coal: Quick Facts

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Last updated

Sep. 27, 2026

Photos

bituminous coal

World map highlighting the major coal occurrence regions, with dark gray areas showing known and assumed coal deposits across North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and parts of Africa and South America. Lighter gray indicates regions with some coal occurrence potential, while the lightest areas represent nearly coal-free old shields and Caledonian chains. Continents and the equator are labeled for reference.

James Watt as a young man sits in a workshop, holding drafting tools and looking at an early steam engine model on a table surrounded by scientific instruments.

Bełchatów; coal

Kuznetsk Coal Basin

Ekibastuz: coal-fired thermal power station

coal-rank terminology

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Topics

grindability coal mining coal utilization run-of-mine coal ultimate analysis proximate analysis calorific value coarse coal coalification fine coal petroleum natural gas oil shale peat asphalt bitumen siliceous rock phosphorite evaporite banded-iron formation

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Key People

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E.F. Schumacher

British economist

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Friedrich Flick

German industrialist

William Stanley Jevons, engraving.

William Stanley Jevons

English economist and logician