Anthracite

Lignite

Anthracite and Lignite

Anthracite

Lignite

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Definition

Anthracite is a type of sedimentary rock which is hard and is variety of coal that has high luster

Lignite is a soft brownish coal which shows traces of plants and is intermediate between bituminous coal and peat

History

Origin

Pennsylvania, U.S.

France

Discoverer

Unknown

Etymology

From Greek anthrakites, from anthrax, anthrak meaning coal

From French, Latin lignum wood + -ite1

Class

Metamorphic Rocks

Sedimentary Rocks

Sub-Class

Durable Rock, Soft Rock

Family

Group

Other Categories

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

Texture

Amorphous, Glassy

Color

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

Maintenance

Less

Durability

Durable

Water Resistant

✔ ✘

Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

Appearance

Veined or Pebbled

Uses

Architecture

Interior Uses

Exterior Uses

Other Architectural Uses

Industry

Construction Industry

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

for Road Aggregate, Steel Production

Medical Industry

In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Manufacture of Aspirins

Antiquity Uses

Other Uses

Commercial Uses

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

Electricity Generation

Types

Semi-anthracite and Meta-anthracite

Xyloid Lignite or Fossil Wood and Compact Lignite or Perfect Lignite

Features

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

Generally rough to touch, Helps in production of Heat and Electricity, Used as fossil fuel

Archaeological Significance

Monuments

Famous Monuments

Sculpture

Famous Sculptures

Pictographs

Petroglyphs

Figurines

Fossils

Absent

Present

Formation

Anthracite forms from the accumulation of plant debris in a swamp environment. When plant debris dies and falls into the swamp, the standing water of the swamp protects it from decay.

Coal formation takes place due to accumulation of plant debris in a swamp environment. The Coal formation process continues, as peat turns into lignite brown or black coal at increasing heat and pressure.

Composition

Mineral Content

Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals

Compound Content

Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Sulphur

Transformation

Metamorphism

✔ ✘

Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Weathering

✔ ✘

Types of Weathering

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

Erosion

✔ ✘

Types of Erosion

Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

Properties

Physical Properties

Hardness

1-1.51

1 7

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Grain Size

Medium to Fine Coarse Grained

Fracture

Conchoidal

Streak

Black

Porosity

Less Porous

Highly Porous

Luster

Shiny

Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic

Compressive Strength

0.15 450

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Cleavage

Toughness

Specific Gravity

1.1-1.41.1-1.4

0 8.4

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Transparency

Opaque

Density

1.25-2.5 g/cm³800-801 g/cm³

0 1400

👆🏻

Thermal Properties

Specific Heat Capacity

1.32 kJ/Kg K1.26 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

👆🏻

Resistance

Heat Resistant, Water Resistant

Heat Resistant

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents

Asia

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

Africa

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

Europe

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

Others

Deposits in Western Continents

North America

Canada, Mexico, USA

South America

Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela

Deposits in Oceania Continent

Australia

New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria

All about Anthracite and Lignite Properties

Know all about Anthracite and Lignite properties here. All properties of rocks are important as they define the type of rock and its application. Anthracite belongs to Metamorphic Rocks while Lignite belongs to Sedimentary Rocks.Texture of Anthracite is Amorphous, Glassy whereas that of Lignite is Amorphous, Glassy. Anthracite appears Veined or Pebbled and Lignite appears Veined or Pebbled. The luster of Anthracite is shiny while that of Lignite is dull to vitreous to submetallic. Anthracite and Lignite are available in black, brown, dark brown, grey, light to dark grey colors. The commercial uses of Anthracite and Lignite are alumina refineries, electricity generation, liquid fuel, manufacture of soap, solvents, dyes, plastics and fibres, paper industry.