What are the types of coal?
There are four major types (or “ranks”) of coal. Rank refers to steps in a slow, natural process called “coalification,” during which buried plant matter changes into an ever denser, drier, more carbon-rich, and harder material. The four ranks are:
- Anthracite: The highest rank of coal. It is a hard, brittle, and black lustrous coal, often referred to as hard coal, containing a high percentage of fixed carbon and a low percentage of volatile matter.
- Bituminous: Bituminous coal is a middle rank coal between subbituminous and anthracite. Bituminous coal usually has a high heating (Btu) value and is used in electricity generation and steel making in the United States. Bituminous coal is blocky and appears shiny and smooth when you first see it, but look closer and you might see it has thin, alternating, shiny and dull layers.
- Subbituminous: Subbituminous coal is black in color and is mainly dull (not shiny). Subbituminous coal has low-to-moderate heating values and is mainly used in electricity generation.
- Lignite: Lignite coal, aka brown coal, is the lowest grade coal with the least concentration of carbon. Lignite has a low heating value and a high moisture content and is mainly used in electricity generation.
The precursor to coal is peat. Peat is a soft, organic material consisting of partly decayed plant and mineral matter. When peat is placed under high pressure and heat, it undergoes physical and chemical changes (coalification) to become coal.
COAL RANKS |
Plant material --> Peat --> Lignite --> Subbituminous --> Bituminous --> Anthracite |
----------------------> Increasing heat and pressure ----------------------> |
Learn more:
Related Content
What is the biggest coal deposit in the United States?
Which country has the most coal?
What is coal used for?
What is coal?
Assessments Evolved: USGS Coal Research in the 21st Century
Although often associated with helping fuel the Nation’s growth during the Industrial Revolution, coal is very much part of our space-age present. In 2016, coal-fired power plants provided 30.4 percent of the country’s electricity, and it is an important source of employment in many states.
Anthracite Coal
This is anthracite, the highest rank of coal. It is a hard, brittle, and black lustrous coal, often referred to as hard coal, containing a high percentage of fixed carbon and a low percentage of volatile matter. Anthracite is not as commonly mined as other ranks of coal. It played a significant role in Pennsylvania coal during the Industrial Revolution in the United
...Cannel Coal
Cannel coal is a type of bituminous coal that is also sometimes referred to as a type of oil shale. It's name likely came from the word "candle." Cannel coal was once used as a source for kerosene. Read more about our coal research here:
...Clinker Coal
Clinker coal is the result of a seam of coal catching fire and burning so hot that it baked surrounding rock layers into brick-like formations. Some of the most famous clinker formations in the United States can be seen at the Theodore Roosevel National Park in North Dakota. Read more about our
...Peacock Coal
This sample is of peacock coal. Peacock coal is not a specific class of coal, but rather the name for an effect in which oxidizing materials in the coal create a dazzling array of colors on the surface of the coal. Usually it is short-lived, as the material fully oxidizes away shortly after exposed to air. Read more about our coal research here:
...Lignite Coal
A sample of lignite, the lowest rank of coal. It is primarily mined for burning in steam-generation power plants. Read more about our coal research here: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/cersc/science/us-coal-resources-and-reserves-assessment
Anthracite Coal
This is anthracite, the highest rank of coal. It is a hard, brittle, and black lustrous coal, often referred to as hard coal, containing a high percentage of fixed carbon and a low percentage of volatile matter. Anthracite is not as commonly mined as other ranks of coal. It played a significant role in Pennsylvania coal during the Industrial Revolution in the United
...Pliocene Lignite Coal from BEN Village
Closeup of Pliocene lignite coal from a Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN) village in Serbia. Lignite is low rank, or relatively unaltered (soft, or "brown") coal, and is characterized by a brownish color and appearance that often resembles wood. This lignite releases copious amounts of dissolved organic substances into groundwater.
Coal train being filled in Wyoming
Coal train being filled in Wyoming.
Coal mine in Power River Basin, Wyoming
Coal mine in Power River Basin, Wyoming.