In 1998, students from Louisville petitioned the State Legislature to make coal the official State Mineral. One problem is that scientifically coal is a rock, not a mineral. Minerals are the building blocks of rocks. Rocks are composed of many minerals. But legally, coal is considered a mineral resource and is taxed as a mineral. The legislature passed the resolution in the summer of 1998, and coal is now the official State Mineral of Kentucky.

13. What are the traditional fossil fuels? Oil, natural gas, and coal What remains the dominant world energy sources today? The traditional fossil fuels; oil, natural gas and coal. The traditional fossil fuels; oil, natural gas and coal. These fuels account for roughly 80 percent of world energy use and 86 percent of that of the United States, where the remainder comes from nuclear power and renewable fuels.

Fossil fuels: petroleum (oil), coal, and natural gas.

Most of the energy used worldwide today comes from fossil fuels. Other sources include non-hydropower renewable energy such as solar, geothermal, and wind power Most of the energy used worldwide today comes from fossil fuels. Other sources include non-hydropower renewable energy such as solar, geothermal, and wind power. World energy use by fuel source Key World Energy Statistics, p. 6. © Office for Economic Co-operation and Development/International Energy Agency (2006).

14. Fossil fuels hold energy stored in plant tissues by photosynthesis millions of years ago. When these ancient plants and the animals that fed on them died, they were buried in sediments, where Earth's heat and compression from the weight of overlying rock eventually turned the deposits into coal, oil, and natural gas. Exploring for and extracting these fossil fuels requires an intimate knowledge of what? the Earth's structure and history What are the scientist called that study fossil fuels? geoscientists

For millions of years, a layer of dead plants at the bottom of the swamps was covered by layers of water and dirt, trapping the energy of the dead plants. The heat and pressure from the top layers helped the plant remains turn into what we today call coal.

15. What was the first fossil fuel exploited by humans for energy on a large scale? Coal What type of rock is this? It is a carbonaceous rock How is it formed? It is formed from buried plants in ancient forests or swamps. These plant materials are initially converted to peat. What is peat? Peat is a loose, brown, organically rich soil. As more rock layers press down on the buried deposits, “what” heats the peat and reduces its oxygen and hydrogen content converting it to coal? geothermal energy What is the process called that these materials go through? thermal maturation During this process, the material’s energy content by weight increases

Type of coal Brown coal (lignite) Sub-bituminous coal bituminous coal Anthracite coals List facts about each type they can be used to distinguish one type from the others. the first type of coal to form when plant matter is compacted the first type of coal to form when plant matter is compacted has an energy value of 9 to 17 million (Btu) per ton. has an energy value of 9 to 17 million (Btu) per ton. because it has a low energy content, larger volumes are needed to generate useful energy because it has a low energy content, larger volumes are needed to generate useful energy 16 to 30 million Btu/ton) 16 to 30 million Btu/ton) dark black dark black the most important coal grade for energy production the most important coal grade for energy production both direct heating and electricity generation throughout the world both direct heating and electricity generation throughout the world metallic gray metallic gray very high energy content very high energy content 22 to 28 million Btu per ton 22 to 28 million Btu per ton most reserves in the eastern U S have been exhausted most reserves in the eastern U S have been exhausted remaining deposits reserved for use in processing metals remaining deposits reserved for use in processing metals 16. Coal comes in several grades that reflect its thermal maturity and energy content. Complete the following graphic organizer.

U.S. Coal Fields and Coal Producing Areas

Type underground mining (subsurface) (subsurface) surface strip mining Bulleted list of environmental impact facts Underground mining has relatively low immediate impact at the surface can cause ground subsidence when mineshafts collapse Coal dust and methane gas raise significant risks of explosions. Worldwide, several thousand miners on average die each year in coal mining-related accidents. removing soils and overburden to extract shallow coal deposits highly visible at the surface generally leave permanent scars on the landscape most extreme form, mountaintop removal land is clear-cut and leveled with explosives to expose coal seams, with most of the removed overburden dumped into neighboring valleys 17. List (2) types of coal extraction mining operations. subsurface and surface strip These processes have significant but different environmental impacts. These processes have significant but different environmental impacts.

According to the Kentucky Department of Mines and Minerals, million tons of coal was mined in Kentucky in 2000; 62 percent (81 million tons) was from underground mines and 38 percent (50 million tons) was from surface mines. There were 264 active underground mines and 240 active surface mines in Kentucky in

Mountaintop removal near Hazard (Perry County, KY)

Mountaintop removal at Oven Fork, near Whitesburg (Letcher County, KY)

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Beckley coal mine, WV

18.Runoff from abandoned mines is a major source of water pollution in states with large coal industries like West Virginia and Pennsylvania. Explain how an abandoned coal mine can become a major source of water pollution. Coal often contains a significant amount of sulfur. When rain or groundwater comes in contact with coal, it produces sulfuric acid. Acid drainage from coal mines can pollute surrounding areas long after the mines are shut down. Many underground mines are dug to levels below the water table, so they flood easily after they are abandoned. When this happens, contaminated water flows out of mines, lowering the pH of lakes, rivers, and streams and leaching toxic heavy metals from the ground. _

19. Beyond the mine, coal produces significant amounts of “what” when it is burned? atmospheric pollution and greenhouse gas emissions What type of emissions does coal combustion produce? sulfate and nitrogen emissions These emissions contribute to what (3) entities? acid deposition, regional haze, and smog It also produces mercury, which accumulates in the fatty tissues of animals and fish and can harm humans who consume certain species. Which fossil fuel is the most carbon-intensive? coal On average, coal contains roughly 30 percent more carbon per unit of energy than crude oil and 75 percent more than natural gas.

20. A variety of technologies exist to make coal cleaner to burn. List and explain (3) types. (1)filtration systems that reduce particulate emissions (2)scrubbing systems to reduce hazardous sulfur and nitrogen emissions (3) methods for removing mercury

21. Moreover, coal can be turned into a form of syngas (synthetic natural gas), which can be burned with smaller environmental impacts. Many of these technologies are proven and some are in use at modern power generation facilities. It is generally very costly to retrofit older power plants with these capabilities, however. Technologies that could capture a large part of the carbon dioxide from coal-burning power plants, for subsequent storage away from the atmosphere, are under intensive development but are certain to be expensive.

Coal is a major energy source worldwide.