Resource Assessment of the Springfield, Herrin, Danville and Baker Coals in the Illinois Basin

By

HATCH, JOSEPH R., RONALD H. AFFOLTER, and GREGORY L. GUNTHER

U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, CO

     This assessment provides overviews of the geologic setting, distribution, quantity, and quality of the major producing coals in the Illinois Basin.  These coals are the Springfield, Herrin, Danville, and Baker Coals of Pennsylvanian age.  The main products of this assessment are: 1) updated coal resource estimates for the major coals categorized by state, mining district, county, geologic reliability of the estimate, and coal thickness and depth, 2) regional and statewide maps that depict coal extent, thickness, elevation (structure), mined-out areas, areas where the coal may potentially be mined at the surface or underground, and geographic distributions of ash, sulfur, and major, minor, and trace-element contents, and 3) digital databases that contain all publicly available point-source data on thickness, depth, and coal quality.  This assessment was a cooperative effort between the State Geological Surveys of Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky and the U.S. Geological Survey.

Assessment results include:

Danville and Baker Coals – Remaining, identified resources in deposits >42 inches thick and at depths <150 feet are estimated at 1.4 billion short tons; for depths >150 feet, 9.2 billion short tons.  Mean ash yield is 11.9 percent (n=334), sulfur content, 2.9 percent (n=335), mercury content, 0.11 parts per million (n=39), and arsenic content, 19 parts per million (n=39).  Mean, as-received, calorific value is 10,920 Btu/lb (n=295).

Herrin Coal – Remaining, identified resources in deposits >42 inches thick and at depths <150 feet are estimated at 6.3 billion short tons; for depths >150 feet, 62.4 billion short tons.  Mean ash yield is 10.8 percent (n=2,542), sulfur content, 3.0 percent (n=2,517), mercury content, 0.12 parts per million (n=206), and arsenic content, 6 parts per million (n=216).  Mean, as-received, calorific value is 11,170 Btu/lb (n=2,390)., and

Springfield Coal – Remaining, identified resources in deposits >42 inches thick and at depths <150 feet are estimated at 5.7 billion short tons; for depths >150 feet, 60.0 billion short tons.  Mean ash yield is 11.2 percent (n=1,832), sulfur content, 3.5 percent (n=1,830), mercury content, 0.12 parts per million (n=123), and arsenic content, 12 parts per million (n=145).  Mean, as-received, calorific value is 11,280 Btu/lb (n=1,770).