Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-02-04
United States Geological Survey
Gives Out Information About
Wyoming Coal Deposits.
THOSE IN uInTA COUNTY.
Government Officials Have Made In
rcstigation and Find That They
Cover Large Area

mas issueu n Dulletin giving some IN
tercsting data relative to the coal de-
posts OF Uinta county. Wyoming. At
present these Goals are scarcely known
north OF Kemmerer. Wyoming, and
are but little developed. In "a few To-
calities enough coal is taken from
shallow pits to supply the rangers in
the immediate vicinity. outside of
this local mining, no development
work is carried on within the region.
Al present Utah mines, Rock Springs,
Wyoming, mines, and the mines in
southern Uinta county, Wyoming,
supply coal to Idaho, Montana. ore
gon. Washington, and California,
while much of their coal and coke goes
to the great smelters i'm the Salt Lake
valley, TO Anaconda and TO Butte.
The coal nearest TO Butte Is at KEN
merer, Dinmondville, and Cumberland
in southern Uinta county Wyoming,
Geologic study of this region and
particularly of the coal formations is
therefore. of special economic. intehest
During the summer of 1906, inVestiga-
ton OF the Goals in central and north
ern Uinta county. Wyoming. was
continued by Mr. Alfred r. Schultz of
tile United States geological survey.
who assisted Mr. 4, G. Neatch in map
ping the Goals of southern Ginta
county during the summer of 1905.
The same kind OF work as that done
south of Kemmorer. Wyoming, last
,.I
of the Ahsaroka Ridge and the salt
River range to the base of the eros
Ncntre mountains east of the SNAKE
river, including all the region known
as the Fontenelle Hogbacks, Meridian
Fold and Pomeroy Basin. Wyoming
Range. Fall and Grey river basins.
The area examined lies between
Green River and the salt River noun
tains. north of Hams Fork, nearly
three fourths of 1t being WITHIN the
Yellowstone forest reserve. The total
area uaotlaly surveyed and mapped
embraces Approximately 1000 square
miles OF this area about tWo-thirds
of the townships have their exterior
and subdivision lines run. while me
remainder has not yet been subdiYided.
The coal bearing formation imme-
diately east OF the Absaroka ridge
asd the Salt River range. here com
posed of carboniferous rocks, are OF
the same geologic age as the tronter
of southern Uinta county,
and here. as at Frontier. DiamoSd-
Vile and Cumberland. wyoming. CON
stitutes the principal coal-bearing
formation, The beds lie in a synclinal
trough, which is northward contln-
uatlon of the largest syncline west OF
Kemmerer, Wyoming. Nera the south
extremity of this basin occnrs limited
area of Adaville formation, similar to
that west Of Kemmerer, Wyoming,
which IL also coal bearing.
Northwest Of Thompson plateau
small fault that crosses from the Wyo-
ming range to the Salt River range
has slightly displaced the coal-bearing
beds, North of this fault along the
east side OF the Salt River range, the
beds dip from 30 to 90 degrees to the
west until mt Deadman's creek the coat
bearing formation hroadens and Occur
pies two synclinal troughs thal exehd
northward TO the Snake river and are
separated by a low antlclinal arch, the
crest of which is composed OF Jurassio
beds.
south of the fault good coal seams
were encountered on both arms Of the
synclinal trough, but north. only
few coal groupings were seeen, oNlhs
10 the heavy ,alus covering along the
east slope of the Salt River range thai
prevails in this region.
Coal bearing rocks OF the same geo.
logic age as those above mentioned
occurr along the east side OF the Wyo-
ming range. and have been traced to
the Snake river, Several coal seams
ranging IN thickness from two to
90 feet were encountered and at least
four distinct coal horizons located
within the frontier formation. Here,
as in the coal beds OF the Salt River
range. the work of prospecting for
coal was greatly handicapped by the
heavy growth of timber and limited
exposures of rocks
The collaborating formation in the
vicinity OF Labarge mountain Is of
the same geological age az the Ada
vile and Lazenrt Goals west OF kem-
merer. Wyoming, Several coal Hcams
have been opened In various parts of
this field and coal Is mined for local
ranch use, The coal resembles the
Adaville and Jazeart coal In luster
and cleanliness. and lilSs them has a
high percentage OF moisture.
The al-bearlng formation that oc-
ours In the Fall River basin Just east
OF the range that connects the Wyo-
ming range and Gros- Ventre noun
tains, is OF the same age as the forma-
ton which contains the Amy Goals
near Evanston. Wyo, Although no
development work has been done on
lhSSN II uH IlN'l CpalS ana very little |
prospecting, owing to the heavy
growth OF timber, several coal seams |
We're located In various parts Of the |
field during the past summer. and |
some of these indicate good grade |
of coal.
In spite of the small amount II de- |
NeloPment work that has been done
In tho entire field and tho heavy
growth of timber that conceals the
coal outcrop from view. consider
able number OF coal beds ranging
from a few inches TO 91 feet In
thickness have been opened. and the
coal taken from these pits resembles
the bituminOus Goals OF southern
Uinta county, Wyoming, which be-
long near the top OF the group con-
tanning the best btuminous coals of
the Rocky mountain region. Al
though the coal formation was not
mapped north ana west OF the Snake
river II 10 believed that the coal hori-
IONS extend 10 the northwest for a
considerable distance and probably
cross the Wyoming state line south OF
Teton pass
In the vicinity of Victor. Oasis and
Idaho. on the east plou. Of
the Big Hole mountains, occurs n
series OF collaborating beds which may
hc continuation of the coal forma-
lions south and east Of Snake river.
This series Is known To contain seven
closely parallel beds varying In thick.
ness from two TO 20 feet The coal