Mine Index 0154 Franco Mining Corporation, Franco No. 1 Mine

Mine Index Number: 0154

Accessible description: Mine Name and Data Summary

Company Name:	Franco Mining Corporation
Mine Name:	Franco No. 1 Mine
Start Date:	1915	End Date:	June 1938
Type of Mine:	Underground
Total acres shown:	930
Acres after map date:	2	General Area of mining acres shown:

Shaft, Slope, Drift or Tipple Location(s)

Type	County	Township-Range	Section	Part Section

Shaft Type	County	Township-Range	Section	Part Section
Main shaft	Williamson	8S 2E	11	NW NW SE

Shaft Type	County	Township-Range	Section	Part Section
Air shaft	Williamson	8S 2E	11	NW NW SE

Geology

		Thickness (ft)
Seam	Depth (ft)	Min	Max	Ave	Mining Method

Seam	Depth (ft)	Thickness Min	Thickness max	Thickness Ave.	Mining Method
Herrin	234-236	8.0	13.0	8.0-9.83	RPP, HER

Geological Problems Reported

A fault was shown on the mine map in the northeast portion of the mine that halted further mine expansion in that direction. A less-disruptive fault was also shown in the southwestern corner of the mine. An area in the northwestern corner of the mine squeezed. A 1927 gas explosion killed 7 men. In the southwestern part of the mine, a roof fall has produced an area of 4-foot subsidence on the surface. The roof was a medium hard, light gray shale, irregularly bedded, and very difficult to keep up. At times, no coal was left to support the roof, and roof falls were common, making the roof shale an important impurity in the product. At other times (1917 Coal Report, p. 275), 2 feet of top coal was left to support the roof, but this was recovered on retreat, along with pillar extraction. Pillar extraction was common in 1917 and 1918, but its extent throughout the mine is unknown. A few minor rolls and many slips were present, but there was no displacement of the coal, so these had a minor effect on mining. The coal had a clay parting and clay and stony pyrite laminae. Some pyrite was impregnated in the coal, and a vertical network of veinlets and rare or sporadic small stony lenses (0.25 by 2 inches). Sometimes bottom coal was left in the rooms.

Production

Company	Mine Name	Date	Production (tons)

Company	Mine Name	Date	Production (tons)
Cambria Coal Company (add)	Cambria (add)	1915-1916	32,120

Company	Mine Name	Date	Production (tons)
Ernest Coal Company (add)	Franco No. 1 (add)	1916-1922	1,731,379

Company	Mine Name	Date	Production (tons)
Cosgrove-Meehan Coal Company (add)	Franco No. 1 (add)	1922-1933	5,129,770

Company	Mine Name	Date	Production (tons)
Franco Mining Corporation (add)	Franco No. 1 (add)	1934-1938	1,248,022

Company	Mine Name	Date	Production (tons)
Franco Mining Corporation (add)	Franco No. 1 (add)	1938-1938	14,145

Company	Mine Name	Date	Production (tons)
Total Production: 8,155,436

Production Notes

Coal Report production (if available)

Sources of Data

Source Map	Map Date	Original Scale	Digitized Scale	Map Type

Source Map	Map Date	Original Scale	Digitized Scale	Map Type
Company, 4103.W52 i5.1-84	5-15-1938	1:2400	1:2400	Not final

Annotated Bibliography (Data source - brief description of information)

Bibliography
Coal Reports - Production, ownership, years of operation, mining method.

Bibliography
Directory of Illinois Coal Mines (Williamson County) - Mine names, mine index, ownership, years of operation.

Bibliography
Mine notes (Williamson County) - Mine type, shaft location, seam, depth, thickness, geologic problems.

Bibliography
Company map, ISGS map library, 4103.W52 i5.1-84 - Shaft locations, mine outline, mining method, geologic problems.