Nev .. there is coal & then their is coal!! Prices vary greatly,...

Nev .. there is coal & then their is coal!! Prices vary greatly, here is why:

From expensive (best) to cheapest (worst):

Black coals (high carbon content):
1] Anthracite: Hard black = used as domestic coal - premium (High heat: 15,000 Btu's p/lb)
2] Bituminous: Coking coal for steel - excellent quality (Med-high heat: 12,000 Btu's p/lb)

Then the brown coals (low carbon):
3] Sub-Bituminouscoal = used in power generation (med heat: 9,000 Btu's p/lb)
4] Lignite = cheaper, softer & cant be trasported far. Used for power generation too, but the power station has to be constructed right by the deposits. (low heat: 6,000 Btu's p/lb)

Then you get the worst scenario: a "stranded" brown coal field, ie; one that is either a] Very deep, or b] very isolated, hence not economical to exploit. These are generally low value per tonne, BUT ideal for UCG/CTG, where they can be processed insitu. SXP's deposits fall into this category. Hence the LNC deal is very important.

cheers