Coal Mining In Washington

Coal mining in the State of Washington offers many interesting problems for the mining engineer, due to the varied physical conditions occurring in different fields, and often in, the same mine. The different coal seams worked in the same mine commonly require different mining and transportation methods for economical operation. The coal measures have inclinations ranging from 5° to vertical, and in the same mine the dip of the coal may vary from 30° to 50°. In all fields, the seams are extensively faulted, folded, and sheared. The quality of the coal produced ranges from brown lignite to bituminous- coking coal, the following being typical analyses: Lignite Sub Coking Coal bituminous Moisture 23.5 14.30 0.57 Volatile hydrocarbon 31.0 33.03 23.57 Fixed carbon 37.4 41.30 65.55 Ash 8.1 11.37 10.31 100.0. 100.00 100.00 Very little of the coal contains as much as 0.75 per cent. sulphur. The brown lignites occur mostly in Lewis and Thurston Counties, and, as a rule are very cheaply mined. This coal has been successfully used in locomotives of the Oregon & Washington Railroad, after equipping them with specially designed fireboxes. The sub-bituminous coals occur in all the coal-mining counties. Their cost of production varies widely, according to the character of the formations, the pitch, and the wall conditions. This makes a fairly good steam coal, but the lump is used mostly for domestic trade, after grading into lump, nut, and pea.