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Coal vs Anthracite


Anthracite vs Coal


Definition

Definition
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers called coal beds   
Anthracite is a type of sedimentary rock which is hard and is variety of coal that has high luster   

History
  
  

Origin
USA   
Pennsylvania, U.S.   

Discoverer
John Peter Salley   
Unknown   

Etymology
From the Old English term col, which has meant mineral of fossilized carbon since the 13th century   
From Greek anthrakites, from anthrax, anthrak meaning coal   

Class
Sedimentary Rocks   
Metamorphic Rocks   

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock   
Durable Rock, Soft Rock   

Family
  
  

Group
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock   

Texture

Texture
Amorphous, Glassy   
Amorphous, Glassy   

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

Maintenance
Less   
Less   

Durability
Durable   
Durable   

Water Resistant
No   
No   

Scratch Resistant
No   
No   

Stain Resistant
No   
No   

Wind Resistant
No   
No   

Acid Resistant
No   
No   

Appearance
Veined or Pebbled   
Veined or Pebbled   

Uses

Architecture
  
  

Interior Uses
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Exterior Uses
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Other Architectural Uses
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Industry
  
  

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

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used   
In Chemical and Pharmaceutical Industry, Manufacture of Aspirins   

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts   
Not Yet Used   

Other Uses
  
  

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

Types

Types
Peat, Lignite, Sub-Bituminous Coal, Bituminous Coal, Anthracite, Graphite   
Semi-anthracite and Meta-anthracite   

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

Archaeological Significance
  
  

Monuments
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Famous Monuments
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

Sculpture
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

Pictographs
Not Used   
Used   

Petroglyphs
Not Used   
Used   

Figurines
Not Yet Used   
Not Yet Used   

Fossils
Present   
Absent   

Formation

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.   
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.   

Composition
  
  

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   
Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals   

Compound Content
Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Sulphur   
Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Sulphur   

Transformation
  
  

Metamorphism
Yes   
Yes   

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism   
Burial Metamorphism, Contact Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism   

Weathering
No   
No   

Types of Weathering
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

Erosion
No   
No   

Types of Erosion
Not Applicable   
Not Applicable   

Properties

Physical Properties
  
  

Hardness
1-1.5   
1-1.5   

Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained   
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained   

Fracture
Conchoidal   
Conchoidal   

Streak
Black   
Black   

Porosity
Less Porous   
Less Porous   

Luster
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic   
Shiny   

Cleavage
Non-Existent   
Non-Existent   

Toughness
Not Available   
Not Available   

Specific Gravity
1.1-1.4   
1.1-1.4   

Transparency
Opaque   
Opaque   

Density
1100-1400 g/cm3   
1.25-2.5 g/cm3   

Thermal Properties
  
  

Specific Heat Capacity
1.32 kJ/Kg K   
4
1.32 kJ/Kg K   
4

Resistance
Heat Resistant   
Heat Resistant, Water Resistant   

Reserves

Deposits in Eastern Continents
  
  

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

Africa
Botswana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania   
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   
Belgium, Bulgaria, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, The Czech Republic, Ukraine, United Kingdom   

Others
Not Yet Found   
Not Yet Found   

Deposits in Western Continents
  
  

North America
Canada, Mexico, USA   
Canada, Mexico, USA   

South America
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela   
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela   

Deposits in Oceania Continent
  
  

Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria   
New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria   

Definition >>
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Coal vs Anthracite Information

Earth’s outer layer is covered by rocks and these rocks have different physical and chemical properties. As two rocks are not same, it’s fun to compare them. You can also know more about Coal and Anthracite Reserves. Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers called coal beds. Anthracite is a type of sedimentary rock which is hard and is variety of coal that has high luster. These rocks are composed of many distinct minerals. The process of formation of rocks is different for various rocks. Rocks are quarried from many years for various purposes. You can check out Coal vs Anthracite information and Coal vs Anthracite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Coal vs Anthracite Characteristics

Though some rocks look identical, they have certain characteristics which distinguish them from others. Characteristics of rocks include texture, appearance, color, fracture, streak, hardness etc. Coal vs Anthracite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Coal and Properties of Anthracite. Learn more about Coal vs Anthracite in the next section. The interior uses of Coal include Not yet used whereas the interior uses of Anthracite include Not yet used. Due to some exceptional properties of Coal and Anthracite, they have various applications in construction industry. The uses of Coal in construction industry include Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Steel production and that of Anthracite include Cement manufacture, For road aggregate, Making natural cement, Steel production.

More about Coal and Anthracite

Here you can know more about Coal and Anthracite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Coal and Anthracite consists of mineral content and compound content. The mineral content of Coal 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 mineral content of Anthracite includes Calcite, Clay, Clay Minerals. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Coal vs Anthracite, the texture, color and appearance plays an important role in determining the type of rock. Coal is available in black, brown, dark brown, grey, light to dark grey colors whereas, Anthracite is available in black, brown, dark brown, grey, light to dark grey colors. Appearance of Coal is Veined or Pebbled and that of Anthracite is Veined or Pebbled. Properties of rock is another aspect for Coal vs Anthracite. Hardness of Coal and Anthracite is 1-1.5. The types of Coal are Peat, Lignite, Sub-Bituminous Coal, Bituminous Coal, Anthracite, Graphite whereas types of Anthracite are Semi-anthracite and Meta-anthracite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Coal and Anthracite is black. The specific heat capacity of Coal is 1.32 kJ/Kg K and that of Anthracite is 1.32 kJ/Kg K. Depending on the properties like hardness, toughness, specific heat capacity, porosity etc., rocks are resistant to heat, wear, impact, etc.Coal is heat resistant whereas Anthracite is heat resistant, water resistant.

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