question about Reading Anthracite

I picked up a load of Reading coal last week that the Reading bag says is premium Anthracite. I noticed that the rice is not a shiny as my coal last year. in fact the color is dull. My coal last year was in distributor bags so i do not know where it came from but think it came from one of the veins in Mt. Carmel, PA

Is the dull Reading coal actually Anthracite? Will it burn and heat comparably to what i had last year in an Alaska stoker?

I'm not positive, but I think it's most likely dependent on how long it's been bagged. They wet the coal to transport it and I've noticed with the Reading bags, they're vented so much of the water may have evaporated off or drained out, taking away the shine with it.

So then maybe it is coal dust covering the coal? I do have leftover coal from last year sitting in a bucket inside that is still shiny?

One thing to keep in mind with coal is that sometimes you can't judge a book by its cover. For example some of the hardest shiniest coal you can get is so hard it doesn't burn. Even if it's super shiny if it sits for while it will get a film on it too, try rubbing a few pieces.

The only way to make any judgments is to burn it.

csstoker wrote:Is the dull Reading coal actually Anthracite?

I bought some of the ugliest coal I had ever saw and it turned out to be the best coal I ever burned. The stuff appeared to be traprock when I first looked at it. It had been under a blue vinyl tarp for years an dthe plastic was degrading from the sun and leaving a film on the coal. When I dumped the load from the truck to the cellar, I wet it down with a hose and lo and behold! The coal had a rebirth! Wash a piece off and look at it, it may appear a lot healthier. A clean piece should have a little shine. Moving the bags of coal around leave it coated with coal dust and it dulls the look of it.

csstoker wrote:So then maybe it is coal dust covering the coal? I do have leftover coal from last year sitting in a bucket inside that is still shiny?

I've also heard that some suppliers use oil instead of water so it could be this too. The oil may be on your other coal and it's still shiny. Either way, I wouldn't worry about it.

csstoker wrote:I picked up a load of Reading coal last week that the Reading bag says is premium Anthracite. I noticed that the rice is not a shiny as my coal last year. in fact the color is dull. My coal last year was in distributor bags so i do not know where it came from but think it came from one of the veins in Mt. Carmel, PA

Is the dull Reading coal actually Anthracite? Will it burn and heat comparably to what i had last year in an Alaska stoker?

It depends on what vein of coal it is out of The Mammoth veins will have about the most shiniest coal you will ever see
others will have a dull look to it looks do not mean a thing burn it then you will know . Ash content carbon % Bone content & hardnest is what to look for .