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How to Find Coal by Density

Coal is a sedimentary rock located in rocky areas found in layers which are called called coal beds or seams. It is primarily composed of carbon with the addition of hydrogen, oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen. Coal is used as fuel for home and space heating as well as electrical generators. Jet coal is used for decorative purposes in jewelry and decorative items. With the increasing global demand for coal, scientific methods for locating it, including by density, have helped to locate coal in areas that have not been over-explored.

Things You'll Need

Transient Electromagnetics Instrument
Aerial transport with instrument mountings
Complex Resistivity Sensor
Frequency-domain/time-domain Electromagnetic Sensor
Radiometric Alteration-Mapping Instrument
Controlled-Source Audiofrequency Magnetotellurics Instrument
Time-domain Electromagnetics Instrument

Instructions

- 1
  Test the location where you wish to find coal with the complex resistivity sensor, frequency-domain electromagnetic sensor or the time-domain electromagnetic sensor. These sensors will detect poor mineral ability to conduct electricity. Coal is a bad conductor of electricity since it is non-metallic and will be noticed by the sensors.
- 2
  Examine the location where you believe coal is located with a time-domain electromagnetics instrument, a controlled source audiofrequency magnetotellurics instrument or a transient electromagnetics instrument. These devices emit pulses and produce maps based on how the frequencies bounce back. This determines what is found based on density shapes formatted into the devices.
- 3
  Test the location with an airborne radiometric alteration-mapping instrument. This device will scan for denseness of minerals due to compression over time such as coal. It also reads radiation levels and coal has very low radioactivity levels, which will be detected.

Rocks & Minerals