Coal
first started forming about three hundred million years ago from the remains of
swamps. Dead plants would sink to the bottom and then be covered by dirt and
mud. Then instead of rotting it formed peat. Peat is like a mossy looking
substance. This occurred because there was no oxygen under the water and mud.
In order for organic objects to rot there needs to be oxygen. Sediment later
covered and compressed the peat. Then as time progressed with lots of pressure
coal is formed. The order that coal is formed is peat (precursor), then lignite
(brown coal), bituminous coal (black coal), and finally the best kind of coal
anthracite coal (hard coal). Some companies will turn the coal into coke. But
it’s not the kind of coke that is like a drink or drugs. This is like pebbles
of coal.
Peat is
the beginning stage of the coal process. This is created from left over plants
that have fallen into bogs and muskegs. The lack of oxygen keeps it from
decaying and this is a huge contributor to how it’s made. Peat also was used as
a heat source by people in rural Northern Europe. Peat doesn’t burn as hot as
coal does. Lignite also known as brown coal is the next stage of the coal
process. Normally it can be found in Alaska and some western states. It has a
pretty low carbon concentration (30%) and low heat value. This is used for electric
generation. Bituminous coal is the next on the list. It’s the most common form
of coal found. It’s used in the steel industry as its coked form. Its carbon
value is 45-85% and conducts heat pretty well. Last but not least is the best
kind of coal and that is anthracite coal. It comes from metamorphic bituminous
coal. It has the highest carbon content which is 85-95% and conducts heat the
best. When burned it is nearly smokeless and is found in northern Pennsylvania.
