Fossil fuelA fossil fuel is a flammable carbon compound- or hydrocarbon-containing material formed naturally in the Earth's crust from the buried remains of prehistoric organisms (animals, plants or microplanktons), a process that occurs within geological formations.
CarbonChemical element with atomic number 6 (C)–↑C↓Siboron ← carbon → nitrogen
Organic matterOrganic matter, organic material or natural organic matter (NOM) is the large source of carbon-based compounds found within natural and engineered, terrestrial, and aquatic environments. It is matter composed of organic compounds that have come from the feces and remains of organisms such as plants and animals. Organic molecules can also be made by chemical reactions that do not involve life.
OxygenOxygen is a chemical element; it has the symbol O and its atomic number is 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group in the periodic table. It is highly reactive, a nonmetal, and a potent oxidizing agent that readily forms oxides with most elements as well as with other compounds. Oxygen is the most abundant element in Earth's crust, making up almost half of the Earth's crust in the form of various oxides such as water, carbon dioxide, iron oxides, and silicates.
HydrogenChemical element with atomic number 1 (H)–↑H↓Li(none) ← hydrogen → helium
Chemical elementChemical substance not composed of simpler onesThe chemical elements ordered in the periodic table, as shown in the 32-column formatA chemical element is a species of atom defined by its number of protons. The number of protons is called the atomic number of that element. For example, oxygen has an atomic number of 8: each oxygen atom has 8 protons in its nucleus.
Sedimentary rockSedimentary rocks are types of rock formed by the cementation of sediments—i.e. particles made of minerals (geological detritus) or organic matter (biological detritus)—that have been accumulated or deposited at Earth's surface. Sedimentation is any process that causes these particles to settle in place. Geological detritus originates from weathering and erosion of existing rocks, or from the solidification of molten lava blobs erupted by volcanoes.
SulfurChemical element with atomic number 16 (S)O↑S↓Sephosphorus ← sulfur → chlorine
NitrogenChemical element with atomic number 7 (N)–↑N↓Pcarbon ← nitrogen → oxygen
Coal miningCoal mining is the process of extracting coal from the ground or from a mine. Coal is valued for its energy content and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. In the United Kingdom and South Africa, a coal mine and its structures are a colliery, a coal mine is called a pit, and above-ground mining structures are referred to as a pit head. In Australia, colliery generally refers to an underground coal mine.
StratumIn geology and related fields, a stratum (pl.: strata) is a layer of rock or sediment characterized by certain lithologic properties or attributes that distinguish it from adjacent layers from which it is separated by visible surfaces known as either bedding surfaces or bedding planes.
Combustibility and flammabilityA combustible material is a material that can burn (i.e. sustain a flame) in air under certain conditions. A material is flammable or inflammable if it ignites easily at room temperature. In other words, a combustible material takes more effort to ignite and a flammable material ignites almost immediately when exposed to a flame. The degree of flammability in air depends largely on how easy the material vaporizes.
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