Possible Blackshak got Bitumen coal mixed with anthracite

Hi,

I’ve been burning anthracite coal on my 503 for about 5 or 6 years. I run through about 3 tons a year of bagged coal. The last ton of anthracite blackshack bags I bought I immediately noticed the coal was not shiny like normal. I was thinking maybe they didn’t oil it to keep the dust down. But I’ve been outside working on the house and when pulling in my neighborhood been smelling what I thought were fireworks. Now I am thinking I’m smelling sulfur. On top of that the stove seems to be running hotter at the same draft although it’s been pretty windy lately.

Can the manufacturers maybe have got a vein of bitumen? Is that even possible. Any ideas? Thanks. Bob

Your glass will smoke up if its bit coal, and visible smoke from your chimney (not steam) after loading. Anthracite smells like sulfur. Bit smells more like a tire burning.

Dirty looking bagged Blaschak would be unusual.

Might just be some anthracite with higher volatiles than you are used to. I had a few loads of Kimmel's that was like that.

Why would it not be shiny and completely dull?

Just the way nature made it. Some of the best coal I have ever burned was dusty and dull looking.

I got some pieces of coal a friend picked up in PA along the railroad. The chunks were about the size of a large closed fist. I had them for years next to the stairs going to the basement. One day a chunk fell and broke up in almost like thick slices of bread. I broke them up smaller like the size of pea coal. For fun threw it on top of the coal burning on the flat plate stoker, and it burned much like a wood fire. Smoke was clearly dirty and flames were very yellow unlike anthracite blue.
The coal was somewhat shiny but extremely brittle.

I burned both Reading and Blaschak this year. The Reading was very shiny, very wet, and the inside of the bags very stained black. Burned well when allowed to dry for a few weeks. The Blaschak was dry and dull as described, but if a piece was held to catch the light just right a shine came through. The bags were very clean inside. No dust with either coal and few fines. The Blaschak also burned well. This was pea coal.

I got ten tons of Blaschak bulk nut this year. Black, shiny like glass, but there are occasional pieces that are dull. It all burns fine.

Paul

Been burnin Blaschak for 10 yrs C--real unlikely---