The allotropes are the elements that consist of two or more forms where it consists of the same chemical properties but different physical features. Carbon is one of the elements which has multiple elements. Coal is one of the allotropes of carbon, and one of the prominent uses of coal is fossil fuel. It takes millions of years for the formation of coal. It is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock with a high combination of carbon and hydrocarbon. Coal is produced by the geological process and is a fossil fuel made from the remains of dead and buried plants. It is classified as essential non-renewable energy that helps the generation of electricity.

Production of Coal 

Coal takes over a million years for its production, and it consists of energy stored by plants that lived for millions of years under the Earth’s surface. Coal consists of hydrogen, sulfur, nitrogen, and oxygen. The plants are buried deep under the surface of the Earth. The decay plant matter converts into peat, forming coal under heat and pressure over a million years of burial.

Different Types of Coal 

It is classified into four types and with various uses of coal. The coal types depend on the amount of carbon present and its heat energy.

• Anthracite – Coal consists of 86% – 97%, with the highest heat value. One of the prominent anthracite coal uses examples is in the metal industry.
• Bituminous – Coal consists of 45 – 85% of carbon. Typical uses of coal are electricity generation, raw material for coal production, and the iron and steel industry.
• Subbituminous – Coal consists of 35 – 45% carbon and low heating value.
• Lignite consists of 25 – 35% of carbon, with the lowest energy amongst all types of coal. It has high moisture content. The typical coal uses examples are electricity generation and even natural gas.

What are the uses of coal?

Coal is a non-renewable form of energy with various applications across multiple industries. Here are the significant uses of coal. 

• Electricity Generation – One of the primary uses of coal is to generate electricity. The combustion of coal produces heat that helps convert water into high-pressure steam. The steam drives a turbine leading to the production of electricity.
• Steel Production – Another prominent use of coal is in the steel industry, but it is not used directly. The coal is converted into coal coke when baked in furnaces. The coal coke is used for smelting iron ore and producing iron, leading to further steel production. During smelting, ammonia gas is released, which helps with manufacturing ammonia salt, fertilisers, and nitric acid.
• Production of cement – Coal is used as energy for cement production and is crucial for the construction. Coal supports a very high-temperature kiln at a temperature of 1450°C necessary for heating raw material used in cement production.
• Gasification and Liquefaction process – These are Coal uses examples where the coal is used to produce synthetic gas and products like urea, pure hydrogen, urea etc. It is used for the production of synthetic fuels through the liquefaction process. Coal is mixed with steam and oxygen under high heat and pressure during the gasification process. 
• Paper and aluminium industries – Coal is one of the most efficient energy sources used predominantly in the paper industry. The production of paper from cellulose fibres to papers requires a lot of energy provided by coal. Coal is used in aluminium production as it is cost-effective and highly efficient.
• Production of fertiliser – The uses of coal are used to produce fertilisers. The residues from the generation of electricity and coal used in industries generate nitrogen fertilisers.
• Chemical production – Coal is used as feedback for producing chemical products like methanol carbon monoxide, which is used to manufacture chemicals like acetic acid, formaldehyde, ammonia, etc.

Conclusion

In summary, coal is combustible and produced from the sedimentary deposit. It takes a million years to produce coal from the decayed plant matter buried under the surface of the Earth. Coal is one of the most important fossil fuels and is non-renewable fuel with its application across various industries. Coal is of four major types, and each of them has a variable concentration of carbon and heat production capacity. Generation of electricity is one of the primary uses of coal along with its use as energy in various industries like manufacturing of cement, paper, aluminium, fertiliser, steel, silicone metal, filters, explosives etc. The topic covers all necessary information regarding coal and the uses of coal.