National Coal Resource Data System (NCRDS)
Database Manager
Gretchen Hoffman
A computerized coal-database system has been established at the NMBGMR. Several files contain information on a point-source basis for coal depth and thickness, chemical analyses of locatable coals, and a limited number of petrographic analyses. The coal depth and thickness files include both surface-minable and deep-coal information and are used for resource estimates of the different coal fields and coal-bearing formations in New Mexico. From these resource data, total-coal and total-depth figures for each location have been plotted on 1:100,000 scale maps along with the contacts of coal-bearing units for the San Juan Basin. These maps, with information about each plotted data point and references for the geologic-map compilation, have been open-filed as NMBGMR (OF-353, 369). The maps will be updated as additional information is added to the database.
The NMBGMR maintains other computerized coal-data files on past mining and coal production. Coal has been mined in New Mexico since the 1880s and there were many producing underground coal mines from the 1880s until the 1950s, mainly in the San Juan and Raton basins. Information compiled on these mines from the Abandoned Mine Lands program, State Mine Inspector reports, and other published reports has been entered into computerized databases. DOE production figures from 1977 to the present are available. Production data prior to 1977 are available but have not been computerized. An annotated bibliography of New Mexico references on coal has recently been entered into the computer.
A coal library is being developed to store geophysical logs, chemical analyses, maps and reports from coal exploration projects in New Mexico. For more than 19 years the NMBGMR has collected coal data for various studies done by staff members and has developed an extensive collection of coal data, including more than 3500 logs. Much of this collection is from the San Juan Basin, in northwest New Mexico, but some data are available from the other coal fields, such as the Salt Lake, Sierra Blanca, Rio Puerco, Cerrillos, and Raton fields. All of the log data are available for searching in a computerized database and as the library is being developed, all data stored in the library will be entered in computer data files.
New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources
New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology
801 Leroy Place
Socorro, NM 87801-4796
information: (575) 835-5420
fax: (575) 835-6333
http://geoinfo.nmt.edu
The New Mexico Bureau of Geology & Mineral Resources is a research and service division of:
