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Where does most coal on Earth come from?
The largest coal reserves are in the United States, Russia, China, Australia, and India. In the United States, coal is mined in 25 states and three major regions. In the Western Coal Region, Wyoming is the top producer—about 40% of the coal mined in the country is extracted in the state.
Where does coal come from and how was it formed?
Coal is formed when dead plant matter decays into peat and is converted into coal by the heat and pressure of deep burial over millions of years.
How is coal formed?
Coal is formed when dead plant matter submerged in swamp environments is subjected to the geological forces of heat and pressure over hundreds of millions of years. Over time, the plant matter transforms from moist, low-carbon peat, to coal, an energy- and carbon-dense black or brownish-black sedimentary rock.
Who has the best coal in the world?
China
Leading hard coal producing countries worldwide in 2018 (in million metric tons)
| Characteristic | Production in million metric tons |
|---|---|
| China | 3,530 |
| India | 730.3 |
| United States | 634.2 |
| Indonesia | 497.8 |
Who has the most coal in the world?
United States
Coal Reserves by Country
| # | Country | World Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | 22.3% |
| 2 | Russia | 15.5% |
| 3 | Australia | 14.0% |
| 4 | China | 13.1% |
Is coal still being formed?
Coal is very old. The formation of coal spans the geologic ages and is still being formed today, just very slowly. Below, a coal slab shows the footprints of a dinosaur (the footprints where made during the peat stage but were preserved during the coalification process).
What are the 4 types of coal?
Coal is classified into four main types, or ranks: anthracite, bituminous, subbituminous, and lignite. The ranking depends on the types and amounts of carbon the coal contains and on the amount of heat energy the coal can produce.
Which country uses coal the most?
Coal Consumption by Country
| # | Country | Yearly Coal Consumption (MMcf) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 4,319,921,826,000 |
| 2 | India | 966,288,692,600 |
| 3 | United States | 731,071,000,000 |
| 4 | Germany | 257,488,592,900 |
Where is the most coal in the world?
The largest consumer and importer of coal is China. China mines almost half the world’s coal, followed by India with about a tenth. Australia accounts for about a third of world coal exports followed by Indonesia and Russia.
Which country uses most coal?
How many years of coal are left?
133 years
World Coal Reserves The world has proven reserves equivalent to 133.1 times its annual consumption. This means it has about 133 years of coal left (at current consumption levels and excluding unproven reserves).
What year will we run out of coal?
Coal and natural gas are expected to last a little longer. If we continue to use these fossil fuels at the current rate without finding additional reserves, it is expected that coal and natural gas will last until 2060.