coal of an inferior quality has been sold. 

However, the coal has generally given satisfaction for steaming purposes, and the entire product of the mine has found a ready sale to 

the river steamers.

This mine was first opened up as the Thein mine, a and in 1900 produced some coal. Early in 1902 it passed into the hands of the present 

owners, and is being developed by Mr. W. E. Williams. In all, about 

1,700 tons of coal have been produced.

The development consists of a drift 400 feet long in the river bank 

above high water. The greater part of the available coal has been 

stoped out above this tunnel. The coal cars bring the coal to the 

mouth of the mine, where it is piled up on the river bank to be loaded 

on the steamers with wheelbarrows, as no bunkers have as yet been 

built. The other buildings, such as mess house, office, etc., are of a 

temporary nature. Pis. V, B and VI, A show the appliances at the 

mouth of this mine and the method of loading the fuel on steamers. 

About fifteen men in all are employed during the summer season, 

while the mine is in operation. These miners are mostly men who have 

had some experience in the coal mines of the State of Washington. 

Should the demand for coal warrant it, a slope will probably be driven 

to lower levels and a hoisting and pumping plant be provided. With 

such an equipment this mine could no doubt supply all the demand for 

coal on this part of the Yukon for many years to come.

a Coal Resources of Alaska, p. 556.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN NO. 218 PL. VI

A. BARGE LOADING COAL AT WILLIAMS MINE.

£. NULATO, INDIAN VILLAGE, SHOWING WOOD PILES ON RIVER BEACH.
COLLIER.] NULATO PBOVTNCE, .MINE NO. 1. 57

Coal mine No. 1. This mine is situated on the right bank of-the 

Yukon 25 miles' below the Williams mine. Above and below this 

place for several miles there are sandstone bluffs rising about 50 feet 

above the river. At the coal mine the bluffs recede and a bench about 

50 feet high appears between them and the river. The opening to the 

coal mine is located on this bench.

The sandstones containing this coal also carry fossil plants, but the 

collection made was too meager to permit determination of their age.

These beds strike N. 60° W., and at the coal mine dip 35° SW. 

About 1 mile above this place the sandstones have the same strike, but 

. dip to the northeast at an angle of 25°, indicating an anticlinal structure, with the coal bed exposed on the southwestern limb.

The coal seam has a thickness of from 2£ to 3 feet. The following 

analysis of a sample taken from the croppings of this vein near the old 

entrance to the mine indicates a good quality of bituminous coal. 

The croppings where the sample was obtained were exposed to the 

sun, and in all probability the amount of water in freshly mined coal 

would be somewhat greater than this analysis shows:

- Analysis of coal (sample No. 288) from coal mine No. 1, SO miles below Kaltag.

[Analyst, E. T. Alien, U. S. Geol. Survey.]

Per cent.

Water.................................................................. 4.82

Volatile combustible matter.............................................. 34.62

Fixed carbon ..........................................................'. 55. 65

Ash.................................................................... 4.91

100.00 

Sulphur ................................................................ 0. 21

Fuel ratio............................................................... 1. 61

Coke sinters slightly.

The Alaskan Commercial Company'attempted to open a coal mine 

here in the winter of 1898. W. E. Williams was manager of these 

operations, and 900 tons were produced, but the mine was abandoned 

the same year on account of the difficulty of keeping out water. The 

mine buildings still left include one frame building and two cabins. 

The workings included a 9 by 7 foot slope tunnel, which at the time of 

the writer's visit was full of water.

flails Rapids. These so-called rapids, which are merely a slight 

acceleration of the sluggish current of the Yukon, are about 50 miles 

above Anvik. There a series of bluffs composed of white and yellowish tuffs, containing some impure lignite seams, extends along the right 

bank of the Yukon. Some of these lignite beds have been opened by 

shallow prospect tunnels. .About one-half mile below the so-called 

rapids a seam of coal about 6 inches thick was seen in this tuff. This 

cropping has been traced several hundred feet, but the bed is probably 

not very extensive. The coal has a compact, lignitic appearance and
58 COAL KESOUBCES OF THE YUKON. [NO. 218.

a conclioidal fracture. The analysis indicates a fuel of good quality, 

but the coal is not believed to have any economic value because of its 

limited extent.

Anvik River. Mr. J. W. Chapman, missionary at Anvik, reported 

to the writer the occurrence of coal on Anvik Kiver about 50 miles 

above its mouth. This point is probably about 10 miles back from 

the Yukon, and in a general way west of the sandstone bluffs in which 

the Williams mine coals occur, and probably represents a western 

extension of the same field. No attempt has been made to open this 

coal, but it finds a limited use among the natives in their manufacture 

of black paint.

CLASSIFICATION OF YUKON COALS.

The coals of the Yukon Basin occur in sandstones of Tertiary and 

Cretaceous age and present great variations in quality, due probably 

in part to primary differences in composition and in part to metamorphic influences which have acted more or less locally. They range 

from high-grade lignites to semibituminous coals.

In the classification of the Yukon coals some uncertaint}^ and confusion arise from the distinction to be made between lignites and 

bituminous coals. The same confusion prevails in regard to the coals 

of western United States/'

The geologists who first studied the coal fields of the Rocky Mountain region, finding that the coals were contained in rocks younger 

than the Carboniferous, classed as lignites all of the post-Paleozoic 

coals. The same classification, based on stratigraphic position rather 

than character of the coal, has been carried to Alaska, and many coals 

shown by their analyses to be bituminous have been classed as lignites. & The table of analyses, on page 61 shows that many of the 

Yukon coals compare favorably with coals classed as bituminous in 

eastern United States.

The fuel value of coal is to a certain extent indicated by the fuel 

ratio. c This varies from less than 1 in lignites and some cannel coals 

to more than 20 in some anthracites. In lignites, as the fuel ratio 

decreases the percentage of water increases. In general/* it may be

a Knight, Wilbur C., Coals and coal measures of Wyoming: Sixteenth Ann. Kept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 4,1895, pp. 208-215. Hills, R. C., Coal fields of Colorado: Mineral Resources U. S. for 1S92, 

U. S. Geol. Survey, 1893, pp. 319-.365. Taff, J. A., Preliminary report on Camden coal field of southwestern Arkansas: Twenty-first Ann. Kept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 2, 1900, pp. 313-329. Taff and 

Adams, Geology of eastern Choctaw coal field, Indian Territory: Twenty-first Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. 

Survey, pt. 2,1900, pp. 257-311. Storrs, L. S., The Rocky Mountain coal fields: Twenty-second Ann. 

Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 3, 1902, pp. 422-471. Hayes, C. W., Coal fields of the United States: 

Twenty-second Ann. Rept, U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 3,1902, p. 19.

bDall, W. EL, Report on coal and lignite of Alaska: Seventeenth Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 1, 

1896, pp. 763-908. Brooks, Alfred H., Coal resources of Alaska: Twenty-second Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. 

Survey, pt. 3,1902, pp. 515-571. Summary Report Geol. Survey of Canada, 1901, pp. 46-48.

cThe fuel ratio is the quotient obtained by dividing the percentage of fixed carbon by the percentage of volatile combustible matter.

riHayes, C. W., Coal fields of the United States: Twenty-second Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 3, 

1902, p. IS.
7 .

' COLLTEK.] CLASSIFICATION OF YUKON COALS. 59

stated that an anthracite has a fuel ratio above 10 and a bituminous coal 

has a fuel ratio between 1 and 5. There are two grades between the 

bituminous and the anthracite: Semianthracite, with a fuel ratio from 

about 7 to 10; and semibituminous, with a fuel ratio from 5 to 7. 

Cannel is a variety of bituminous coal which is characterized by a low 

fuel ratio, often less than 1.

In distinguishing between the lignite and bituminous grades of coal 

the problem is more complex, and three elements must be considered: 

First, fuel ratio; second, content of water; and third, physical cliarac 

ter of the coal, as shown by the presence or absence of woody structure. Dr. Hayes has suggested to the writer that a lignite may be 

distinguished from a bituminous coal by its having a water content 

above 10 per cent and a fuel ratio less than l. a The relation of the 

two elements can be expressed by the quotient of the water content 

divided by the fuel ratio. This might well be called the lignite ratio, 

and is above 10 for a lignite and less than 10 for a bituminous coal. 

By the use of this ratio, the physical character of the coal being neg- 

\ lected, it is found that nearly all the coals that have been classed as 

lignites by physical character alone fall readily into that class, while 

the bituminous coals are as certainly distinguished.

As there is no definite dividing line between bituminous and anthracite, so the variation from lignite to bituminous is gradual, and an 

intermediate division or grade is often required between the typical 

lignite, with a water content above 15 per cent and a fuel ratio not 

above 0.5, and the typical bituminous coal, with a fuel ratio near 

1.5 and a water content under 7 per cent. If the above-mentioned 

lignite ratio be accepted as the basis of separation, it will be seen that 

typical lignites and typical bituminous coals can be recognized from 

their analyses by inspection. It is only in doubtful cases that the 

lignite ratio is required to determine the grade of the coal. The 

/ writer would suggest that, where a definite classification is required, 

s doubtful cases in which the lignite ratio falls between 9 and 11 should 

be classed as intermediate between the lignites and the bituminous 

coals.

In the grades of coal between bituminous and anthracite the terms 

semibituminous and semianthracite are both made use of as trade 

names in the United States. A logical classification and nomenclature would require a similar use of the terms semilignite and semibituminous for .the grades of coal between lignite and bituminous. 

Such use seems to have been made of the term semibituminous in the 

coal fields of the Rocky Mountain region. b

a The same statement is made by J. A. Taff, Preliminary report on the Camden coal field of Arkansas: Twenty-first Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 2, 1900, p. 320.

/'Storrs, S. L., Rocky Mountain coal fields: Twenty-second Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 3, 

1902, p. 424. Hills, R. C., Coal fields of Colorado: Mineral Resources U. S. for 1892, U. S. Geol. Survey, 

1893, pp. 319-305. Knight, W. C., Coal fields of Wyoming: Sixteenth Ann. Rept. U. S. Geol. Survey, 

pt. 4, 1895, pp. 208-215.
60 ,, COAL RESOURCES OF THE YUKON. [NO. 218. ;

To avoid confusion with the usages in the eastern coal fields of the 

United States, the writer in the following classification has made use 

of the term lignitic coal for those grades which by approximate * 

analysis fall between typical lignite and typical bituminous. The 

lignitic coals of the following table are coals in which the quotient of 

the fuel ratio divided by the percentage of water falls between 9 and X 

11 in value.

In the following table of analyses (p. 61) of coals from the Yukon 

Basin many heretofore published analyses have been added to those 

made for the writer from samples collected the past season. The 

authority for these old analyses is given. The samples collected by 

the writer and analyzed by Dr. E. T. Alien, of the United States 

Geological Survey, were treated as follows: On being collected they 

were placed as soon as possible in tin cans, with tight-fitting covers, 

to prevent escape of moisture. The samples, however, were collected 

under extremely varying conditions, some being taken from the 

breasts and faces of the mines, some from mine dumps and from piles 

of coal already delivered to the consumer, and some from surface ,-: 

croppings of undeveloped coal beds. On their arrival in the laboratory it was found that the amount of moisture contained in the cans 

with the samples varied greatly, depending on the condition of the . 

samples when collected, whether from wet or dry places in the mines, 

or, if from mine dumps, whether taken on rainy or fair days. To 

secure uniform conditions the samples for analyses were spread on a 

table in a vacant room, of which the outside windows were open, and 

left exposed to the air for about twenty-four hours. They were then 

crushed and prepared for analysis in the ordinary way.

In the second table a comparison is made between the Yukon River 

coals and some from Washington and British Columbia.
Table of proximate analyses of coals from the Yukon Basin, arranged in geographic sequence, proceeding down the river.

Locality.

Lewes River, Similes aboveRink Rapid a &_

Five Fingers mine c .....................

foot bed. c 

Coal Creek (Yukon River), bottom of, 5-

foot bed. c 

Cliff Creek, upper working, Yukon River« e

Cliff Creek, Yukon River a/..............

Do.af ..............................

Do.a f ..............................

Vo. a f ..............................

Do.af ..............................

Cliff Creek, lower workings c . ............

Moisture.

6.03

3.58

18. 31

19. 37

12.57

10.58

8.57

10.58

 18.0

16.0

16.6

12.5

9.98

10.71

Volatile 

matter.

36.92

41.05

34.96

33.85

39.54

38.42

42.04

40.10

44.3

35.5

42.9

37.5

44.08

41.33

Fixed 

carbon.

49.03

43.11

40.88

37.45

41.98

31.54

45.77

46.74

33.6

38.5

25.5

34.6

40.99

45.33

Ash.

8.02

12.26

5.85

9.33

5.91

19. 96

3.62

2.58

3.1

10.0

15.0

15.4

4.95

2.63

Sulphur.

0.38

.80

.82

Trace.

2.37

1.06

Fuel 

ratio.

1.33

1.05

1.17

1.11

1.06

.82

1.08

1.16

1.08

.59

.92

.93

1.10

Character of carbon residue.

"Coking"..........".'..

.....do ..---.......'....

'"Coking".............

Sliehtlv coherent. ......

Character of coal.

Do.

.....'do .........

.....do .........

.....do ..'.......

.....do .........

.....do .........

.....do .........

.....do ..........

O£?'

o

 s

O

O 

fD

a Brooks, Alfred H., Coal resources of Alaska: Twenty-second Ann. Kept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 3, 1902, p. 565.

bDawson, George M., Exploration in the Yukon District and British Columbia: Geol. Survey Canada, 1887-S8, new series, vol. 3, pt. 1, p. 149 B. Analysis by G. C. Hoffmann, Geol. Survey Canada.

^Samples collected by Arthur J. Collier. Analysis by E.'T. A.llen. .

dMcConnell; op. cit., p. 46. Analysis by Geol. Survey Canada.

eMcConnell, R. G., Summary Report for 1901, Geol. Survey Canada, p. 4S. Analysis by Geol. Survey Canada.

/North American Trading and Transportation Company.

O

t> t-i

CD
A

3 

w

CO

3 

Fixed carbon.

Volatile matter.

Locality.

Moisture.

O CO Tfl CO CO CD 1C 

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Twelve milesabove Nulato on theYukon « ^Pickart mine, 200 feetrom entrance'^. ... Pickart mine, 600 feetrom entrance'^. ... Small cobedabove Pickart mine(L .....Bush coal, 4 miles belowNulato a ........ Blatchford mine, 9 milesbelow Nulato^.. Williams mine, upperbench^ ............
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64 COAL RESOURCES OF THE YUKON. [NO. 218.

Comparison of average analyses of coals from Yukon River,'southern Alaska, British 

Columbia, and Pacific coast. '

Average composition of 9 Yukon River

Average composition of 9 Yukon Eiver 

bituminous coals ...................

Average composition of 5 Cook Inlet

Average composition of 4 Alaska PenAverage composition of 3 coals from

Average composition of 15 Vancouver 

Island coals, chiefly from Nanaimo 

and Comax «. ......................

Average composition of 10 standard 

-coals from the State of Washington c.

Moisture.

11.89

4.69

11.59

2.05

3.75

.76

4.43

Volatile 

matter.

41.11

32.05

49.03

39.23

43.75

13.42

30.33

31.60

Fixed 

carbon.

40.82

55.89

31.64

49.92

47.39

81.68

60.23

56.01

Ash.

6.20

6.97

7.73

8.77

5.11

4.12

9.44

7.45

Fuel ratio.

0.89

1.85

0.64

1.27

1.08

6.06

1.98

1.77

a Brooks, A. H., Coal resources of Alaska: Twenty-second Ann. Kept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt; 3,1902, 

p. 552.

6Ibid., p. 666.

cSmith, G. O., Coal fields of the Pacific coast: Twenty-second Ann. Kept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pt. 3, 

1902, p. 490.

SUMMARY.

CHARACTER AND VALUE OF YUKON COALS.

The coals that have been mined in the Yukon Basin are high-grade 

lignites and rather low-grade bituminous coals. With the exception 

of that at Nation River all the coals examined in the Circle and Rampart provinces are lignites, or at least lignitic, those of the Circle 

province probably being of a little higher grade than those of the 

Rampart province. All the coals examined in the Nulato province 

fall within the bituminous grade.

In the Circle province the best coal by proximate analysis is that 

mined a few years ago at Nation River. This is a bituminous coal 

rich in hydrocarbons and having a low percentage of water and ash. 

Its percentage of sulphur, however, is higher than that of any other 

coal examined by the writer, and the supply is limited and uncertain. 

Some rather low-grade bituminous coal, with a high percentage of 

ash, has been mined at the Five Finger mine, on Lewes River, 200 

miles above Dawson and beyond the limits of the Circle province. 

The main coal supply of this province, however, is to be found in the 

lignite-bearing areas. At Cliff Creek, in Canadian territory, these 

lignites have been developed and yield an abundant supply of coal 

which gives good satisfaction for steaming purposes. The limits of
COLLIER.] CHARACTER AND VALUE OF THE COALS. 65

this coal field have not been determined, but there 'are probably 

between 50 and 100 square miles of coal land contiguous to this mine, 

the greater part of which lies some distance from the Yukon.

In American territory, on Washington Creek, about. 12 miles from 

the Yukon, there is another large field, which will probably yield a considerable supply. This coal is a lignite, and is, so far as the analyses 

show, of slightly lower grade than that at Cliff Creek.

In the Rampart province.the coal field of the Drew mine is the only 

one which has immediate value, and it is of very limited extent, the 

area of coal-bearing rocks probably not exceeding 4 square miles. The 

coal is a lignite, containing higher percentages of water and ash than 

the standard coals of the Circle province.

In the Nulato province coal has been exploited at a number of localities in the coal-bearing rocks which extend along the Yukon for 200 

miles. The coal beds are usually rather thin, none of them measuring 

over 4 feet, and some of the seams are so crushed by shearing faults of 

the inclosing'strata that systematic mining is difficult. At Williams 

mine, 90 miles below Nulato, in this belt, the coal bed is regular and 

holds a uniform thickness as far as development has gone. The conditions are favorable for producing a large amount of coal. With 

proper development the mine can probably supply all the coal that 

will be required on this part of the Yukon for many years. The coal 

here is bituminous, having a fuel ratio of from 1.2 to 1.5 and a water 

content below 7.5 per cent.

Coal of a better grade is found at the Pickart mine and at the Blatchford mine, also in this province, but the beds are faulted and the conditions for producing coal are not favorable. At the latter mine the 

coal is by proximate analysis the best found by the writer on Yukon 

River, having a fuel ratio of 3.3, water content below 2 per cent, and 

ash below 3 per cent.

Many steamboat men prefer the lignitic coal from Cliff Creek mine 

to the coals from the vicinity of Nulato. This is probably to be 

accounted for in part by the character of the grates on which it is 

burned, since the Cliff Creek coal burns more freely and produces heat 

more quickly than do the coals of the lower river.

The lignites of the Circle and Rampart provinces are contained in 

sandstones of Eocene age, correlated with the Kenai series. The 

bituminous (Nation River) coal of the Circle province is probably of 

Permian age, while the bituminous coals of the Nulato province are 

contained in a series of sandstones in part Upper Cretaceous and in 

part Eocene in age, which has not yet been separated on stratigraphic 

or lithologic grounds. The Pickart and Blatchford coals are Upper 

Cretaceous, while the Williams coal is Eocene, in age.

Bull. 218 03 5
66 COAL KESOURCES OF THE YUKON. [NO. 218. 

PRESENT DEVELOPMENT AND METHODS OF MINING. -

In 1866 Dall examined a bed of coal 7 miles below Nulato, but up 

to the time of the discovery of gold on Klondike River, in 1897, little 

was done toward opening- coal mines on the Yukon. With this discoveiy and the consequent influx of people, the Cliff Creek mine, in 

Canadian territory, and the Nation River, Drew, Pickart, Blatchford, 

and Whelp & Thein (Williams) mines, and Coal mine No. 1, were 

opened up, and have supplied a limited amount of coal, both for 

steaming on the Yukon and for domestic purposes at Dawson.

The methods of mining coal heretofore employed have been most 

primitive, and the workings of very limited extent, large!}' because 

the demand for coal is supplied b}* small amounts delivered on the 

river bank during the months from June to September, inclusive. 

Timber is convenient, and ventilation is easily obtained by air shafts 

to the surface, for in this climate there is always a great difference in 

temperature between the air in the mine and that outside. No trouble 

with gas has yet been experienced, and safet}^ lamps have not been 

required. This may be accounted for by the fact that the workings 

have not penetrated beyond the zone of perpetual frost. Care must 

be exercised with the lignites of the Circle and Rampart provinces to 

prevent spontaneous combustion after the coal is mined. Instances are 

reported where the beds have been on fire, but none came under the 

observation of the writer. With the exception of the Drew mine, 

near Rampart, none of the mines along the Yukon, in American territory, are equipped with bunkers or other conveniences for loading the 

coal on steamers. The coal is piled on the river bank and loaded with 

wheelbarrows. Most of the mines are so situated that mine cars convey the coal directly to the river's edge at the mine's mouth. At 

Nation River the coal was mined about li miles from the river and 

sledded over the snow in winter to the landing. On Washington 

Creek a similar plan is proposed until a railroad can be built. At 

Cliff Creek, the North American Transportation and Trading Compan}7 's mine, there is a narrow-gage railroad from the river bank to 

the mine, a distance of 2^ miles. At the Blatchford mine, 9 miles 

below Nulato, the coal is mined in the winter, for the opening to the 

mine is belowthe water at ordinary stages of the river, and during the 

summer months the mine is flooded. After the freeze-up the ice is 

mined out before the coal is reached. The coal from the mine must 

be sledded to ground above the high waters that occur on the breaking of the ice in the spring.

Since the Yukon coal beds have been worked only for the last five 

years, and then in a desultory wa}T , the whole amount of coal produced in American territory has not been great, probably not exceed-
COLLIER.] FUTURE DEVELOPMENT. 67

ing- 9,000 tons, which has been sold at from $10 to $20 a ton. Probably the average price paid for such coal has not been far from $M a 

ton, representing- a value of about $76,000.

. FUTURE DEVELOPMENT.

The coal mined on the Yukon lias been burned principally on river 

boats for steaming purposes. A smaller amount has been consumed 

for domestic purposes at Dawson and other points along the Yukon. 

The coal has been used in competition with wood cut along- the river, 

and as the supply of wood becomes exhausted the demand for coal 

will naturally increase. There is, however, sufficient timber conveniently accessible along the Yukon to supply wood to meet the 

present demands for some years to come. The important advantage 

of coal over wood for steaming- purposes consists in its more compact 

form, SO that a greater amount of fuel can be taken on at one time. 

It is also loaded more quickly than wood, even by the primitive 

methods in vogue at the present time. At Dawson coal from the Five 

Finger mine or from Cliff Creek is worth from $15 to $20 a ton. 

The Electric Lighting Company had contracted for 1,500 tons of the 

former coal at $15. Wood sells at about $10 a cord at Dawson. 

Coal delivered at the river bank from the Yukon mines brings from 

$10 to $12 a ton. Cord wood varies very greatly in price, but probable averages about $8 a cord.

During the summer of 1902 coal could be obtained at only two points 

on the Yukon below Dawson. These points were nearly 1,000 miles 

apart, and there were no conveniences for loading at either of them. 

With the development of the oil fields in southern California and the 

consequent cheapening of crude oil as a fuel, some of the companies 

operating steamers have begun making arrangements to use this oil for 

steaming purposes on the Yukon. Should the use of oil prove practicable, it will retard the development of the Yukon coal mines. The 

oil can probably be purchased and transported to depots along the 

Yukon at an expense little, if any, greater than the cost of coal or wood 

at present prices. After these depots are established from three to 

four hours daity will be saved, which, under the present arrangement, 

is spent in taking on wood or coal. Since oil can readily be rna.de to 

How on board from the oil tanks, and as the oil burners are self-feeding, the services of a large force of deck hands and firemen will be 

dispensed with.

The coal beds of the Yukon will probably never supply coal for 

exportation, because of their limited extent, the character of the coal, 

the cost of mining, and the distance from a market, but with proper 

development they will probably be sufficient to supply all local demands 

that are at present foreseen. , .-

INDEX.

Page. 

Alaska, outline map of..................... 9

Alaska, southern, coals from Yukon River, British Columbia, Pacific 

coast, and, average analyses 

of ............................ 64

Alien, E.T., analyses by............... 22,26.31,

35,39,40,42,43,45,48,50,5.1,53,54.56.57 

Alluvium, occurrence of.................. 18

American Creek, coal from, analysis of.. 27 

Analysis, coal, from American Creek....' 27,62

coal, from Blatchf ord mine........... 54,62

from Bush mine................... 53,62

from Coal Creek (Yukon River).. 26,61 

from Coal mine No. 1............. 57,63

from Drew mine ............... 39,40,62

from Five Finger mine ........... 22,61

from Halls Rapids................. 63

from Healy Fork of Cantwell

River -------.--.....--...-----. 45

from Lewes River................. 61

from Minook Creek............... 42,62

from Nahoclatilten, vicinity of... 48,62 

from Nation River mine.......... 35,62

from Pickart mine............. 50,51,62

from Rampart, vicinity of........ 43

from Tramway Bar............... 49

from Washington Creek...'....... 31,62

from Williams mine .............. 58,62

lignite, from Cliff Creek.............. 24,61

from Coal Creek mine ............ 23.61

Analyses, average, of coal from Yukon 

River, southern Alaska, British Columbia, and Pacific 

coast........................... 64

Analyses, proximate, of coals from Yukon

Basin........................... 6.1-63

Anthracite coal, fuel ratio of ............. 59

Anvik River, coal on...................... 58

Barnard, E.G., reference to.............. 27

work of ................................ 1.1

Birch Creek series, occurrence of........ 16

Bituminous coal, discrimination of, from

. lignite.......................... 59

fuel ratio of..---.-.....---...---.--.... 59

Blatchf ord coal mine, coal at.......... 53-55,65

Blatsford mine. See Blatchford mine. 

Bonanza Creek, coal on................... 32

Bone Yard. See Palisades. 

British Columbia, coals from Yukon 

River, southern Alaska, Pacific coast, and, average analyses of---.........-...---..---.-. 64

Pa^e. 

Brooks, A. H.,aid by....................... 13

cited on Central Plateau region ...... 12

cited on coal at Five Finger mine..... 21

cited on coal in Alaska................ 11

cited on coal near White Horse Rapids

and Nordenskiold River....... 22

cited on coal on Cantwell Ri ver...... 44

cited on geology of White and Tunanu

rivers.......................... 1.4

cited on geology near Eagle ........... 14

cited on stratigraphy of the Yukon .. 14 

cited on Williams miTie ............... 56

cited on Yukon silts................... 18

letter of transuiittal by............... 7

quoted on coal near White and Tauana

rivers.......................... 34

Bush mine, coal at......................... 52-53

Canadian territory,coal in................ 21-26

Cannel coal, fuel ratio of ................. 59

Cantwell River, coal on.................... 44-46

Carboniferous rocks, occurrence of ...... 16

Chamberlain, E..!.. acknowledgments to. 10 

aid by.-....---......----..........-.... 32

Chapman, J. W., information furnished

by.............................. 58

Circle province, coal in ................. 20-36,65

Classification of Yukon coals, discussion

of..........--------..--....--... 58-64

Cliff Creek, lignite on...............'...... 23-25

sections on............................. 24

Coal, analysis of, from American Creek. 27,62 

analysis of, from Blatchf ord mine.... 54,62

from Bush mine................... 53,62

from Coal Creek (Yukon River)-. 26 

from Coal mine No. I........___.__'. 57

from Drew mine .-.-._.....__..._! 89,40

from Five Finger mine..---....... 22

from Healy Fork of Cantwell

River........................... 45

from Minook Creek ................ 42

from Nahoclatilten, vicinity of... 48 

from. Nation River mine.......... 35

from Pickart mine ............ >... 50,51

from. Tramway Bar............... 49

from Washington Creek.......... 31.

from Williams mine............... 56

from. Yiikon River near Rampart. 43 

analyses, average, of, from. Yukon 

River, southern Alaska,British 

Columbia and Pacific coast... 04 

analyses, proximate, of, from Yukon

Basin......__,.................. 61-63

09
70 INDEX.

Page.

Coal, classes of, methods of discriminating between ................... 58-60

of Yukon River, character and value

of...............--...--...------ 6-1-65

geographic distribution and character of ........................ 19-20

localities of, description of .--.... 20-58

price of .............-..------.-.--- 67

samples collected, method of treatment of ...........---..----...- 60

Coal, anthracite, fuel ratio of ............ 59

Coal,bituminous, discrimination of. from.

lignite.......................... 59

fiielratio of..........-.----.-.--.------ 59

Coal, cannel, fuel ratio of----------------- 59

Coals, classification of..................... 58-64

fuel ratio of............--........:-.-.- 59-60

of western United States, papers cited

on -.............-...--....--...- 58

Coal Creek (Klondike River), coal and

lignite on ......-.-....-...-. 23,25-26

sections on _ ..._- ...--.. ...--- .- 25 

Coal Creek (Yukon River), coal on....... 32-33

Coal mine No. 1, coal at......._........... 57

Cretaceous rocks, occurrence and character of.... -.. ......------- 16-17

Dull, W. H., cited .011 coal in Alaska...... 11

cited on coal at Nulato -..-.-....-..... 52

cited on geology of Yukon region .... 13

quoted on coal near Nulato........... 54

work of............-....--.--.-----.-.- 10

Dall River., coal on _____.....__..._._._..__ 43

Dawson. G. M., cited on geology of Yukon region..................... 14

Drew mine, coal at........--..----..... 37-41. Go

equipment of .......................... 40

geologic sketch map of vicinity of.... 38

section at.--...----...----.-.....-...... 39

view of.......-.....-....---.-....--.... 36

Eagle, view of............................. 12

Five Finger mine, coal at................_ 21-22

Fortymile series, occurrence of.......... 16

Freight, manner of transporting ......... 13

Fuel used by steamers ._...---..------.... 13

Fuel ratio, determination of.............. 58

Fuel value of various coals, discussion of. 58-59 

Geography of region, discussion of....... 11-13

Geology of region, sketch of._...___...__. 13-19 

Goodrich, H. B., reference to ............. 1.4

Halls Rapids, coal at.-....,...--..-...-... 57

Hayes, C. "W.. cited on discrimination of

lignite from bituminous coal.. 59 

cited on geology of Yukon region .... 14

Healy Fork of Cantwell River, coal on... 45 

Hillebrancl, "W". F., analysis by............ 27

Hoffmann, G. C., analyses by.--.- ---.... 23

Homan. Charles, work of ..... .......... 10

Igneous rocks, occurrence of ............. 18

Kenai series, coal in ......._ __.......... 19

occurrence and character of __.___.... 17.19

Knowlton, F. H., fossils determined by .. 17.42 

work of ................................ 10

Koyukuk River, coal on _..........-... . 48-49

Kronholm, Charles, reference to ......... 9

La Brie, N. B., discovery of coal by ...... 33

Lewes River, coal on_._._.. ...._.__.. 21-22. 64

Page. 

Lignite, analysis of, from Cliff Creek .... 24

analyses of, from Coal Creek mine... 23 

discrimination of, from bituminous

coal ..........._._....-......'.-. 59

fuel ratio of._..... ......._.-. ........ 58

on Coal Creek-..............-..--...... 23

Lignite Creek, lignite on.................. 45-46

McConnell, R. G., cited 011 geology of

Yukon district.......-. ....-- 14,15

quoted on coal on Cliff Creek......... 23-25

Melozi River, note on use of name........ 16

Meiozikakat. See Melozi River. 

Mendenhall, W. C., cited on geology north

of the Yukon .................. 14

quoted on coal on Dall River -.......- 43

referenc.0 to. _....._-....-._.,......-.._ 35

Mining, methods of ....................... 66-67

Minook Creek, coal on ____.._.-- .... 41-43

Mission Creek, coal on .................... 26-28

Nation River mine, coal at ............ 33-36,64

sketch map of vicinity of ............ 33

Nahoclatilten coal bed. description of.... 47-48

Nordenskiold River, coal near............ 22

Northern Commercial Company, acknowledgments to ............ 9

Nulato, Cretaceous rocks near............ 17

view of................................. 56

Nulato coal bed, description of .-.. -...- 52 

Niilato province, coal in ............... 46-58,65

Pacific coast, coals from Yukon River, ' 

southern Alaska, British Columbia, and, average analyses 

of............................... 64

Palisade conglomerate, occurrence of.... 1.7

Palisades, lignitaat....................... 43-44

Paige, Sidney, reference to ............... 9

work of ................................ 10

Pelly gneisses, occurrence and character

of............................... 16

Petroleum, use of, on steamers......--..- 13

Pickart coal mine, coal at._..___..__. __. 49-52 

Bauipart, coal near........................ 37

coal near, analysis of.................. 43

Rampart province, coal in............. 36-46,65

Rampart series, occurrence of............ 16

Raymond, C. P., work of.................. 10

Russell, I. C., cited on geology of Yukon

region.......................... 14

Salt Creek, coal on ........................ 43

Samples analyzed, method of treatment

of............................... 60

Schrader, F. C., cited on coal between

Pickart mine and Nulato ..... 52

cited on geology of Chandlar and Koyukuk rivers..^---...----....... 14

cited on Pickart mine................. 51

quoted on rocks exposed on John

River........................... 48

quoted on coal near Tramway bar ... 48 

reference to ........................... 14

Schwatka, Frederick, work of ............ 10

Schuchert, Charles, fossils determined

by.............................. 35

work of................................ 10

Seventymile River, coal 0:1 -.......... 28

rocksexposed near.................... 16
INDEX. 71

Page. 

Silt deposits, occurrence and character

of....-------.-........-.----.... 18

Spurr, J. E., cited on coal at Drew mine. 40 

cited' on coal in Yukon district....... 11

cited on geology of Yukon region .... 14

cited on lignite at the Palisades --.... 43

cited on T welvemile beds. ............ 17

cited on volcanic rocks._.._.--........ 18

cited on Yukon silts..............----. 17

reference to __........._-__...-.....-.-. 10

Stanton, T. W., fossils determined by.... 10 

work of................................ 10

Steamers, fuel used by..................... 13

on Yukon River, views of............. 14

Steiger, George, analysis by .............. 40

Stratigraphy along Yukon River......... 15-1!)

Taff, J. A., cited on discrimination of lignite from bituminous coal.... 59

Tahkandit series, occurrence and char-

- acter of ........................ 16

Thein mine. See Williams mine.

Train way bar, coal near .................. 48-49

Transportation facilities, extent of ...... 12-13

Twelveniile beds, occurrence of.......... 17

Volcanic rocks, occurrence of ..... .... 18

"Washington Creek, coal on............ 28-32,05

sections on............................. 30

Page. 

Washington Creek coal basin, map of.... 29

White Horse Rapids, coal near ........... 22

Williams, W. E., acknowledgments to... 10 

information furnished by............. 34,35

Williams mine, barge loading coal at,

view of......................... 50

coal at. .............................. 55-50,05

view of--------.-..-...----------.--.--- 30

Wolf Creek, coal on....................... 27

Wood, N. H., information furnished by . 44 

quoted on coal from Drew mine...... 40-41

Wood, price of ............................ 07

steamer loading, view of.............. 14

use of, on steamers.................... 13

Yukon coal field,'future of, outlook for... 07 

Yukon coals, character and value of ----- 04-05

classification of........................ 58-04:

Yukon River, banks of, view of.......... 12

coals from southern Alaska, British 

Columbia, Pacific coast, and 

- average analyses of........... 04:

geography of basin of-...---.......... 1.1-13

geology of valley of, sketch of........ 13-19

map, economic, of..................... 10

steamers on, views of................. 14.

Yukon silts, occurrence and character of. 18 

Yukon stratigraphy, table showing...... 15

0

PUBLICATIONS OF UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.

[Bulletin No. 218.]

The serial publications of the United States Geological Survey consist of (1) Annual 

Reports, (2) Monographs, (3) Professional Papers, (4) Bulletins, (5) Mineral 

Resources, (6) Water-Supply and Irrigation Papers, (7) Topographic Atlas of 

United States folios and separate sheeta thereof, (8) Geologic Atlas of UnitedStates folios thereof. The classes numbered 2, 7, and 8 are sold at cost of publication; the others are distributed free. A circular giving complete lists may be had on 

application.

The Bulletins, Professional Papei-s, and Water-Supply Papei*s treat of a variety of 

subjects, and the total number issued is large. They have therefore been classified 

into the following.series: A, Economic geology; B, Descriptive geology; C, Systematic geology and paleontology; D, Petrography and mineralogy; E, Chemistry and 

physics; F, Geography; G, Miscellaneous; H, Forestry; J, Irrigation; J, Water storage; K, Pumping water; L, Quality of water; M, General hydrographic investigations; N, Water power; 0, Underground waters; P, Hydrographic progress reports. 

This bulletin is the twenty-sixth in Series A, the complete list of which follows. 

(B = Bulletin, PP = Professional Paper.)

SEMIRS A, KCOK03HC OKOLOOY.

B21. Lignites of Great Sioux Reservation: Report on region between Grand and Morcau rivers,

Dakota, by Bailey WiHis. 1685. ]G pp., 5 pis. (Out of stock.) 

B 46. Nature and origin of deposits of phosphate of lime, by R. A. F. Penrose, jr., with introduction

by N. S. Shalcr. 3688. 148 pp. (Out of stock.) 

B 05. Stratigraphy of the bituminous coal field of Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia, by I. G.

Wliite. 1891. 212 pp., 11 pis. (Out of stock.) 

B ]11. Geology of Big Stone Gap coal field of Virginia and Kentucky, by M. R. Campbell. 1693. 100

pp., C pis.

B132. The disseminated lead ores of southeastern Missouri, by Arthur Wlnslow. ]89C. 81 pp. 

B138. Artesian-well prospects in Atlantic Coastal Plain region, by N. H. Darton. 1890. 228 pp., 19

pis. (Out of stock.) 

B139. Geology of Castle Mountain mining district, Montana, by \V. M. Weed and L. V. Plrsson ]89G.

104 pp., 17 pis.

B 143. Bibliography of.clays and the ceramic arts, by J. C. Branncr. ]89G. 114 pp. 

B 104. Reconnaiasance on the Rio Grandc coal fields of Texas, by T. W. Vauphan, includinga report

on igneous rocks from the San Carloa coal field, by E. C. E. Lord. 1900. 100 pp., 11 pis. 

B 178. El Paso tin deposits, by W. H. Weed. 1901. 35 pp., 1 pi. 

B180. Occurrence and distribution of corundum in United Stales, by .1. If. Pratt. 1901. 98 pp.,

14 pl». 

B182. A report on the economic geology of the Silverton quadrangle, Colorado, by F. L. Ransomc.

1901. 200 pp., ]0 pis. 

B 184. Oil and gas Molds of the western interior and northern Texas Coal Measures and of the Upper

Cretaceous and Tertiary of the western Gulf coast, by G. I. Adams. ]901. 04 pp., 10 pis. (Out of

stock.) 

B193. The geological relations and distribution of platinum and associated metals, by J. F. Kemp.

1902. 95 pp., C pis. 

B ]9S. The Berea grit oil sand in the Cadiz quadrangle. Ohio, by W. T. Griswold. 1902. 43 pp., ] pi. 

IT]. Preliminary report on theKetchikan miningdistrict, Alaska, with an introductory sketch of

the geology of southeastern Alaska, by Alfred Hulse Brooks. 1902. 320 pp., 2 pis. 

B 200. Reconnaissance of the borax deposits of Death Valley and Mohavc Desert, by M. R. Campbell.

3902. 28 pp.,1 pi.

B 202. Tests for gold and silver in shales from western Kansas, by Waldcmar Lindgren. ]902. 21 pp. 

PP2. Reconnaissance of the northwestern portion of Soward Peninsula, Alaska, by A. .7. Collier.

1902. 70 pp., 31 pis.

Bull. 318 03 6 J
II ADVERTISEMENT.

PI' 10. Reconnaissance from Fort Hamlin to Kotzebue Sound, Alaska, by way of Ball, Kanuti, Alien,

and Kowak rivers, by W. C. Mendenhall. 3902. OS pp., 10 pis.

PP 11. Clays of the United States east of the Mississippi River, by Heinrich Hies. 1903. 29S pp., 9 pis. 

PP 12. Geology of the Globe copper district, Arizona, by P. L. Ransome. 1903. 108 pp., 27 pis. 

B212. Oil fields of the Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coastal Plain, by C. W. Haves and William Kennedy.

1903. 174pp., 11 pis. 

B 213. Contributions to economic geology, 1902; S. P. Emmons, C. W. Haves, geologists in charge.

1903. 449pp. 

PP 15. The mineral resources of the Mount Wrangell district, Alaska, by W. C. Mendenhall and

P. C. Schrader. 1903. 71 pp., 10 pis. 

B 218. Coal resources of the Yukon, Alaska, by A, J. Collier. 1903. 71 pp., 0 pis.

.Correspondence should be addressed to

THE DIRECTOR,

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY,.

WASHINGTON, D. C. 

DECEMBER, 1903.
LIBRARY CATALOGUE SLIPS.

[Mount each slip upon a separate card, placing the subject at the top of the 

second slip. The name of the series should not be repeated on the series 

card, but the additional numbers should be added, as received, to the first 

entry.]

Collier, Arthur J[ames].

. . . The coal resources of the Yukon, Alaska, by 

Arthur J. Collier. Washington, Gov't print, off., 1903.

71, III p. 6 pi. (incl. maps), 3 fig. 23icm. (U. .S. Geological survey. 

'Bulletin no. 218.)

Subject series A, Economic geology, 26.

Collier, Arthur J [ames].

... The coal resources of the Yukon, Alaska, by 

I Arthur J. Collier. Washington, Gov't print, off., 1903.

X

71, III p. 6 pi. (incl. maps), 3 fig. 23£C1". (U. 8. Geological survey. 

Bulletin no. 218.)

Subject series A, Economic geology, 26.

U. S. Geological survey.

Bulletins.

| no. 218. Collier, A. J. The coal resources of the Yukon, 

" Alaska. 1903.

.5 U. S. Dept. of the Interior.

V

£ see also

I U. S. Geological survey.