20 COAL KESOUKCES OF THE YUKON. [no. 218. 
north bank for about 200 miles below the mouth of Melozi River, being 
interrupted only here and there by silt deposits or by narrow belts of 
extrusive rocks. It is intimately associated with Kenai beds in this 
region. This area probably extends westward to Norton Sound, where 
coal-bearing beds have been found. 
In the Upper Cretaceous coal occurs in the lowest as well as the 
highest beds, as indicated b}^ the fossil plants. The Upper Cretaceous 
coals have higher fuel ratios than the Eocene coals and are of somewhat 
better quality. 
DESCRIPTIONS OF LOCALITIES. 
INTRODUCTION. 
The region under discussion falls naturally into an upper division, 
extending along the river from the boundary to the Yukon Flats; a 
middle division, extending from the lower end of the flats to Melozi 
River, and a lower division, extending from the Melozi to the mouth 
of the Yukon. These divisions can be conveniently described under 
the headings Circle province, Rampart province, and Nulato province. 
Under Circle province will be considered all the known coal-bearing 
areas along the Yukon between Circle and Fortymile. With one 
exception these coals resemble one another both in character and in 
mode of occurrence. This province includes the coal beds at Cliff 
Creek and Coal Creek, in Canadian territory near Fortymile, and for 
the sake of comparison a brief note regarding these Canadian local i- 
ties will here be included. 
The Rampart province will be made to embrace the scattered coal- 
bearing areas between the Yukon Flats and the Melozi, including 
the lignite beds of the Yukon silt formation which occur at the 
Palisades. The coals of this province resemble those of the Circle 
province. 
The coal deposits along the Yukon from Melozi River to the delta 
will be discussed under the caption Nulato province. These coals have 
common characteristics in composition and mode of occurrence, differ- 
ing from those of the Circle and Rampart provinces. 
Some compiled information showing the extent of the coal-bearing 
formation within the Yukon Basin in regions not examined by the 
writer will be presented in connection with the descriptions of con- 
tiguous divisions of Yukon River. 
CIRCLE PROVINCE. 
The greater part of this province is in Alaska, though the only coal 
mine at present in operation is within Canadian territory. From the 
international boundary to Circle, a distance of about 150 miles, the 
Yukon flows with a swift current, and receives several tributaries of 
