Coal is a very useful and important mineral. It is black and hard. It is lifted from coal mines. Coal is nothing but the wood in forests that went underground thousands of years ago.
There are different kinds of coal such as peat, lignite, bituminous and anthracite. Anthracite is the best variety of coal. There are many coal mines in India. Of these Raniganj, Jharia, Chirimiri and Chandrapur are famous for their coal mines. Coal has different uses. It is chiefly used as fuel. It is the main source of energy resources. Coal is used to produce thermal electric power and steam power. Coal has also other uses. From it we get gas, dyes, tar, nylon, naphthalene and many other useful byproducts. Thus, coal has occupied an important place in our day to day life. However, its quantity is limited on the earth and we have used up a large share. At the present rate of its consumption, it is not likely to exist for many decades
