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Great Falls Coal Field

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Great Falls Coal Field DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEORGE OTIS SMITH, DIRBCTOK 356 GEOLOGY .OF THE GREAT FALLS COAL FIELD MONTANA BY CASSIUS A. FISHER WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1909 CONTENTS. Page. Introduction.............................................................. 7 Literature................................................................ 7 Topography.............................................................. 14 Relief......................:........................................ 14 Drainage.............................................................. 16 Missouri River.................................................... 16 Sun River...............................................'......... 17 Smith River. ..............................:.............. ........ 17 Belt Creek....................................................... 18 Other small streams............................................... 19 Culture.................................................................. 20 Descriptive geology........................................................ 21 Stratigraphy.......................................... v .............. 21 General outline................................................... 21 Sedimentary rocks................................................. 24 Carboniferous system.....'..................................... 24 Madison limestone......................................... 24 General statement.................................... 24 Castle limestone....................................... 24 Quadrant formation........................................ 25 Character and extent.................................. 25 Age................................................. 27 Jurassic system................................................. 27 Ellis formation............................................ 27 Character and extent.................................. 27 Fossils........................................;....... 28 Morrison shale (?)......................................'.... 28 Character and extent.................................. 28 Fossils................................................ 30 Cretaceous system............................................. 30 Kootenai formation......................................... 30 General statement...................................... 30 Character and extent................................... 31 Fossils...................'............................. 33 Colorado shale............................................. 36 General statement...................................... 36 Character and extent.................................. 36 Fossils................................................ 38 Tertiary and quaternary systems............................... 39 Terrace gravel............................................. 39 General statement...................................... 39 Character............................................. 39 Mode of occurrence..................................... 39 Origin of terraces....................................... 40 Age................................................... 40 3 4 CONTENTS. Descriptive geology Continued. Stratigraphy Continued. Sedimentary rocks Continued. Tertiary and quaternary system Continued. Page. Glacial deposits............................................. 41 General statement...................................... 41 Drift.................................................. 41 Lake sediments........................................ 42 Alluvium.................................................. 43 General statement...................................... 43 Character and extent.................................. -43 Dune sand................................................. 43 Character and extent.................................. 43 Source................................................. 44 Igneous rocks..................................................... 44 Metamorphic rocks................................................ 46 Structure.................:.......................................... 47 Plains province. ................................................. 47 General conditions............................................ 47 Domes....................................................... 48 Faults........................................................ 49 Little Belt Mountains............................................ 49 Highwood Mountains....'......................................... 50 Economic geology........................................................ 50 General statement...................../.............................. 50 Coal................................................................. 50 Geological occurrence............................................. 50 Sand Coulee area ................................................. 51 Location and extent........................................... 51 Character and thickness of coal bed............................. 52 * Development................................................ 53 Belt Creek mines.............................................. 54 General statement. ....................................... 54 Mines operated............................................ 54 Anaconda Copper Mining Company mine............... 54 Schmauch mine...................................... Millard mine.......................................... Richardson mine........................................ Orr mine............................................. Abandoned mines........................................ Hill mine............................................. Buzzo or Hill mine............................y...... Boston and Montana mine............................. Herman & Powell mine................................ Watson mine. .......................................... Brady mine.... ........................................ American Smelting and Refining Company's mine. ..... Prospects ................................................. Entry prospects...................................... Diamond-drill prospects............................... Sand Coulee mines............................................ General statement........................................ Mines operated............................................ Cotton wood Coal Company mine...................... CONTENTS. 5 Economic geology Continued. Coal Continued. Sand Coulee area Continued. Sand Coulee,mines Continued. Mines operated Continued. Page- Nelson mines......................................... 63 Gerber mine.......................................... 64 Mount Oregon Coal Company mine..................... 64 Dahn mine........................................... 65 Brown mine........................................... 65 Stainsby mine........................................ 65 Abandoned mines........................................ 66 Smith River mines........................................... 66 General statement........................................ 66 Mines operated............................................ 66 Carville mine......................................... 66 Gibson mine......................................... 67 Patterson and Rice mines............................. 67 Bickett mine........................................ 67 Love mine........................................... 67 Prospects................................................ 68 Otter Creek area ................................................. 68 Location and extent........................................... 68 Character and thickness of coal bed............................. 69" Development................................................ 69 General statement........................................ 69 Mines operated............................................ 70 Nollar mine........................................... 70 Chamber Brothers' mine .............................. 70 Nullinger mine....................................... 70 Abandoned mines........................................ 71 Sage Creek area................................................... 71 Location and extent.......................................... 71 Character and thickness of coal bed............................. 72 Development................................................ 73 General statement........................................ 73 Mines operated............................................ 73 Schultz mine......................................... 73 Seman mine......................................... 74 Hughes mine........................................ 74 Abandoned mines........................................ 75 Corwin & McGregor mine.............................. 75 Fisher mine.......................................... 75 West Fork of Willow Creek mine...................... 75 Sage Creek Sheep Company mine..................... 75 Prospects. ............................................... 76 Entry prospects. ..................................... 76 Diamond-drill prospects............................... 77 Character of coal................................................. 77 General statement............................................ 77 Physical properties............................................ 77 Chemical properties.......................................... 79 Future development............................................'.. 81 Timber............................................................... 82 Index.................................................................... 83 ILLUSTRATIONS. Page. PLATE I. Geologic map of
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