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USGS CMG InfoBank: Coal

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Comment: 08:56 - 09:44 (00:48)

Source: Annenberg/CPB Resources - Earth Revealed - 17. Sedimentary Rocks: The Key to Past Environments

Keywords: "Dee Trent", "sedimentary rock", "swampy bayou", delta, moss, weed, root, tree, compaction, coal, swamp, water, "Okeefanokee Swamp", "Southeast Asia", vegetation, preservation, pressure, "geologic time", peat

Our transcription: In swampy bayous and deltas onshore, the remains of moss, weeds, roots, and tree trunks may gradually compact over millions of years, giving rise to another sedimentary rock: "coal".

The coal is formed in areas of swamps, quiet water like Okeefanokee Swamp and areas in Southeast Asia where you have lots of vegetation in shallow water over millions of years, and material grows, dies, settles down.

Due to the chemistry of the water, the material does not rot away.

It's preserved.

Layer after layer builds up.

With time, sufficient pressure, converted first to peat and eventually to coal.

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