Section III, 1917-18 



[85] 



Trans. R.S C" 



The Carbonization of Lignites. 

 Edgar Stansfield, M.Sc, and Ross E. Gilmore, M.Sc. 

 Presented by Dr. Alfred Stansfield, F.R.S.C. 



(Read May Meeting, 1917.) 



Introduction. 



# 



In spite of enormous deposits of coal, many parts of Canada 

 are inadequately supplied with fuel. The industrial development 

 of the country has apparently taken place largely without regard 

 to the coal supply, or, more strictly, has developed with regard only 

 to a coal supply from the States. Moreover, certain large deposits 

 of coal in the prairie provinces are difficult of utilization, being low- 

 grade fuel. An investigation, having for its object the efficient use 

 of such low grade fuels, is now being carried on by the Mines Branch 

 of the Department of Mines. This paper deals with a part of this 

 investigation. , 



The problem of coal supply in southern Saskatchewan and 

 Manitoba is serious, and yet possible of prompt solution on account of 

 the Souris lignite coal field in that district. Because of the above, 

 and because lignite from this district is particularly low grade, 

 Souris coal has been chosen for first consideration. 



An analysis of a carload sample of coal recently received in 



Ottawa from the Shand mine near Estevan in the Souris field is given 



below; and for purposes of comparison, analyses are also given of 



Phalen seam coal from the Sydney field and of a typical anthracite 



sold in Ottawa. 



Table I 



Comparison of Three Coals 



Shand Coal 



Sydney Coal 



Anthracite 



Moisture — per cent 



Ash — per cent 



Volatile Matter — per cent 



Fixed Carbon — per cent 



Calorific Value, calories per gram 



34-6 

 8-6 

 24-9 

 31-9 

 3795 



5-7 

 33-1 

 57-7 

 7510 



3-9 

 11-2 



7005 



Even if we recalculate the calorific value of the Shand coal to a 

 moisture-free basis we get only 5,805 calories per gram. 



The low calorific value of the Souris coal is, however, not its 

 chief drawback. The coal as mined consists of large lumps, but contains 



