The Elements of economic geology

Bibliographic data

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

COAL AND ITS CLASSIFICATION 273 a yr d 'S 1 k n 3. LS a i )f Q r t J 0) € a WN J] B e though in some of the Scottish fields coal seams are already worked as thin as 14 inches; and some thin seam working is possible as the coal and fireclay are extracted together, the fireclay being sometimes the more valuable. The proved coal resources of the world are 7450 milliard metric tons, of which the United States has 3840 or 52 per cent, The West Virginia coalfield had 115 milliard metric tons. Germany, excluding the fields of the Saar and of the Upper Silesia which were lost by the War, and not counting the enormous supplies of lignite, has 285 milliard metric tons, which is greater than that of any other European country. Great Britain has 189 milliard tons, Poland 170, Russia in Europe 160, France 63, Belgium 11, and the rest of Europe 29. The remaining chief coalfields of the world are in Australia; in China where the quantities are colossal but incalculable; in Canada, owing to the vast western fields of sub-bituminous coal; in India (mostly in Bengal) ; and South Africa. The proved coal reserves will last for many centuries. Coal may however have a great influence in industrial re- distribution. The difficulty in Britain is that the ex- haustion of the more easily worked coal causes a rise in price, while railway and canal development in other countries is cheapening their production and enabling their mines to enter the world's markets. Stanley Jevons in 1865 pointed out that British industries would be hampered by a serious rise in the cost of coal, and that prediction has been fully justified. The average price of coal exported from Britain advanced from 7s. 6d. in 1850 to 13s. in 1900-1904, to 25s. 14d. in 1923, and to 20s. 2d. in 1925. Witnesses before the Coal Commission of 1925 stated that the average pithead price of coal to the railways had increased 89 per cent. from 1913 to 1924. With the increased demand for coal and the continued exhaustion of the more easily worked British supplies, this rise in price will doubtless continue, until it has again doubled and still further handicapped industries. Other sources of energy are available, and will be more employed as coal rises in price. Water-power is used in some countries where there are convenient waterfalls and high level lakes, and coal is dear; but water is usually an expen- sive source of power, while harnessing the tides, owing to the 18

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