ABSTRACT
There are no documented records of when, or how, man ‚rst discovered that a certain black rock would burn but it can be surmised that coal combustion represents the oldest known use of this fossil fuel. Thus, it is reasonable to presume that coal combustion provided early man with his “rst practical source of energy giving warmth, light, as well as extending the range of food that could be consumed, and it enabled him to modify metals for a variety of uses.
