Coal GS-3, Mineral & Energy Resources Coal This is the most | Deepak UPSC Notes

Coal

GS-3, Mineral & Energy Resources

Coal

This is the most abundantly found fossil fuel. It is used as a domestic fuel, in industries such as iron and steel, steam engines and to generate electricity. Electricity from coal is called thermal power.

The coal which we are using today was formed millions of years ago when giant ferns and swamps got buried under the layers of earth. Coal is therefore referred to as Buried Sunshine.

The leading coal producers of the worldinclude China, US, Australia, Indonesia, India.

The coal producing areas of India include Raniganj, Jharia, Dhanbad and Bokaro in Jharkhand.

Coal is also classified into four ranks:anthracite, bituminous, subbituminous, and lignite. The ranking depends on the types and amounts of carbon the coal contains and on the amount of heat energy the coal can produce.