Print this pageCoals on Federal Lands on the Colorado Plateau
KIRSCHBAUM, MARK A., LAURA N. R. ROBERTS, LAURA R. H. BIEWICK, ROBERT D. HETTINGER, and RONALD H. AFFOLTER
Coals of the Colorado Plateau are being studied as part of the U. S.
Geological Survey's National Coal Resource Assessment project. This study is
being conducted in cooperation with another USGS project that is reviewing the
distribution of coal resources on Federal Lands. These combined studies will
provide information on the distribution and quality of coals in areas that have
a high potential for being mined over the next few decades and on the
distribution of coal on lands administered by the Federal Government. The
purpose of the two projects is not only to assess the distribution and quality
of coal deposits of he area but also to make the information available to the
public in a digital format using a geographic information system.
Coals of the Colorado Plateau are all of Cretaceous age and are currently being produced from about 40 active mines. The coals are generally subbituminous to bituminous in rank, low in sulfur (424 samples average 0.7%) and low in ash content (average 12.3%). In the Colorado Plateau region, six priority areas have been identified: southern San Juan Basin (Menefee and Crevasse Canyon Formations); northern San Juan Basin (Fruitland Formation); southern Piceance basin (Mesaverde Formation); northwest Colorado (Williams Fork Formation); Wasatch Plateau and Book Cliffs area (Blackhawk Formation); and Kaiparowits Plateau (John Henry Member of the Straight Cliffs Formation). The coal resource assessment and report of the Kaiparowits Plateau is now complete and includes detailed cross sections, structure and overburden maps, and seven coal isopach maps. Results of the Kaiparowits study serve as an example of the types of reports, maps, and digital products that can expected at the completion of the National Coal Assessment.