Anthracite is the highest rank of coal. It has been exposed to enough heat and pressure that most of the oxygen and hydrogen have been driven off, leaving a high-carbon material behind. It has a bright, lustrous appearance and breaks with a semi-conchoidal fracture. It is often referred to as “hard coal”; however, this is a…

Metamorphic rocks have been modified by heat, pressure, and chemical processes, usually while buried deep below Earth’s surface. Exposure to these extreme conditions has altered the mineralogy, texture, and chemical composition of the rocks. There are two basic types of metamorphic rocks. Foliated metamorphic rocks have a layered or banded appearance that is produced by exposure to heat…