ABSTRACT
Most of the major coalfields of the world have experienced spontaneous combustion. Spontaneous combustion can be regarded as an atmospheric oxidation process in which self-heating occurs (i.e. an exothermic reaction emitting between 5 and 10 kcal g1 of coal). It is the most common cause of fires in coal mines (Fig. 10.1). Spontaneous combustion of colliery spoil is dealt with in Chapter 7.
