Coal

Coal is a fossil fuel extracted from the ground by deep mining, coal mining (open-pit mining or strip mining). It is a readily combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock. It is composed primarily of carbon and hydrocarbons, along with assorted other elements, including sulfur. Often associated with the Industrial Revolution, coal remains an enormously important fuel and is the most common source of electricity world-wide. In the United States, for example, the burning of coal generates over half the electricity consumed by the nation.

External links

• MSNBC report on coal pollution health effects in the United States
• Clean coal technologies
• Use of coal gas in fuel cells
• Advanced methods of using coal (Japanese Coal Energy Center)