Cannel coal is a fine-grained, non-banded bituminous coal composed primarily of spores and plant debris that burns with a long, bright, candle-like flame. It is characterized by its dull to greasy luster and its distinct, smooth conchoidal fracture, which allows it to be carved into intricate decorative items like jewelry or buttons.
Is this cannel coal?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch cannel coal with a known reference. Cannel Coal sits at Mohs 2-3 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Cannel Coal leaves a brownish-black streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Cannel Coal typically shows a dull to greasy luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: black, brownish-black.
- 5Look at form & habitTypical habit: massive.
Often confused with
Cannel Coal vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Cannel Coal leaves brownish-black, Jet leaves brown; luster reads dull to greasy on Cannel Coal and resinous on Jet.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Cannel Coal leaves brownish-black, Coal leaves black; luster reads dull to greasy on Cannel Coal and dull to submetallic on Coal.
Often found alongside cannel coal
Minerals reported to co-occur with cannel coal. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Mohs hardness
- 2-3
- Density
- 1.2-1.5 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Brownish-black
- Luster
- Dull to Greasy
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal habit
- Massive
- Cleavage
- Conchoidal Fracture
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Collector, Decorative, Fuel
- Host rock
- Coal Seams in Sedimentary Basins
- Typical price
- $5-30 for cabinet specimens
Where rockhounds find cannel coal
Classic worldwide localities
- Scotland
- Kentucky, USA
- West Virginia, USA
- Wales
- France
Field-hunting tip
Look in coal seams in sedimentary basins country — that is the host setting where cannel coal typically forms. If you start seeing pyrite, siderite, shale in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a massive habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find cannel coal on the map
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