Geological Terms

Anthracite Coal

Coal of the highest rank being a high carbon content and a low volatile matter. It has a bright black lustre.

Anticline

A upward(convex) folding of the rock strata.

Aquifer

A bed of rock strata that contains water. The presence of aquifers must be taken into consideration when designing any mine

Bed

Stratum of coal or other sedimentary deposits.

Bituminous Coal

A general term descriptive of coal intermediate in rank between sub-bituminous and semi-anthracite and including coking coals. Bituminous coals may be either bright or dull and are usually banded in appearance.

Black Coal

A general term for coal of either sub-bituminous, bituminous or anthracite rank.

Brassy tops

Pyrites – Iron sulphide, a chemical dangerous in mines because of its tendency to ignite spontaneously.

Brown Coal

Coal of the lowest rank, of a soft friable nature and high moisture in the air-dried

sample.

Coal measure

Coal measures are a group of seams that are the same age.  

District

A coal mining area in Australia.  The NSW the districts are Northern Southern and Western.  There is also the Newcastle District 

Fault

Break in the continuity of a coal seam or rock strata. There are many types of faults.

Greta-Branxton Coalfield

The northern part of the Greta Coalfield, centred on the towns of Greta and Branxton; developed earlier than the South Maitland Coal Seam

Greta Coalfield

The field including both the South Maitland and Greta-Branxton Coalfields.

In Situ

In the natural or original position with references to rock strata.

Joint

A discontinuity in the rock strata where there is no sign of relative movement.

Lignite

A brownish-black coal composed of vegetable matter which has been altered more than in peat, but less than in sub-bituminous coal.

Outcrop

Coal that appears at or near the surface

Seam

A bed of coal laid down between beds of rock

South Maitland Coalfield

The larger part of the Greta coalfield centred on Kurri and Cessnock.

Sub-Bituminous Coal

Coal of a rank between lignite and bituminous.

Volatile Matter

The part of coal that gives it its ability to burn as they contain mostly hydrocarbons

Resources

Metcalfe, Andrew, W., For freedom and Dignity: historical agency and class structures in the Coalfields of NSW, Allen & Auwin Sydney 1988.

Tonks, Ed. Coal mining in the Hunter Valley, 1979.

University of Wollongong. Mine Glossary. From http://www.uow.edu.au/eng/outburst/html/Overview/glossarydata.html . Retrieved on 14/03/2013.