THE BERING RIVER COAL FIELD 



427 



The semibituminous grade of coal is found in the southwestern 

 part of the field, the anthracite in the northeastern. Between these 

 two areas the grade of coal is intermediate between semibituminous 

 and anthracite. The distribution of the grades of coal corresponds 

 somewhat closely to the complexity of structure in the different parts 

 of the field. The structure becomes more and more complex from the 

 southwest toward the northeast. The grade of the coal has been made 

 better with an accompanying complexity of structure. 



The semibituminous coal has been shown to possess good coking 

 properties. 



A striking feature of the coals, and one which is likely to be a seri- 

 ous handicap to their utilization, is their crushed and sheared condi- 

 tion. In many of the surface exposures and in the tunnels, drifts and 

 open cuts where development has been carried on, the coal is soft and 

 friable. Even where fairly firm and unbroken masses of coal are 

 found, they can be readily crushed. It is difficult to find large lumps 

 of coal free from fractures and slickensided surfaces. During mining, 

 such coal can not escape being badly broken, and the difficulties of 

 shipping will be great. In the case of the anthracite, the crushed and 

 friable condition is likely to seriously impair its market value. With 

 regard to the grades of coal of coking quality the soft character may 

 not be so serious in that the coal can be converted into coke before 

 shipping. It is scarcely probable, in a region where the crustal move- 

 ments have been so widespread and intense, that the coals below the 

 zone of surface disintegration will be free from the crushed and frac- 

 tured conditions so prevalent at and near the surface. 



From Doughton Peak looking Northward to the Right of Carbon Mountain. 

 Shows the structure of the coal-bearing rocks. 



