Densified coal to the expulsion of its moisture content. The process fundamentally alters the micro chemical bonds within the coal, naturally reducing moisture content to around 11 per cent; boosting calorific value over 5600 kcal/kg; and creating a new ‘densified coal’ product that is hydrophobic, no longer prone to spontaneous combustion, and readily transportable. The chemical and calorific values of densified coal derived from typical Victorian brown coal with a natural average moisture content of 60 per cent by weight compares well with typical high grade black coal exported from Tarong Queensland, and Newcastle New South Wales Australia. adb = as dry
Environmental impact of the coal industry This is due to the relaxation of pressure and fracturing of the strata during mining activity, which gives rise to safety concerns for the coal miners if not managed properly. The buildup of pressure in the strata can lead to explosions during (or after) the mining process if prevention methods, such as "methane draining", are not taken. In 2008 James E. Hansen and Pushker Kharecha published a peer-reviewed scientific study analyzing the effect of a coal phase-out on atmospheric CO levels. Their baseline mitigation scenario was a phaseout of global coal emissions by 2050. Under the "Business as Usual" scenario,