THE PHILIPPINE 
JOURNAL OF SCIENCE 
A. CHEMICAL AND GEOLOGICAL SCIENCES 
AND THE INDUSTRIES 
Vou. VII FEBRUARY, 1912 No. 1 
CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF 
PHILIPPINE COAL. 
By ALVIN J. Cox. 
(From the Laboratory of General, Inorganic, and Physical Chemistry, 
Bureau of Science, Manila, P. I.) 
The uniformity in the composition of most Philippine coals,* 
barring diluents, water, ash, and sulphur, suggests that all were 
bedded under about the same conditions. This idea is sub- 
stantiated by the fact that the deposits correspond geologically, 
although occasionally some are improved by geologic compres- 
sion of the strata or certain other local peculiarities. The de- 
posits considerably resemble black lignite, but are generally 
much superior to ordinary lignite. A few deposits have a 
brownish color and show a woody structure; however, in general 
they are bright and shiny, much resembling bituminous coal, 
although with a slightly lower calorific value. The name “‘sub- 
bituminous” best describes the average Philippine variety, since 
it conveys the most accurate idea of its nature and value. I have 
investigated samples of one coal from the Zamboanga Peninsula 
which shows 4.89 per cent of diluents (2.27 per cent moisture and 
2.62 per cent ash) and a fixed carbon content of 88.53 per cent, 
indicating a semianthracite. Philippine coals as a rule are non- 
coking. One authentic sample of a seam from the Island of Cebu 
gives a coke which appears to be of good quality. The seam 
is not over 60 centimeters thick, and it is possible that the same 
*Cox, Alvin J., This Journal, Sec. A (1909), 4, 198. 
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