PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 6/ 



Chemical Notes on the So-called Sudbury Coal. By W. Hodgson 

 Ellis, M.A., M.B., and Wm. Lawson, B.A.Sc. 



(Read February 27, 1897.) 



Prof. E. J. Chapman has described (Canadian Journal, Vol. X., p. 410) a vein 

 of anthracite from the lower copper-bearing rocks of Lake Superior, an analysis 

 of which gave : 



Moisture 2.08 



Volatile matter 3 . 56 



Fixed carbon .' 94-36 



Ash 0.00 



100.00 



In his " Minerals and Geology of Central Canada " Chapman applied the name 

 ''Anthraxolite " to this and similar substances occurring " in veins, with quartz, 

 in the altered strata of Lotbiniere, in the Eastern Townships, and also in regularly 

 banded veins with quartz and iron pyrites on Thunder Bay, Lake Superior " and 

 elsewhere. He regarded it, probably justly, as a " product of alteration from 

 petroleum or asphajt." 



In Bulletin No. 2 of the Ontario PJureau of Mines on "Anthracitic Carbon, or 

 Anthraxolite," Dr. A. P. Coleman describes a coaly deposit occurring in a vein 

 in slate in Balfour Township, near Sudbury, to which he applies Chapman's name 

 of Anthraxolite. 



We have received specimens of this substance from Mr. Blue, Director of the 

 Bureau of Mines, from Mr. J. M. Clark, from Dr. Coleman, and from Mr. G. 1\. 

 Mickle, which we have submitted to chemical examination. The samples differ 

 greatly with regard to the amount of minerals, chiefly quartz, with a little iron 

 pyrites, associated with the coaly substance, on which account the ash varies greatly. 

 We found 36.5 per cent., 30 per cent, and 20 per cent, of ash in dififerent samples 

 given us, otherwise the composition of the substance is quite uniform. 



The following is the proximate analysis of an average and 'of a selected sample : 



Averiye. Selected. 



Moisture 400 4.00 



Volatile matter i . 30 i • 80 



Fixed carbon 74-20 90 . 10 



Ash 20.50 4.10 



100.00 100.00 



We have also made an ultimate analysis of a carefully-picked specimen, freed 

 as much as possible from associated quartz, etc. The following are our results : 



I. II. Mean. 



Carbon 94-90 94-94 94-92 



Hydrogen 0.55 0.48 0.52 



Nitrogen 1.04 1-04 1-04 



Sulphur 0.30 0.33 0.31 



Ash 1-54 1-50 1-52 



Oxygen, by difference 1.67 1.71 1.O9 



100.00 100.00 100.00 



