Coal

Coal

__5 Interesting Facts__

=-There are 20 Lignite coal mines in the U.S.=

=-Wyoming is the leading source of subbituminous coal= = = =-West Virgina, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania are the leading producers Bituminous Coal= = = =- All Anthracite coal mines are located in Northern PA=

=- Anthracite coal is very rare, less than one half of a percent is mined in the United States=

__Colors of Coal__

=Coal is mostly black but sometimes it can be a brownish black=

__Where Coal forms__

__Formation__ : =__Compaction:__ Coal is compacted from dead plants=

=__Cementation:__=

__ Features __:

=Straification: Yes= =Cross-beds: No= =Graded bedding: No= =Ripple Marks: No= =Mud Cracks: No= =Fossils: No= =Concretions: No=

__ Classes: __

=Coal is organic because it is made up of different dead organic objects and t is very well sorted= = =

__ Uses of Coal: __ =-Lignite Coal is mainly burned at power plants to generate electricity= =-Burned as a source of heat= =-A long time ago China would carve ornaments from black Lignite= =- Was used for trading about 1800 years ago= =-the most important use of coal is as a fuel= __ 4 Main Types of Coal __

=Coal is classified into four main types, or ranks (lignite, subbituminous, bituminous, anthracite), depending on the amounts and types of carbon it contains and on the amount of heat energy it can produce. The rank of a deposit of coal depends on the pressure and heat acting on the plant debris as it sank deeper and deeper over millions of years. For the most part, the higher ranks of coal contain more heat-producing energy.= =__Lignite coal__ is the lowest rank of coal with the lowest energy content. Lignite is crumbly and has high moisture content. There are 20 lignite mines in the United States, producing about seven percent of U.S. coal. Most lignite is mined in Texas and North Dakota. Lignite is mainly burned at power plants to generate electricity.= = = =__Subbituminous coal__ has a higher heating value than lignite. Subbituminous coal typically contains 35-45 percent carbon, compared to 25-35 percent for lignite. Most subbituminous coal in the U.S. is at least 100 million years old. About 44 percent of the coal produced in the United States is subbituminous. Wyoming is the leading source of subbituminous coal.= =__Bituminous coal__ contains 45-86 percent carbon, and has two to three times the heating value of lignite. Bituminous coal was formed under high heat and pressure. Bituminous coal in the United States is between 100 to 300 million years old. It is the most abundant rank of coal found in the United States, accounting for about half of U.S. coal production. Bituminous coal is used to generate electricity and is an important fuel and raw material for the steel and iron industries. West Virginia, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania are the largest producers of bituminous coal.= =__Anthracite coal__ contains 86-97 percent carbon, and has a heating value slightly lower than bituminous coal. It is very rare in the United States, accounting for less than one-half of a percent of the coal mined in the U.S. All of the anthracite mines in the United States are located in northeastern Pennsylvania.= 

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