Glad to see you here. You probably don’t know me since I read alot more than I post. Anyway, I just wanted to say hi. So care to tell me something interesting about coal?
Alantus
It’s really useful for making cool drawings of your girlfriend.
Uh…who are you? And why does this sound like an e-mail that was not mailed, and instead was posted?
Uh…hi. Please forgive me, but I’m trying to recollect if we have conversed before. Random hello’s are a little unusual to me, so I am wondering who you are, you must understand.
And do you really want a coal factoid? 
A coal factoid would be cool, knowledge is wonderful.
Odds are you don’t know me. Like I said, I usually read alot and post sparingly. Anyway, I read your post a day or 2 ago and you said things weren’t going so well. I saw you post here this morning and thought a random hello would be nice. Yes, I am strange, will go ahead and answer before someone asks.
Alantus
OK, a coal factoid on “Anthracite”:
Most people think that “Anthracite” means a very high-Btu (high energy content), low moisture, low ash coal. And in the US and England, this is mostly true. But we must remember - coals are ranked by the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) primarily by their ratio of volatile matter to fixed carbon. And these volatiles and fixed carbons are measured on a “dry, mineral-matter free basis”. Thus, an Anthracite need not have a high heating value and very low moisture and ash, just merely have a very low volatile matter content. The Anthracites I studied in Spain last week were of that type - very high moisture and ash, and very low heat content. Very different from what we in the US or England would think of, but they are Anthracite nonetheless. Russia, South Africa, Korea, China, and Australia also have Anthracites similar to those found in Spain, and thus Spain imports from some of those countries, as well as burning their local coal.
But what is volatile matter? Well, to understand this, you first must understand what is coal.
Coal can be thought of as being made up of four basic types of components, that are arranged in what is known as a Proximate analysis. These four components are:
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Fixed Carbon - heavy hydrocarbons that can combust that do not evaporate readily to the air, or even when heated.
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Volatile Matter - light hydrocarbons that can combust that DO evaporate readily to the air.
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Moisture - essentially, water. Coal can have a surprisingly large amount of moisture and still be combustible.
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Ash - while not technically the same as mineral matter, it is normally close enough for demonstration purposes. It is the parts of the coal that are not moisture that do not burn. This includes rocks and clays in the coal, but could be said to be anything non-moisture that does not burn.
A US Anthracite may be composed of about 5% volatile matter, 5% ash, 7% moisture, and 83% fixed carbon. With a heating value (gross, or higher) of about 14,500 Btu/lbm. Whereas a Korean Anthracite may be composed of 4% volatile matter, 40% ash, 5% moisture, and 51% fixed carbon, with a heating value of 8000 Btu/lbm. And a Spanish Anthracite may be composed of 7% volatile matter, 6% ash, 25% moisture, and 62% fixed carbon, with a heating value of 10,000 Btu/lbm.
Or to view this better:
Type of Anthracite Volatile Matter Ash Moisture Fixed Carbon Heating Value
US Anthracite 5% 5% 7% 83% 14,500 Btu/lbm
Korean Anthracite 4% 40% 5% 51% 8,000 Btu/lbm
Spanish Anthracite 7% 6% 25% 62% 10,000 Btu/lbm
Three very different coals, but all called “Anthracite”.
Coals are ranked primarily based on their volatility, or their ratio of fixed carbon to volatile matter[sup]1[/sup]. Anthracites are the least volatile, with the most fixed carbon. Thus, they can be very difficult to start burning, but once they do start, they burn with a hot, fierce flame.
Like love should be. Difficult to start, impossible to extinguish.
[sub]1) Yes, I know that sub-bituminous and lignitic coals are also ranked by their moist, mineral-matter free heating value. But we’re talking Anthracites here.[/sub]
Sweet. I remember watching barges go down the river in my youth, loaded down with coal. Wonder if that was Anthracite.
Alantus
Alantus.
I am just a simple country girl, and I don’t pretend to know any of the secrets of the universe.
Now, if you are a sincere individual, I appreciate YOUR appreciation of our Anthracite. If on the other hand, you are being less than nice, let me tell you some things.
Anthracite is a wonderful person. She may be having a bad day, or a bad month, or maybe even a bad life. She has the right. She is a good lady, and a human being who cares about the other people on this board. She ACTS on this caring, and if ANYONE feels as though it is funny to be sarcastic toward her, they will have to deal with…well, for instance, me. And many other people on this board as well.
Now, Alantus. I am perhaps reading you wrong. I am not perfect, and I have never been of the opinion that I do not make mistakes. I would be extremely happy to be brought to the realization that I have made a mistake here.
Perhaps I am defensive. Perhaps I am overly sensitive. I hope so.
If not, this thread is about to be removed to the pit.
Scotti
Your definately wrong. I posted the original message simply because I felt like saying hi. I think Anthracite is a very interesting woman. Her response concerning coal was interesting as well. When my intentions are malicious I will post in the pit.
I have no idea how my post here could have been taken in an incorrect light, however harm was never the intention.
If you feel like scouring over all my post I am sure you will find that I am a rather boring person and tend to be non-confrontational. I have posted a total of 2 threads now specifically for other Dopers here. I wondered if BobT, the high god of sports knowledge, ever slept since he seemed to post 24 hours a day. I also felt like saying hello to Anthracite on Christmas morning. I was sitting here alone on Christmas morning and I guess wishing it were a normal day. Anyway, I felt like saying hello. No harm intented.
Explanations from a former simple country boy,
Alantus
Jeez Scotti, get a grip.
Unless you live in China, or are about 120 years old here in the US, it almost certainly was not Anthracite coal. US Anthracite is becoming scarce and costly, and when shipped is almost always done by truck, locally in the WV/VA/NC region.
Scotti only posted what many people were wondering. Kindly do not drive-by criticise my very good friend, Scotti.
It is unusual to find a thread about one started by a “Board Stranger”. Some may say a “Board Stranger is a friend you have not met”, but I have also been flirted with and hit on more than a few times by guys here (who do not realize just how out-of-luck they are in that department), including a few people who start e-mailing me about “converting” me back to the “straight” side. :rolleyes:
Anyhow, Alantus seems like a decent sort.
But come on, Eissclam. One-sentence posts telling someone like Scotti, one of the kindest persons here on the Board, who is only concerned for me (and nearly everyone else on the Board, she’s that good of a person) to “get a grip” are just the sort of thing to start a Tuesday Morning Flame War. And I’m cold right now, since my furnace thermocouple is bad, and need heat.
Alantus: May your coals get hotter and burn steadily.
No offense intended. I don’t normally post off-the-cuff like that (I don’t normally post much at all) but Scotticher’s post seemed a little out of line IMHO.
My impression was that Alantus read your 12/22 pit thread, thought that saying “hi” to you on Xmas day would be a friendly gesture, you took that gesture in the spirit in which it was intended, and then Scotticher starts getting defensive on your behalf. It seemed to me that, if you were willing to give Alantus the benefit of the doubt, then Scotticher could too.
If a fella can’t do something nice for another human being on Xmas day without getting jumped on, when can he?
I think one of the coolest things about coal (besides the fact that my dad worked on “coal gasification” for years) is that it turns into diamonds. Was it George Jones who crooned: “I’m just an old lump of coal, but I’m gonna be a diamond someday?”
Well, this has quickly become a non-issue all around. I am glad for the random, friendly “hello” from Alantus. And if you think Scotti erred, it was at least on the side of defending someone she was concerned about (me), and not to poke at Alantus.
Like I said. This is a non-issue now. Alantus is friendly to me, I gave a silly and meaningless coal factoid, Scotti was concerned about me, you were concerned about Alantus, and everyone is happy now. Like a Fellini version of “The Walton’s”.
Is this where somebody posts the Obligatory “Good Night John-boy” remark?
I apologize, Alantus.
I am sorry that I overreacted, and was defensive, and misread both your intentions and the tenor of your post.
I am also sorry that you were alone on Christmas morning. No one should have to be.
And Eissclam, I will attempt to get a grip. Thank you for the suggestion.
Scotti
Good Night, John-Boy!
I am fairly certain that would be John Anderson that did that back in the early 80’s. Great song! (unless you strongly dislike twangy country music) That song has been in my head since I first saw the OP on Christmas morning. It is funny that you bring it up now. 
NO WALTONS! Thanks to my parents being here, I saw 5 HOURS of the Waltons yesterday. I think I’ll shoot myself now…
(Just a little silliness, folks. Don’t mind me…)
Meephead:
You are right, it WAS John Anderson (and it was “chunk” of coal, not “lump”). Mea culpa.
And, please, let’s not forget John Denver’s “Some days are diamonds, some days are stone”: I feel fairly certain that the stones John referred to were, in fact, chunks of coal.
Eissclam.