Classification of Coal by Rank

Rank of a coal is its position in the series between peat and anthracite, the latter being
coal of the highest rank. Rank increases as C percentage increases and oxygen decreases.
Hydrogen decreases markedly only at the anthracite end of the series.

Rank may also be described as the degree to which the p l a n t c o n s t i t u e n t s h a v e

b e e n c o a l i f i e d by the geological stresses to which they have been subjected. Rank is not
dependent on the nature of original plants or on the extent to which the plants have decayed
and lost their vegetable structure in the peat-stage, but rather on dynamo-chemical
reactions when the coal was deeply buried. Increase of rank is due to the effects of pressure,
temperature and time.

Classification of coals according to rank is grouped into lignite, bituminous, semi-

anthracite and anthracite. Cannel coal lies somewhat outside the normal sequence.

Lignite
Lignite is a low-rank coal. Some varieties display vegetable structures, although others
are relatively structureless. Some are soft and friable, whilst others are hard and dense.
The specific gravity varies from 1.1 to1.5 and the percentage of oxygen, moisture, ash
and sulphur are always relatively high. Lignites burn freely with much flame and smoke.

This is a connecting link between peat and bituminous coal and varies in colour,
texture and composition. It may be divided into four classes:
(1) Woody or fibrous lignites—brown in colour and having a woody structure
(2) Earthy lignites—soft and friable, and having no apparent structure
(3) Brown coals—hard and compact and having a slaty cleat
(4) Bituminous lignite or pitch coal—black in colour and having a conchoidal fracture.

Composition varies within wide limits, the chief characteristics being the low percentage
of carbon (60-75% on an ash-free basis) and the high volatile content (>45%).
Percentage of ash is usually high (5-15% or more). In the freshly mined condition, lignite may
contain up to 60% moisture, but this may be reduced by air-drying to 10 or 20%,
although the coal crumbles or 'slacks' during this process, which renders lignite
unsuitable for transporting long distances. Lignite is also very liable to spontaneous
combustion. The fuel burns freely with much flame and smoke and is used for firing boilers,
conversion to bricks and production of by-products like solid paraffin and ammonium
sulphate.

Bituminous
Bituminous coal includes a large number of coals, differing in chemical composition and
behaviour on ignition, but having similar physical structure. Bituminous coals have a well-
defined banded structure, visible to the naked eye, and comprising four main constituents,
namely vitrain, clarain, durain and fusain. They also vary in texture. The specific gravity
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varies from 1.2 to 1.3. They vary in colour from dull brown or black to a deep black with a
brilliant lustre. Some are hard, others friable. Some varieties burn easily and rapidly
with a long flame and much smoke; others, of higher ranks are ignited with difficulty and
are almost smokeless with little flame.

Various sub-classes according to rank are described briefly as follows:

(a) Long-flame coals: Carbon content about 73-78%. Burn with a smoky flame without
showing any signs of agglomeration (i.e. they are non-coking) the residue being soft and powdery.
Higher volatile coals are sometimes called sub-bituminous.
(b) Gas coals: Contain 80-85% carbon. When distilled under gas-works conditions,
they yield 10,000-13,000ft3 gas/t, with a calorific value of 550-590 B.Th.U's/ft 3 and some
1012 gallons of tar. The residue is an open porous coke suitable for domestic use.
(c) Coking coals: Contain 85-90% carbon and have a wide range of use, some of
the more volatile types being used for gas manufacture, some for domestic and general
purposes, and others for the manufacture of blast-furnace coke. The best coking coals
contain about 90% carbon, the coke being dense, hard and compact.
(d) Steam coals: Contain 90-92% carbon, and are either very feebly coking or non-
coking. They burn with an intense short smokeless flame and have a high calorific
value. The best qualities are low in sulphur and have an infusible ash.

Semi-anthracite
This forms a connecting link between low-volatile bituminous coals and
anthracite. The fuel is hard, rather brittle and burns with a short non-luminous flame.
The best smokeless steam coals are semi-anthracitic in character.

Anthracite
Anthracite is a high-rank coal containing 92-94% of carbon having a low volatile content
(3-8%). Specific gravity varies from 1.3 to 1.45. It contains similar constituents to
those of bituminous coal, although less readily identifiable. It is most difficult to ignite,
but burns without any flame or smoke giving out intense heat. It is used for baking
and melting, central heating and for firing cement kilns and blast-furnaces.

Chief characteristics of anthracite - also known as stone coal - are the high percentage of
carbon (over 92%) and low content of VM with low percentage of ash. It is dense, hard,
and brittle possesses a metallic lustre. It does not soil the fingers (except on surfaces
covered with fusain).

Although anthracite has quite a different appearance from bituminous coal, microscopic
examination shows that it contains similar plant remains and has a similar banded structure.
It is a special variet y of bituminous coal in which the development of rank has
proceeded to a higher degree.

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