Elkville Quadrangle

Mining in the Elkville Quadrangle

Two structural features impact the mining of the Herrin Coal in the Elkville Quadrangle: the Dowell Fault Zone and the Vergennes Anticline. The Dowell Fault Zone is most readily seen in the Kathleen Mine (mine index 183), where the eastern portion of the mine is entirely separated from the western portion. This series of high-angle normal faults is on the east-dipping limb of the Du Quoin Monocline, and the western side is downthrown. The maximum displacement is reported to be 40 feet. The Vergennes Anticline extends in the Elkville Quadrangle from the west (Vergennes Quadrangle), and strikes west-northwest, parallel to the Cottage Grove Fault System. The Vergennes Anticline location is south and southwest of the Kathleen Mine.

Most of the mines produced from the Herrin Coal. In many mines, the roof was a gray sandy shale that came down easily. Some of the mines had areas of black shale roof. The coal was thick, up to 10 feet, and generally averaging over 6 feet thick. Pyrite was a common impurity.

The Springfield Coal was mined just north of Elkville, in surface pits. None of these mines were extensive.