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What is Coal?



Definition
0

Definition
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers called coal beds 0

History
0

Origin
USA 0

Discoverer
John Peter Salley 0

Etymology
From the Old English term col, which has meant mineral of fossilized carbon since the 13th century 0

Class
Sedimentary Rocks 0

Sub-Class
Durable Rock, Soft Rock 0

Family
0

Group
Not Applicable 0

Other Categories
Coarse Grained Rock, Fine Grained Rock, Medium Grained Rock, Opaque Rock 0

Texture
0

Texture
Amorphous, Glassy 0

Color
Black, Brown, Dark Brown, Grey, Light to Dark Grey 0

Maintenance
Less 0

Durability
Durable 0

Water Resistant
No 0

Scratch Resistant
No 0

Stain Resistant
No 0

Wind Resistant
No 0

Acid Resistant
No 0

Appearance
Veined or Pebbled 0

Uses
0

Architecture
0

Interior Uses
Not Yet Used 0

Exterior Uses
Not Yet Used 0

Other Architectural Uses
Not Yet Used 0

Industry
0

Construction Industry
Cement Manufacture, for Road Aggregate, Making natural cement, Steel Production 0

Medical Industry
Not Yet Used 0

Antiquity Uses
Artifacts 0

Other Uses
0

Commercial Uses
Alumina Refineries, Electricity Generation, Liquid Fuel, Manufacture of Soap, Solvents, Dyes, Plastics and Fibres, Paper Industry 0

Types
0

Types
Peat, Lignite, Sub-Bituminous Coal, Bituminous Coal, Anthracite, Graphite 0

Features
Helps in production of Heat and Electricity, Used as fossil fuel 0

Archaeological Significance
0

Monuments
Not Yet Used 0

Famous Monuments
Not Applicable 0

Sculpture
Not Yet Used 0

Famous Sculptures
Not Applicable 0

Pictographs
Not Used 0

Petroglyphs
Not Used 0

Figurines
Not Yet Used 0

Fossils
Present 0

Formation
0

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. 0

Composition
0

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 0

Compound Content
Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Sulphur 0

Transformation
0

Metamorphism
Yes 0

Types of Metamorphism
Burial Metamorphism, Cataclastic Metamorphism, Regional Metamorphism 0

Weathering
No 0

Types of Weathering
Not Applicable 0

Erosion
No 0

Types of Erosion
Not Applicable 0

Properties
0

Physical Properties
0

Hardness
1-1.5 0

Grain Size
Medium to Fine Coarse Grained 0

Fracture
Conchoidal 0

Streak
Black 0

Porosity
Less Porous 0

Luster
Dull to Vitreous to Submetallic 0

Compressive Strength
Not Available 0

Cleavage
Non-Existent 0

Toughness
Not Available 0

Specific Gravity
1.1-1.4 0

Transparency
Opaque 0

Density
1100-1400 g/cm3 0

Thermal Properties
0

Specific Heat Capacity
1.32 kJ/Kg K 4

Resistance
Heat Resistant 0

Reserves
0

Deposits in Eastern Continents
0

Asia
Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Turkey, Vietnam 0

Africa
Botswana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania 0

Europe
Belgium, Bulgaria, England, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, The Czech Republic, Ukraine, United Kingdom 0

Others
Not Yet Found 0

Deposits in Western Continents
0

North America
Canada, Mexico, USA 0

South America
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela 0

Deposits in Oceania Continent
0

Australia
New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria 0

Summary >>
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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.

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