More on coal 😅

Last time, I concluded my article with how coal deposits can be auctioned if the kind of coal this certain company needs does not match with the coal they found. So in those cases, they probably have never handled that kind of coal yet or maybe they don’t have the means or the equipment to process the coal because it isn’t a match with what they usually handle.

To give you a brief insight, we should know that there are trends of coal types per continent and country too. Like if we look at the coal we can get in most parts of asia, we’ll see that the coal is extremely soft and extremely moist and that’s usually attributed to the rich waterways most asian countries have. The fact that they’re soft and moist though, makes them a good source of gasoline and LPG. That’s why we have so many gasoline extraction sites here and is one of the main reasons why oil rigs are often in the oceans. Not because the fossil fuel they’ll get there is liquid, but it is moist enoug to be extracted as liquid. As for the testin part of this kind of coal/fossil fuel, they primarily focus on it’s gross calorific value (again with it’s energy. But if it’s gonna power an engine then this is important), then they need to take into account the sulfur, phosphorus and the Carrbon, Hydrogen and Nitrogen content. Why focus on those specific elements? Because they need to take into account the combustability (That’s where Carbon, Hydrogen comes in.). They also need to take into account the amount of air pollutant that this sample will give off (there’s already a law for Sulfur and Nitrogen, I think? Under the new paris treaty? I think that accounts for the sulfur and Nitrogen in gasoline, and Phosphorus too because that causes eutrofication when dissolved in water). This is what accounts for most asian and offshore coal deposits.

Meanwhile, for the low moisture and hard coals which are mostly sourced from landlocked areas such as the middle east, australia and in most parts of the states, these coal samples are ones that are mostly used for energy, cement, and steel production because of their incredibly low moisture content. I am not sure what specifications or parameters are needed for steel production, actually but almost 70% of the steel used in the industry is alloyed with coal (coke, actually but we’re talking about coal so I’m staying on coal). It’s also used in producing aluminum and copper but I am also not sure on whether the coal is used in the smelting process or if it’s an additive of sorts.

Anyways, I think I’ve talked enough about coal for this week. Next week… who knows what I’ll be focusing on XD

I do think I should finish my carnitine article though. Because these are all based on my coal handling and analysis training! Maybe I'll be writing about ores too since I mostly handle that in the laboratory.

Art updates? We'll see when I have the time. Life update? I'll try 😅

Thank you for reading up on my nerd talk up until now! I greatly appreciate it UwU