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coal
References & Edit History Related Topics
Images
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. coal cutter Bełchatów; coal Kuznetsk Coal Basin Ekibastuz: coal-fired thermal power station coal-rank terminology Lepidodendron peat bog
At a Glance
Close-up view of a large pile of shiny black coal chunks with a partly cloudy sky in the background.
coal summary
Related Questions

coal: References & Edit History

Additional Reading

G.H. Taylor et al., Organic Petrology (1998); the World Energy Council, Survey of Energy Resources (2004); and BP, BP Statistical Review of World Energy (2016), provide data on proven reserves.

Simon Walker, Major Coalfields of the World (2000), provides information about coal resources worldwide. Information on the organic composition of coals, with numerous references to earlier literature, may be found in D.W. van Krevelen, Coal: Typology, Physics, Chemistry, Constitution, 3rd, completely rev. ed. (1993); and Isabel Suárez-Ruiz and John C. Crelling, Applied Coal Petrology: The Role of Petrology in Coal Utilization (2008). Douglas C. Peters (ed.), Geology in Coal Resource Utilization (1991), provides information concerning coal resources, reserve estimation, coal utilization, and the environment. Barbara E. Freese, Coal: A Human History (2016), discusses the varied uses of coal across several civilizations.

Otto C. Kopp The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article Contributors

Primary Contributors

  • Otto C. Kopp
    Professor Emeritus of Geological Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
  • The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
    Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.

Other Contributors

  • Andrew Ren

Other Encyclopedia Britannica Contributors

Article History

Type Description Contributor Date
Add new Web site: University of Kentucky - Kentucky Geological Survey - Coal. Nov 08, 2026
Add new Web site: PNAS - Drivers for the renaissance of coal. Jul 25, 2026
Add new Web site: National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - Coal : in a burning world, the dark side of energy still rules. Feb 27, 2026
Add new Web site: Purdue University - College of Science - Chemical Education Division Groups - Petroleum and Coal. Jun 20, 2024
Add new Web site: Energy Education - Coal. May 29, 2024
Add new Web site: Chemistry LibreTexts - Coal. Dec 10, 2022
Add new Web site: National Geographic Society - Coal. Mar 16, 2022
Media added. Nov 13, 2020
Noted that coal is the single largest contributor to global warming and added information on the environmental impacts of coal mining and utilization. Revised the countries and percentages of the world's recoverable coal resources. Nov 13, 2020
Added diagram of a coal mine and photos of a peat bog, a sample of bituminous coal, a sample of lignite, and coal mining. Aug 13, 2018
Article revised and updated. Aug 13, 2018
Add new Web site: Minerals Education Coalition - Coal. Mar 15, 2018
Add new Web site: Annenberg Learner - Coal. Feb 08, 2018
Bibliography revised and updated. Aug 17, 2017
Corrected display issue. Jun 10, 2016
Add new Web site: U.S. Energy Information Administration - Energy Kids - Coal Basics. Dec 14, 2012
Add new Web site: Fossil Fuel Resources - Coal Facts. Dec 14, 2012
Add new Web site: United States Department of Energy - Coal. Dec 14, 2012
Add new Web site: EcoKids - Coal. Dec 14, 2012
Add new Web site: University of Kentucky - Kentucky Geological Survey - Coal. Nov 22, 2011
Add new Web site: ThinkQuest - Coal. Nov 21, 2011
Add new Web site: University of Kentucky - Coal Components. Nov 18, 2011
Add new Web site: Buzzle.com - Coal. Oct 20, 2011
Add new Web site: Australian Mines Atlas - Coal. Oct 20, 2011
Add new Web site: Bureau of Economic Geology at University of Texas at Austin - Bituminous Coal. Oct 20, 2011
Add new Web site: Energy Kids - Coal. Oct 20, 2011
Add new Web site: How Stuff Works - Science - Coal Technology. Oct 20, 2011
Add new Web site: Science Kids - Fun Science and Technology for Kids! - Coal. Sep 21, 2011
Add new Web site: Buzzle.com - Coal. Aug 19, 2011
Add new Web site: Wyoming State Geological Survey - Coal. Aug 11, 2011
Add new Web site: Buzzle.com - Advantages of Coal. Aug 11, 2011
Add new Web site: Buzzle.com - Uses of Coal. Aug 11, 2011
Add new Web site: ThinkQuest - Coal to Electricity. Aug 11, 2011
Add new Web site: Fact Monster - Science - Coal. Aug 11, 2011
Add new Web site: ThinkQuest - Coal Energy. Aug 11, 2011
Added map depicting world distribution of coal. May 25, 2010
Geologic time data updated. Sep 11, 2009
Media added. Feb 19, 2009
Added new Web site: University of Kentucky - How is Coal Formed? Feb 05, 2009
Added new Web site: Kentucky Coal Education - Uses of Coal. Nov 10, 2008
Added new Web site: Energy Minerals Division - Coal. Nov 10, 2008
Added new Web site: United States Geological Survey - Coal. Nov 10, 2008
Added new Web site: University of Wyoming - Uses For Coal. Jul 18, 2008
Added new Web site: World Coal Institute - History of Coal Use. Jul 18, 2008
Added new Web site: U.S. Energy Information Administration - Coal explained. May 08, 2008
Article revised and updated. Apr 04, 2008
Added new Web site: World Coal Institute - Coal Types. Sep 14, 2007
Article revised and updated. Mar 16, 2007
Bibliography revised. Mar 16, 2007
Added new Web site: Coal Information. Dec 04, 2006
Added new Web site: Tribal Energy and Environmental Information - Coal. Jun 15, 2006
Article added to new online database. Aug 23, 1998
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