REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR AND STATE GEOLOGIST 1903 



29 



the chemical changes are which take place is unknown. The pro- 

 cess of peat formation is the first stage in the formation of coal, 

 and the following table^ shows the manner in which peat and the 

 principal varieties of coal may be formed from woody tissue by 

 the loss of constituents. 



C H O total 



Wood 49.1 6.3 44.6 100 



IjOss 21.5 3.5 29.1 54.1 Loss equivalent to 40^ CO2 



I Peat 27.6 2.8 15.5 45.9 andl4.2%CH4 



Percentage 60.1 6.1 33.8 100 



Loss 8.1 2.2 21.5 31.8 Loss equivalent to 29.6^ 



II Peat 41 4.1 23.1 68.2 CO 2 and 2.2.'; H, uniting 



Percentage 60.1 6 33.9 100 with outside O 



Loss 2 1.6 18.15 21.75 Loss equivalent to 7.33^ 



III Peat 47.1 4.7 26.45 78.25 CO2 and 14.42% H2O 



Percentage 60.2 6 33.8 100 



Loss 18.65 3.25 25.4 =47.3 Loss equivalent to 34.9^ 



IV Lignite 30.45 3.05 19.2 =52.7 CO2 and 14% CH4 



Percentage 57.8 5.8 36.4 100 



Loss 6.4 1.95 17.2 25.55 Loss equivalent to 23.6^ 



V Lignite 42.7 4.35 27.4 74.45 CO2 and 1.95% CH4 



Percentage 57.3 5.8 36.9 



Loss 1 1.4 13.75 16.15 Loss equivalent to 3.6% 



VI Lignite 48.1 4.9 30.85 83.85 CO2 and 12.5% H2O 



Percentage 57.3 5.9 36.8 



Loss 31 5.1 41.9 78 Loss equivalent to 57.6^ 



VII Bituminous coal.. 18.1 1.2 82.2 22 CO2 and 20.4% CH4 



Percentage ........ 82.2 5.5 12.3 



Loss 14.8 4.01 39.45 58.3 Loss equivalent to 54.24% 



VIII Bituminous coal.. 34.3 2.29 5.15 41.7 CO2 and 4.01% H oxidized 



Percentage 82.2 5.5 12.3 



Loss 4.3 3.3 37.9 45.5 Loss equivalent to 15.7% 



IX Bituminous coal.. 44.8 3 6.7 54.5 CO2 and 29.8% H2O 



Percentage 82.2 5.5 12.3 



Loss 34.57 6.03 43.95 84.55 Loss equivalent to 60.79% 



X Anthracite 14.53 .27 .65 15.45 CO2 and 24.12% CH4 



Percentage 94.04 1.75 4.21 



Loss 16.17 5.7 43.12 64.99 Loss equivalent to 59.29% 



XI Anthracite 32.93 .6 1.71 35.01 CO2 and 5.7% H oxidized 



Percentage 94.06 1.71 4.23 



It is seen from the table that the conversion of woody tissue to 

 peat, lignite and bituminous coal may be brought about in three 

 distinct ways and the change to anthracite may take place in two 

 ways with little or no chemical action between the woody fiber and 

 outside material. The probable stages in the change are indicated 

 in numbers I, IV, YII and X. 



By reference to this table it will be seen that peat and lignite 

 are almost identical, and that the peat is somewhat more 



^Bischof, Gustav. Elements of Chemical and Physical Geology. 1:276- 

 80. Tr. by B. H. Paul «& J. Drummond. 



