G-. A. KiNAHAN— O/i Coal Deposits in the N. W. of Canada. 213 



" Both slow and fast coking gave a pulverulent coke. The ash had a 

 pale reddish-brown colour, and agglutinated slightly at a bright red 

 heat." 



These localities all lie to the south of the Canadian Pacific Rail- 

 way, towards the United States boundary ; but to the north many 

 other outcroppings also occur in the Edmonton district, one seam, 

 twenty feet thick, appearing on the Saskatchewan, above Edmon- 

 ton, and another, eight feet thick, on the Pembina Eiver. 



In the vicinity of the railway, on the Bow River, there are two 

 important outcrops, near the Blackfoot crossing, and on Crowfoot 

 Creek ; these locations are about sixty miles east of Calgary and 

 one hundred and ten west of Medicine Hat, where the seams vary 

 from three to nine feet thick, and dip gently towards the west; 

 other outcrops occur on the Red Deer Eiver, which lies to the 

 north. The following analyses have been published by Mr. Hoff- 

 mann : — 



Blackfoot Crossing. Crowfoot Creek. 



Slow Coking. Fast Coking. Slow Coking. Fast Coking. 

 Hygroscopic water, . . 10-72 10-72 11-25 11-25 



Volatile combitstible matter, . 29-26 32-63 31-98 35-59 



Fixed carbon, . . . 46-09 42-72 50-85 47-24 



Asb, 13-93 13-93 5-92 5-92 



100-00 100-00 100-00 100-00 



Eatio of volatile combustible 

 matter to fixed carbon, . 1 : 1-57 1 : 1-31 1 : 1-59 1 : 1-33 



These samples gave a pulveiulent coke, and agglutinated slightly 

 at a bright-red heat. The coal is of a black colour with a brownish 

 tinge, and contains thin films of selenite.^ 



1 From tbese analyses, by fast and slow coking, of tbe proximate composition of tbe 

 coal we may rongbly appreciate its value as a fuel and gas-producing material, though 

 the fixed carbon and volatile matter vary inter se according to the method of coking : 

 of course the ash and hygroscopic water are constant under both conditions. ' ' Lignites ' ' 

 always contain a large percentage of the latter, so that its accurate estimation is of the 

 utmost importance. In these samples the hygroscopic water appears to be exceptionally 

 low : for lignites generally the average percentage varies from 15 to 25 per cent., and 

 in exceptional cases it runs as high as 50 per cent. However, the action of caustic 

 potash in the present instance indicates the lignitic character of the fuel. Another 

 important point to be determined in estimating the commercial value of lignite is the 

 question of weathering. Most of the lignites of the north-west appear to bear the 

 weather and transport well, the arid climate and the comparative freedom of the coal 

 from unstable pyrites being specially favourable for their nondisintegration. 



SCIEN. PROC. R.D.S. VOL. IV. PT. V. X 



