92 ALASKAN MINERAL "RESOURCES IN 1905. 
short distance downstream is a good-sized mass of diabase occupying the axis of an anti- 
cline, which is in other places broken by a fault. The anthracite 1 is probably restricted to 
a zone along the face of and in the mountains, which is cut off from the valley plateau bg 
a fault following the base of the mountains. Black streaks which are probably coal could 
be seen high up on the face of the mountain and could be followed by the eye for several 
miles. About 1 mile northeast of the locality just described, at an elevation of about 3,46fl 
feet, a coal section gave the following measurements: 
Section of coal on slop* ofTalkeetna Mountains. 
Flaggj sandstone. Fee™ 
Coal and shale | 
( !oal 7 
Shale 4 
Coal I 
Shale 3 
Coal 2 
Shale 2 
Coal 7 
1 
Strike X. (i()° E., dip 55° SE. The general strike along the side of the mountain is N. 75° 
E. (magnetic) The area of anthracite was not estimated by the writer, and the amount 
available for economical mining and shipment may possibly not be sufficient to justify the 
necessary expenditures. On the other hand, the field may, as has been reported by some, 
e.\t<-nd far beyond the areas visited. 
BITUMINOUS. 
EASTERN FIELD. 
The coal included under this heading, which is probably all of Tertiary age, was seen on 
both sides of t he Matanuska in the vicinity of Chickaloon ( 'reck and in the valleys of Chicka- 
loon and Kings creeks. Coal has been reported for a considerable distance along the linear 
extension of this belt to the east, but the amount and quality of the coal are not known. 
The coal in this area all possesses about the same physical characteristics, and, as will be 
seen in a subsequent chapter, the variation in chemical composition is not great and sup- 
ports this grouping. Tins coal has the ordinary properties of most bituminous coal. It is 
soft and fragile, but often without any well-defined planes of fracture. It burns with a 
moderate amount of smoke and possesses distinct caking properties. The seams generally 
contain a huge amount of impurit ies, both in the form of thick partings of shale and as thin 
bands of shale and bone. Many of these can not be separated in mining. The coal is soft 
and friable, and much of it will not stand severe handling without crushing. Pyrite is%res- 
ent, both as balls and as scales, but not abundant. The friable character of the coal is not 
a serious detriment when it is considered that much of it will probably have to be crushed 
and washed (especially for coke making) and that the coal, when used for steam or heat ina 
will cake as soon as put in the furnace, so that there will consequently be little or no loss 
through the grates 
The following sections were obtained on the south side of the Matanuska near the mouth 
of Chickaloon Creek: 
Section of coal beds on south bank of Matanuska River, 3 miles above the mouth of Chickaloon 
Creek. 
Ft. in. 
Gray shale. to 
Coal 6 
Shale 1 
( Joal a 7 
Gray shale with ironstone hands 12 
Coal 6 
Shale I 6 
( oa 1 5 
" [ncluded in samples No. 7 and No. 8, p. 98. 
