Lignite

Name:
Lignite
Detailed information:
(brown coal). A low rank of coal between peat and subbituminous; it contains 35–40% water. It occurs in the continental U.S., Alaska, Germany and the Netherlands. Its Btu value is low. Drying, crushing, and pelletizing lignite with an asphaltic binder for direct use as fuel has been successfully demonstrated. Polymer resins (polyesters and polyamides) can be derived from lignite by oxidation with nitric acid, followed by extraction of the nitrocoal acids, which are the basis of the polymer molecules. Peat can also be used. A process for gasification of lignite to produce methanol alcohol is approaching commercial development in Sweden.See Peat; Gasification.