Anthracite coal: Anthracite is the highest rank of coal. It has a bright luster and breaks with a semi-conchoidal fracture. What is Coal "Rank"? Anthracite (more than 80\% carbon content) is the best quality of coal. In India, it is found only in Jammu and Kashmir.

Assess moisture content: For combustion purposes, lower moisture content is preferred as it affects the efficiency of burning. Anthracite typically has lower moisture content compared to other coal types. Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica with Wikisource referenceAnthracite is classified into three grades, depending on its carbon content. Standard grade is used as a domestic fuel and in industrial power-generation. The rarer higher grades of anthracite are purer – i.e., they have a higher carbon content – and are used in steel-making and other segments of the metallurgical industries. Technical characteristics of the various grades of anthracite are as follows: [ citation needed] Maturation of bituminous coal at medium and low volatile subrank is accompanied by peak methane generation. This makes these bituminous coals "gassy" and precautions must be taken against methane explosions. [7] Imidazolium-based ionic liquid solvents can reduce spontaneous combustion, which accounts for 2 to 3 percent of global annual carbon dioxide emissions. [60]

Anthracite is the most metamorphosed type of coal (but still represents low-grade metamorphism), [a] in which the carbon content is between 86% and 97%. [1] [3] [4] The term is applied to those varieties of coal which do not give off tarry or other hydrocarbon vapours when heated below their point of ignition. [5] Anthracite is difficult to ignite, and burns with a short, blue, and smokeless flame. Ulbrich, Markus; Preßl, Dieter; Fendt, Sebastian; Gaderer, Matthias; Spliethoff, Hartmut (December 2017). "Impact of HTC reaction conditions on the hydrochar properties and CO2 gasification properties of spent grains". Fuel Processing Technology. 167: 663–669. doi: 10.1016/j.fuproc.2017.08.010. The difficulty of igniting anthracite inhibited its early use, especially in blast furnaces for smelting iron. The development of the hot blast in 1828, which used waste heat to preheat combustion air, anthracite became a preferred fuel, accounting for 45% of US pig iron production within 15 years. [16] Anthracite iron smelting was later displaced by coke. Anthracite is divided by size mainly into applications that need lumps (typically larger than 10mm) – various industrial processes where it replaces metallurgical coke, and domestic fuel – and those that need fines (less than 10mm), such as sintering and pelletising. [22]When burned, bituminous coal releases sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to air pollution and acid rain. However, advancements in technology have allowed for the development of clean-coal technologies aimed at reducing emissions. In southwest Wales, anthracite has been burned as a domestic fuel since at least medieval times, [15] when it was mined near Saundersfoot. More recently, large-scale mining of anthracite took place across the western part of the South Wales Coalfield until the late 20th century. Mining now continues on a smaller scale. In the United States, bituminous coal is further divided into subranks based on its heating value and fixed carbon content. Annual coal report". Coal. U.S. Energy Information Administration. 4 October 2021 . Retrieved 13 November 2021. Australian in situ coal resources" (PDF). Geosciences Australia. 2012 . Retrieved 13 November 2021.

Bituminous coal was once extensively used for home heating in the US. However, bituminous coal is a relatively dirty fuel. The reduction in the use of bituminous coal between 1945 and 1960 is estimated to have saved at least 1,923 lives of all ages and 310 infant lives per winter month. [61] Bituminous coal quality is improved with floatation methods, which increase the fraction of vitrinite to yield a cleaner-burning product. [62] As of 2018 [update], total world production of bituminous coal (coking coal plus other bituminous coal) was 6.220 Gt. The leading producer is China, with India and the United States a distant second and third. [58] Wood and pellet stoves require constant monitoring, especially if they are used for more than just supplemental heating. The danger of creosote fires only gets worse the longer you neglect to do proper maintenance on your chimney or vent system. Loss of the pilot light & subsequent gas leaks are common and dangerous, and oil leakage is hazardous to your home and the environment. Now – compare that to the other form of supplemental heating that is virtually risk free… Anthracite Coal. Low Smoke and Soot: Anthracite coal burns with minimal smoke and soot compared to other coal varieties. This is beneficial for open fires as it reduces the amount of ash and particulate matter emitted, leading to a cleaner and less smoky fire. Coal deposition was interrupted by the Permian-Triassic extinction event, [48] but resumed later in the Permian. Extensive bituminous coal deposits of Permian age are found in Siberia, east Asia, and Australia. [49] These include the Minusinsky coal basin in Siberia, [50] the Queensland, Bowen, and Sydney Basins in Australia, [51] and the extensive bituminous coal reserves of China. [52]a b Reid, William (1973). "Chapter 9: Heat Generation, Transport, and Storage". In Robert Perry; Cecil Chilton (eds.). Chemical Engineers' Handbook (5ed.).

Perform trials if possible: If you have the opportunity, conduct small-scale trials with different coal types to assess their performance and suitability for your needs. Due to its relatively high energy output and availability in many regions worldwide, bituminous coal has been widely used for electricity generation and industrial processes such as steel production. Anthracite coal Vs. bituminous coal – Key differences CharacteristicThe belt of Carboniferous coal fields extends into central Europe, [41] and much of this is bituminous coal. Bituminous coal fields are found in Poland [42] and the Czech Republic, [43] and the Polish deposits are one of the most important of that nation's natural resources. [44] The Czech deposits have been exploited since prehistoric times. [43] The European deposits include the Coal Measures of Britain, which account for most of Britain's coal production and which are mostly bituminous coal. [45] The Westfield coal basin is the largest in Britain. [46] Other significant bituminous coal deposits are found through much of Europe, including France, Germany, and northern Italy. [47] Fushun coal mine, Liaoning, China Anthracite coal is the highest-quality coal, with high carbon content and low moisture. It burns efficiently, producing intense heat and minimal smoke, making it ideal for open fires. Bituminous coal is a mid-grade coal with higher carbon content than others but produces more emissions. Choose anthracite for cleaner and longer-lasting open fires. What is anthracite coal? Carpenito, Thomas (2019) "The State of Coal and Renewable Energy in Schuylkill County", https://medium.com/@thomascarpenito3/state-of-coal-and-renewable-energy-in-schuylkill-f8850fec3fa6 Bellows, Alan (2006) "The Smoldering Ruins of Centralia" DamnInteresting.com (accessed August 29, 2006)