The  origin of coal: a different approach

Danilo Anton

While there have been discussions about the possible biotic or abiotic origin of oil from the nineteenth century and still continue, in recent decades there was virtual unanimity that the coal was of biological origin.

In many cases, the fossilized plants have been well preserved.

Occasionally it is possible to appreciate even the smallest details of leaf morphology, stems and many other features that undoubtedly have a vegetable origin.

However, despite these apparent evidence, Thomas Gold (2001) argues, with good arguments, that coal is also of mineral origin.

According to the theory of Gold, carbonaceous ascending fluids, increasingly enriched in carbon impregnated the accumulated plant remains resulting in carbonization of the formations without destroying the plants morphology.

This would be similar to silicification processes, where various fossils (eg fossil wood) are traversed by siliceous fluids replacing atoms and molecules of the original timber producing the petrification.

Silicified wood or xylopals are relatively common. According to Gold, the same phenomenon occurs with coal.

This author argues that many carbonaceous layers are up to 10 meters thick with a mineral content of only 4%. 

Most of the carbon material includes some hydrogen, oxygen and sulfur.

Imagining a marshy origin for these layers with 300 meter accumulations a mineral contents less than 1% would be required.

 Such wetlands not currently exist, and " even if they existed at some point, it is unlikely that plants could grow in such circumstances . "

Abiogenic theory can explain the formation of coal in a more logical way. It would be the result of the rise of carbon enriched fluids through the organic layer. Gold concludes that, in its opinion, the coal deposits would still forming today.

Other arguments raised by the author are:

1) If the coal was produced by the transformation of organic matter, it could not retain the morphological details.

 In many cases it is possible to see perfectly preserved pieces of wood, sometimes without charring, even without signs of starting a process of carbonization, surrounded by nearly pure carbon. 

Gold concludes that these remains were not impregnated by the upward carbonaceous fluid.

2) The coal deposits are often found above the oil fields, which in turn are superimposed on gas fields. This sequence would be related to the enrichment in carbon of rising hydrocarbons.

3) The continuous emission of methane observed in the coal mines, which is one of the main problems of their exploitation, causing fires, explosions and asphyxiation of workers.

From "Unexhaustibles? Petroleum and Natural Gas", Danilo Anton, Piriguazu Ediciones
Blog in Spanish  daniloanton.blogspot.com