The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1908-11-16
coAi FIELDS or NORTH DAKOTA
AND oNTANA.

SURPRISED coal 5lluuB comprising
100000 acres, or 100000 square
ma were withdrawn from entry
during the iatterpah OF 1906 and the
saiiy part of 1907, and the United
st5te Geological Survey was called
iron 70 examine and classify these
inds So that they might be restored
q coal entry Early in June, 1907,
sixteen geologic parties were placed in
lie Held in North Dakota. Montana,
Nscning. Colorado. and New Mexico,
tfh Instructions to classify as much
BIZ the land withdrawn as time and
means would permit and to. obtain In.
formation Regarding the accessibility
n HE fields, The quality OF the coal,
l1d the correlation Of the coal beds,
welias al other available geologic
Ana economic data
The Information obtained by these
paroles viii be published in detail OH
he completion Of the work. but in
order ID make the more important
economic results available FOR imme.
fliate use 1t hes been deemed adylsa.
bic 10 issle preliminary reports on the
work of each party during the year.
These reports are now in course of
phhlication In advance chapters of Bul-
letin BAL, which forms Part II Of the
Surveys Contributions to Economic
Geology. 1907 Part A OF Bulletin S41
Is now ready for distribution and may
be obtained by applying to the Direc-
tor 81 the Survey at Washington. D. G..
This chapter contains reports on the
Sentinel Butte Ignite field, of North
Dakota and Montana. by A. G. Leon
md and Carl D, smith; the Miles City
coal field, Montana by Arthur ]. Col
iief and Carl D. Smith; the Bull
Mountain coal field, Montana, by L. H.
piootsey;; coal near the Crazy Noun
Trims, Montana, by R, w. Stone; the
Red Lodge coal field Montana, by
IIs Woodruff; aud the IIewistown
coal field, Montana, by W. r. Calvert.
These reports include maps showing
thesareas containing coal beds. In
m introd uction to the chapter NJ. R.
smEbell the geologist in charge of
the Surveys coal investigations, out.
lines briefly the geological and chemi.
y cal work and defines the terms that
have been adopted by the Survey for
iIld icating the various grades of coal
mined in this country. These grades
are: Cfl Anthracite. (2) semt-anthra-
cite semibituminous, (4l bitum-
nous G5) sub-bituminous. (G) Ignite.
he tirst three are not common in the
Restefn fields, and exact limits have
mt been assigned to them, but the fol.
lowing provisional definitions are CIV.
en- for the last three:
Ignite: Brown, woody, or eathy
coal that Stacks quickly on exposure
IN the atmosphere and as ,ule con.
ANS more than 30 per cent. OF mois.
tisre!
sub-bitnminous coal: intermediate
ID quality between Ignite and bitum.
nous coal. II is generally glossy
black y relatively free from joints,
and Stacks readily on exposure to air.
Goal 81 this grade is.susually called
black lignite,' but it is not woody
sil appearance, and it more nearly re-
tsrbIes bituminous coal tlan ignite.
moisture content is usually over
0sper cent.
Eitalminous coal: This grade hard.
needs definition, as 1t is the coal
18th which most persons are familiar.
n 2 COMMERCIAL way it is distinguish.
8ed from subDitumtnous coal by its
ability % Withstand the weather,
The two other chapters OF bulletin
which cover the coal deposits of
yontng Colorado, New Mexico,
lJtah, oregon,and Virginia. are now in
press,