Fun Coal Facts You Must Know
Coal had been used as a source of heat for thousands of years before powering the transformation brought about by the Industrial Revolution from the 18th century onwards. It’s no exaggeration to say that many of the comforts and technologies we now enjoy may never have come about without the input of this vital resource.
It’s easy to take its existence for granted, but coal is actually the result of millions of years of geological processes and there’s a lot more to it than you might imagine.
In this article, the KG Smith & Son team is going to dig a little deeper to find out more about coal, where it comes from, how it came to be in the ground – and a lot more!
What is coal made of?
Coal is made of plant matter that originally grew in dense, swampy forests millions of years ago. As it became buried under water and dirt, it first decayed to form carbon-rich peat bogs, before being subject to intense heat and pressure as a result of deeper and deeper burial.
Over the millenia, those pressures removed most of the water, methane and carbon dioxide the plant matter held, leaving a higher proportion of carbon and slowly turning the material into the sedimentary rock we call coal.
How old is the oldest coal?
The materials that make up coal mostly date back to a geological era known as the Carboniferous period, which ran from about 359 to 299 million years ago. The name Carboniferous in fact means ‘coal-bearing’, so the period is actually named after the formation of coal that happened in that time.
Anthracite – one of the most common and popular of the smokeless coals – is also the oldest, dating back about 400 million years. Lignite coal is the youngest at about a million years.
How much coal is left in the world?
As of 2021, it was estimated that there were some 1.16 trillion tons of proved recoverable coal reserves left in the planet, most of it in the USA, Russia, Australia, China and India. At current rates of consumption, that means it is likely to last for just another 150 years.
5 Fun Facts About Coal
- Uses for coal ash
The ash you get as a result of burning coal is used in the manufacture of a number of items, including concrete. It can also be used as a filling for golf balls, tennis racquets and linoleum. However, you should not use coal ash in your garden or add it to compost.
- The first uses and mining of coal
Archaeological evidence in Czechia suggests that coal was being used as a source of heat from 25,000 to 23,000 years BCE, while its use in metalworking can be dated back to about 300 years BCE in Greece. The first reference to the mining of coal comes from over 3,000 years ago in China.
- Lucky coal
In the theatre, it is considered lucky to throw a piece of coal from the stage of a new theatre. In northern England and Scotland, ‘first footers’ are the first visitors to a household in the new year and bring luck with a number of gifts that include a lump of coal.
Chimney sweeps are also considered to be lucky, especially if you see one on your wedding day!
- Coal as a punishment
Coal isn’t always seen as lucky, it can also be a punishment. For instance, in some cultures, children who had been naughty would only get some coal for Christmas from Santa. Meanwhile, the phrase ‘haul over the coals’ today refers to giving someone a strong telling off – but it used to be a literal punishment for heretics!
- The World Coal Carrying Championship
The World Coal Carrying Championship takes place in Gawthorpe in West Yorkshire every year. Men have to carry a 50kg sack of coal and women a 20kg sack over a distance of just over 1,000 metres. In the 2024 event, the winning male contestant took 4 minutes 22 seconds to complete the course, while the winning woman took 4 minutes 45 seconds.
The fastest ever time was recorded in 1991, when David Jones completed the course in just 4 minutes 6 seconds!
Here at KG Smith & Son, we’ve been leading coal merchants for the UK since 1947. Today, we offer one of the most comprehensive ranges of solid fuels – including smokeless coals, briquettes, heat logs, kiln-dried firewood and other environmentally friendly alternatives to traditional house coal – for customers across the UK.
You can get expert advice on the best solid fuel for your home or appliance by contacting our friendly team or place your order online now for rapid delivery wherever you are in the UK.