IMMENSE COAL SEAM

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume L, Issue 7890, 5 January 1922, Page 4

IMMENSE COAL SEAM

THICKEST IN THE WORLD. Probably the thickest seam of black coal discovered in any part of the world is now being exploited, at Blair Athol in Queensland. Its maximum thickness as tar as can be ascertained, is 9311. The whole ■seam from lop to bottom, is quite free from any clay bands. Professor • Sir Edgewprih David, who has just paid ai visit to Blair Athol, says that under the present method of working* it was only possible to exploit, a third of the .■oal ifi the field an amount estimated by him at about 86,000,000 tons It was estimated that under the pre sent method of working 173.000,000 tons of coal would be wasted.

As regards the possibilities of establishing large markets for the coal from this field, the chief difficulty was the distance, from the nearest seaport Port Alma, near Rockhampton, some 278 miles by rail from Blair Athol. The Blair Athol coal was hard, and especially suited for export by sea, and was very suitable for raising steam on both laud and sea. Professor David was immensely impressed with the great potentialities of this field.