Author Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1886 Excerpt:...Creek, Clifton, Allora, and Farm Creek. Mr. Gregory remarks (p. 7) that " the general character of the coals found between Woolloon and Warwick is that of Cannel Coal. It does not cake in coking; gives a large percentage of gas, or oil and paraffin, according to its treatment at a high or low temperature. Tts hardness renders it very suitable for export. It burns very freely, and leaves a soft white ash. " From the small proportion of fixed carbon, and its not caking, it does not produce good coke, but a charred coal, which, however, burns well; consequently it is not well adapted for blast furnaces, On the Coal deposits of the West Moreton and Darling Downs Districts. Brisbane: By Authority, 1876. though well suited for reverberatory furnaces. As a steam coal it is best suited for stationary or marine engines, the strong blast of locomotives being apt to blow it through the tubes. It is a very highclass household coal. " In the Ipswich division the coals are bituminous, coking well; the proportion of gas being small, and the fixed carbon large, they are suited for forges and blast furnaces; are good steam coal when not broken too small; but are so friable as not to bear carriage well, and suffer from exposure to wet; so that the harder varieties, though containing most ash, are found in practice to be most economical, in consequence of the smaller proportion of waste. " In both districts the coal is associated with ironstone bands and beds of boulders, consisting of concretions of oxide of iron, which have replaced fragments of fossil wood. The high percentage of ash in the coal, and scarcity of good limestone, would, however, be serious obstacles to the profitable working of the iron at the present low prices at which it is imported. &...