Peat is included under this heading because, as we have seen, it is the first stage in the formation of coal (though if it is not deeply buried, it will never become coal). The type of peat usually dug for fuel consists of the partly decayed reeds and mosses growing in bogs. Peat bogs, often called 'mosses', are found in Ireland, Scotland and Somerset, as well as in many other parts of the world.

Brown coal results from the first stage of alteration of the buried peat. It is brown and crumbly, and can often be seen to be composed of decayed woody material. Another name given to this fuel is lignite – but some lignites are black. There is very little brown coal in England – none at all in the coalfields – but very large quantities occur in several other countries. The thick seams in Australia, mentioned on page 3, consist of brown coal.

The commonest type of coal in Britain, used in houses and factories, is known as bituminous coal. It is always black, and is made up of bands or layers which vary from bright and glassy to dull and sooty. This type of coal generally breaks easily into rectangular blocks along planes of easy splitting (cleavage) which the miner calls the 'cleat' of the coal. Noticing the direction of the cleat helps the miner in his difficult task of 'getting' or 'winning' the coal.

Anthracite is a form of coal showing the greatest amount of change or alteration from the peaty layer of which it was originally formed. It is hard and shows little sign of banding, but has a lustre (or shines) rather like dull steel, and it breaks into skew-shaped blocks.

'Cannel' coal is a dull, hard coal without bands or cracks. It is found in most coalfields especially in Scotland and Lancashire. The name cannel is said to have been given to this type of coal because it burns with a long smoky flame as does a candle.