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Bituminous coal is the high grade of coal most people are used to. The black, soft rock is the most common coal used around the world for heat production, and is considered a significant polluter and contributor to greenhouse gas production. Does not contain recognisable plant fragments.
THIS PRODUCT SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR HEATING OR COMBUSTION EXPERIMENTS INDOORS. It burns very hot and is very hard to extinguish.
Sedimentary: Formed from the accumulation and burial of dead land-based plant material such as wood, bark, roots, leaves, etc. (therefore technically an 'organic sedimentary' rock).
Source location: Westland.
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Images are examples of specimens only. Sizes and shapes may vary.
More detail
Structure
Bituminous coal is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of carbon-rich plant material. It forms from the burial and compaction of organic matter over millions of years, and thus demonstrates a layered or banded structure.
Type
Organic sedimentary rock.
Comparison with anthracite coal: If black, layered, with alternating shiny and dull bands it's likely bituminous. If jet-black or steel-black, very shiny, dense and sharp-breaking it's likely anthracite.
Physical properties of bituminous coal
- Colour: Typically black or brownish black.
- Lustre: Shiny.
- Hardness: Brittle. Relatively soft, with a hardness ranging from 1 to 3 on the Mohs scale.
- Density: Ranges from 1.1 to 1.5 grams per cubic centimetre. Denser than lignite.
General properties of bituminous coal
- Carbon Content: Has a high carbon content, usually ranging from 40% to 90%, along with varying amounts of volatile matter, moisture, and ash.
- Combustibility: Highly combustible and releases a significant amount of heat when burned.
- Formation: Forms from the compression and heating of peat, a precursor to coal, over long periods of time.
- Energy Content: Has a high energy content, making it a valuable fuel source for electricity generation and industrial processes.
Uses of bituminous coal in New Zealand and worldwide
- Energy Production: A major source of energy, primarily used for electricity generation and heat production in power plants and industrial facilities.
- Steel Production: A fuel and a reducing agent in the production of coke, a key component in the iron and steel industry.
- Industrial Processes: Used in various industrial processes, including cement manufacturing, paper production, and chemical synthesis.
- Residential Heating: In some regions, it is used for residential heating and as a source of warmth.
- Carbonisation: Can be subjected to carbonisation to produce coal tar, which is used in various applications, including the production of chemicals and synthetic materials.