how hard is "good" anthracite?

All,

I'm new to it. I'm installing a Kaa-2, and I bought a load of rice from a coal guy here that hauls it in, so I can fire it off for a 2 day+ test [if I every get it done].

I can snap most of the pieces that I try fairly easily. Although some of it is very hard, some will even crush a bit, almost like our bituminous coal here. Even at the $150 a ton price [off season buy - good deal here], I'm a bit freaked. Thinks it's ok? I wonder if he had it stored where he previously may have stored bit stoker coal, and a little bit of it isn't anth.

I have 30 years of bituminous experience, and I know that you can't tell much at a glance. He didn't have any test data on it. I am sort of committed to take all that he has. Apx 6-7 tons.

TIA

Dave

I can’t give you a specific hardness on a scale of some type that you can compare it to other minerals but I can tell you that anthracite pieces like rice and buckwheat will break if you step on them on a concrete floor so it is relatively soft and not hard like stone. It is called hard coal but it is really quite fragile.

gaw,

Thanks for the reply. I looked at some pics here, it looks 'bout the same.

Thanks again.

Dave

I would describe the hardness as something that can be crushed with a good stomp, breaking it with your hand is another story. Certainly possible with some pieces, more like split along the seams.

The hardest anthracite will have a glass like quality. You'll never break it by hand, it will fracture into pieces with a stomp with a heavy boot.

Post a picture.

I burn good anthracite. I have a stainless steel hopper with a stainless blast gate that I use as a valve to allow coal into my bins. Like Richard said the coal has somewhat of a glass like properties. When I close the blast gate the rice coal will crush with a small amount of effort. It kind of crunches as it gives to effort applied. It is hard but is not quite like stone.

Burning 20 + years here. old timers all way told me really good hard coal sounds like money if you take a little and rattle it in your hands, good hard coal should be really shiny, it will break apart like shale, and not a heavy as a rock is of the same size

Thanks, Gents.

Dave