COAL   NEAR   CRAZY    MOUNTAINS,    MONTANA. 
89 
in  the  neighborhood,  it  seems  that  some  difficulty  with  the  thickness  or 
character  of  the  bed  must  have  stopped  the  mining.  As  there  is  no  place 
in  the  vicinity  where  the  bed  can  be  undercut  at  a  depth  sufficient  to  get 
a  considerable  amount  of  coal  to  stope  down,  and  as  shafting  necessi- 
tates pumping,  none  of  the  undertakings  have  been  successful. 
The  coal  horizon  dips  below  the  surface  at  the  southern  line  of 
sec.  36,  T.  5  N.,  R.  8  E.,  near  Ed  Potter's  home,  and  there  are  no  other 
known  coal  outcrops  to  the  south  as  far  as  the  survey  was  carried. 
Coal  is  reported  at  a  number  of  points  near  Shields,  but  nowhere  did 
it  prove  to  be  more  than  a  mere  pocket  a  few  inches  in  extent. 
ANALYSES. 
Five  samples  of  the  coal  in  this  region  were  subjected  to  chemical 
analysis.  All  but  one  were  taken  according  to  Survey  regulations, 
the  coal  being  obtained  by  cutting  a  groove  across  the  whole  thickness 
of  the  bed,  and  excluding  partings  over  one-fourth  of  an  inch  thick. 
The  quantity  thus  obtained  was  crushed  to  ^-inch  size  and  quartered 
until  a  3-pound  sample  remained.  Each  sample  was  sealed  in  a  gal- 
vanized-iron  can  and  sent  to  the  chemical  laboratory  of  the  United 
States  Geological  Survey  testing  plant  at  Pittsburg,  Pa.  Sample 
5723  was  taken  from  a  bin  where  it  had  air  dried  for  eight  or  ten 
months.  These  samples  were  analyzed  under  the  direction  of  F.  M. 
Stanton,  chemist.  The  first  two  samples  are  from  the  Judith  River 
formation  and  the  last  three  from  the  Eagle  sandstone. 
Proximate  analyses  of  coal  samples  from  region  near  the  Crazy  Mountains. 
[F.  M.  Stanton,  chemist  in  charge.] 
Location 
Joe  Creek. 
Holcomb 
Creek. 
Big  Elk. 
Head  of 
Sixteen- 
mile  Creek. 
Sec.  36, 
T.  5N., 
R.8E. 
Section  of  bed 
(Coal...  8" 
1 Crushed 
1    coal.  18" 
lCoal...2" 
Coal..  30" 
Coal...  4" 
Clay...  8" 
Coal..  14" 
Coal..  17" 
Clay... 2" 
Crushed 
coal.  26" 
(«) 
Part  sampled 
All. 
All. 
Omitting 
clay. 
Omitting 
clay. 
Laboratory  No 
5735 
l>  5732 
&5734 
5733 
5723 
Sample  as  received: 
Moisture 
10.37 
22.28 
32.06 
35.29 
.58 
4,007 
7,213 
25.26 
23.51 
36.68 
14.55 
.41 
3,546 
6,383 
29.35 
27.47 
31.57 
11.01 
"    .29 
3,541 
6,374 
(i.  69 
25.32 
35.75 
32.24 
.47 
4,744 
8, 539 
2.45 
Volatile  matter 
30.83 
Fixed  carbon 
51.75 
Ash 
14.97 
Sulphur 
.63 
Calories 
6,854 
British  thermal  units 
12,337 
Loss  of  moisture  on  air  drying 
5.00 
13.90 
14.00 
4.10 
.60 
Air-dried  sample: 
Moisture 
5.65 
23.45 
33.75 
37.15 
.61 
4,218 
7,590 
13.19 
27.31 
42.60 
16.90 
.48 
4,118 
6,949 
17.85 
31.94 
36.71 
13.50 
.34 
4,117 
7. -Ill 
2.70 
26.40 
37.28 
33.  62 
.49 
4,947 
8,904 
1 .  86 
Volatile  matter 
31. 02 
Fixed  carbon 
52.06 
Ash 
15.06 
Sulphur 
.63 
Calories 
6,895 
British  thermal  units 
12,411 
"  Coal-bin  sample. 
''  Badly  weathered. 
