The roundup record. [volume] (Roundup, Mont.) 1908-1929, 1908-06-12
UNDEvEI0PED
COAL FIELDS
a V:-,:iu Coal Field OF go Square
Miles in Bull lMts...Govcrn.
mcnt Makes Ana ysis.

prising an area of about $50 square
miles, lies on the divide between
Musselshell and Yellowstone rivers,
northeast from Billings, Mont, ac-
corcing to l.. II. Woolsev, one of
the geologists Of United States geo
logical survey, whose work last sum
mer carried him into the Bull Mts.
field. Except the old tunnels from
which coal was extracted by the
Northern Pacific railroad men Is
or 20 years ago, there is scarcely a
prospect or country coal bank in
the field, although the partial in
vestigation made by the government
geologists has discovered at least ii
separate bed Of coal that exceed two
feet in thickness. 1t is probable
that total thickness of all the coal
beds in the portion of the area stud
led will exceed 40 feet. One bed i,
locally known as the Mammoth
seam,' is Is feet thick in many
places.
Roughly speaking, the field is
bounded on the south by the south
ern edge Of r 5 n, on the west by
Razor and lIalibreed creeks, and
on the north by Musselshell river.
The eastern portion Of the field has
not yet been studied, and it's east
ern limit is not even tentatively fix
ed. The Bull mountains, raising
500 or 600 feet above the surround
ing country, lies in the southwest
ern part OF the field.
Analyses of the Goals from the
Bull mountain field, made in the
fuel-testing laboratory of the United
States geological survey, place them
among the high grade subbitumin-
s(black Ignite locals Of the coun-
try Thus the analysis of an air
dried sample OF Mammoth coal col
lectcd in Section 30, I 6 n, X y f.
gave the following results:
Air-drying loss, 300 per cent;
moisture. 1880 per cent; volatile
matter, 32.12 per cent; fixed carbon
46.44 per cent: ash. 6.54 per cent
sulphur, O.51 per cent, hydrogen
5.2S per cent, carbon 80 80 per cent
nitrogen, O.9O per cent; oxygen.
25.93 per cent; calories. 5,191
British thermal units, 10, ,434.
A similar analysis OF IA sample from
the mine at Roundup shows these
proportions OF the constituents:
Air-drying loss 2.7O per cent
moisture, 1927 per cent; volatile
matter, 29.51 per cent; fixed carbon
52.31 per cent; ash, Z. 81 per cent
sulphor, O.56 per cent; hydrogen
5.29 per cent; carbon, 66.O4 pei
cent; nitrogen, $50 per cent; oxygen
1890 per cent; calories, $500; Brit
ish thermal units, II $40.
The sample from Roundup was
much fresher than the sample o
, theMammothcoal, and this is show1
by the analysis. 1t is believed tha'
an analysis Of Il fresh sample OF tht
Mammoth would compare mucl
more favorable with the analysis
of the Roundup coal.
When these analyses are com
pared with those of the Goals from
Great Falls, Miles City. Red Lodge
Bear Creek and the Big Horn basi1
; it is found that the Bull mountain
Goals rank high. Few Of these othel
Goals havea q greater, and many have
a somewhat less fuel value. Tht
coal from all the beds are very sim
liar in character and appearance
They are black. soft and lustrous
give blackish-brown streak, ane
slack readily on exposure.
The opening of this field is a pres
cnt day question. Recently. as
, result of the coast extension of tn
Chicago, Milwaukee d st. Paul rail
road along the Musselshell river. ;
shaft has been opened ON one o
the lower veins located &
Roundup. The mine is now in op
Grafton and coal is being remove,
for use on the new railroad and 70
local consumption. The full thick
ness OF the bed at this point i
be about six feet. The railroa,
extends along the northern borle
OF the field and will not only max
: increasingly great demands for fue
/ for its own use, but viii afford Il.
outlet for shipping the Goa! to dis
tant points: and to meet these Gle
mands and those arising from til
| growth of the towns in the vicini.
| of the railroads an extensive develop
]: ment of the Bull mountain Goals i
expected.