Coal is the altered remains of prehistoric vegetation that originally accumulated as plant material in swamp and peat bogs. The accumulation of silt and other sediments, together with tectonic movements in the earth’s crusts buried these swamps and bogs, often to great depth.
For more detailed information about how coal is formed, the different types of coal and their uses, and coal resources in New Zealand, download our fact sheet What is Coal? (PDF, 210 KB).
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