Coal Forming Epoch 1

A assignment on coal petrology
COAL FORMING EPOCHS, ORIGIN AND MODE OF OCCURRENCE

Manash Pratim Gogoi
M.sc. 4th semester; Roll no -07, Deptt. Applied Geology; Dibugarh University
SUMMARY Tertiary and Permo-Carboniferous origin are

important in India. In India, there are many
This assignment is written on the basis of
deposits of coal are found and are producing coal
geological facts which govern the deposition and
upto the demand required by the countries
formation of coal during the process of
economic need.
sedimentation. The coal is a rock composed of
combustible matters derived from the partial Introduction
decomposition of plants. We shall consider coal as
Coal is an organic carbonaceous solid fuel of plant
a biochemically formed sedimentary rock,
origin. In remote geological times, and particularly in the
although some geologists prefer to think of it as a Carboniferous period, between 345 and 280 million years ago,
metamorphic rock because it passes through much of the world was covered with luxuriant vegetation
various stages. The process of formation of begins growing in swamps. Many of these plants were types of ferns,
with an accumulation of plant remains in an some as large as trees. This vegetation died and became
submerged under water, where it gradually decomposed. As
swamp. This accumulation is known as peat. Time,
decomposition took place, the vegetable matter lost oxygen and
coupled with the pressure produced by deep burial
hydrogen atoms, leaving a deposit with a high percentage of
and sometimes by earth movement, gradually carbon. In this way peat bogs were formed. As time passed,
transforms the organic matter into coal. Coals of layers of sand and mud settled from the water over some of the
peat deposits. The pressure of these overlying layers,
movements of the Earth's crust, and, sometimes, volcanic heat, and lignite, or brown coal. It is the most common kind of coal,
acted to compress and harden the deposits, thus producing coal. used mostly for producing coke, a substance used in the
Various types of coal are recognized, according to their fixed refining of iron ore. It burns with a yellow, smoky flame.
carbon content. Peat, the first stage in the formation of coal, Anthracite (Greek, anthrax,”coal”), hard coal with the highest
has a low fixed carbon content and a high moisture content. fixed-carbon content and the lowest amount of volatile material
The carbon content is greater in lignite, the lowest rank of coal. of all types of coal. It contains approximately 87.1 per cent
Bituminous coal has even more carbon and a correspondingly carbon, 9.3 per cent ash, and 3.6 per cent volatile matter.
higher heating value. Anthracite coal has the highest carbon Anthracite is glossy black, with a crystal structure and
content and heating value. Coal may be transformed by further conchoidal, or shell-like, fracture. It is used mostly as a fuel
pressure and heat into graphite, which is almost pure carbon. and as a source of industrial carbon. Although harder to ignite
Other components of coal are volatile hydrocarbons, sulphur than other coals, anthracite releases a great deal of energy
and nitrogen, and the minerals that remain as ash when the coal when burned and gives off little smoke and soot. Anthracite
is burned. Some products of coal combustion have detrimental was formed primarily at the end of the Carboniferous Period by
effects on the environment. Burning coal produces carbon earth movements that generated heat and pressure which
dioxide, among other byproducts. Some scientists believe that, transformed the carbonaceous material then present in the
owing to the widespread use of coal and other fossil fuels, the Earth. The world's leading producers of anthracite are, in order,
amount of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere could China, the countries of the former Soviet Union, North Korea,
increase to such an extent that changes in the Earth's climate South Korea, Spain, and Germany. Lignite, variety of coal, also
will occur (see Global Warming; Greenhouse Effect). Also, known as brown coal, intermediate in quality between peat and
sulphur and nitrogen in the coal form oxides during bituminous coal. Geologically, lignite is of comparatively
combustion that can contribute to the formation of acid rain. recent origin, occurring in Cretaceous and Tertiary strata. It is
Acid rain is the result of a series of complex reactions usually brownish-black in colour and often shows a distinct
involving chemicals and compounds from many industrial, fibrous or woody structure. Lignite is inferior in calorific value
transport, and natural sources. Sulphur dioxide (SO2) to ordinary coal because of its high (30-75 per cent) water
emissions from new coal-fired facilities are now controlled in content and low (60-68 per cent) carbon content; the high
many countries. As a result, sulphur dioxide emissions have (52.5-62.5 per cent) content of volatile matter causes lignite to
dropped in those countries even though coal use has increased. disintegrate rapidly on exposure to air. The heat value of lignite
Bituminous Coal, or soft coal, variety of coal intermediate in is 7,807 kJ (7,400 BTU) per lb.
constitution and properties between anthracite, or hard coal,

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A assignment on coal petrology

COAL FORMING EPOCHS, ORIGIN AND MODE OF OCCURRENCE

SUMMARY Tertiary and Permo-Carboniferous origin are

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