What is coal used for?
Coal is primarily used as fuel to generate electric power in the United States. In coal-fired power plants, bituminous coal, subbituminous coal, or lignite is burned. The heat produced by the combustion of the coal is used to convert water into high-pressure steam, which drives a turbine, which produces electricity. In 2019, about 23 percent of all electricity in the United States was generated by coal-fired power plants, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Certain types of bituminous coal can also be used in making steel. Coal used for steel making needs to be high in carbon content and low in moisture, ash, sulfur, and phosphorous content. Coal that meets these specifications is known as metallurgical coal. Coal also has a myriad of other uses, including in cement production, carbon fibers and foams, medicines, tars, synthetic petroleum-based fuels, and home and commercial heating.
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The U.S. Coal Resources and Reserves Assessment Project, as part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Energy Resources Program, conducts systematic, geology-based, regional assessments of significant coal beds in major coal basins in the United States. These assessments detail the quantity, quality, location, and economic potential of the Nation’s...
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Coalbed Methane Development and Impacts to be Discussed at USGS Field Conference
Federal, state and local policy makers will gather in Casper, Wyoming, on May 9-10 to examine science issues associated with the development of coalbed methane. The two-day conference and field trip, sponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), will examine a number of topics including: what is coalbed methane, how it forms, where it occurs, how it is developed, and consequences of development.
Cannel Coal at the USGS National Center
Cannel coal used to be popular as a fireplace coal because it had little smoke and thus had less Koffing and Weezing present... Image Credit: Alex Demas, USGS.
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:
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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:
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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
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Coal mine in the Powder River Basin
Coal mine in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming and Montana