Coal

Lignite

Coal vs Lignite

Coal

Lignite

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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

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

1.2 History

1.2.1 Origin

USA

France

1.2.2 Discoverer

John Peter Salley

Unknown

1.3 Etymology

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

From French, Latin lignum wood + -ite1

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

✔ ✘

2.4.2 Scratch Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.3 Stain Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.4 Wind Resistant

✔ ✘

2.4.5 Acid Resistant

✔ ✘

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

for Road Aggregate, Steel Production

3.2.2 Medical Industry

Not Yet Used

3.3 Antiquity Uses

Artifacts

Not Yet Used

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

Electricity Generation

4 Types

4.1 Types

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

Xyloid Lignite or Fossil Wood and Compact Lignite or Perfect Lignite

4.2 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

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

Used

4.3.6 Petroglyphs

Not Used

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.

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.

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

Not Available

5.2.2 Compound Content

Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Sulphur

5.3 Transformation

5.3.1 Metamorphism

✔ ✘

5.3.2 Types of Metamorphism

Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism

Not Applicable

5.3.3 Weathering

✔ ✘

5.3.4 Types of Weathering

Not Applicable

Biological Weathering, Chemical Weathering, Mechanical Weathering

5.3.5 Erosion

✔ ✘

5.3.6 Types of Erosion

Not Applicable

Chemical Erosion, Water Erosion, Wind Erosion

6 Properties

6.1 Physical Properties

6.1.1 Hardness

1-1.51

1 7

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

Highly Porous

6.1.6 Luster

Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic

6.1.7 Compressive Strength

NANA

0.15 450

6.1.8 Cleavage

Non-Existent

6.1.9 Toughness

Not Available

6.1.10 Specific Gravity

1.1-1.41.1-1.4

0 8.4

6.1.11 Transparency

Opaque

6.1.12 Density

1100-1400 g/cm³800-801 g/cm³

0 1400

6.2 Thermal Properties

6.2.1 Specific Heat Capacity

1.32 kJ/Kg K1.26 kJ/Kg K

0.14 3.2

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

Coal vs Lignite 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 Lignite Reserves. Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers called coal beds. Lignite is a soft brownish coal which shows traces of plants and is intermediate between bituminous coal and peat. 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 Lignite information and Coal vs Lignite characteristics in the upcoming sections.

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Coal vs Lignite 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 Lignite characteristics assist us to distinguish and recognize rocks. Also you can check about Properties of Coal and Properties of Lignite. Learn more about Coal vs Lignite in the next section. The interior uses of Coal include Not yet used whereas the interior uses of Lignite include Not yet used. Due to some exceptional properties of Coal and Lignite, 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 Lignite include For road aggregate, Steel production.

More about Coal and Lignite

Here you can know more about Coal and Lignite. The life cycle of a rock consists of formation of rock, composition of rock and transformation of rock. The composition of Coal and Lignite 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 Lignite is not available. You can also check out the list of all Sedimentary Rocks. When we have to compare Coal vs Lignite, 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, Lignite is available in black, brown, dark brown, grey, light to dark grey colors. Appearance of Coal is Veined or Pebbled and that of Lignite is Veined or Pebbled. Properties of rock is another aspect for Coal vs Lignite. The hardness of Coal is 1-1.5 and that of Lignite is 1. The types of Coal are Peat, Lignite, Sub-Bituminous Coal, Bituminous Coal, Anthracite, Graphite whereas types of Lignite are Xyloid Lignite or Fossil Wood and Compact Lignite or Perfect Lignite. Streak of rock is the color of powder produced when it is dragged across an unweathered surface. The streak of Coal and Lignite is black. The specific heat capacity of Coal is 1.32 kJ/Kg K and that of Lignite is 1.26 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 Lignite is heat resistant.