Lignite
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Lignite, often referred to as brown coal, is the lowest rank of coal and used almost exclusively as fuel for steam-electric power generation.
Lignite mine in Leipzig-Döhlen
It is brownish-black and has a high inherent moisture content, sometimes as high as 45 percent. The heat content of lignite ranges from 9 to 17 million Btu/ton (10 to 20 MJ/kg) on a moist, mineral-matter-free basis. The heat content of lignite consumed in the United States averages 13 million Btu/ton (15 MJ/kg), on the as-received basis (i.e., containing both inherent moisture and mineral matter).
Lignite mined in millions of metric tons:
| 1970 | 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2001 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Germany | 369,300 | 388,000 | 356,500 | 167,700 | 175,400 |
| 2. | Russia | 127,000 | 141,000 | 137,300 | 86,400 | 83,200 |
| 3. | USA | 5,400 | 42,300 | 82,600 | 83,500 | 80,500 |
| 4. | Australia | 24,200 | 32,900 | 46,000 | 65,000 | 67,800 |
| 5. | Greece | 8,100 | 23,200 | 51,700 | 63,300 | 67,000 |
| 6. | Poland | 32,800 | 36,900 | 67,600 | 61,300 | 59,500 |
| 7. | Turkey | 4,400 | 15,000 | 43,800 | 63,000 | 57,200 |
| 8. | Czech Republic | 67,000 | 87,000 | 71,000 | 50,100 | 50,700 |
| 9. | China | 13,000 | 22,000 | 38,000 | 40,000 | 47,000 |
| 10. | Serbia and Montenegro | 26,000 | 43,000 | 60,000 | 35,500 | 35,500 |
| 11. | Romania | 14,100 | 27,100 | 33,500 | 17,900 | 29,800 |
| 12. | North Korea | 5,700 | 10,000 | 10,000 | 26,000 | 26,500 |
| ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| ... | Austria | 3,700 | 1,700 | 2,500 | 1,300 | 1,200 |
| ... | Total | 804,000 | 1.028,000 | 1.214,000 | 877,400 | 894,800 |