BERING RIVER COAL. 73 
Section in lower tunnel on Tokun Greek. 
Arkose roof. Ft,, in. 
Coal a 6 8 
Shale floor. 
Section at head of gorge on Trail ( 'reek. 
Sandstone roof. pt. in. 
Coal 2 G 
Sandstone floor. 
Strike N. 15° W., dip 55° NE. 
Section in opening on cliffs of small creek, 1 mile north of Bering Lah . 
Arkose roof. Feet. 
Coal & 3 
Coal and shale 3 
Coal b 4 
Sandy shale floor. 
, Strike N. 20° W., dip 25° NE. 
Section in Christopher's tunnel, 1 mile north of Bering Lake. 
Ft. in. 
Coal (top concealed) 2 
Shale 1 6 
Coal c 8 6 
Sandstone floor. 
Strike N. 70° E., dip 35° NW. 
CHARACTER OF THE COAL. 
PHYSICAL PROPERT1 ES. 
All of the coal east of the crest of Carbon Mountain and fully half of that in the valley of 
Canyon Creek, so far as can be judged from surface exposures, is true anthracite. Numer- 
ous soecimens have been seen which are hard and strong and which apparently possess all 
the physical characteristics of Pennsylvania anthracite. On the other hand, the surface 
exposures and shallow excavations usually show a soft, friable mass of coal, which gives little 
indication of anthracitic character. It is impossible to tell whether the coal in these expo- 
sures will be found hard and unbroken below the zone of surface disintegration or whether it is 
all badly crushed and shattered. The value of this end of the field (that is, the possibility of 
profitable mining) depends largely on this question, for when an anthracite is badly crushed 
its market value is far more seriously impaired than that of a bituminous coal would be 
The semianthracite or semi bituminous coal is all of a friable nature and resembles the 
softer bituminous coals of the Eastern States. Most of the beds have been severely crushed 
and sheared, and the coal is certain to be badly broken up in mining and shipping. This is 
not such a great detriment in this class of coal as it is with anthracite, for some of it will 
probably be made into coke, while that which is used as steam coal will fuse and cake as soon 
as it is put into the furnace, thus preventing the loss of slack through the grates. 
CHEMICAL AND CALORIMETRIC TESTS. 
The following analyses and calorimetric d tests have been made on samples collected in a 
uniform manner during the last season. These samples were obtained by making a nil across 
a fresh face of the coal from roof to floor, cutting down only the coal which would probably 
be loaded and leaving out such impurities as could be separated in the ordinary practices 
of actual mining. The parts of each seam which went into the sample are indicated in the 
local sections. These analyses e were made by F. M. Stanton, of the United States Geolog- 
ical Survey coal-testing plant at St. Louis, Mo. Other analyses are given in earlier reports./ 
a Included in sample No- IS, p. 74. 
b Included in sample No. 19, p. 74. 
c Included in sample No. 20, p. 74. 
d A calorie is the amount of heat necessary to raise the temperature of I pound of water 1° ('. 1 1 ls 
equal to 1.8 British thermal units. 
e For methods of analysis see Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey No. 201, 1905, pp. 30-31. 
/Martin, G. C, The Petroleum fields of the Pacific coast of Alaska, with an account of the Bering 
River coal deposits: Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey No. 250, 1905, p. 32; Bering River coal field: Bull. U. S. 
■Qeol. Survey No. 259, 1905, pp. 146-149. 
