14 The Peace River District

nearly opposite the mouth of Johnson creek. A sample from this seam gave
the following analysis: moisture, 0-9; ash, 3-3; volatile matter, 18-5; fixed
carbon, 77-3 per cent.

Coal measures also outcrop to the south of Pine river and on the headwaters
of Smoky river. Coal occurs on Smoky river and on its tributaries Sulphur
river, Muskeg river, and Sheep creek, and a number of good workable seams
have been exposed in prospecting. Seams on the Smoky have been carefully
examined and analyses of samples show them to consist of a good quality of
bituminous coal, with at least one seam that may be classed as anthracite, com-
parable with the best coal mined at Bankhead.

Following are analyses of some of the best samples:

Moisture Volatile Fixed Ash BaleUs
matter carbon

2-3 12-5 78-2 8-0 13,862

0-3 19-8 73-0 6-9 15,070

0-9 13-4 81-7 4-0 14,706

2-9 14-8 80-1 2-2 13,800

0-9 14-7 82-5 1-9 14 987

The areal extent of the fields and the high quality of the coal indicate that
in this part of the Peace River district there is one of the most important coal
fields of western Canada. Coal of poorer quality has been found lower down the
Peace at the town of Peace River and in Red Willow river.

Springs of natural gas and tar rising to the surface at several points in the
valley of Peace river suggest that reservoirs of both these substances exist at
depth in the rocks below. Drilling has been undertaken at a number of points
in search of oil. Several wells have been drilled in the vicinity of the town of
Peace River and a little oil was struck. Natural gas has been found in a number
of wells, and a very heavy flow was struck at Pouce Coupé, but no producing
oil field has yet been opened.

Beds of gypsum, ten to fifty feet in thickness, are exposed on both banks of
Peace river near Peace point for a distance of 15 miles, and it has been estimated
that there are over 217,000,000 tons of this material adjacent to the river, much
of it very favourably situated for mining. Salt is associated with the gypsum
in the country north of Peace point, and some hopes have been entertained for
the finding of potash in association with the salt and gypsum, as it is in certain
parts of the world.

While all the mineral deposits of the Peace River district are still in an
undeveloped state, it has been fairly satisfactorily proved that there is a large
amount of coal, gas, and gypsum, and the settlers of that district can be assured
of an adequate supply of coal and gas for fuel and power, and of gypsum for
building purposes, as soon as there is sufficient demand to warrant the develop-
ment of these deposits.