What is Coal?

Coal

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1 Definition

1.1 Definition

Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers called coal beds

1.2 History

1.2.1 Origin

USA

1.2.2 Discoverer

John Peter Salley

1.3 Etymology

From the Old English term col, which has meant mineral of fossilized carbon since the 13th century

1.4 Class

Sedimentary Rocks

1.4.1 Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

1.5 Family

1.5.1 Group

Not Applicable

1.6 Other Categories

Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock

2 Texture

2.1 Texture

Amorphous, Glassy

2.2 Color

Black, Brown, Dark Brown, Grey, Light to Dark Grey

2.3 Maintenance

Less

2.4 Durability

Durable

2.4.1 Water Resistant

✔ ✘

59% Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !

2.4.2 Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

62% Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !

2.4.3 Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

43% Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !

2.4.4 Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

38% Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !

2.4.5 Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

22% Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !

2.5 Appearance

Veined or Pebbled

3 Uses

3.1 Architecture

3.1.1 Interior Uses

Not Yet Used

3.1.2 Exterior Uses

Not Yet Used

3.1.3 Other Architectural Uses

Not Yet Used

3.2 Industry

3.2.1 Construction Industry

Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Steel Production

3.2.2 Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

3.3 Antiquity Uses

Artifacts

3.4 Other Uses

3.4.1 Commercial Uses

Alumina Refineries, Electricity Generation, Liquid Fuel, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Paper Industry

4 Types

4.1 Types

Peat, Lignite, Sub-Bituminous Coal, Bituminous Coal, Anthracite, Graphite

4.2 Features

Helps in production of Heat and Electricity, Used as fossil fuel

4.3 Archaeological Significance

4.3.1 Monuments

Not Yet Used

4.3.2 Famous Monuments

Not Applicable

4.3.3 Sculpture

Not Yet Used

4.3.4 Famous Sculptures

Not Applicable

4.3.5 Pictographs

Not Used

4.3.6 Petroglyphs

Not Used

4.3.7 Figurines

Not Yet Used

4.4 Fossils

Present

5 Formation

5.1 Formation

Coal forms from the accumulation of plant debris in a swamp environment which is buried by sediments such as mud or sand and then compacted to form coal.

5.2 Composition

5.2.1 Mineral Content

Analcime, Apatite, Barite, Calcite, Chalcopyrite, Chlorite, Chromite, Clausthalite, Clay Minerals, Crandallite Group, Dolomite, Feldspar, Galena, Gypsum, Marcasite, Muscovite or Illite, Pyrite, Quartz, Siderite, Sphalerite, Zircon

5.2.2 Compound Content

Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Sulphur

5.3 Transformation

5.3.1 Metamorphism

✔ ✘

19% Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !

5.3.2 Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

5.3.3 Weathering

✔ ✘

78% Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !

5.3.4 Types of Weathering

Not Applicable

5.3.5 Erosion

✔ ✘

86% Sedimentary Rocks Rocks have it !

5.3.6 Types of Erosion

Not Applicable

6 Properties

6.1 Physical Properties

6.1.1 Hardness

1-1.5

6.1.2 Grain Size

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

6.1.3 Fracture

Conchoidal

6.1.4 Streak

Black

6.1.5 Porosity

Less Porous

6.1.6 Luster

Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic

6.1.7 Compressive Strength

What Is Flint

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▶

▼

Not Available

Rank: N/A (Overall)▶

▲

What Is Obsidian

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▶

175 (What Is Grani..)

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6.1.8 Cleavage

Non-Existent

6.1.9 Toughness

Not Available

6.1.10 Specific Gravity

1.1-1.4

6.1.11 Transparency

Opaque

6.1.12 Density

1100-1400 g/cm³

6.2 Thermal Properties

6.2.1 Specific Heat Capacity

What Is Banded ..

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▶

▼

1.32 kJ/Kg K

Rank: 4 (Overall)▶

▲

What Is Granulite

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▶

1.09 (What Is Trave..)

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6.2.2 Resistance

Heat Resistant

7 Reserves

7.1 Deposits in Eastern Continents

7.1.1 Asia

Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Turkey, Vietnam

7.1.2 Africa

Botswana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania

7.1.3 Europe

Belgium, Bulgaria, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, The Czech Republic, Ukraine, United Kingdom

7.1.4 Others

Not Yet Found

7.2 Deposits in Western Continents

7.2.1 North America

Canada, Mexico, USA

7.2.2 South America

Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela

7.3 Deposits in Oceania Continent

7.3.1 Australia

New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria

Fossil Rocks » More

Sandstone

Dolomite

Conglomerate

Chalk

Mudstone

Shale

More Fossil Rocks

Learn more about Properties of Coal

What is Coal? In this section, we will learn more about properties of Coal i.e. physical and thermal properties. Physical properties of Coal include Color, Streak, Hardness, Structure, Cleavage, Fracture, Luster, Specific Gravity etc. The strength of Coal is Not Available. Streak of Coal is black while its cleavage is non-existent. Luster of Coal is dull to vitreous to submetallic and its fracture is conchoidal. Coal is opaque in nature. Know all about Coal, What is Coal, its composition, features, facts and reserves in next sections.

Know about Composition of Coal

What is Coal composed of? Get to know about composition of Coal here. Coal definition gives information about the Formation of Coal and its composition.The composition of Coal can be further divided into mineral and compound content. The mineral content of Coal rock includes Analcime, Apatite, Barite, Calcite, Chalcopyrite, Chlorite, Chromite, Clausthalite, Clay Minerals, Crandallite Group, Dolomite, Feldspar, Galena, Gypsum, Marcasite, Muscovite or Illite, Pyrite, Quartz, Siderite, Sphalerite, Zircon and The compound content of Coal rock includes Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Sulphur. Almost all rocks undergo transformation process. Know all about Coal rock in next section.