Editing Bituminous coal

{{Quality|Unrated}}
{{stonelookup/0|uses=
* Create 9 [[fuel#Coke, from bituminous coal or lignite|coke]] at [[smelter]]}}
{{av}}

:''In Dwarf Fortress, bituminous coal is not the same as "[[coal]]", an ingredient in many reactions – see that article for more information.''

'''Bituminous coal''' is found in [[vein]]s in [[sedimentary layer]]s and is one of the two mineral sources of [[fuel]].  When processed at a [[smelter]] or [[magma smelter]], one unit of bituminous coal produces 9 units of [[fuel#Coke, from bituminous coal or lignite|coke]]. If done at a regular [[smelter]], this processing requires one pre-existing unit of fuel (either charcoal or coke), leaving a ''net'' production of 8 fuel.

Bituminous coal is flammable—if exposed to [[fire]] or [[magma]], an item made of bituminous coal will burn for the better part of a year before [[wear]]ing away. Exposure to [[water]] (including rain) will extinguish it, unless it happens to be stored in a [[bin]].

However, since its ignition point is above the cutoff for fire-safety{{bug|9795}}, it is considered a [[fire-safe]] material and as such can be used for the construction of non-[[magma]] [[furnace]]s and [[forge]]s. 

Bituminous coal is '''not''' the same as [[fuel|"refined coal" or "coal"]], though it is immediately related.

Because bituminous coal only costs 3 embark points, and produces a large amount of fuel when processed, it may be wise to bring some bituminous coal with you on embark as an early source of fuel.

It otherwise behaves as an ordinary stone.  If you don't need to produce coke, you can use it to produce goods with a mason or stonecrafter.  By default, bituminous coal is considered an Economic Stone and it will be reserved for coke production unless changed in the Stone submenu.

==See also==
* [[Lignite]]
* [[Fuel]]

{{d for dwarf}}
Of all the fallacies of the humans probably the most laughable is "Old Eartherism".  Some humans have estimated the world's age from the ludicrous 6000, to the unimaginable 4.5 billion years.  As "proof" they point to the bones of giant lizards buried beneath the soil, and coal, which they claim is the byproduct of the lizard's decay.  Dwarven history extends back to 1 year after the creation of earth, and coal is amply documented even then.  Dwarves are also well aware of how those monstrous lizards' bones ended up underground, as well as *exactly* what they decay into.  They don't bother to correct the humans because they think they're cute when they're wrong.

<gallery>
File:Coal bituminous.jpg| A piece of bituminous coal.
</gallery>
{{gamedata}}
{{stones}}
{{Category|Economic Stone}}