The Elements of economic geology

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Monograph

Identifikator:: 1773832379

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-172798

Document type:: Monograph

Author:: Gregory, John W. http://d-nb.info/gnd/11683014X

Title:: The Elements of economic geology

Place of publication:: London

Publisher:: Methuen

Year of publication:: 1928

Scope:: XIV, 312 S.; graph. Darst.

Digitisation:: 2021

Collection:: Economics Books

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Chapter

Document type:: Monograph

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Part V. Mineral fuels

Collection:: Economics Books

272 ECONOMIC GEOLOGY and bituminous seams are the same. Of a series of neigh- bouring bituminous seams some may be altered to anthracite if the volatile constituents are able to escape, while other seams may remain bituminous. The distribution of anthracite in the more deeply buried seams in especially disturbed fields, and in the older rocks supports its formation from bituminous coal. This con- clusion is supported by J. Roberts who has altered bitu- minous coal to anthracite by heating at 9oo® F., and by the analytic studies of G. Hickling (Tr. I.M.E., Ixxii, 1927, pp. 261-76) which show the continuity of the series from peat to anthracite. Coal RESOURCES Coal is not only of supreme importance as fuel, but as an indispensable chemical agent in the reduction of iron ores. The former industrial hegemony of the British Isles was largely due to cheap coal; and it has to share that position with the United States and Germany owing to their still greater coalfields. The discovery that Germany, instead of being poor in coal, had more than all the rest of Europe, was the dominating factor in European politics from 1890-1914. The output of coal is greater than that of any other mineral. In 1924 the United States had an output of 518 million metric tons, Great Britain of 271-4, and Germany of 118-8. After the three great coal-producing countries followed France with 58:8, Poland 32, and Belgium 23. The output from the United States first exceeded the British in 1809. The coalfields of the United States have an area of 335,000 square miles, while that of the British is only 12,000 square miles; hence the output per square mile of coalfield is 16 times as great in Britain as in the United States. The vast annual output has often lead to fears as to how long this supply can be maintained. Fortunately geological research has discovered new coalfields faster than the old fields have been worked out. The world's proved coal re- sources are enormous. The estimates of the supplies assume that coal will not be worked at a.greater depth than 4000 feet owing to the rise of temperature; but 5000 feet is certainly practicable, and is assumed as the limit on the Continent. Seams less than I foot in thickness are excluded as too thin:

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