90 



.Some Analyses of Northwestern Coals — Dodge, 



[Paper N.l^ 

 some analyses of northwestern coals. 

 [abstract.] 



./. A. Dodge. 



After a review of the methods of analysis of coal usually fol- 

 lowed, namely, the method of ultimate analysis^ whereby the car- 

 bon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen are determined as elements by 

 the processes of " organic analysis," and the method of proximate 

 analysis^ whereby the volatile matter, fixed carbon and ash are 

 determined by a process of destructive distillation and subsequent 

 combustion in the open air, and after the exhibition oE certain 

 tables showing the ultimate and proximate analyses of various 

 well-known kinds of coal made by a number of well-known chem- 

 ists at different times, the paper proceeded to the special considera- 

 tion of some analyses recently made at the chemical laboratory of 

 the University of Minnesota, by the author and by others, of same 

 pies of coal received from officers of the Northern Pacific Railroad 

 Company. A table of a few of these analyses is here given : 



Considering these analyses in comparison with analyses of coals 

 just before exhibited by tables, we see that the first five compare 

 favorably with a number of the bituminous coals, as for example 

 with the Belleville coal of Illinois. 



Volatile 

 Moisture, ^^'ombusti- 

 Matter. 

 6.0 9^ 



Fixed 

 Carbon. 



Ash. 



Sulphur. 

 .85 % 



''Belleville" (III.) coal . . 6.0 % 33.8 % 62.66 % 1.16 % 

 (Analysis by Prof. W. R. Johnson, 1844.) 

 So far as the chemical, or at least, the proximate composition is 

 concerned, there seems to be little or no reason why several of these 

 coals of the upper Missouri region should not be designated hi- 



