Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1925-03-05
COAL
Belt-Smith Riyer-Hound Greek
Coal Field. Montana

Beit-Smith Riyer-Hound Greek
Coal Field, Montana
The Belt-Smith River-Hound Greek
coal field is about So miles long, ex-
tends some is miles east Of Belt in
Cascade county, to Rock creek IN
Meagher county, and the northerIy
end Of the field lies between Running
Wolf iron range and Great Falls. Coal
mines are being operated IN this fieId
within 10 miles of Great Falls.
The coal occurs in the "Kootenai"
formation and the area where that
formation outcrops at the surface, and
the coal therefore easily accessible, is
apparently 800 square miles in extent
but, Of course, not all underlaid with
coal. There are some small localities
within this area where the AKootenai.
formation has been eroded away ana
few other localities where the coal
bed is nonresident OF not of workable
thickness, but it is estimated that 81
least 400 square miles Of this area Is
underlaid by coal bed Of an average
. thickness ranging from five TO fifteen
feet.
Topography
The topography of this coal area Is
transitional between mountain and
plain including some features OF both.
Between Smith river and Hound creek
the country Is billy; elsewhere salient
features are broad. gently sloping
benchlands dissected by deep valleys
Of numerous mountain streams. Prom
inent among these streams are Belt
creek, Ming cOuIee, Smith river ana
Hound creek with its many tribu-
taries.
Water Power
Smith river canyon. about 20 miles
long, lies right beside this coal field,
in fact forms the eastern boundary OF
the southern portion. Smith river
carries . large volume Of water
through the canyon at all times of the
year and there are very numerous
falls or rapids spaced short distances
apart for the whole 20 miles. It Is a
comparatively narrow canyon - has
high rock walls, often nearly perpen-
dicular, and the potential water power
for the whole length Of this canyon IA
enormous.
The power lines Of the Montana
Power company also cross this coal
field, viz:
The Rainbow-Butte power line.
The Two Dot power line.
The Coal
The coal in this field Is in the
"Kootenai" formation and is the old
est and best bituminous coal found m
any Of the western United States. II
compares favorably with the ConneIls-
vile, Pa, coal and the larger part OF
1t is coking coal from which coke can
be made for blast furnace practice.
Montana has the largest coal area
Of any state in the union. The east
ern one-quarter of the state is under
laid with Ignite occurring in the Fore
Union" formation, the youngest ana
top formation in the geologic column.
Westward toward the mountains and
middle Of the state, semibituminous
and bituIninous Goals are found in the
.'Fort Union. judith River and tire
Eagle Sandstone" formations - all
comparatively young formations, geo.
logically speaking. The "Kootenai-
formation Is many millions Of years
older than any Of the above named
formations.
This coal IN the @KOotenai" fornan- |
tion is the best and highest grade BIZ
coal yet found IN any Of the I
western United States. Il Is prnesae =
ally the only high grade cokinR coas
found IA the western United Staess I
and this fact nlons wlill make Il always
In great demand and Of great walua.
Years ago. over half miIlion tnms
u thls coal sc Belt. about 20 nalEns
southeast Of Great Falls. was ran :
era K.Bxig coal washer 70 !
make somewhat over 100000 toms o. q
.oks. This was done BY Marcua naay.
IA his tine. 70 obtain coke FOR uss n
.hs WAshos ssnelter Of TIE then Amas,
gsamabaa Gowpar sssnpangs
In Msns aaa Engineering Journas a. =
'sew York ssazeA ~. 1898. Mp. a. n
anMlma@f coal properties ~
4 ,sss = t4s.n 100000 fSs4xsun. ...ma.n~. - q