Which of the following is a low grade brown coal that is soft with high moisture content?

The correct answer is Lignite.

Key Points

•  Lignite
  • Lignite coal, often known as brown coal, is the lowest grade of coal with the lowest carbon content.
  • It is mostly employed in energy generation due to its low heating value and high moisture content.
• ​Bituminous
  • Bituminous coal is a coal that falls in between sub-bituminous and anthracite in terms of rank.
  • Bituminous coal has a high heating value (Btu) and is utilized in the United States for electricity generation and steel production.
  • When first encountering bituminous coal, it appears blocky and shiny, and smooth, but closer inspection reveals thin, alternating, shiny, and dull layers.
• ​ Anthracite
  • The highest rank of coal.
  • It is a hard, brittle, black glossy coal with a high percentage of fixed carbon and a low percentage of volatile matter, sometimes referred to as hard coal.
• ​Peat
  • ​Peat is a precursor of coal.
  • Peat is a soft, organic substance made up of partially decomposed plant and mineral materials.
  • Peat undergoes physical and chemical changes (coalification) to become coal when it is exposed to high pressure and heat.