STATE OF ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION DIVISION OF THE STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY FRANK W. DeWOLF. Chief Cooperative Mining Series BULLETIN 23 MINES PRODUCING LOW-SULPHUR GOAL IN THE GENTRAL DISTRICT BY GILBERT H. CADY ILLINOIS MINING INVESTIGATIONS Prepared under a cooperative agreement between the Illinois State Geological Survey Division, the Engineering Experiment Station of the University of Illinois, and the U. S. Bureau of Mines •KINTKI) HY Al '! HOKI'I V OK T I IK STATIC OF ILLINOIS URBANA, ILLINOIS 1919 ILLINOIS MINING INVESTIGATIONS Cooperative Agreement GAS SECTION Lit The difficulty, due to war conditions, of obtaining adequate and reliable delivery of eastern gas-coal and of coke has suggested the wider use in gas manufacture of low-sulphur coal mined in the central district, comprising Illinois, Indiana, and western Kentucky. The needs of the gas industry, and the desire of the U. S. Fuel Administration to meet those needs, has led to the appointment by Governor Frank O. Lowden , of a Technical Committee on Gas, By-products, and Public Utilities, to act in an advisory relation. The committee includes representatives of the Illinois Gas Association, the U. S. Bureau of Mines, the Engineering Experiment Station of the University of Illinois, and the State Geological Survey Division of the Department of Registration and Education, State of Illinois. Previously, some studies of the use of Illinois coal in retort-gas manufacture and in by-product coke-ovens, and of the chemical and physical properties of Illinois coal, have been conducted under the Illinois Mining Investigations, cooperative agreement — a joint agency of the U. S. Bureau of Mines, the University of Illinois, and the State Geological Survey Division. The continuation and expansion of this work has been recommended by the Technical Committee and the Fuel Administration. In response a Gas Section has been created, and experienced gas engineers, chemists, and other specialists have undertaken a program of experiment on a commercial scale to extend the use of central district coal in water-gas generators and in gas retorts. The results of the investigations will be published, and, in addi- tion, the operators of gas plants in the region naturally tributary to central district coal will be advised by the Technical Committee, of time to time, and will be urged to witness and par- ts and to introduce in their own plants new or > which will lessen the burden on the railroads, es and the coke ovens to meet the unprecedented e war. of ; IP VEY suggestions regarding the gas experiments should as Section, Room 305, Ceramics Building, Urbana, ILLINOIS STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 3 3051 00006 4034 STATE OF ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION DIVISION OF THE STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY FRANK W. DeWOLF. Chief' Cooperative Mining Series BULLETIN 23 MINES PRODUCING LOW-SULPHUR GOAL IN THE CENTRAL DISTRICT BY GILBERT H. GADY ILLINOIS MINING INVESTIGATIONS Prepared under a cooperative agreement between the Illinois State Geological Survey Division, the Engineering Experiment Station of the University of Illinois, and the U. S. Bureau of Mines PRINTED MY AUTHORITY OF THE STATE <>K ILLINOIS URBANA, ILLINOIS 1919 STATE OF ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION DIVISION OF THE STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY FRANK W. DeWOLF, Chief Committee of the Board of Natural Resources and Conservation Francis W. Shepardson, Chairman Director of Registration and Education David Kinley Representing the President of the University of Illinois Thomas C. Chamberlin Geologist Schnepp & Barnes, State Printers Springfield, III. 1919 14899 — 2M CONTENTS PAGE Low-sulpliur coal in city-gas manufacture 5 Low-sulphur coal in Illinois, Indiana, and western Kentucky 7 TABLES 1. Analyses of eastern gas coals and low-sulphur coals from Illinois, Indiana, and western Kentucky 6 2. Sulphur content of several Illinois coals, as determined by analyses of face and of car samples. 7 3. List of mines in Illinois, Indiana, and western Kentucky, probably capable of producing coal with less than 1.25 per cent sulphur 10 4. Source of the analytical data concerning the sulphur content of central district coals 12 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign http://archive.org/details/minesproducinglo23cady MINES PRODUCING LOW-SULPHUR COAL IN THE CENTRAL DISTRICT Bv Gilbert H. Gady LOW-SULPHUR COAL IN CITY-GAS MANUFACTURE The sulphur content of a coal is a conditioning factor that has an important bearing on its use in the manufacture of water-gas and retort coal-gas. This is especially true in the case of coals from Illi- nois, Indiana, and western Kentucky, as most of the coals from these three fields have a sulphur content that renders them unsuitable for gas manufacture with the purifying facilities now installed. In fact, certain gas manufacturers are inclined to the opinion that none of the coals from these fields has a sufficiently low sulphur content to make it suitable for the manufacture of city gas. However, it has been pointed out in two earlier bulletins of this series l that some of these coals have been giving satisfactory results in the manufacture both of retort coal-gas and of water-gas in operating plants. Furthermore, later experimental use of several of the low-sulphur central district coals under the direction of Air. Odell and Mr. Dunkley has also demonstrated the practical possibility of their substitution for coke in the manufacture of water-gas. Some of the results of these exneri- ments will soon be placed before the public. Between some of the Illinois. Indiana, and western Kentucky coals and the eastern gas coals there is actually very little di (Terence in sulphur content. Inspection of the analyses given in the following table will show that this is the case. 1 Dunkley, W. A., and Odoll, W. W., The manufacture <>f retort coal-gas In the central states using low-sulphur coal from Illinois, Indiana, and western Kentucky: Illinois Mining Investigations Bull. 21, 1918 Odell, W. W., and Dunkley, W. A., Water-gas manufacture with central dis- trict bituminous coals as generator fuel: Illinois Mining Investigations Bull. 22, a. > MINES PRODUCING LOW -SULPHUl COAL -0 oseccc ec «- CO-*-* $££ CO CC CC s a m i m«M CM CO 2 in co m 0" WOlXiT e O pi -r!-« — 00 ki cr. c* >r 0! >>E OB X cc aoo»i> ■* — CO CN a o ^ OS CT CC x t-' os CO t- co in £ 2 C C4 K r- CO -»f 05 NlOif M-IMC O E in 10 -»ti m m " T - w 5* £ el 8 CC e'- er X in er CD O CT NO 00W cr cci O OP S cr I- t- s pes t , i^ ^ [, CD CO CD CC t^ •x , OS CD X — x in OS CD iC X o (A ec lO If, in 05 in -«co in in 10 75 c 10 10 in m 73 C CC 73 « 73 u . t-l II — 00 C m i- t- CO s CM OS 05 9 OS t ~ CT — s X 1 CO A ■- 1 1-1 a ft. ft "" 3 3 3 a — _ (M — •* CC Ct-tOO •* — CO CO 00 xi OS 05 CC ^ CC -t" 03 e (0 w en ©i O CN x co m CO CO t^ i - c m ? % !> CO S3 W cp co in 0$ co in t~ in cc s CD-^"— ' o0 .*~.^ r . t~ lO CO lO irt 10 a hMQQ «hOX 00 008'- (0 c 1 CD I- >> u 3 C 4» CM m 4J l-i r2 0) — m oc X CD m CT m ec os cor- ir u- 03 4-< C Pi E 03 M P H ts <1 3 5 PI =3 O O as a. 8 2 55 M O p O frc i> rt rt 2 c § S5 0> B KC s B fcfa — C H u el W M aj P c C P r I > c c C P 6 d .2.2 6 r ocug .5.2.2 c 3S3 re C p > « 6 D (-1 03 fit £"£ >- ? te hpH i 5 r re > £ £ k SS 1- In i c7 ^ MTNES PRODUCING LOW-SULPHUR COAL I LOW-SULPHUR COAL IN ILLINOIS, INDIANA, AND WESTERN KENTUCKY In view of the probability that gas manufacturers in the central district may desire to make experimental runs with coal from this district, especially as the results of the present investigations are announced from time to time, it is thought desirable to present a list of mines from which coal having less than 1.25 per cent of sulphur may be obtained. The list as prepared indicates sources of low- sulphur coal which probably can be used either in generators or in retorts. It should be borne in mind, however, that the amount of sulphur liberated from the coal is different under the two operations. Much is yet to be learned in regard to the behavior of the different varieties of sulphur in coal under the influence of heat and under working conditions both in the water-gas and in the retort-gas plant. It is believed, however, that many plants can take care of sulphur produced by central district coals having a sulphur content of less than 1.25 per cent. The list is presented with some reservations. In the first place the' determination of the sulphur content is based largely upon the analysis of face samples. In taking such samples, the sampler, as is generally known, rejects all impurities more than l /\ to y% inch in thickness, and care is taken that fragments of the roof, floor, or clay bands are not included in the sample. Accordingly a face sample commonly shows better coal than is usually mined from the same face. However, comparisons of analyses of face and car samples from Illi- nois mines in the low-sulphur district show very little difference, and not always to the advantage of the face sample. So that while it is well to point out the nature of the evidence, apparently no great allowance needs to be made for the fact that the data are largely based upon the analyses of face samples. The following table gives the data in regard to the comparative value for sulphur content, as based upon the analyses of face and car samples of several Illinois coals. Table 2. — Sulphur content of several Illinois coals, as determined by analyses of face and of car samples Per cent of sulphur Face sample Car sample ' 0.62 0.59 1.13 1.23 0.83 1.14 0.77 (i.m 1.07 1.06 1.03 1.45 0.85 0.S9 Average 0.90 1.03 Coal of various sizes. 8 MINES PRODUCING LOW-SULPHUB COAL A second conditioning factor affecting the value of the list exists in the fact that the sulphur values upon which the list is based include all sulphur present and do not distinguish between the different varieties of sulphur known to exist in coal. It has been shown that sulphur exists in coal in three forms : as sulphur in combination with iron, that is, as iron pyrite ;. as sulphate sulphur, or gypsum ; and as organic sulphur in at least two forms. It has not been demonstrated to what extent each of these forms of sulphur contributes to the total sulphur content of the gas made in a gas retort or in a generator. It seems probable, however, that the sulphur occurring as sulphate is retained in the ash and coke in retort coal gas operation, so that it becomes of importance to know how much of the sulphur in the coal is in the form of a sulphate. Unfortunately these data are not avail- able. Consequently, it is possible that the yield of sulphur in gas from the coals listed may not be in simple relation to the total amount of sulphur present as determined by analysis of the coal. A third reservation to be considered is the incompleteness of the data. It is probable that not all the mines producing low-sulphur coal within the limit assigned are included in the list. This is especially true for Indiana and Kentucky. In the case of Illinois it is believed that the mines producing low-sulphur coal have all been listed with six possible exceptions, not including new mines not yet in operation at Valier, West Frankfort, Zeigler, and Dowell. Of these six excep- tions, only one, Mine "B" of the Chicago, Wilmington and Franklin Coal Company, lies well within the area where the low-sulphur coal is found. It is very probable that the coal supplied by this mine is also low-sulphur coal. The other five mines lie near the border of the area of low-sulphur coal, and it is not safe to predict whether they properly belong within or without the area. The most promising area of low-sulphur coal in Illinois includes parts of Franklin, Wil- liamson, Jackson, and Perry counties, and is rather definitely outlined because the sulphur content shows a remarkable increase across a very narrow boundary, so that certain mines can be placed very definitely within the area of low-sulphur coal, and closely adjacent mines are as definitely without the area. Accordingly, it is not safe to judge the character of the coal from a mine lying near the boundary merely from the location of the mine. Although uncertainty exists as to the quality of the coal from these five mines, it is thought wise to list these mines as possible sources of low-sulphur coal, with the under- standing that analytical information in regard to the sulphur content is not available. MINES PRODUCING LOW-SULPHUB COAL y List of mines lying near the boundary of the area of low-sulphur coal, which are possible sources of low-sulphur coal, but for which no analytical data are available Address Operator's name and address Mine of mine Franklin Coal & Coke Co Mine No. 2 (South) Royalton 332 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago. Johnston City Coal Co Mine No. 2 Johnston City 116 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago. Ernest Coal Co Ernest Johnston City Johnston Citv, 111. T. G. Warden Coal Co Mine No. 1 Herrin Fisher Bldg., Chicago. Taylor Coal Co Energv No. 2 Herrin Old Colonv Bldg., Chicago. Taylor Coal Co Energy No. 1 Herrin Old Colony Bldg., Chicago. Modern Coal Co Mine No. 1 Sesser- Old Colony Bldg., Chicago. Finally, it has been thought advisable to present the information without giving the actual averages for the sulphur content from indi- vidual mines and without thereby assuming to grade the coals. A considerable number of the analyses were made from samples col- lected by the Bureau of Mines. Some of these data have been pub- lished previously, and a separate list is included herewith, indicating the exact sources of the information. Other analyses were made for the State Geological Survey, and because it would be contrary to the policy of the State Survey to reveal detailed analyses or averages from individual mines, it has been necessary to supply the list without the detailed analytical data which might make it considerably more useful. However, all the mines listed furnish coal the analyses of which, based upon two to fifteen face or car samples, show an average sulphur content less than 1.25 per cent. The range in the average sulphur content of the different coals is from 0.62 to 1.14 per cent; the range in sulphur content of the individual analyses is from 0.51 to 2.11 per cent. Information in regard to the analysis of coal sampled at individual mines for the State Survey, has been furnished to the operator of each mine previously and it can be obtained from the Survey, provided the request is accompanied by the written consent of the operators concerned. In presenting the following list, the Survey does not guarantee that the coals furnished by the mines listed will in all cases prove acceptable. Other factors bearing on the manufacture of gas affect the acceptability of a coal to nearly as great a degree as the sulphur content. The present investigations have not been carried sufficiently far for an adequate understanding of all the other factors, so that they do not enter into consideration in the preparation of the present list. The list is presented with the expectation that it will be of assist- ance to gas manufacturers in the selection of those coals which, because of their low-sulphur content, have at least that much in their favor as gas coal, or as a substitute for coke in water-gas manufacture. 10 MINES PRODUCING LOW-SULPHUE COAL Table 3. — List of mines in Illinois, Indiana, and western Kentucky, Operator and main office Mine Address of mine County Illinois Bell & Zoller Mining Co 343 S. Dearborn St., Chicago. Big Muddy Coal & Iron Co Wainwright Bldg., St. Louis. •By-Products Coke Corporation . . 332 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago. Chicago, Wilmington & Franklin Coal Co Zeigler No. 1 No. 7 No. 9 No. 19 Orient "A" Majestic North No. 1 No. 2 No. 3 No. 9 No. 8 No. 10 No. 11 No. 12 No. 14 Paradise Pond Creek No. 2 Sesser No. 5 (Pos- sum Ridge) West No. 1 Calora No. 1 Clinton No. 4 Black Creek GilmourNo. 7 No. 10 Vandalia No. 28 Ayrdale No. 7 Zeigler Herrin Murphysboro West Frankfort Orient Duquoin Herrin Royalton Murphysboro Carterville Dewmaine West Frankfort Christopher Christopher Christopher Buckner Duquoin Herrin Herrin Sesser Herrin West Frankfort Jasonville Clinton Linton Jasonville Dugger Cass Dugger Clay Franklin Williamson Jackson Franklin Franklin McCormick Bldg., Chicago. Equitable Coal & Coke Co Duquoin, 111. Franklin Coal & Coke Co 332 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago. Gus Blair Big Muddy Coal Co. . 1003Boatmens Bank Bldg., St. Louis. Hafer Washed Coal Co ... . Williamson Perry Franklin Jackson Williamson 332 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago. Madison Coal Corporation 1114 Karpen Bldg., Chicago. Old Ben Coal Corporation McCormick Bldg., Chicago. Paradise Coal Co Williamson Franklin Franklin Franklin Franklin Franklin Perry Duquoin, 111. Pond Creek Coal Co Williamson Herrin, 111. W. P. Rend Coal & Coke Co McCormick Bldg., Chicago. Sesser Coal Co Williamson Franklin Old Colony Bldg., Chicago. Taylor Coal Co Franklin Old Colony Bldg., Chicago. West Frankfort Coal Co West Frankfort, 111. Indiana Calora Coal Co Franklin Terre Haute, Ind. Clinton Coal Co Clinton, Ind. United Fourth Vein Coal Co. . . . Indianapolis, Ind. Vandalia Coal Co Greene Terre Haute, Ind. Kentucky West Kentucky Coal Co Sturgis, Ky. Sullivan Sullivan Sullivan Webster 1 From statistics in the Thirty-sixth Annual Coal Report of Illinois (1917), Department of Mines and Minerals. MINES PRODUCING LOW-SULPHTJB COAL 11 probably capable of producing coal with less than 1.25 per cent sulphur Production 1917 * Supplied to railroads 1 Number of samples averaged Railroads Face samples Car samples Short tons Per cent C. B. &Q.; I. C; Mo. P. 1,065,359 1 13 11 C. B. &Q.; I. C; Mo. P. I. C; Mo. P. 481,278 246,465 15 8 5 2 I. C; C. &E. I. 269,641 8 C. B. &Q.; I. C; C. & E. I. C. B. &Q.; I. C; Mo. P. 1,008,474 522,373 6 17 2 3 2 i.e. 599,540 35 6 C. B. &Q.; I. C; Mo. P. 555,505 9 1 Mo. P. 65,423 3 I. C. ; Mo. P. 223,721 3 i.e. 564,954 97 2 C. B. &Q.; I. C; C. &E. I. C. B. & Q. C. B. & Q. C. B. & Q. ; I. C. C. B. & Q. ; I. C. 1,093,317 656,261 869,504 641,427 891,882 12 24 17 10 7 3 S 4 8 5 I. C. 483,483 15 6 C. B. & Q. ; I. C. 226,882 5 4 C. B. &Q. ; I. C. 702,304 9 v C. B. & Q. 509,324 29 2 C. B. &Q. ; I. C. 267,177 4 C. B. &Q.; I. C; C. & E. I. 624,714 9 6 1 C. T. H. &. S. E. 170,000 1 C. &E. I. • 4 C. T. H. &. S. E. 2 1 C. T. H. &S. E.; C. I. & L. Vandal ia 4 9 C. T. H. & S. E.; C. I. & L. C. T. H. &S. E.; C. I. & L. 3 4 L. &N. ;I. C. 414,790 6 (1914) 4 (1918) 12 u. s, Geolog-ical Survey Bulletin Page $ PRODUCING LOW- oo i3 a .e ...... to ••• ■ 1T( ...•—... . 8 !::•§::, i : _; ' ' ' a ' ' ' ' PQ SULPHUR OOAI s a s d PQ 'Si V d o d ci 0) (h pq w P CO d n 1 ic en • ss ? : CO 30 PQ d CQ ~" ■* -r IH Ol vXXOJJ : !°^ 3353 4) > d OQ 13 o 'Si o o §2 PW : ox : .13 • ;«d ^ w 0) z ci P & c C c C a, c c i 9 C N 1 PC c '- p . 1 I c > ■c 1 & PC 1 ' 1 p c K C p c C a Js c C t X. c s- PL 6 O ri o a d 1 B MB d o bl d s d ho u »2 c : C .- c c p c 1 c c C ^ c C 1 c 1 c c C I p — s c C ? C i * c - _ r C C r c c I - c s- C c c a d .2 S 8 5 a - ■r \. '/ c 4* c C <*> r C c : C c I 1 i- i MINES PRODUCING LOW-SULPHUR COAL 13 : I : ; • • • «2 ■ j- • '■ en • • • •2S 22 KN • .r) i rN /S M : : C OS No. 1 Black Creek.. Gilmour No. 7 No. 10 Vandalia No. 28 Ayrdale NTn. 7 5 c c K c c a i- c r C 6 O rt o O a i ^ -" c ■a « 1 1 D B h c zc H C c > 1 1 0£ ^ > O ftfi *H tj 'S £ g 1-1 "C T) 05 3 fij , to > ■ ~ c o o o oj a) * a b >• >■ — TO f-t J* to E _ » o >>o . £ f-i o o 1 - •* H ■-' >> " O O O) +J _» W N N •£ a >> >> >> 14 MIXES PRODUCING LOW-SULPHUR COAL The preceding tabulation shows the source of analytical data used in preparing the list of mines producing low-sulphur coal. In addition to the coals above listed, there are a few others which are reported to be used by some gas companies of this region. No analyses of these coals are now available, but the indication, from results obtained with them, is that they come within the sulphur limits prescribed in Table 3. Some of these coals have been used mixed with other coals, and therefore the results to be attributed to the indi- vidual coals are uncertain. Two coals, namely fourth vein coal from Clinton, Indiana, sold by the J. K. Dering Coal Company, McCormick Building, Chicago, and the Wheatcroft coal, mined by the Western Kentucky Coal Company of Sturgis, Kentucky, have been used alone and apparently with success. The former coal is used successfully by at least two gas companies as water-gas generator fuel, while the latter has been used by at least two Illinois gas companies for coal- gas manufacture. PUBLICATIONS OF ILLINOIS MINING INVESTIGATIONS. ILLINOIS STATE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY DIVISION URDANA. ILLINOIS Bulletin 1. Preliminary report on organization and method of investigations, 191S. Bulletin S. Chemical study of Illinois coals, by S. W. Parr, 1916. Bulletin 10. Coal resources of District I (Longwall), by G. H. Cady, 1915. Bulletin 11. Coal resources of District VIT, by Fred H. Kay, 1915. Bulletin 14. Coal resources of District VIII (Danville), by Fred H. Kay and K. D. White, 1915. Bulletin 15. Coal resources of District VI, by G. LI. Cady, 1916. Bulletin 16. Coal resources of District II (Jackson Co.), by G. H. Cady, 1917. Bulletin 17. Surface subsidence in Illinois resulting from coal mining, by Lewis E. Young, 1916. Bulletin 18. Tests on clay materials available in Illinois coal mines, by R. T. Stull and R. K. Hursh, 1917. Bulletin SO. Carbonization of Illinois coals in inclined gas retorts, by F. K. Ovite, 1918. Bulletin 21. The manufacture of retort coal-gas in the central states, using low- sulphur coal from Illinois, Indiana, and western Kentucky, by W. A. Dunkley, and W. W. Odell, 1918. Bulletin SB. Water-gas manufacture with central district bituminous coals aa generator fuel, by W. W. Odell and W. A. Dunkley, 1918. Bulletin 25. Mines producing low-sulphur coal in the central district, by O. H. Cady, 1919. Bulletin o Bulletin 4 Bulletin 5, Bulletin 6 Bulletin 7, Bulletin 8. Bulletin 9, Bulletin 12 Bulletin 1% Bulletin 91. Bulletin 100, ENGINEERING EXPERIMENT STATION URBAN A. ILLINOIS Coal mining practice in District VIII (Danville), by S. O. Andros, 1913. Coal mining practice in District VII, by S. O. Andros, 1914. Coal mining practice in District I (Longwall), by S. O. Andros, 1914. Coal mining practice in District V, by S. O. Andros, 1914. Coal mining practice in District IT, by S. O. Andros, 1914. Coal mining practice in District VI, by S. O. Andros, 1914. Coal mining practice in District III, by S. O. Andros, 1915. Coal mining practice in District IV, by S. O. Andros, 1915. Coal mining in Illinois, by S. O. Andros, 1915. all the district reports. ) Subsidence resulting from mining, by L. E. (Complete resume of Young and H. H. Stoek, 1916. Percentage of extraction of bituminous coal with special reference to Illinois conditions, by C. M. Young. 1917. U. S. BUREAU OF MINES WASHINGTON. D, C. Bulletin 72. Occurrence of explosive gases in coal mines, by N. H. Darton, 1915. Bulletin 83. The humidity of mine air, by R. Y. Williams, 1914. Bulletin 99. Mine ventilation stoppings, by R. Y. Williams, 1915. Bulletin 102. The inflammability of Illinos coal dusts, by J. K. Clement and li. A. Scholl, Jr., lit 16. Bulletin 137. Use of permissible explosives in the coal mines of Illinois, by J. R. Fleming and J. W. Koster, 1917. Bulletin 138. Coking of Illinois coals, by F. K. Ovitz, 1917. Technical Paper 190. Methane accumulations from interrupted ventilation, with special reference to coal mines in Illinois and Indiana, by H. I. Smith and Robert J. Hamon, 1918. 1 Bulletins listed in italics apply directly to the problem of use of central dis- trict bituminous coals in place of eastern coal and cola 1 .