Name : Syachdidan Nur Rahman

NIM : H1C018038

Coal is one of the fossil fuels. The general definition is a sedimentary rock that can
burn, formed from organic deposits, mainly the remains of plants and formed through the
process of pembatubaraan. The main elements consist of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
Coal is a future energy source (Heriawan 2000). Coal is a flammable sedimentary rock
derived from plants, brown to black, which has been subjected to physical and chemical
processes which has resulted in the enrichment of its carbon content (Wolf 1984 in
Anggayana 1999).
The spread of coal deposits in Indonesia in terms of geological angle is closely
related to the spread of tertiary-aged sedimentary formations that are widely available in
most islands in Indonesia. Coal in Indonesia can be divided into three types based on the
way they are formed. First, paleogene coal, namely coal deposits formed in the
intramontain basin are in Ombilin, Bayah, Southeast Kalimantan, South Sulawesi, and so on.
Second, neogene coal, which is coal formed in the foreland basin, is located in Tanjung
Enim, South Sumatra. Third, delta coal, namely coal deposits in almost all of East
Kalimantan (Anggayana 1999).
Almost all coal formers come from plants. The types of plants forming coal and their
age according to Diessel (1981) are as follows:
1. Algae, from the Pre-Cambrian Period to the Ordovician and single-celled. Very little
coal deposits from this period.
2. Silophita, from the Silurian Period to Middle Devon, is a derivative of algae. Little
coal deposits from this period.
3. Pteridophytes, age of Upper Devon to Upper Carbon. The main material forming
Carbon-aged coal in Europe and North America. Plants without flowers and seeds,
breed with spores and grow in warm climates.
4. Gymnosperms, from the Permian Period to the Middle Cretaceous. Heterosexual
plants, seeds wrapped in fruit, such as pine, contain high levels of resin (resin).
Types of Pteridosperms such as gangamopteris and glossopteris are the main
constituents of Permian coal such as in Australia, India and Africa.
5. Angiosperms, from the Upper Cretaceous to the present. Modern plant species,
fruits that cover seeds, male and female in one flower, are less gummy than
gymnastics, so that, in general, they cannot be preserved.
Based on the level of the formation process which is controlled by pressure, heat and
time, coal is generally divided into five classes: anthracite, bituminous, sub-bituminous,
lignite and peat.
1. Anthracite is the highest class of coal, with metallic luster, containing between 86%
- 98% carbon (C) with a moisture content of less than 8%.
2. Bituminous contains 68 - 86% of carbon (C) and has a water content of 8-10% of its
weight. The most mined coal class in Australia.
 3. Sub-bituminous contains little carbon and lots of water, and is therefore a source of
heat that is less efficient than bituminous.
4. Lignite or brown coal is very soft coal that contains 35-75% of its weight.
5. Peat, porous and has a moisture content above 75% and the lowest calorific value.
The process of changing plant remains into peat to coal is referred to as coalification. In
summary there are 2 stages of the process that occur, namely:
1. Diagenetic or Biochemical stage, starting when the plant material is deposited until
lignite is formed. The main agents that play a role in this change process are water
content, oxidation rate and biological disturbances which can cause decay
(decomposition) and compaction of organic material and form peat.
2. Malihan or Geochemistry, including the process of change from lignite to bituminous
and finally anthracite.
The factors that influence the formation of coal are:
1. Geotectonic position
It is a place whose existence is influenced by plate tectonic forces in coal
formation is the dominant factor that will affect the local climate and morphology of
deposition basins and velocity of basin decline. In the final phase, the geotectonic
position influences organic metamorphosis and coal field structure through historical
periods after deposition end.
2. Topography (morphology)
The morphology of the basin when peat formation is very important because it
determines the spread of swamps where the coal is formed
3. Climate
Moisture controls the growth of flora and conditions that depend on geographic
position and is influenced by tropical and subtropical geotectonic positions suitable for
optimal growth tropical swamp forests have growth cycles every 7-9 years with tree
heights reaching 30 m. While the climate is cooler the height of the tree only reaches 5-
6 meters in the same time.
4. Decrease in basin
Decreases in basins are influenced by tectonic forces if the decrease and
deposition of the peat is balanced, resulting in thick coal deposits. Substitution of
transgression and regression affects the growth of flora and precipitation. Causing
infiltration of materials and minerals that affect the quality of the coal formed.
5. Plants
The main element forming coal with a certain environment and as coal type
determinants, the evolution of life creates different conditions during the geological
history