﻿COMPOSTELA-DAKAO COAL FIELD. 



401 



as the criterion of classification, there is a surprising regularity in the analyses 

 of all of the samples taken from a single field. The averages of all the samples 

 give the following results: 



Averages of analyses of Cebu coals. 

 [The figures give percentages.] 



Constituent. 



For the Carmen region. 



For the Compostela region. 



Mini- 

 mum. 



Maxi- 

 mum. 



Average. 



Mini- 

 mum. 



Maxi- 

 mum. 



Average. 



Moisture- - 



• 13. 5 

 33 



38.7 

 1 



21.6 



38 



49.3 



8 



16.70 

 35.10 

 43.92 



4.28 



7.5 

 35.1 

 51.3 



1 



9.5 



38 



52.8 

 3.8 



8.60 

 36. 95 

 51.75 



2. 70 



Volatile combustible matter 



Fixed carbon - 



Ash 



Total 







100 

 .67 

 5,330 







100 

 .71 

 6,380 



Sulphur . .. 



Calorific value in calories _ 



I 



■A 



4, 820 



2.7 

 5, 920 



.2 



1.3 







Although a careful study has been made of all of the Philippine coals thus 

 far discovered, not a single sample of coking coal has been found. The usefulness 

 of a coke in this Archipelago is well recognized, for were it to be readily 

 accessible the iron industry would be in line for development. In view of this 

 I have tried to make coke in various ways. The coal from the Compostela region 

 yields a certain per cent of tar and it was thought that by mixing this product 

 with the coal itself before charging into the coke oven, a good coke might result. 

 Several experiments were made. The pulverized coal and tar in varying amounts 

 up to 12 per cent of the weight of the coal were warmed to 110°, intimately 

 mixed and then subjected to a heat similar to that of a coke oven; in fact, the 

 heat was varied to cover the various ranges present in coke ovens. All experi- 

 ments gave negative results. In none of them was there more than a semblance 

 of coke, consequently for the present we must give up the hope of obtaining coke 

 in these Islands. 



I have added below a copy of an analysis of the upper limestone which 

 will be of interest in view of the fact that possibly a cement plant will 

 be erected in this region at some future date. As this paper has been 

 devoted almost entirely to the question of the coal, I shall not discuss this 

 matter further at the present time. 



The absence of magnesia which seems to be characteristic of recent 

 limestones, should be noted. 



Analysis of the limestone. 



Insoluble acid 



Pe 2 3 



A1A 



CaO 



Loss on ignition 



H.Oat 110° C. 



Per cent. 

 0.36 



.18 



55.62 

 43.50 



.17 



Total 



99.83 



