Current Research--Brady and Hatch--page 2 of 16

Kansas Geological Survey, Current Research in Earth Sciences, Bulletin 240, part 4
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Introduction

Kansas coal has been an important contributor to the heat and power generation required by the developing Kansas economy. Commercial production of coal in Kansas started in the 1850's with the first shallow mines near Fort Leavenworth in Leavenworth County (Schoewe, 1958, p. 369-371). Subsequent development of coal mines in eastern Kansas has resulted in total historic bituminous coal production of slightly over 300 million tons through 1996. Most of this production was from the Weir-Pittsburg coal bed that was deep-mined in Cherokee and Crawford counties. Kansas coal production was highest in 1917 and 1918 when approximately 7.25 million tons were produced annually. Since those early days, coal production has declined to a low of 232 thousand tons in 1996 (based on production figures from the Mining Section, Kansas Department of Health and Environment). Kansas coal production reached 2.02 million tons in 1987 for a recent high, but production declines since that time are due mainly to recent Environmental Protection Agency standards for SO₂ emissions and the subsequent import of Wyoming coal into Kansas.

The U.S. Geological Survey, with cooperation from state governments and industry, has made characterization of the chemical composition of coal a significant part of the assessment of the nation's coal resources. The Kansas Geological Survey contributed to this program by collecting 36 samples of Middle and Upper Pennsylvanian coals between 1974 and 1977 from Franklin, Wilson, Bourbon, Crawford, and Cherokee counties. These samples are representative of nine Kansas coal beds that are presently mined or were mined in the recent past (table 1). Thirty-one of these samples were collected from active mines, one from a construction excavation, and four samples are from mine tipples after coal cleaning. The information from the chemical and physical tests helps to characterize the most important coal beds with significant reserves remaining in the state.

Table 1. Location and identification of coal samples.

Sample
no. County Location Bed Bed thickness
(inches) Sample type

D176058 Franklin NW sec 30, T18S, R18E U. Williamsburg 12 Grab (5 in. thick)

D176055 Wilson SW sec 21, T29S, R17E Thayer 10 Channel (upper bed)

D176056 Wilson SW sec 21, T29S, R17E Thayer 11 Channel (upper bed)

D176057 Wilson SW sec 21, T29S, R17E Thayer 5 Channel (lower bed)

D189091 Bourbon SE sec 26, T26S, R25E Mulky 14 Channel (lower bed)

D189704 Bourbon SE sec 26, T26S, R25E Mulky 14 Channel (lower bed)

D189705 Bourbon SE sec 26, T26S, R25E Mulky 14 Channel (lower bed)

D196196 Bourbon NW sec 28, T26S, R25E Mulky 14 Channel (lower bed)

D196197 Bourbon NW sec 28, T26S, R25E Mulky 13 Channel (lower bed)

D196198 Crawford SE sec 2, T31S, R22E Bevier 18 Channel (lower bed)

D196199 Crawford SE sec 2, T31S, R22E Bevier 13 Channel (lower bed)

D183114 Bourbon SW sec 25, T26S, R25E Croweburg 14 Channel (lower bed)

D183115 Crawford NE sec 16, T28S, R25E Croweburg 14 Channel (lower bed)

D176045 Crawford SW sec 5, T28S, R25E Croweburg 12 Channel (lower bed)

D176046 Crawford SW sec 5, T28S, R25E Croweburg 13 Channel (lower bed)

D176047 Crawford SW sec 5, T28S, R25E Croweburg 11 Channel (lower bed)

D183120 Crawford NE sec 16, T28S, R25E Croweburg -- Tipple

D183112 Bourbon SW sec 25, T26S, R25E Mineral 16 Channel

D183113 Bourbon SW sec 25, T26S, R25E Mineral 15 Channel

D176048 Crawford NW sec 15, T28S, R25E Mineral 17 Channel

D176049 Crawford NW sec 15, T28S, R25E Mineral 17 Channel

D183116 Crawford NE sec 16, T28S, R25E Mineral 16 Channel

D183119 Crawford NE sec 16, T28S, R25E Mineral -- Tipple

D180072 Crawford SE sec 10, T31S, R25E Dry Wood 12 Channel

D180074 Crawford SW sec 11, T31S, R25E Dry Wood 12 Channel

D183118 Crawford sec 10-11, T31S, R25E Dry Wood -- Tipple

D176050 Crawford NE sec 10, T31S, R25E Rowe 18 Channel

D176051 Crawford NE sec 10, T31S, R25E Rowe 18 Channel

D176052 Crawford NE sec 10, T31S, R25E Rowe 20 Channel

D180069 Crawford SE sec 10, T31S, R25E Rowe 18 Channel

D180071 Crawford SE sec 10, T31S, R25E Rowe 17 Channel

D180073 Crawford SE sec 11, T31S, R25E Rowe 16 Channel

D183117 Crawford sec 10-11, T31S, R25E Rowe -- Tipple

D189706 Cherokee NW sec 18, T32S, R25E Rowe 12 Channel

D176053 Cherokee NW sec 20, T32S, R25E Unnamed 14 Channel

D176054 Cherokee NW sec 20, T32S, R25E Unnamed 14 Channel

Sample no.	County	Location	Bed	Bed thickness (inches)	Sample type
D176058	Franklin	NW sec 30, T18S, R18E	U. Williamsburg	12	Grab (5 in. thick)
D176055	Wilson	SW sec 21, T29S, R17E	Thayer	10	Channel (upper bed)
D176056	Wilson	SW sec 21, T29S, R17E	Thayer	11	Channel (upper bed)
D176057	Wilson	SW sec 21, T29S, R17E	Thayer	5	Channel (lower bed)
D189091	Bourbon	SE sec 26, T26S, R25E	Mulky	14	Channel (lower bed)
D189704	Bourbon	SE sec 26, T26S, R25E	Mulky	14	Channel (lower bed)
D189705	Bourbon	SE sec 26, T26S, R25E	Mulky	14	Channel (lower bed)
D196196	Bourbon	NW sec 28, T26S, R25E	Mulky	14	Channel (lower bed)
D196197	Bourbon	NW sec 28, T26S, R25E	Mulky	13	Channel (lower bed)
D196198	Crawford	SE sec 2, T31S, R22E	Bevier	18	Channel (lower bed)
D196199	Crawford	SE sec 2, T31S, R22E	Bevier	13	Channel (lower bed)
D183114	Bourbon	SW sec 25, T26S, R25E	Croweburg	14	Channel (lower bed)
D183115	Crawford	NE sec 16, T28S, R25E	Croweburg	14	Channel (lower bed)
D176045	Crawford	SW sec 5, T28S, R25E	Croweburg	12	Channel (lower bed)
D176046	Crawford	SW sec 5, T28S, R25E	Croweburg	13	Channel (lower bed)
D176047	Crawford	SW sec 5, T28S, R25E	Croweburg	11	Channel (lower bed)
D183120	Crawford	NE sec 16, T28S, R25E	Croweburg	--	Tipple
D183112	Bourbon	SW sec 25, T26S, R25E	Mineral	16	Channel
D183113	Bourbon	SW sec 25, T26S, R25E	Mineral	15	Channel
D176048	Crawford	NW sec 15, T28S, R25E	Mineral	17	Channel
D176049	Crawford	NW sec 15, T28S, R25E	Mineral	17	Channel
D183116	Crawford	NE sec 16, T28S, R25E	Mineral	16	Channel
D183119	Crawford	NE sec 16, T28S, R25E	Mineral	--	Tipple
D180072	Crawford	SE sec 10, T31S, R25E	Dry Wood	12	Channel
D180074	Crawford	SW sec 11, T31S, R25E	Dry Wood	12	Channel
D183118	Crawford	sec 10-11, T31S, R25E	Dry Wood	--	Tipple
D176050	Crawford	NE sec 10, T31S, R25E	Rowe	18	Channel
D176051	Crawford	NE sec 10, T31S, R25E	Rowe	18	Channel
D176052	Crawford	NE sec 10, T31S, R25E	Rowe	20	Channel
D180069	Crawford	SE sec 10, T31S, R25E	Rowe	18	Channel
D180071	Crawford	SE sec 10, T31S, R25E	Rowe	17	Channel
D180073	Crawford	SE sec 11, T31S, R25E	Rowe	16	Channel
D183117	Crawford	sec 10-11, T31S, R25E	Rowe	--	Tipple
D189706	Cherokee	NW sec 18, T32S, R25E	Rowe	12	Channel
D176053	Cherokee	NW sec 20, T32S, R25E	Unnamed	14	Channel
D176054	Cherokee	NW sec 20, T32S, R25E	Unnamed	14	Channel

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