To differentiate the types of charcoal we need to stick to the process of formation of them.
Mineral coal
Coal contains a large percentage of the element Carbon. There are several forms of this type of charcoal, including: peat, lignite, anthracite and hard coal. The latter contains 70 to 90% total carbon. All these forms originated from a single process: transformation of the pulp from buried trees.
The appearance of coal is due to the loss of hydrogen and oxygen with great enrichment of carbon.
Coke Coal
Coking coal is a by-product of coal, obtained through a process called coking, where coal is subjected to high temperatures in the absence of oxygen. Coke appears at the end of firing as a solid, porous residue.
Why does this process need to take place in the absence of oxygen? During burning, gases from the composition of mineral coal are released, which can ignite, harming the final product, which in this case is coke.
By Líria Alves
Graduated in Chemistry
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Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
SOUZA, Líria Alves de. "Coal and coking coal"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/quimica/carvao-mineral-carvao-coque.htm. Accessed on June 28, 2021.
