Bituminous Coal

Use and Composition

Bituminous coal is burned for steel production rather than electricity production. Bituminous coal may also be referred to as metallurgical coal or coking coal. This coal is ideal for steelmaking because it has a carbon content of 70–90%, low impurities, and is dense in energy. Bituminous coal is dense yet brittle, dark brown to black in color, and possibly has a shiny appearance. Because it is brittle, coal rocks can fragment, creating smaller particles that can then be uplifted into the atmosphere by winds or motion, for example, on moving train cars.

Other components of coal are its volatile matter, which refers to compounds that evaporate when coal is heated. The volatile matter content determines whether coal can be used in steelmaking, partly distinguishing bituminous coal from other types of coal. Relevant for steelmaking, coal should have low amounts of phosphorus and sulfur, which lead to impurities in the steel.

Relevant for the health impacts of exposure to coal, bituminous coal, and other types of coal, contain so-called chalcophile, which means "sulfur-loving," elements. Chalcophile elements include toxic metals such as lead (Pb), selenium (Se), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and mercury (Hg), which are known cause cancer and other adverse health effects even at very low exposures.

Geological Formation

Bituminous coal was formed from ancient tropical swamps 300 million years ago and is mined today in locations that include the coal seams of the Appalachian Basin in West Virginia.

Coal mined in the Appalachian Basin is transported by rail to major East Coast ports for global distribution, including the Port of Virginia, which consists of the Dominion Terminal Associates and Kinder Morgan Bulk Terminals in Southeast Newport News and the Norfolk Southern Terminal in Lambert's Point, Norfolk, as well as Curtis Bay in Baltimore, Maryland.

Documents

• Milici et al., Bituminous Coal Production in the Appalachian Basin: Past, Present, and Future, Chapter D.3 of Coal and Petroleum Resources in the Appalachian Basin: Distribution, Geologic Framework, and Geochemical Character, Edited by Ruppert and Ryder, Professional Paper 1708-D.3, U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, 2014
• Tewalt et al., Coal Assessments and Coal Research in the Appalachian Basin, Chapter D.4 of Coal and Petroleum Resources in the Appalachian Basin: Distribution, Geologic Framework, and Geochemical Character, Edited by Ruppert and Ryder, Professional Paper 1708-D.4, U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, 2014