Applied coal petrology. The role of petrology in coal utilization / Прикладная петрология угля. Роль петрологии в использовании угля

This book is intended as a reference book, providing extensive information on the applications of coal petrology and the importance of that discipline for characterization of coals in terms of composition and rank, for the assessment of coal quality, and for the prediction of coal properties and behavior during utilization. The book is especially recommended for coal producers, coal marketers, and others associated with the coal industry, as well as for coal researchers and teachers. It provides extensive background information not only on different coal characteristics and properties but also on the way those characteristics determine technological properties.

The compilation begins with an introduction to coal petrology and an outline of the fundamental concepts, familiarizing the reader with the general nature of the discipline. This discussion is followed by a synthesis of the current geographical distribution of coal resources and coal reserves. The most recent estimates for world coal mining, coal production, and consumption are outlined, as are the likely trends for the near future. Coal mining and some of the environmental issues associated with coal are only briefly described here; these topics are dealt with in other chapters. The role that applied coal petrology has played in understanding coal and the history of coal petrology from the very beginning are also briefly described.

Chapter 2 is devoted to a description of the basic factors, especially those related to coal composition and rank, which influence coal properties, coal quality, and technological behavior in various processes. Current coal petrographic nomenclature and the terminology of coal components, as well as the main coal classifications, are also discussed. Coal composition in terms of its organic/inorganic components, including trace elements, coal evolution during the coalification process, and the role of coal rank and its determination, are emphasized. The importance of blending coals to obtain the quality required by the final consumer is also stressed, since coal petrography as a tool used in coal petrology is the only means by which the individual coals that make up blends can be identified. <...>