How much Coal?

Abstract

The question, “How Much Coal?” is not a simple one, nor does it admit of a simple, meaningful answer. On the one hand, it is possible to quote the 1977 World Energy Conference data to indicate that the geological resources exceed 10 000 x 10⁹ tons of coal equivalent (TCE), compared with a production in 1975 of 2.6 x 10⁹ TCE, i. e. several thousand years supply at present rates of consumption. On the other hand, in the 1977 Robens Coal Science Lecture, Gibson states:

“The element carbon plays such an overwhelmingly important role in our lives that its relative scarcity may come as a surprise. In the lithosphere it accounts for no more than 0.04% of the mass and, of this total, only a minute fraction (about one five-thousandth) occurs in a form which can react with oxygen. Most of this reactive carbon occurs in very concentrated form in the fossil fuels, peat, lignite, coal, oil, oilshales, tar sands and natural gas. Of these, coal represents by far the largest proportion.”