ashley.]  COAL    TN    NICHOLAS    QUADRANGLE,    W.    VA.  425 
been  mined  at  Clifftop,  on  Glade  Creek,  a  few  miles  distant,  both  of 
these  operations  being  part  of  the  New  River  mining  held.  On 
Keeney  Creek  the  coal  shows  an  average  thickness  of  about  3|  feet. 
At  Clifftop  it  will  average  only  about  2  feet  8  inches.  The  quality 
of  the  coal  is  the  same  as  in  the  New  River  field  in  general.  A  typical 
analysis  from  Keeney  Creek  shows  as  follows : 
Analysis  of  Sewell  coal  on  Keeney  Greek. 
Per  cent. 
Moisture 0.  74 
Volatile  matter 27.  n<> 
Fixed  carbon 70.  58 
Ash  1.59 
Sulphur  .  5:5 
Phosphorus    .  005 
This  is  somewhat  higher  in  volatile  matter  and  lower  in  the  other 
constituents,  except  moisture,  than  the  average  of  the  Sewell  coal  in 
the  New  River  field.     Toward  Meadow  River  the  coal  appears  to  lose 
somewhat  in  thickness,  and  in  some  sections  to  be  more  split  up  with 
parting.     Beyond   Meadow   River  toward  the  east  much   the  same 
conditions  of  nonworkability  are  at  first  found,  but  eastward  toward 
the  headwaters  of  Hominy  Creek  this  coal  or  another  at  nearly  the 
same  horizon   gains  rapidly  in  thickness  and  quality  until  over  a 
large  area  south  and  southeast  from  Hominy  Falls  it  shows  a  thick- 
ness of  from  3  to  7  feet  of  workable  coal,  the  average  probably  being 
only  4  feet.     East  of  Meadow  River  the  workable  coal  is  only  30  feet 
above  the  Raleigh  sandstone,  while  west  of  the  river  the  workable 
I coal  is  about  70  feet  above  the  Raleigh  sandstone.     This  fact,  coupled 
with  the  observed  thinning  of  the  two  beds  toward  Meadow  River, 
(has  led  to  the  suspicion  that  the  two  beds  are  not  the  same,  but  over- 
lap, each  being  thin  in  the  principal  region  of  the  other.     The  area  of 
workable  coal  covers  all  the  headwaters  of  Hominy  Creek,  Meadow 
I  Creek,  Mill  Creek,  Clear  Creek,  and  Laurel  Creek.     Starting  near 
[drainage  level  at  Hominy  Falls,  the  coal  gradually  rises  until  it  out- 
Icrops   on   the   hills   around    Clear   Creek   at    an    elevation    of   about 
,000  feet  above  tide.     In  its  best  sections  it  shows  from  6  to  7  feet, 
including  one  or  two  bone  partings  from  1  to  2  inches  thick.     North  - 
estward  from  Hominy  Falls  it  decreases  in  thickness  and  at  most 
penings  in  that  direction  appears  to  be  less  than  3  feet  thick,  and 
ften  badly  broken  up  by  partings.     It  is  above  drainage  over  most 
jpf  the  area  south  of  Gauley  River.     East  of  north  from  Hominy  Falls 
it  is  below  drainage  over  a  large  area,  but   where  it  reappears  on 
ijauley  River  near  the  mouth  of  Panther  Creek  it  presents  some  excel- 
lent sections,  showing  up  to  C>  feet  of  coal.     Around  Richwood  and 
to  the  north  little  prospecting  has  been  done  and  little  can  yet  be  told 
