Coal is Ohio's single most important mineral resource. With decreasing supplies of oil and natural gas and a lack of alternate energy resources, increasing reliance will be placed on coal as the primary energy resource. To assist in the development and utilization of Ohio's coal resources, the Ohio Division of Geological Survey is continuing to investigate and report on the coal deposits in the state as well as investigating methodologies instrumental to the cleaner burning and more effective utilization of the coal.

Two investigations of deep coal resources in parts of southeastern Ohio have recently been completed, and resources of the Clairon (No. 4a) and Sharon (No. 1) coals in southern Ohio are currently being investigated. Ancillary to coal resource studies is the federally funded Division of Geological Survey project to accurately show the location and extent of abandoned underground coal mines on U.S. Geological Survey 7.5-minute

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quadrangle maps. Through a grant from the Ohio Air Quality Development Authority, the washability of Ohio's coal is presently being investigated by the traditional float-sink method as well as by petrographic methods. Fluidized-bed combustors are a promising means of burning high-sulfur coals, and the Division of Geological Survey has proposed a study to evaluate the effectiveness of Ohio's carbonate rocks as sulfur dioxide sorbents in these combustors. Results from this study will contribute to cost reductions in the removal of sulfur dioxide and should increase the utilization of Ohio's high-sulfur coal.

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