One of mankind's earliest sources of light and heat was coal. Coal originated from ancient plants that grew in swamp-like environment. In the eastern U.S, coal formed earlier than the western U.S, 280-360 million years ago! The Chinese started using it more than 3,000 years ago! In 1679, French explorers on the Illinois River discovered coal for the first time in this country. The first recorded commercial mining occurred near Richmond, Virginia, in 1748.

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