Stach's textbook of coal petrology

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Coal petrology has experienced rapid advancements since the Second Edition of the textbook in 1975, with significant developments in techniques and applications to geological and industrial challenges. The depletion of stocks of the previous edition highlights the growing interest from not only coal scientists but also geologists, geophysicists, and petrologists in related fields. New insights into coal facies and maceral origins have emerged from studies of North American peat and fluorescence microscopy of coals and oil shales. Notably, the integration of coal petrographic and organic geochemical studies has led to major breakthroughs, aided by computer advancements in maceral analysis and reflectance measurement. Reflected light fluorescence microscopy has yielded valuable results for both coals and petroleum source rocks, prompting the inclusion of two color plates in the Third Edition to illustrate fluorescence. Microscopic techniques for determining rank have proven essential for assessing diagenesis, metamorphism, and tectonic histories, with vitrinite reflectance now widely accepted as a maturity measure for source rocks in petroleum geology. The role of fluorescence microscopy has become crucial in the petroleum industry for recognizing oil-generating macerals. The scope of coal petrology has expanded into the broader field of organic petrology, providing insights into carbonization and liquefaction processes. The for