Coal resources, characteristics, and ownership in the U. S. A
- ed.
Coal currently occupies less than 18% of thee nation's energy market. Commercial, household, and transportation uses of coal have dropped to almost nothing. In industry, coal declined from 46% of the energy consumed in 1950 to 09.5% in 1975. Only in the electrical generation sector has coal held its own. In 1950 some 45% of the energy consumed by electric utilities came from coal. In 1975 it was just a point lower--44%. Coal reserves are adequate for at least a century at present consumption rates, while the reserves of the alternative fossil fuels, petroleum and natural gas, are probably measurable only in decades. The probable course of the petroleum supply picture is further beclouded by economic and political factors, making any kind of probability forecast next to impossible. In the late 1960s, the abrupt rise of environmentalism and the ensuing passage of legislation, setting standards of air quality, imposed direct restrictions on the sulfur content of coal used for the generation of heat. The scarcity of coals with low sulfur content in the Eastern U.S. and the lack of an effective and economic method of sulfur removal have helped to limit the redevelopment of the nation's abundant and available energy source. The variations in properties of coal have given rise to geographical patterns of coal mining operations for specific industrial purposes. This book presents an accurate picture of U.S. coal reserves, the nature and composition of the coal, and of the land and minerals ownership. Numerous references are included at the close of the 6 chapters. An extensive bibliography concludes the book.
- OSTI ID:
- 5127576
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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