Earliest systematic coal exploitation for fuel extended to ~3600 B.P.
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sciadv.adh0549.pdf
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Resource type
Journal article
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Date published
July 28, 2023
Abstract
Coal has long fueled human civilizations. The history of systematic coal fuel exploitation has been traced back to the late third millennium before present (post-2500 B.P.). Although sporadic combustion of coal for fuel was reported in some prehistoric archaeological sites, evidence for the systematic exploitation of coal for fuel before 2500 B.P. remains lacking. Here, we report comprehensive understanding for the earliest systematic exploitation of coal for fuel at the Jirentaigoukou site in Xinjiang, northwestern China, at ~3600 B.P. The main body of the site witnessed systematic exploitation of bituminous coals, illustrating a complete chaà®ne opératoire with selective mining, planned storage, and extensive combustion. Our results transform the knowledge of energy history by extending the upper limit of the systematic exploitation of coal for fuel by approximately a millennium, and provide a precedent of energy transition under intense conflict between social demand and environmental deterioration.
World’s earliest systematic exploitation of coal for fuel was extended by a millennium according to multidisciplinary evidence.
Journal title
Science Advances
Publisher
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
eISSN
2375-2548
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In Copyright
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