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Lignite
Lignite, often referred to as brown coal, is the lowest rank of coal and used almost exclusively as fuel for steam-electric power generation. 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:
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|
1970
|
1980
|
1990
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2000
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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 |
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