ail a

190

woody, containing large, well-preserved sections of logs. Ashy grey over-
clay shows in one place, but basal beds were not seen. In general the coal
is overlain by a thick mass of outwash gravel.

“Upstream, where the gravel cover has been removed by the river, the
coal is burning over an area 150 yards along the stream and for 50 yards in
width. Smoke and fumes are issuing freely from the surface, and trees and
shrubs show all stages of death and destruction. Nodules of clay have been
vitrified, and slumped overburden indicates subsurface collapse.

“Coal is said to extend upstream as far as the ‘falls’, but what distance
that is can only be estimated. Hills could be seen [on] approaching the
river, some 2 miles upstream from the coal outcrops.

“Downstream about 13 to 2 miles from the road, white clay outcrops
in the west bank of the river at two localities. It extends upward from the
river to a height of about 15 feet and is overlain by heavy gravel deposits.
The exposures are about 200 yards apart and are each about 100 yards
long. Evidently a considerable area is underlain by clay.

“The relationship of the coal and clay deposits has not been deter-
mined, but they clearly belong to the same Tertiary basin. This is evidently
several square miles in area, occupying Coal River Valley from its mouth
for 8 or 10 miles upstream. Its width may be estimated as from 2 to 4 miles.

“The age of the coal and clay deposits is certainly Tertiary, but to
which division they belong is not known.

““McConnell reported sandstone, clay, and lignite in the lower valley
of a stream entering Liard River from the south about 7 miles below Hyland
River. This locality was not visited by the writer. It is probable that
several basins of Tertiary age may occur in this vicinity.”

A test of a sample of Coal River lignite gave the following results:

— As received Dry
Per cent Per cent
15-4
6-2 7-4
45-6 53-9
32-6 38-7
Sulphur errs ceva epegetctcr ee eee ear eee ater ee ee 0-3 0-3
Bstiulper bi gross! cnet ciser caer ears 8,970 10,600
Non-agglomerate
Softening temperature of ash, 2,490°F.
Fuel ratio—0-72

OIL AND GAS
PEACE AND PINE RIVER VALLEYS

Williams (1934) has noted that the late Paleozoic limestones, including
those of the Carboniferous, and the Triassic and Jurassic sandstones, lime-
stones, and shales are the most likely to contain oil. He does not consider
the non-marine Cretaceous promising, and has little hope of production
from the Fort St. John. The older formations are the more promising, but